I get to meet lots of cool people and sometimes I take my camera…
Connecting with people who share a passion for Christ and Student Ministry is one of my greatest joys. In my travels I have the opportunity to rub shoulders with the heads of international youth ministries, youth pastors, lay leaders and students who are making a difference. Some of them reach thousands and some tens of thousands, but they are all vital to the cause of Christ.
This is the maiden voyage of a bi-monthly video blog (vlog), Leaders on the Edge, where I want to introduce you to some of these cool people via interviews. There will be nothing fancy since I am using my own little Cannon camera, but I know you will be challenged and blessed by the passion of each person.
Jay Strack is the CEO/President of Student Leadership University, a ministry that reaches and teaches multiplied thousands of students and youth leaders/pastors each year. I have had the privilege of ministering with Jay and SLU for several years and encourage you to take advantage of all they have to offer.
In this interview I asked Jay, “How did you get started with SLU?” This is a great story and you do not want to miss it.
How do we prevent summer camp from being “just” a one week experience? How do we build on the decisions and the experience in order to extend the benefits?
Summer camp plays a vital role in the overall strategy of any student ministry. I know from experience that this has been a turning point in many lives. I consistently come in contact with pastors, missionaries and teachers who committed their lives to Christ at summer camp.
Our goal in ministry is to create a strategy that encompasses the student’s life, not just their time. Every event, relationship and experience should be another building block in an intentional ministry. Summer camp is one of those building blocks that can be capitalized, transforming into sustainable life-change.
Summer camp should be a process, not a destination. In order to maximize the experience, you need to implement a plan on both ends. I want to suggest seven practical steps to help extend the benefits of summer camp.
Check out the theme and emphasis of the camp before attending so you can prepare the students before they arrive. If they arrive at summer camp already engaged, their take-away will be greater.
Begin follow-up of the spiritual decisions at camp; don’t wait until you return home. Have a plan for creating accountability for each student. Check out my post How to Make Summer Camp Decisions Stick for more information.
Borrow ideas, songs or games from camp that you can incorporate into your ministry. This will help remind the students of the experience. Check out Ways to Be More Creative: #7 Borrow Ideas.
Connect your students to their counselors via email, Facebook, Twitter or IM, so they can continue communication. A counselor’s influence should not end when you drive away from camp.
Video your students’ testimonies following camp and use these in your fall programing. We often use them in a Sunday service after camp, so why not plan to extend their effect?
Have each student write a letter and address it to himself the last day of camp. Ask them to explain any decisions they made and how the experience changed them. Then mail the letters to each student January 1. You can remind them of their decisions – but how much better to hear it in their own words.
Get the students involved in the youth ministry and other ministries of the church. This allows them to put into practice some of the things they learned and are continuing to learn.
What are some of the ideas you have found helpful?
I love duct tape! Seriously, is there anything you cannot fix with it? My philosophy is “If you cannot fix it with duct tape…then throw it away.” Oh, and by the way, multi-colored duct tape is for sissies.
I’ve been told it was created for heating/air condition vents but it did not work. So duct tape works on just about everything except for what it was invented. I am glad the inventors did not trash the idea because it was not what they had envisioned.
I think sometimes we discount decisions made by our students at camp because they do not fit into our pre-determined expectations. I am not suggesting that we lower the bar, as there are certain biblical criteria for decisions that are non-negotiable (Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:62, Romans 12:1-2).
What I am saying is that we should allow for the Spirit of God to use the Word of God in the student’s life and be willing to accept their personal expression of those decisions, even if it is outside of our expectations or preferences. Just for clarification, I am referring to discipleship (commitment) decisions, not salvation.
With that as the foundation, let me suggest several concepts that may be helpful to your students in cementing and applying their new level of commitment to Christ.
Remember, decisions don’t change your life, they change your direction. Students should never walk away from a commitment service thinking they are done. They are just beginning.
Realize that students are capable of making life-changing, lifelong decisions. Do not discount decisions made by your younger students.
