Prelude 2009
Last year Mike King and I hosted the first of what we hope becomes many micro-conferences called, Prelude. There was about 50 youth workers or so that gathered at our Youthfront Camp South to dialogue around Andrew Root's book entitled, Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry and Sarah Arthur's book entitled, The God-Hungry Imagination. It was a great time of co-learning and collaboration.
This year, because we are all Scot McKnight freaks here, we are discussing some of Scot's most recent works. We also have another host this year named Erik Leafblad. Erik is one of our newer staff members and has become a fast friend and valued co-worker. Mike and I are thrilled to have Erik hosting with us this year.
You can check out Prelude 2009 here: http://www.preludegathering.com/. We know that the economy is putting a damper on many of your training budgets this year so we've done our best to keep the cost low and give you a positive experience. I hope you will consider joining us!
NYWC – Pittsburgh
I spent the last couple days in Pittsburgh at the National Youth Workers Convention. I had a fantastic time connecting with old and new friends.
My seminars were definitely a highlight. I did a critical concerns course on Thursday and Friday with my friend Kelly Lashly who is a youth ministry prof over at Sioux Falls Seminary. The participants were very engaged and the conversation was inspiring. There are so many youth workers throughout North America doing such cool things to aid in the spiritual formation of adolescents.
My missional youth ministry seminar was good also. I really enjoy the conversations I am having with youth workers around narrative theology, the gospel, missional living, etc. I am hopeful that youth ministry is moving towards a very healthy future -- especially when we consider how we might better connect to and contribute within the missio dei.
I also did a seminar for volunteers that was a blast! The seminar is called, "What Every Volunteer Youth Worker Should Know." I snatched the idea from my friends over in England at Oasis. The seminar and a new book/training guide I am coming out with designed for volunteer youth workers is an adaption of what a guy named Danny Brierly wrote several years ago. I am always blown away by a room filled with a 100 or so people who have, in many cases, taken vacation time, paid their own way and our away from their family for a weekend of training. The sacrifice of youth workers and the love they have for rising generations is amazing...
I also had the chance to consult through YSConsults with a dozen or so youth workers. I was particularly excited to meet with two guys from Eastern PA named Dustin and Corby who are doing some really cool stuff in the area of missional youth ministry at Manheim Brethren in Christ Church.
A couple other highlights were spending some time with my good freind Doug Jones and Guy Wasko. Doug writes over at Perigrinatio and is working on a few writing projects with me and Guy is student ministries pastor at Allegheny Center Alliance Church. I spoke last night at Guy's youth group and it was a ton of fun. Guy has really done a great job crafting an environment for multi-cultural ministry and helping his students imagine a life of living in the ways of Jesus
I am headed home for a few days to see and be with my family, check in on the ministry teams at Youthfront and finish a couple of books! If you are planning to be in Nashville at the upcoming NYWC, let me know and we'll grab some coffee and chat.
NYI -Orlando
I spent the last three days with some new friends from Nazarene Youth International. Dave Curtiss heads up NYI and does a fantastic job creating a space where youth workers from around his denomination feel welcomed, encouraged and empowered. I was deeply encouraged by the conversations and connections I had and made from within a group of over 300 youth workers from across the US and Canada.
I attended what the Nazarenes call their District Leadership Conference to help Barefoot promote a new product we are partnering with them to publish called, Immerse. Immerse is a tool designed to help youth workers create environments of spiritual transformation through narrative theology and through a philosophy of applied learning.
I was also at the DLC to "certify" about 10 Nazarene trainers in our Enroute content. Youthfront and NYI (Big Picture is what they call their training arm and it is led by Mike Kipp) have come together to partner in training youth workers throughout their denom.
It was a pleasure to walk their regional trainers team through the content and then dialogue how they might deliver the training across North America. I am truly humbled by their feedback regarding the direction of the material. I am also humbled by how God seems to be pulling denominations together (next week we are "certifying" trainers in Enroute from the Evangelical Free Church of America denom) to collaborate in a vision to equip, challenge and inspire youth workers with a transformational approach to youth ministry.
Mike King, was the keynote speaker at the DLC and he did a good job pushing the youth workers to think about new kinds of youth ministry for the days ahead. Mike spoke mostly around thoughts from his book, Presence-Centered Youth Ministry. His passion and theological insights for a "more theologically robust youth ministry" came through clearly and as a result we were able to have many conversations about the need for change and how we are implementing change through Youthfront via our learning environements, training initiatives and resources.
All in all, a terrific three days in Orlando. The conference was great. What was even better, however, was the meal I shared with my dad and brother who I seldom get to see...
