ONE STEP AT A TIME

What I learned about Faith, Myself, and Young Life on the highest peak in Africa.

In Young Life we attend many trainings, discuss strategies, hold open doors in the mornings at the high school, clean round tables alongside our work crew friends, etc. Although I have a limited perspective and a short tenure on staff so far, I’d argue the grit and beauty of ministry is found in the “one step at a time.” 

We walked one step at a time to get up Mt. Kilimanjaro, and it painted a beautiful parallel to the job we do in Young Life. 

This dream was eight years in the making for my Dad (Rodney Huffty) and myself. We had the privilege of going with an organization called “Beyond Adventures” and this team made up of 65 Tanzanian guides and porters. They helped our group of 16 make it to the summit of Kilimanjaro, which stands 19,341 feet tall.

Jesus models going one step at a time for us when we think about the beginning of his ministry all the way up to the cross. God, all-knowing and ever-present, lived in the daily rhythms as we do. He understood the assignment or the goal all along and simultaneously Jesus made his home in day-to-day moments. He limited himself to not being everywhere all at once and not accomplishing everything all at once. Each step mattered and contributed to a grander picture. One no one could have fathomed or imagined.

Our guides on Kilimanjaro told us three rules at the start of the trip: #1 Trust your guide, #2 Trust your guide, and #3 Trust your guide. There were times we walked painfully slow and I grew impatient to just arrive. But to trust them in the process of the climb didn’t just teach me something, I saw my character being shaped and molded along the way. It was a holy breaking for me to feel so helpless and so dependent on these guides, especially in the stubborn moments I wanted to prove myself. They carried things on my behalf and I had to let them. 

These steps we take are never wasted. Even when they feel slow, they are always on time. 

Written by: Kally Huffty (Kally.Huffty@gmail.com) 

The Alumni Engagement Toolbox: it has everything you need!

During my time on my local Committee, I’ve realized there is one tool that every YL area needs. It’s versatile, functional, can get you out of a pinch, and is usually found in random locations like -a toolbox, aside drawer, glove compartment, and often the proverbial back pocket. Whatever you need, the multi-tool can deliver!   

In Young Life, the multi-purpose tool is your local Alumni or Mission Community They are the stakeholders of the ministry.  They have been involved and desire to have an effect. There are hundreds or thousands of them in every geography where YL exists and when they are equipped- they are powerful! A hand tool (multi-tool) combines several functions in one unit, and that is what I think you will find when you engage those who have a history with YL in your community. All you need to do is know how to use this incredible resource. 

A few months ago we asked YOU this Question: “Tell us all the ways you are engaging alumni in your community?”

We asked, you answered and it turns out that engaging alumni is something many of you are already doing! Way to go! Whether you are a pro already or need a nudge in the right direction, this group is a game changer for your area!  Maybe you’ve been a part of a conversation in your area that sounds something like this…

Staff Associate: “I just ran into someone at the gym with a YL shirt on.  Turns out they were a club kid here in our area in the early 2000s- I wonder how many other people who used to be involved are living here locally?”

Area Director: “I’m sure there are lots!  Let’s put that on the agenda at our next committee meeting- we also have some former staff and leaders who still live here, maybe they would be excited to help!”

Committee Member: “Ooh that sounds like a fun job!  I would love to help build significant connections with local alumni by putting on fun social events and keeping them updated on the area!”

I know in our Area, similar conversations have been happening a lot so we decided to do something about it. I just became the leader of the team focusing on sharpening this multi-purpose tool. YL Alumni. Here’s our game plan…we are basically building out another club in our area!

1. TEAM LEADER: Have a committee person/couple who leads the charge on Alumni Engagement

2. VOLUNTEER LEADERS: Gather a small team of folks (former staff, former leaders, other YL alums who are still involved) who will OWN the alumni effort together

3. CLUB PLANNING: Determine an Annual Alumni Calendar (here is ours) and who will be the point person

   1. Quarterly events (happy hour, trivia night, cornhole tournament…)

   2. Alumni Communication

      1. Social media plan

      2. Email/text database

   3. Web page development/updates

4. INVITATION: Spread the word! We have a growing list of former staff and leaders who are excited to tell all the folks they know about what’s going on with Alumni in our area. 

5. LEARN FROM EACH OTHER: Let’s continue to share best practices!  Here are some other ideas happening out in the field already- keep up the good work!

• Promote Summer Staff to local alumni

• Offer opportunities for mentoring leaders or leading YLC small groups

• Resources for parents

• Social gatherings

• High School grad campaign participation

• Monthly area update emails with 1 min video kid story

• Family Camp opportunities

• Help plan and lead YL information evenings.

