As I reflect on twenty years of student ministry, several principles that have helped me maintain a healthy ministry rise to the surface. But first… know that these principles emerge from an ongoing, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus. It is foundational and critical to seek the Lord’s guidance and wisdom constantly through prayer, studying the…
Student Ministry
The Best Fundraisers Ever
It’s that time! If you serve in a church where students do fundraisers for missions and conferences, conversations to plan the year’s events have likely started. Fundraisers can become an effective part of your ministry’s path of discipleship. Leadership and community-building grow out of these events! Here are the best ones I’ve found over the years: After-church…
Beyond the Four Walls…and Borders
When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. (Isaiah 41:17, NLT) Scripture repeatedly reveals that God hears the prayers of His people. Every tear, every muffled lament, even the…
Who to Help?
You are a student ministry pastor. You want to reach out to the youth in your community. Where to start?? The needs are abundant! Time is short. Through social media and other conversations, we learn about the joys and struggles in the lives of our students and their friends. Early in my years of ministry,…
Walking with Your Short-term Missionary
In the coming weeks, short-term mission teams will head out to partner with missionaries across the globe. If your son, daughter, grandchild, cousin or friend will be serving on a team, consider how you can walk alongside him or her in the coming weeks. As a short-term missionary, they will experience new cultures, close relationships…
Parenting: the Gift of Presence
Our children merely want to be with us. I need to go fishing … or shopping or walking in the park or playing in the yard. The parenting debate continues to rage about quality vs quantity. While I do not know how to quantify these numbers, I do know that our children need our presence…
Moving Student Ministry into Mission Mindset
She came because a friend invited her. She stayed because she liked to serve. She grew because the Lord worked in her heart. Students get connected to our church community in many different ways. One of the most effective has been through missions and outreach … not being the “evangelized” but being involved in the…
What is The Project Experience?
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/20561555 w=400&h=300] Project Experience: Cycle of Poverty from CCC Omaha on Vimeo. Our high school mission teams set-up an interactive exhibit spotlighting the challenges of developing countries. 1 out of 6 people do not have clean drinking water. More than 40 million hours are spent every year fetching water. 8′ x 8′ house provides…
Four Steps to Planning Student Ministry Events
Student Ministries have the privilege of creating events where teens can experience God in new ways. Retreats, mission projects, lock-ins, day trips, and conferences offer opportunities that are out of our ordinary, daily existence. By their nature, they uniquely expand the space for the Holy Spirit to move. As youth leaders, we need to responsibly…
Parable of the Sower: The Path
(Part 2 of 5. The series begins here.) Some of the farmer’s seed fall on the path. It blows away, gets trampled, or eaten by birds. Essentially, it is lost. The seed is God’s Word. Some people who hear His message of grace turn away. Essentially, it is lost. What is my role? What is…
