Monthly Archives: March 2012

GUEST POST: Community vs. Social Media

Video first: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUGmcb3mhLM

 

This commercial is funny because it’s true.

The irony within the youth culture is that they are so socially connected through social media that they don’t actually know anyone.

It’s a façade that many teenagers fall in to thinking that the more friends they have on facebook the more popular they really are… until they realize that they are sitting in their room alone.

Don’t get me wrong I am not here to bash social media. I use social media, I think it’s great, but like anything it can be perverted. Unfortunately this is a perversion of real relationships.

Real relationships start with meeting face-to-face.

And the younger generation is beginning to lose the ability to hold face-to-face conversations.

Everything is being funneled through a computer like product. Another irony within this is that we are closer to people than ever before and yet we are so far apart. What I mean by that is I can chat to someone in China in a split second but I have never been a part of his or her life.

“Being a part of” will soon cease to exist at the rate we are going with technology in this world.

People naturally desire to have real, authentic relationships. It’s built in us because we are created in the image of God.

God is relational and so are we.

Community is the relational setting that we long for.

Today like never before we need to strive as a community of people to really desire to have face-to-face relationships.

Real, authentic relationships can only come if Jesus is at the center of someone’s life.

As youth leaders, pastors, parents, friends, family, we need to see the value in real face-to-face relationships. We need to strive to be in community with each other, not online, but in real life, with Jesus at the center.

By Sean Kappauf, Jr. High Pastor at the Crossing Church in Costa Mesa California.

http://www.facebook.com/seankappauf

Waiting on my iPad

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While I was sitting there to get my iPad, in the rain mind you, I met some one.
A great guy whose marriage was on the chopping block. They filed for divorce, met with lawyers, carved up assets and set visitations. It was about a week before it was a official and a friend invited them both to church not telling them the other was coming. He said it was so clear after service that God did not want to see another failing marriage and he would desire for his wife and kids than that. Five years later and after some tough long roads they see still married. I asked him “as a young guy dating who is also following Jesus and from your experience what advice would u give me?”. He said, “it’s all about sacrifice kid, all about sacrifice and loving her like Jesus loved the church, you do that and you’ll make it”

Second time I hear that advice this week. Gods telling me something. And listening to it has been fun. I thought I was just inline for an iPad and I got free advice from a Godly man that lived it. Not a bad day.

GUEST POST: Mentoring

When youth pastors gather together and discuss ministry, we talk about wild camp experiences, the latest YouTube videos, and how to handle some of our crazier students.  There is another subject that always gets brought up and that is how do you disciple your students?  How do you grow them and mature them to be more like Jesus? 

 

There is no quick 10-step procedure to mentoring young people.  While there are a lot of programs and methods out there, and some might work, there are no substitutes for the three components TIME, TEACHING, and ENCOURAGEMENT.  When I think of the type of mentoring that matters it all comes down to the relationship between mentor and mentee. (Yeah that is actually a word, I looked it up)

 

I have been in youth ministry for 10 years and below are three ways that I have had success mentoring students.

 

  1. Inviting them to be part of my life and spend TIME with them.  This can be in the office during work hours, inviting them to dinner with you and your family, it can even be taking them out to lunch on a regular basis.  Anyway that they are seeing the real you away from the church and experiencing what it looks like to be like Jesus at Taco Bell, at a local caffeine store, or in your home.  There is no substitute and nothing more valuable as your time with them.
  2. As youth ministry leaders we are Teachers.  Whether it’s for 30-45 min in front of the entire group, whether it’s leading a small group study, or whether we do no formal teaching at all, we are all teaching. I have noticed over my years in youth ministry that students are learning more than I think they are.  At the end of the day they admire you, sometimes openly but more often from afar.  Students watch what you say and do and they might not immediately respond but they are listening and reacting.  As a teacher you are an ambassador for Jesus to your students.  Take this call very seriously and teach them!
  3. One thing that is missing from youth culture is Encouragement.   Students are starving for someone to let them know they are cared for, listened to, and valued.  If you are going to mentor young people, encouragement is your best tool.   There is plenty you could ride your students about (and sometimes you should) but make sure you overwhelm them with encouragement.  Make sure you let them know you are their FAN!!!

Geoff Wilson, Youth Pastor Calvery Chapel Refuge.