Being emotional does not discredit their decisions nor does the lack of emotion. Some students are wired to be more emotional than others. This is not about emotions; it is about facts.
Don’t assume the students know what to do following their decisions. This is typically an awkward time for them so help with clarification.
Help the students answer the question… “What’s next?” Don’t overload them with the details of the next ten years; help them one step at a time.
Establish accountability for the students from peers, as well as a mentor/discipler. It is great to have adult involvement, but adding a godly peer can really enhance personal growth.
Get the parents involved if they are willing. Obviously not all parents are mature in their faith, but they should all be encouraged at some level.
Encourage the students to make their decisions public at their home church. They may have done this at camp, but they need to communicate and connect with the church family.
Enlist adults who are not in the student ministry to be prayer partners with the students.
There is no magic formula for aiding students in follow-through of their decisions, but we should at least have a goal or plan. What have you found to be helpful in your student ministry?
If you are looking for a discipleship curriculum, check out the “Where Do I Go From Here?” series:
Images of kids crying in the backseat of your car, rushing through airports carrying entirely too much stuff or maybe some comedy movie on the topic quickly emerge when people think of “family vacation.” Obviously there are some negative aspects that cannot be ignored, but it is also a time to build memories.
Last night I spoke at our Word of Life Family Campground where families come for vacation with a purpose. I am sure they still had to endure some of the “rites of passage” such as crying kids in the backseat, but that was all trumped by what I saw last night.
I spend most of my time speaking to students or student leaders, but I love speaking at the Family Campground. I am always refreshed by seeing families taking in the Word of God together. The Family Campground has just the right blend of family meetings and age-specific meetings, producing a balanced program.
At the campfire service I was moved to tears when I gave the invitation. Families responded together and within a matter of moments they had encircled the campfire, heads bowed, broken before God. I was so blessed to be a part of the evening.
My goal with this blog is to share content that will “add value” to your life. Today I was scheduled to discuss an article about teen behavior and punishment, but my heart is overflowing from the service last night and I just had to share it with you.
Learning, growing and building memories together as a family should not be optional; it should be intentional. What are some of the things you are doing to strengthen your family?
I made a remarkable scientific discovery in the fifth grade. Actually I did not discover this scientific principle: I just became aware of it. I was playing with two magnets, watching them attract each other, and that’s when it happened. I turned them around and voila! …they repelled one another.
I know this is not “earth shattering” information. Most of us know about the attracting and repelling polls of a magnet, but if this is new information then give it a try and have a little fun.
Magnets have a magnetic field that allows them to attract to certain materials and not others. One of the most common uses for magnets at my house is to hold notes, missionary prayer cards and artwork, created by my granddaughter, on the refrigerator.
Now, at the risk of sermonizing, allow me to extract some guidelines for leading change in a church or organization. There are many facets of leadership but one of the most challenging is leading change.
Usually there are two distinct groups of people in any organization when it comes to change…those who are attracted to it and those who are repelled by it. Ironically, you need both groups and the objective is to know how to merge, meld and motivate (now I really do sound like a preacher) them as one.
The goal is to bring about change without polarizing people. Change by its sheer nature causes some to step back and test the idea or premise, while others enthusiastically embrace it. Remember, you need both groups and the challenge is to leverage each group’s strength.
The group that is cautiously examining the new idea is made up of what I call Anchor Leaders. They aid in the process of evaluation and help keep you on track for changing the methods, not the message. I refer to the other group as the Animated Leaders. Their enthusiasm plays a strategic role as they give the idea, energy and creativity.
So here is the take-away from my magnet analogy for Leading Change in your organization:
Merge (Connecting)
Allow both groups to express ideas and concerns.
Facilitate open discussion and communication.
Meld (Uniting)
Massage the ideas or concerns into one strategic plan.
Clarify guidelines and responsibilities for each person.
Motivate (Activating)
Allow for personal stewardship of the idea or project.
