It’s been almost a year since I first started in the Youth Ministry Coaching Program (YMCP).  I really didn’t know what to expect.  All I knew was that we would meet for two days every other month and that the only person I would really know was another local youth pastor Brian Berry.  Every one else would be from around the country.  I had met Marko before and had a couple conversations with him, but didn’t know him really well.  I was excited about what I would get out of the program, but honestly didn’t know how much it would affect me.  I thought it would be good discussion about ministry and that my ministry would benefit from it.

What I experienced over the year was that the discussions were about so much more than the hands on ministry “stuff” I had planned on and were so much more personal.  The discussions about life and the struggles that we each were going through were more than I could have planned on.  Ministry discussion happened for sure, but that was surface and the life discussion that took place took us all to another place in life and ministry.

I think that each of us ended the year in a much different and better place than where we started.  I know for me when we started the year I was in an interesting place in ministry. I definitely felt called to student ministry, but for the first time was questioning if the place I was doing ministry was the still the place God had called me.  I shared this with our cohort and through some tough questions, discussion, and prayer I can really tell you that yes I am still in the place God wants me.  I don’t know if I wasn’t part of this cohort I would be able to say that as confidently as I can.

At our first meeting we came together as strangers with one thing in common, ministry.  At the end of the year I know for me that each of these people I can call my friends and I miss seeing them.  If you are someone in ministry I would highly recommend being part of the YMCP, you, your students and your church will not be the same after this experience.

For more about YMCP check out the promo video.

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It has taken me a couple weeks to be able to admit this…I saw the Justin Bieber movie.  Yes, you read that right – I saw the movie. To be fair, I saw the movie with my kids and some of their friends.  After watching the movie and being awed by the slow framing of him flipping his hair I sat back and realized that the movie held a truth that is also true in youth ministry.

The truth? The power of believing in someone.  In ministry we NEED to believe in the students and people we minister to.  Scooter Braun saw something in Justin Bieber and believed in him.  Even when others weren’t seeing the same thing he saw, he continued to believe in him.  Believed in him to the point of investing his own money into bringing him and his mom to Atlanta and getting the recording process going.

In our youth ministries we have “Justin Biebers”.  They might not sing or have amazing hair, but they DO have something. What they need is someone to believe in them and pour their life into them.  They need people who will put their neck on the line to help them.

Believe in your students. Encourage, challenge, pour your life into them.  Who knows maybe one of them will change the world in a way more significant than flipping their hair or causing middle school girls to scream!

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If you are interested it is starting Wed. September 22 at 5:00pm

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Let’s face it. Everybody is busy. Life is crazy and there is always more that can and should be done. Luckily, most of our busyness comes in waves or seasons. At the end of each season we need to take time to exhale. To catch our breath from the season we just finished and to get ready the season ahead. I know that I am not special, but summer is extremely crazy for me. Between my roles at Jamul Community Church and Indian Hills Camp there is little time for anything else.

Three years ago my family and I started to take an end of season exhale trip to Palm Desert. Yes, I know it is hot in Palm Desert, but we spend the majority of our time at the pool or in the air conditioned room. This trip is one of my favorite activities we do as a family each year.

This exhale allow me to do a few things:

• Relax – We all need to do this. We need to be able to sit and do nothing!

• Refresh – If I don’t take time to get refreshed I will lose sight of what God has called me to do and could lead to burnout.

• Reconnect – The busyness of the season can cause us to wonder if our wife or kids remember who we are! Some down time alone with our families is needed. Time away from the phone and computer is essential.

In the same way that I need this time with my family, I also need this time with God. I might not need to relax with God, but I do need to be refreshed by God and to reconnect with God. This time with God reminds me why I do what I do, and prepares me for the next season of life and ministry.

Don’t underestimate our need to exhale. If we don’t exhale in life we die. If we don’t exhale in ministry we also will die, or at least get burned out and be less effective.

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Most of the time we don’t give kids enough credit. We don’t really think they can do big things. The expectations that we have of them are pretty low. That needs to change. We need to begin thinking in a way that we raise our expectations and realize that kids really can do more than we give them credit for.

If you look around a little you will see that there are kids and students everywhere who are doing big things. Indian Hills Camp is working on a program to challenge their campers this summer to do something big when they go back home. It is also something that we are doing with the TEAM Staff this summer at Indian Hills.

My daughter and her friend Jerusha, decided that they wanted to do something for the orphanage that we work with in Nicaragua. Last year they made and sold crafts and raised about $150.00. This year they came up with a new idea, Kick 4 Kids.  Watch this video to learn more about Kicks 4 Kids…

Their goal this year is to raise $1000.00 for the Diaz’. They plan on doing this again next year and getting more of their friends to come out an shoot goals and raise more money.  If you would like to sponsor them contact me for more information.

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Ha! This video made me laugh and I thought you needed to check it out!

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Life is messy and pretty complicated at times. These two facts can cripple us and keep us from trying to accomplish anything in life. We fear failure. We don’t like the idea that something we start might not work out, or that we might not finish what we start.

Today I went to the JFK Presidential Library in Boston. While there I saw the quote that is in the picture. As I read the quote I thought about how that plays out in personal life and in ministry. The quote was the only thing posted in this large open space. The open space was meant to make the room look unfinished symbolizing the unfinished things in life.

In life, we need to not let the fear of failing or not completing something keep us from even starting. Dream big. Do things that scare you. Get uncomfortable. Live the life that God has called you to live. Much of life is about the journey and the things you learn along the way, and not as much about the destination.

In ministry, we need to continue doing what the Apostle Paul tells us and plant seeds. Some of those seeds we will see grow and flourish, others we won’t. That’s okay. God loves our students more that we do. He is more concerned about their life than we are. God will cause them to grow in HIS time, not ours. We need to remain faithful to planting seeds.

Life WILL get messy. Life WILL get complicated. Don’t let it stop you. “But let us begin”. Begin today.

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