Connect with him @GeoffreyJWilson

Snow when I wake up

So I woke up today to something I have not seen in a long time, SNOW.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love snow. Snow balls, snow angels, snow fights and don’t forget yellow snow. I realized that I have a bunch of snow waiting for me in Buffalo most likely. That doesn’t put a big smile on my face. But I downloaded a new book and plan to relax knowing what is waiting for me.

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SYMC Day 2

This day was wild, so many new people, new ministry ideas, I really feel like I’m on overload.  Well not to overwhelmed I can still deal and have fun.  But that is what i like about these conferences, you get all like minded people in the same spot, fun happens.

From XXX church to John Acuff (which I was first in line to meet him by accident) it was a great day of training for me.

I grabbed on to 3 things that I loved.

-One, during the afternoon Jr. High mega track we were talking about training for leaders.  I am always getting down on my self cause I feel I can do more.  All the Youth pastors and leaders were there and shared some of their ideas for it.  The stuff that they are doing across america is not that different from me.  It was a good thing to hear that.  I got to talk about the training book i use, and got to hear about what they do… Loved it.

-Two, I got the chance to sit down and have a private convo with Les Christie who is a guy that is all about games fun and loving Jesus and telling students about Jesus in a serious way.  He told me many many things that i will not soon forget.  But I asked him ” one big thing, “if he could give me one thought at 27 that could give me that kind of longevity in ministry what would it be?”  He told me, “its basic, Love God and Love Students.”  After thinking of Matt Mcgills blog ( http://lovegodlovestudents.com/) i realize how basic yet forgetful it was some times.

-Three, This pearl was from John Acuff ( http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/ ), he talked about the voices inside of us that tell us we can’t do thing, that were not good enough, that were not the leaders others are, that we don’t have the numbers.  All things i have said to my self or still feel some times.  How we will remember the one bad things and forget the 100 great things.  How was all have a voice inside of us that will do that, and we can’t let it win.

BEST DAY 2 EVER…

 

Who are you?

So I got to Louisville safe and sound for the conference.  I met some cool people on the plane and connected with Eric Upton (@theericupton) a great YP out of Sacramento.  Fun people, fun flight and I even got direct TV at my seat.  Oh and don’t get me started on the food, I love airport food.  Let me share what I think is the most important funny story so far.
So, I staying with a nice guy I met through Len at Simply Youth Ministry Soul Care.  His name is Jason Laat, he told me, “Your name is on the list for the room so just go check in when you get there.”  To that I say “ok” like any good Jr High Pastor getting hooked up would say.

Well the story starts when I get to the Simply Youth Ministry Convention.  I go to register and get into Mattys line, He is a great guy on the SYM staff.  As I’m registering he  looks up my name and says, “so there looks like there is another Herman here, Jason Herman.”  Naturally I responded with, “Ill have to take him out, 2 Hermans don’t make a right”  He laughed, I laughed, I felt a lot of people are laughing at this point, so i am also happy about the laughing.  After the laughing stopped I went to get my room key like Jason said to do.  I am talking to the nice lady, she asks me for my name, I tell her in a strong YP voice, “Justin Herman.”  She responded with a “Welcome Mr. Herman”  and I get my key and was on my way.  See it was still about 8am at this point so when I got to the room I was sharing it was not shocking to see that everyone was a sleep.  I set my stuff down, got on the couch and slept.  About an hour later one of the men who was in the room said “Hi”to me, I responded “Hi” back.  Then a few minutes later the one who was sleeping in a fold out couch in the living room I was in looked up from his sleep and said “Who are you?”  I told him that I was Justin Herman and staying with Jason Laat.  He rolled over more, still looking at me and said “Who is Jason Laat.”  I started to worry for a second, but knew it was a short mistake, I was sure of it.  Then more guys came in to the room questioning why I was there.   We went on to establish that not only did no one know Jason Laat, but it was for sure not his room.   I was shocked at what was happening, shocked and frozen.  Then they chimed in, “But there was a Jason in this room, Jason Herman.”  In a moment it all became clear, that while I was sitting in a strangers room without invitation, there was a reason, the check -in person gave me Jasons key, not Justins.

From there more laughing, more fun, gave them all a heart felt goodbye and went in search of my own room key.

Well I got my key, Im writing this from my own couch in the room now.  All is good… Only to me could that happen.

And as I am finishing this, Jason Laat walks into the room!!!