Promote individual creativity and expression.
This process will require an investment of time and energy, but it is exciting to lead change without polarizing people. Learning to attract people to an idea or project is a core criterion of leadership.
The dictionary says that anticipation is an expectation or hope. I think that expresses my feelings the last few weeks concerning the Where Was God When…? project. I have anticipated it arriving and being used of God to help students and adults deal with the difficult questions of life.
Well, they are finally here. The book and DVD set of Where Was God When…?have officially been released. If you pre-ordered the book or the DVD set you should receive it in the mail very soon. If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, you can do so at: http://www.wolstore.org/p-1200-where-was-god-when-book.aspx
Over the last couple of weeks, a number of different bloggers participated in the Where Was God When…?Blog Tour. If I combined all of their blogs, it would almost be enough content for a sequel. Each person involved, like you, is on the front-lines of youth ministry. I am well aware that you face these types of “Where Was God When…?” questions on a regular basis. None of us have all the answers, but we do know where the answers are found.
If you missed any of the blogs from the Blog Tour, you can review them below. I am grateful to everyone who took the time to contribute to this project. The bloggers have greatly enhanced the ministry of this endeavor.
Answering hard questions is synonymous with ministry to youth. All of us are going to be confronted with the “realities” of life and we need to be ready to guide students to foundational truth. Our goal with Where Was God When…? is to put additional materials into your hands that you can use to give answers and hope. I would love to hear from you as to how the book or DVD set is helping you in your ministry.
In order to stand on the highest point on planet earth, I would have to scale Mount Everest conquering its peak of 29,028 feet above sea level plus or minus 10 feet because of the snow pack. Since I have no trips planned to the Himalayan mountain range, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, I will settle for the 46 Adirondack High Peaks.
The 46 peaks range in height from 4000 to 5000 feet (ballpark numbers) and are all incredible. They are not the highest mountains in the USA, but they are some of the more difficult to ascend with each path (assuming there is one) presenting rugged obstacle after obstacle. The boulders you climb over and the slides you climb up always present a challenge.
Yesterday I climbed one of those peaks with my two sons, Joshua and Caleb. I admit that part of the time they were waiting for the old guy, but we all made it. We ascended to the top together, which was our goal. This was not a race although there was some brotherly competition; it was a family outing.
All of us realize the importance of family. I guess we have always known that, but right now it seems to be more poignant than at other times. Some things should not change and the fact that family is there for one another is one of them. We had a great time laughing with and at each other but when it was all said and done, we stood on the very top together.
Allow me to highlight a few life facts from today’s 12-mile hike:
I was with both of my sons and my twenty plus years did make a difference.
Five miles into the hike I wondered whose dumb idea this was.
You can move faster when you can breathe.
Almost anything tastes good when you get hungry enough.
Now allow me to highlight a few life lessons:
If you are going to reach the top, you have to keep climbing even when it hurts.
The view you are looking for will not be found at the half-way point.
Accomplishing the goal gives a rush of endorphins even when you are tired.
It is easier to reach the top when you go together.
Reaching a goal is more significant when you go with people you like or love.
So what is the point of all this? What are the leadership lessons?
Ministry is not always easy. It sometimes hurts, but you have to keep moving.
Our goal is not to go half-way; the final view as a believer will make it worthwhile.
Do ministry together; don’t try to be a lone ranger.
Do ministry with people you like or love, even if you have to move to make that happen.
Ministry should be dynamic and exciting; it is too important to approach casually or passively. Ministry should always be changing because culture constantly evolves. It is imperative that we be anchored firmly in our Biblical Principles while assessing and changing our methods.
I recently read While You Were Micro-Sleeping, Fresh Insights on the Changing Face of North American Missions by Steve Moore and was challenged by his insights. The book is about leadership, change and innovation.