You’re Invited!
The Altar is a contemplative Christian retreat designed for middle school, high school, and college aged students.
This year, Youthfront is partnering with Clapham Sect: Phase II, a community of student abolitionists. We anticipate God drawing us closer to Himself and into a lifelong journey of pursuing His justice.
We will join together as one body to seek after God and work towards the restoration of our broken world through learning about modern day slavery and engaging in the fight to end oppression.
For more about The Altar contact Jamie Roach at jroach@youthfront.com.
Be encouraged and challenged. Leave equipped for your journey with students!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Youthfront Auditorium
4715 Rainbow Blvd., Shawnee Mission, KS 66205
8:30am-2:00pm
Break out sessions to include (but not limited to):
- Counseling Teens
- Re-culturing Evangelism
- Abiding for yourself and your ministry
- Middle School 101
- Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry
- Doing Justice
- Re-culturing Student Leadership
Schedule:
8:30am Registration
9:00-10:00 General Session
10:15-11:00 Break Out Session #1
11:00-11:45 Lunch Provided
12:00-12:45 Break Out Session #2
1:00-2:00 General Session
Registration: $15 per person
Contact Jamie Roach at 913.647.2410 for more information (email Jamie)
KC Merge…
Were hosting Merge this week at Youthfront South. So far -- it has been a great week. We are three days into it and it has been fantastic to participate with the youth workers and students in the challenge of throwing ourselves into God's Story. I have enjoyed very much listening to students share what God is teaching them through their interaction with The Story.
I have been moving this week also so it has been a hectic week to say the least. I have, in between unloading moving trucks with some of our staff, had the privilege to lead the morning gatherings as well as one night of the evening response times. I am always blown away by the creativity, candidness and the humility of the students as they articulate how they are merging with God's mission and way of life.
Today we are deep into Episode 4 -- God-With-Us -- and it has been powerful to observe the students as they work their way through a "Kingdom" excersice designed to converse about the mystery of the Kingdom through six different interactive and experiential stations such as, The Upside-Down Kingdom, The Kingdom of the Forgotten, The Emerging Kingdom, The Agents of the Kingdom, etc.
Tonight we'll be exploring Luke 4 as we reflect on the mission and message of Jesus!
Time for a Pause?
Dan Webster is a friend, mentor and coach to me and countless others. There have been numerous occasions where I have found myself picking up the phone to get a word of advice from Dan. Dan's words aren't always what I want to hear, but they are always honest and what I have needed to hear.
Dan has been investing in leaders for more than 30 years. He founded a leadership development company called, Authentic Leadership in 1994 and since then has been passionately committed to train and inspire leaders to live authentic lives of great impact.
A few months ago I participated in an experience that Dan has aptly named, Pause. Pause is a a one day experience to gain clarity for your life and work. It was a fantastic experience on many levels. I experienced it with some friends -- Mark Matlock, Tic Long, Nathan Vawser and Rick Lawrence. The venue was incredible too (see pic below). And -- of course -- the content was very helpful as well.
As you await the renewal of the earth for this spring, take a minute and ask yourself if you need to gain clarity on your life and work and renew your personal vision. It is always helpful for me to discover again and reflect upon just what it is I am to be, become and do.
You can get all the information you need at: http://pausenow.net/
Smokey Mountains
I am in the Smokey Mountains (Gatlinburg) of TN this weekend speaking at a retreat called Encounter. There are a bunch of students and youth workers here, mostly from Northern Alabama as the retreat is a gathering of churches from The Northern Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church.
I am speaking about my book, A New Kind of Youth Ministry, and also around some ideas I have been working on for my next book called, Story, Signs and Sacred Rhythms.
It feels nice to be out of the sub-10 degree weather. It is probably around 50 degrees but it feels like a heat wave.
I had lunch with Steve Case. I met Steve a few years ago at one of the YS conventions and so it was good to reconnect and share what has been happening in our lives as of late. Steve is a fellow author with YS. You may have come across some of his writing -- The Book of Uncommon Prayer, Everything Counts, and Road Rules are a few I know off the top of my head.
Anyway, looking forward to being home with my family later tonight!
Prelude…
Mike King and I are hosting a small(er) gathering of youth workers at our YouthFront South Camp this coming spring -- April 23-25. This gathering is in cooperation with Brian McLaren and his Every Thing Must Change conference.
