Several years ago, I watched a film that I would one day live. No, I did not attend Hogwarts. I avoided "mean girls" who reminded me of Lindsay Lohan, and I did not fall in love with a rich girl whose father tried to shoot me. The film, entitled In Good Company, starred Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid, and Scarlett Johansson. In Good Company tells the story of a middle-aged advertising executive (Quaid) whose world is turned upside down when his company is bought out. He is replaced and subordinated under a new department head (Grace) … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Overcome Disappointment in Ministry
We’ve all been there. We planned something for months and the day finally comes--and only 3 people show up. We had a significant conversation with someone in our collegiate or young adult ministry about a life decision--and a few days later, they're making choices as if that conversation never happened. Disappointment is a regular factor of ministry, but it's a topic we rarely discuss. We often treat it like a forbidden topic to talk about as leaders. So how do we deal with disappointment in ministry? I’ll be honest: … [Read more...]
Friday Links
Here are some articles, blogs, and podcasts from this past week that you may find helpful as you work with young adults in your church and community. “Millennials Face Life After College, Finding ‘Quarter-Life Crisis’ Instead of Dream Jobs” by Linda Ha There may be some young adults in your group that have graduated from college, but have had difficulty in finding a job that fits their training and passion. This article discusses some of the aspects of a “quarter-life crisis” that many of today’s millennials face. “Leadership … [Read more...]
Friday Links
Here are some articles, blogs, and podcasts from this past week that you may find helpful as you work with young adults in your church and community. “How Our Screens Diminish Our Empathy” by Tim Elmore There seems to be a separation between what is real life and what is seen on screen in our culture. Elmore examines how screens have diminished empathy in young adults. As young adult ministry leaders, this article should stimulate some good conversation. “Americans Increasingly Support Same-Sex Marriage Amid Confusion” by … [Read more...]
Who You Gonna Ask?
It’s summertime! It's time for vacations, weekend trips, and family reunions. But wait…you lead a young adult small group or Sunday School class. What are you supposed to do with that responsibility while you're gone for a weekend or two this summer? Let me make a suggestion. There are some young adults within your group that are completely capable of stepping up to the plate for you and can lead while you are away. They are simply waiting for you to ask. They may not know that they are waiting – but they are! One of the best … [Read more...]
Friday Links
Here are some articles/blogs from this past week that you'll find helpful as you work with young adults in your church and community. “How to Spot Leadership Potential in Millennials” by William Vanderbloemen Vanderbloemen shares some positive traits he's observed in Millennials he's interviewed and hired for his company. How can we as the church utilize many of these positive traits within our young adult ministry leadership? “10 Ways to Get People Involved in your Bible Study Group” by Ken Braddy Have you ever … [Read more...]
Sometimes We Just Need to Ask for a Do Over
At last Sunday’s GrammyAwards, one of the world’s most popular singers stopped mid-song and asked for a do over. Adele, who won numerous awards throughout the night, sang a tribute song for a fellow musician and things did not go the way they were supposed to. She did not stomp off stage in a rage. She did not blame the orchestra. She did not point a finger toward the technical crew. She simply owned up to the fact that she botched the song and asked if she could start over again. And there was something about what she did that was … [Read more...]
Developing Leaders in Your Young Adult Ministry
No church-based or campus-based ministry to young adults has too many leaders. In fact, there is usually a shortage of leaders. In my experience, developing leaders takes time, but it pays off in actually multiplying your time and the efforts of your ministry. I've found that involving more leaders does several things. Cultivating many leaders will involve people who have different gifts than the primary leader. It also gives the opportunity to divide responsibilities between more people. Another benefit is that certain people … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Make “New” a Part of Your Young Adult Ministry
New: (adjective) not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time. It’s a new year! We are a couple of days into 2017 and already we’re trying some new things out. Some of us have ideas of new things we want to accomplish for this year. Others have picked up a new hobby for some added enjoyment to life. There are new intentions to eat better, exercise more, and keep in contact with those that we may not see too often. As ministry leaders, we have the opportunity to think about new ways to … [Read more...]
Do Something
We live in a word-saturated world. We don't have to look far to find opinions; they find us. Glance through a blog, read a wall-post, scroll through your tweets, or flip through a textbook and you'll hear hundreds of voices clamoring to persuade you. Friends, professors, authors, coworkers, and the media argue controversial issues. Don't misunderstand; communication is great—we're wired for it. But something powerful happens when we replace talk with action, debating with doing, and speaking with serving. So, how do we do this? … [Read more...]