He uses the illustration of driving seventy miles an hour and closing your eyes for three seconds. At that speed, you will travel one-hundred yards before re-engaging in your surroundings. He parallels this with what happens in Christianity and missions. Things are changing and moving so fast that it seems like every time we blink there is major ministry “make over.”
Here are some of the outstanding quotes that caused me to pause and do some personal and ministry evaluation:
To remain relevant and effective, leaders need to constantly be asking two fundamental questions: What’s happening now? and What’s happening next? P. 7
Leaders intuitively understand the relationship between ideas and innovation, and between innovation and increased effectiveness. P. 15
“Speed to market” is a phrase few ministry leaders would use in a brainstorming or planning session, but the fact of the matter is the rapid pace of change means the shelf life of your very best idea is constantly decreasing. P. 17
Far too many mission organizations are operating with a download paradigm in an upload world. P. 24
If you insist on operating with a download paradigm in an upload world, you are going to marginalize yourself as a leader and render your organization irrelevant. P. 27
The key words in the Institutional Paradigm are exclusivity and entitlement; the key works in the Relational Paradigm of loyalty are diversity and engagement. P. 40
…the Great Commission is too big for any one organization to do alone and too important for us not to try to do it together. P. 59
Too often when we hear the word “change” in the same sentence with ministry, we think of contradiction. Some ministries refuse to change anything, while others change everything. Balance, humanly speaking, will always be in the eye of the beholder, but it need not be so for believers.
We must hold to the anchor of God’s absolute truth while refusing to elevate “personal preference” to the level of “principle.” Jesus warned the religious leaders against this in Mark 7:7, And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Are you committed to change? Are you founded on the truth? How do you think the two relate?
It does not take long in a conversation with Dr. Jay Strack to sense his passion for developing student leaders. His perspective of teens is refreshing. He does not believe teens are just overgrown children but sees their potential as student leaders.
This belief permeates the entire staff of the Student Leadership University organization, as well as the content of the SLU 101 conferences. They challenge students to Think…Dream…Lead! At the four-day conference, the teens are pushed to think outside the invisible box that confines them and to set aggressive personal goals.
It is stimulating to watch from the back of the room and to see students stand up in front of their peers voicing their dreams for making a difference in this world. And lest you think this is just “another” emotional experience, the conference is replete with stories of SLU 101 grads that are making a difference.
For the past two years I have been privileged to teach a session on Personal Spiritual Growth at SLU 101. This has allowed me to see firsthand the impact of this event. Dr. Jay speaks several times throughout the four days; plus, he has assembled a group of speakers who have proven themselves in leadership and ministry to youth. Men like Brent Crowe – President of SLU; Chuck Allen – Leadership Consultant; Pat Williams – Senior VP of the Orlando Magic; Dr. Danny Akin – President of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Mark Miller – VP of Training and Development for Chick-fil-A; and Dr. Bill Brown – President of Cedarville University …to name a few.
I recommend that you check out the SLU website, and plan to take a group of your top student leaders next summer. You will also notice that there is a 201, 301 and 401–each taking students to a new level of leadership. I have never met anyone who attended any of these leadership institutes who expressed regret.
I have friends in most of the major youth ministries of the nation whom I respect and SLU is one of those ministries. My purpose for this blog is not to have an SLU “love-fest” but to spotlight a quality work. Dr. Jay often says, “One of the greatest gifts I can give you is to introduce you to my friends,” and I guess that expresses my purpose.
Why do bad things happen to good people? For that matter, why do bad things happen to anyone? Even for us as believers, life if often a mystery. Every time I hear of the death of another child or teen I am compelled to ask…Why? If I ask this question after walking with the Lord for many years then it is understandable when students ask the hard questions of life. Questions like:
Why did my brother die?
Why did my father molest me?
Why did my parents get divorced?
These types of encounters with students have compelled Ric Garland and me to put together the book and DVD series Where Was God When…?
