Random Things from SHIFT Conference….

posted at 5:32am under Random, Personal, Conferences, Student Ministry, SHIFT

Here are some cool things from SHIFT Conference:

  • Got to see Wes Wilson, Program Director for Elevate, Jr. High Ministry at Willow Creek. I met Wes at NYWC in Charlotte this past December. Awesome Guy. Look forward to hanging out with him tomorrow.
  • Got to meet Jason Raitz, Groups Life Pastor for Elevate, Jr. High Ministry at Willow Creek. Jason and I meet in BLOGWORLD. He is very down to earth. It was great to meet him face to face after reading his blog, post on forums, and emailing back and forth. I look forward to hanging out with him and others tomorrow night for dinner.
  • Got to hear Dr. Henry Cloud, author of Integrity, teach at Willow’s New Community Service.
  • SHOUT OUT: Willow’s Association has done an AWESOME job putting together this conference. They have paid attention to the details!

Time to go to bed…although it has been an awesome day of learning…I am tired. Conferences tend to drain you…well, at least I get drained! PEACE!

 




SHIFT Session #3: Bo Boshears

posted at 5:18am under Personal, Ministry, Conferences, Student Ministry, SHIFT

Bo Boshears, Executive Director of Student Ministries for Willow Creek Association, led Session # 3: “A Student Leader’s Guide to Preparing for the Long Haul”

Here are some notes:

Psalm 71:17-19: “Since my youth, o God, you have taught me, and to this dayI declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your ower to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”

3 Common Warning Signs for Youth Leaders:

1. Your Heart is Becoming to Proud:

  • Youth Ministry has become so professional and so competitive.
  • Focusing on this will steal your joy.
  • When this happens you focus on YOURSELF and NOT God.
  • Lead with humility and protect your heart.

2. You are No Longer Teachable:

  • We need to stay sharp: learn, grow, increase your ministry skills.
  • Ask good questions, learn from others.
  • How are you doing by modeling God’s Word to others?
  • Are you modeling a checklist or a deep passion for Jesus?
  • You must slow down and hear God’s voice!
  • Who are you allowing to mentor you?
  • Philippians 4:9: How can students put into practice what they have not seen up close?(This messed me up and challenge me in who I should be mentoring within our ministry.)

3. Are You Losing Home Field Advantage?:

  • Our ministry can’t distract us from the ones we love so much.
  • We should be at home a MINIMUM of 4 nights a week.
  • Learn to say, “NO ONE CAN PRESSURE ME WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!”
  • Being present is not just being there in physical form, but bring there in mind, body, heart, and spirit.
 




SHIFT Session #2: Donald Miller

posted at 5:05am under Culture, Ministry, Evangelism, Conferences, Student Ministry, SHIFT

Donald Miller led Session #2: “How to Share the Gospel Without Weirding People Out”:

Here are some notes:

  • Christianity is easy when it is just us, but when others come into the conversation-its something else. Why? Is it because I am ashamed?
  • When a culture is only influenced by itself, when they do not communicate, share ideas with the outside it becomes goofier. It gets to the point where they cannot communicate.
  • Jesus never took the time to explain the story/give the point. It was done in the story, by the story, through the story.
  • The human heart desires a story.
  • Erosion of values has caused the story to decline.
  • Never underestimate your role in the story.
  • Evangelism in a nutshell is: inviting people into a better story.
  • “Write every day, line by line, page by page, hour by hour. Do this despite fear. For above all else, beyond imagination and skill, what the world asks of you is courage, courage to risk rejection, ridicule and failure. As you follow the quest for stories told with meaning and beauty, study thoughtfully but write boldly. Then, like the hero of the fable, your dance will dazzle the world.” - Robert McKee
 




SHIFT Session #1: Darren Whitehead

posted at 4:46am under Culture, Ministry, Conferences, Student Ministry, SHIFT, Youth Trends

Darren Whitehead kicked off the SHIFT Conference. He is the Director of Student Impact, the High School Ministry at Willow Creek Community Church.

Here are some thoughts from his talk titled, “Where It Is, Where It’s Going, and What We Can Do About It”:

Churches are now irrelevant to mainstream culture, similar to the cultural phenomena called cultural freeze.

Gospel is timeless but our methods and strategies are time-sensitive.

Not just youth culture but the entire world has changed. We live in World 2.0 and we can’t do Youth Ministry in World 1.0, church for kids grown up in a church environment.

Here are some specific SHIFTS that they have implemented at Willow Creek:

1. Less Leader Generated Content to More User Generated Content.

  • They are looking for less professional and more PERSONAL.
  • They want to interact and participate.
  • Teenagers are the experts on teen culture.

2. Less Travel Agent to More Tour Guide.

  • Don’t tell them where to go, but go WITH them. Walk with them in life.

3. Less Imitation to More Imagination

  • We’ve created a co-dependent spoon fed culture that is spiritually malnourished, starving themselves, but getting fed once a week.
  • We have to stop limiting what following/serving Jesus looks like. We must free them in their personality to be themselves and who God called them to be.