Common Denominators for Creative Meetings

I'm a part of a group that works together to plan and pray for a summer high school camp that reaches about 25,000 high school students each year. Christ In Youth, the organization that pulls MOVE off every summer brings a few of us together--and we dive into Scripture and think of creative ideas to communicate the truths, challenges, and encouragement that we find.

After meeting twice, I started to formulate some ideas on why the incredibly productive two and a half days works so well (while having plenty of time for play and legitimate digression).

Here are a few things that meetings need. Thanks Eric and to the CIY team for leading the way in this.

1) Ice Shortages

Our waitress at Joe Mamma's informed us that there was an ice shortage at dinner during our first night together. It made for some funny commentary but it also reminded me that unexpected things like shortages of things you take for granted can get dormant minds working. When you hit a wall in a creative meeting and someone asks a critical question or poses an unexpected observation, you find yourself looking at the idea from a different angle. There was one section of our day that we devoted many hours to one specific message, it wasn't until the very end when someone gave a random piece of information that helped us turn the corner to a firm idea. Welcome the random. Welcome the unexpected, it breeds creativity.

2) Ice Breakers

"Your mom is like an iPhone...."

Ok, so maybe it wasn't the best fill in the blank analogy to get the meeting started. But things like this get our wheels turning and generate fresh ideas. I like ice breakers that take us out of our comfort zones. I'm HORRIBLE at writing analogy's. Mine are completely awful. But it's fun to hear the quick wit around the table and be grateful that we all bring something different. Give me a flip chart and a marker for a round of pictionary--on the other hand--and watch out! Open meetings with something fun or even a simple question (What was your worst job...ever?). And see how everyone lights up.

3) Ice-olation Stations

Not everyone processes and thinks the same. Give people with a need for tactile stimulation some legos to build something, play-doh to sculpt, or space to draw. Welcome sitting, standing, ceiling staring...as long as it's not too distracting (P90X mid meeting may not be a good idea).

4) N-Ice People

Get to know each other during the breaks. Pray for each other. Depth in relationships equals depth in understanding. There will be some random, half-baked ideas--a gift of meetings like this--but it's ok. Throw them out there to be built on or bushwacked because along the way something will bloom and it will be great.

5) Icing On the Cake

Wrap up the meeting with where you've been. List what you've accomplished and celebrate with a meal or some sort of shared sport. Tilly Ball is always fun. (If you'd like to know more about this made up non-sensical version of volleyball that our friend Lane Moss made up out of desperation you can email him lanemoss@gmail.com)

Thanks for humoring my "ice" outline. I'm pretending you're in my creative group and you don't really care that I'm random and happy and altogether addicted to dreaming for the Kingdom. Thanks for being a homie. I hope this helps.

Spring Training for Leaders | How to love and lead this spring.

It's the Monday after spring break. This day marks the beginning of spring craziness in youth ministry. It's the time of year when our students (even the core kids) push and test the boundaries a little more. They are a hot soupy mess some nights and I want to throw ice water on all of their heads and sit them in front of a classical symphony orchestra to mellow them out.
Raaawr! Take that. (insert sinister youth pastor laugh that is borderline cuckoo)

I really do want to speak life over our students and believe that this year will be different. But one night on a middle school retreat last weekend has already convinced me that this season will repeat itself until Jesus returns and rescues us all.

It doesn't matter if you work with middle school students, high school students, or both. We need a little encouragement. A little training. And possibly some extra love and tender care from our support leaders and parents. Here's the advice I gave them this morning as we prepare for Wednesday night.

Spring Training for Leaders | 5 Things

1) Look for loners and talk to them.
2) Look for loud ones and help them to see how they can be leaders instead of being distractors.
3) Look for lovers and remind them that there is no purple at youth group (girls are pink, guys are blue, purple is not an option.
4) Look for low blows and help mean spirited conversation by interceding and redirecting. It may mean buying a student a coke and having a mentoring conversation.
5) Look for lifters. When you see the uplifters in our group, praise them publicly.

I hope this helps someone as they head into spring everything. It's helped me today.

Pretending to be strong | Listening to the burdens of teenagers

Jessica Hagelgans is a student I met while speaking on her college campus in Boston a few years ago. She currently teaches geometry, precalculus, sixth grade math, and sixth grade Bible at a school for missionary kids and Third Culture Kids in Ukraine. Awhile back she observed a common denominator in her teen girls--a "be strong" at home and with friends--a pretending for the sake of others.