Next week, watch for the Where Was God When…? Blog Tour. In preparation for the July 1t release, we have been emailing, Twittering and Facebooking about this project, and now we are doing a Blog Tour. Every step along the way we’ve gotten great feedback about the book, its themes and content. I recently received this note from Pastor Bill Boulet of Heritage Baptist Church in Lakeland, FL.
Mike,
Read chapter 1… wow, all I can say is thanks.
Bill.
Next week, in celebration of the Where Was God When…? release, several bloggers are going to address open letters to the characters from the book. Wait…you didn’t know this book had characters?! That’s right, eight true-life stories. The book/DVD series is structured in a question/answer format. The questions are taken right from true stories, and the answers come from a study of the Attributes of God.
As ministry leaders you face hard questions all the time, so we invited a group of key ministry leaders to answer one of those questions in their own way. If you’re interested in finding all of the Blog Tour posts, keep an eye on my twitter account. (@wolmike) I will tweet each post as it goes up. I plan to do a wrap-up and summary of the tour in one of my blogs when it is complete.
If you’re interested in participating as a blogger, comment on this post with the URL of your blog and an e-mail address and I will get the details to you. If you are not familiar with the project then check it out at wherewasgod.wol.org or at the Word of Life webstore where you can download the first chapter for FREE.
Our perception of a missionary can range from, “someone who is not capable of doing anything else” to “being a select breed that only a few people can ever obtain to their spiritual level.” BOTH of these concepts are wrong!
A missionary is a servant of God, called by God ... > Read More
Okay, I know that no self respecting teen would ever say call my “telephone” instead of “cell” but “cell” just did not ring (no pun intended – well maybe a little pun) when I posted teens and texts. Teens and cell phones have become synonymous with current ... > Read More
When our Christianity becomes an event, it is in danger of becoming sterile and perfunctory. Evangelism, discipleship and spiritual growth should be more than an event filling a prescribed time slot; they should be a part of our personal DNA.
One of the greatest dangers for those of us in ministry ... > Read More
Let’s face it. Summertime student ministry is different and sometimes difficult. The familiar routine of the school year is in chaos, and students either have a ton of free time or are busier than ever. The change of seasons usually results in a change of strategy for the majority of youth ... > Read More
Most of us can quickly define the dichotomy between a “Christian” and “Secular” worldview, but what about the difference between “Christian” and “Christian?” What does it mean to live “counter-culturally” within the mainstream church ... > Read More
Transitions are important. Often we lose students when their transition from one level to another is uncomfortable or awkward. Even lifetime churchgoers can feel like first-time visitors when it’s time to move up to a new class. Intentional student transitions help to ensure that the ... > Read More
Certain dates need little explanation because just the mention of the day communicates volumes. Dates such as July 4, 1776, November 22, 1963 and September 11, 2001 are all familiar, not to mention that they changed this nation.
Do you have any “life-changing” days in your personal ... > Read More
“Short-term missions” is a powerful tool to use in developing students within your ministry. I recently asked career missionary Matthew Melville to share some of his thoughts on the benefits of short-term missions. Here are the six he mentioned:
Short-term mission trips help students ... > Read More
Networking is more than handing out your business cards to complete strangers. It’s about making meaningful connections with others and coordinating with them to achieve common goals. Ministry Networking should produce a “Win – Win” effect for both ministry partners.
It is ... > Read More
I get to meet lots of cool people and sometimes I take my camera…
Last night I spoke at our 
I know this is not “earth shattering” information. Most of us know about the attracting and repelling polls of a magnet, but if this is new information then give it a try and have a little fun.
In order to stand on the highest point on planet earth, I would have to scale Mount Everest conquering its peak of 29,028 feet above sea level plus or minus 10 feet because of the snow pack. Since I have no trips planned to the Himalayan mountain range, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, I will settle for the 
Yesterday I climbed one of those peaks with my two sons, Joshua and Caleb. I admit that part of the time they were waiting for the old guy, but we all made it. We ascended to the top together, which was our goal. This was not a race although there was some brotherly competition; it was a family outing.