I am excited about this gathering for a couple of reasons. First, it will be only about 200 youth workers. This will give a us a chance to provide an intimate environment. Second, it is designed to be collaborative, experiential and diological in nature. Third, Brian McLaren will be with us and I love having him stretch my thinking. Fourth, it is being held at our camp which has been designed to assist people into deep levels of union with God with its open and sacred spaces. Finally, we'll dialog around important issues such as the gospel, worship, spiritual formation and social justice.
You can download the brochure here:
You can register here:
http://www.youthfrontzone.com/index.cfm?
PAGE_ID=3582&EXPAND=
ATL nywc recap…
As I expected, the NYWC in Atlanta was a great experience. I am guessing I am probably the last to post about it considering we are already two days beyond it.
Aside from the three seminars I facilitated, I had the opportunity to do a bit of consulting in Atlanta. My schedule was tighter as compared to the other cities, which made connecting with friends more difficult, but I love consulting with people so I willingly welcomed it.
Most of the consulting appointments I had were with youth workers grappling with issues like leading change, reculturing, paradigm shifts, learning methods and equipping volunteers. The points of discussion within each conversation provided a fair amount of diversity made for some demanding thinking on my part. It was good to be stretched a bit and to learn more about each of the youth workers’ ministry context. It is always a good reminder to learn how distinctive church-based youth work looks throughout North America.
Although each of my consulting appointments provided diversity in one way or another, there was one rather unsettling common matter that nearly every one of the dozen or so youth workers mentioned. Most (at least 10) of the youth workers I spoke with told me that their relationship with their supervisor (most often their senior or lead pastor) was in some way fractured and in need of healing. I recall that almost all of the youth workers who shared their world with me also went to a seminar that Marko and Mark Riddle facilitated called, Expectations that Killed the Youth Worker. If nothing else, I think that particular commonality may suggest the weight the youth workers (and probably senior/lead pastors) are burdening might be real, mounting and consuming.
BTW – I heard from a number of people that Marko's and Riddle’s seminar was really good. I am hoping they work it up into a post or an article that we can use as a resource to at least inform people and get or keep them in dialogue with one another.
Although the spoken about splintered relationships had unique nuances it seemed that they were all based around a growing misunderstanding between the supervisor and the youth worker. The misunderstanding centered on the characterizations and perceptions of what “Emergent” and “emerging” is and means and the similarities and differences between the two streams of thinking.
I have been thinking about this … If 10 out of a dozen or so youth workers are considering the need to restore the relationship with their supervisor important enough to raise it as in issue inside the boundaries of a one-hour consulting appt., then how many other youth workers are in the same or similar boat? I think I’ll take the next couple of months of traveling, training and speaking to make some more observations about this. I knew there were some conversations going on between youth worker and supervisor as I have fielded a lot of questions from both over the last 6 months or so. I didn’t have any idea, however, that it could be as widespread as I am thinking it might be… I am not a reactionary or an alarmist but I am concerned about what that state of affairs might mean for the church both in the short term and the long term. Anyway, more on that subject in the days ahead.
Leaving the airport in Atlanta on Monday I was super excited to see my family -- having not seen them for 10 days -- but I was also feeling a little bummed that the season of conventions was over. It has been great to meet so many like-minded youth workers from all over North America over the last couple of months. I am inspired, challenged, affirmed and blessed to be a small part of the ever-developing movement we call youth ministry.
Leaving JAX…
I left Chicago on Friday morning not really knowing where I was headed. I mean, I knew my itinerary was taking me to Jacksonville, FL, but from there I really had no idea where I would be staying for a couple of nights as I spoke to a gathering of Methodist church youth groups from northern FL and southern GA.
I was greeted at the JAX airport by beautiful weather -- 65 degrees and very sunny. A far cry from the weather I left that morning in Chicago -- 30 something and dark (4am)!
I was overjoyed when we arrived at Epworth By The Sea, a large Methodist retreat center on Saint Simons Island in GA. Epworth has a great deal of history as it claims to be the place where John Wesley began his ministry here back in the day. It is aptly named Epworth as Epworth, England is the "home of the Wesley's." Epworth By The Sea is located on the banks of the beautiful Frederica River.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time. The retreat was very creative and had what felt like the right mix of schedule and space. The students were very engaged and I had some really deep, meaningful conversations about God's story, the mission of God and our role as agents of restoration.
The retreat obviously had been lead well... it was clearly organized with the students in mind and a commitment to their spiritual formation. Below is a pic of myself the youth workers (Bryan, Shannon and George -- L to R) who led the event. Great job guys! I am looking forward to seeing you in ATL later on this week at the NYWC.
It is getting harder and harder to be away from my family but I must say that these speaking "gigs" at retreats with students and youth workers over the year or so has been very fruitful and it truly a blessing and privilege.