There frustration with "pretending" is something I think we can all understand. I'm not a certified counselor, nor do I have a degreen in psychology. What I do have is a little bit of experience with teenagers and some educated guesses--but most importantly a genuine desire to hear the burdens of our teenagers and respond to them. Here is Jessica's question and conversation with me and my initial response. I'm curious about what others might have to say on this. Please respond if you have an affinity with this question. Let's talk.

Jessica to Brooklyn:

In the past of couple years, I've had a few teen girls (high-school age) tell me of how they "need" to be strong, to appear happy, for their friends and family, when, on the inside, they are hurting, weak, sad, broken. They tell me that they are two different people--one person at school, and one person on the inside--and that they are "pretending" in some aspects of their lives (how they feel about others, etc.). They are tired of this facade, but don't know what to do. How do I respond?!


Brooklyn to Jessica:

Being strong is a good thing sometimes when you need to remain safe. What I mean is not everyone is safe to be vulnerable around. I learned this late in life. I used to let myself be open, sad, broken, and vulnerable around most people. The problem is that some people can and will take advantage of this and hurt you further. So, boundaries are important. (I'd recommend reading Boundaries for teenagers)

At the same time, it's important to have teenagers find people that are safe for them. For many students, a youth minister is a "safe" person. Some girls choose to be "strong" at home while picking friends to be their safeties. But we know that not every teen friendship is solid and safe. Some girls are "safe" at home and choose to be "strong" with their friends. Some girls don't have "safe" anywhere. In any case, I recommend finding one or two adult mentors who can be their go to people--their outlet for being open. Everyone needs a safety.

Ever wonder why it feels good to cry together watching a chick flick? It's because most females need that opportunity, it's built up in us....and it's safe to cry for a movie that has nothing to do with us because no one will ask questions. We all need a person or persons who will let us ask and be asked hard questions---let us cry our eyes out--let us be weak and still believe in us in the process.

You don't always have be a rock. It's liberating to teenagers to know that. It's also freeing to know that we always have God's strength when it's tough to be strong---but still giving yourself freedom and time to open up, share, lay down, cry, etc....around the safe ones.

I'm curious about other thoughts on this. Anyone?

Excellent Lenten Resource

Youth Ministry Resources & News: YMtoday.com

Where we'll be...this Friday!

What's Up Wednesday | Lent

What's going on in my brain as I get ready to talk to teenagers today.

The Secret of a Happy Life

I came across a reading from the classic book The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life. The chapter on service is one that every minister should read. (Read it now.)So often we experience "blue Mondays" because of our reflections on the past, mulling over things best left with God. There is great value in learning from the past and understanding how it came about. At the same time, there is great freedom in leaving it (victories and mistakes) with the Lord.

There is, perhaps, no part of Christian experience where a greater change is known upon entering into the life hid with Christ in God, than in the matter of service.

Forget the things that are behind, the moment they are past, leaving them with God. --As quoted by HWS

Using Quick Response for Ministry

I noticed how some places where teenagers frequent in our town were using QR codes on their cash desks. Places like Tea Largo, Books-A-Million, and Target are planting these little codes on signs where you pay for your stuff. And why not? What are else are people going to do with their phone while they wait for you to dish out some change? They'll scan the code just to see where it leads.

So, I decided I was going to stick a QR code on our spring retreat t-shirts this year, one that links back to our youth ministry.

You're asking, what's a QR code. Basically, it's a barcode that quickly links a person to a website. You need a barcode reader application and/or camera phone for it to work but most teenagers I know have these on their phones already.

According to Wiki, QR's are common in Japan, where it was created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the abbreviation for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.

High speed usually isn't my first language but this was so easy to do, how can we not utilize it for ministry? I can't tell everyone how we'll be using our code(s) just yet though, it's a surprise for our students and I don't want to let the cat out of bag just yet.

If you want to make a QR for your ministry, web site, whatever....it's easier than you would think. Click here to make one in less than a minute.

When life hands you lemons...make pinwheels.

Some things just put a smile on your face. This is one of them.

Making pinwheels might also be something great you can do with your kids, teenagers, or even adults as a prompt to pray--reflect--meditate--make for joy and laughter. I love the Howtoon illustrations. Amazing.

I'm making a few tonight. Whispering prayers, blowing the cares of them to God because He cares for us.