• Alumni judges at Club events 

• Pancake Breakfasts for D-groups or Campaigners 

• Hosting Team meetings 

• Lead and develop your area prayer initiative

• Adult guest trips for fall weekends or summer camp

We are fond to say “it takes a community to lead a community!  And when you do, EVERYONE is changed!” When someone realizes that they could be involved with Young Life for Life, everything changes. I am still learning, if you have thoughts on input on how to lead your own local Alumni effort, and become an expert with this multi-tool,  please contact ME so I can continue to learn from you!  

Here we go!  

-Emily Lewis, Young Life Community Networks

REFLECTING THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE - Asian Young Life is growing

In January 2022, I took on a local role as a Young Life Area Developer focused on helping our region reflect and reach the fast-growing Asian American communities. The demographic changes we saw in schools were not reflecting in our Young Life Area. Cities that were 40% Asian American in the school district were only 15% Asian in Young Life Areas. Four months later in April, I accepted an additional national role as the U.S. Asian Initiative Coordinator which was generously funded by the Global Giving Circle. 

THE OUTCOMES OF THE PROPOSAL WE SUBMITTED TO THE GLOBAL GIVING CIRCLE ARE: 

● Young Life ministries better represent the student populations they serve 

● Sustainable and scalable ministry models published (Student Staff Model) 

● 10 new part-time Student Staff starting new ministries 

● 4 Regional Trainings equipping 100 staff with awareness and training for ministry with Asian kids 

● Annual Roundtable gathering of key Asian staff and initiative stakeholders 

● Inaugural Summit gathering of Asian and Asian-focused staff and volunteers 

● 300 new Asian kids to Young Life Camp 

● 3 cohorts established to support and encourage and retain existing Asian staff 

As you can see in the outcomes above, the U.S. Asian Initiative aims to support Young Life across the U.S. to better reach underserved and underrepresented Asian communities. In May, we held our first national Zoom roundtable for AAPI staff and staff who have a vested interest in the initiative. 

We will be developing programs to support Asian American staff as well as material and strategies to support Young Life Areas to reach Asian American kids. 

Locally, I am working alongside Young Life Area staff in my region. By connecting with local churches and adults, we hope to find potential new hires and volunteer leaders. Also, throughout the past year, I’ve been able to connect and encourage Asian American volunteers in the Greater Seattle area. 

With consistent check-ins and hangouts, we’ve been able to encourage Asian American leaders to continue reaching kids in their Young Life Areas. We hope to create more onramps to develop leaders through the U.S. Asian Initiative. 

This opportunity is open to all Asian American staff both US and Internationally. 

HERE IS WHAT I NEED FROM YOU: 

 If you know of someone that I can connect with both on YL Staff or in your community, please send me an email. 

 If YOU would like to learn more and get involved in the US Asian initiative, please email directly HERE.

Written by Peter Lee, North Puget Sound Region

THIS MAY BE THE BEST TRAINING YOUNG LIFE HAS TO OFFER

 -A Summer Camp Assignment-

This summer I experienced the gift to sit in a room of Adult Guests observing a week of Young Life camp. They marveled at the inner workings of YL’s camping ministry. They were in awe of the spirit, the humor, the community, and the like-mindedness of this mission. It is remarkable to think about the very narrow window in the culture we are trying to engage:

• Early to late adolescents (Junior High, High School, College)

• No knowledge or perceived interest in faith

• Limited understanding of the life and teachings of Jesus 

• Living in countless communities  around the Globe 

• Immersed in the most challenging cultural and theological climate in decades.

Our mission is “introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith” is a tall order. It requires clarity in calling, sensitivity in approach, and a broad skill set. How do you train an organization to reach the next generation? Having just returned from a month serving at one of our Camps, I think I have the answer. A SUMMER ASSIGNMENT!

I have spent over 5 years of my adult life at Young Life camps. With students from my community or serving others who have come as guests. It has left its mark on me and I am not sure there is a better way to spend your summer and IT JUST MAY BE THE BEST TRAINING THAT WE OFFER. An ‘Assignment’ is YL’s version of an ‘intensive’ or immersive experience in culture and theology and it's built into our Job Description. The training we experience is daily.  Whatever role you have been asked to accept, you have been gifted the unique opportunity to have a singular focus on serving in that role. (a rarity in today’s culture).  In addition, YL stumbled upon the genius of having this training occur in the context of mission community. The popularity of internships and ‘gap year’ are increasing because refinement happens while living and learning with others. YL staff are students of students, Christ, and the culture, and serving on assignment is at the intersection of all three! 

No matter what your role is, serving a month-long assignment refines and transforms you daily. The discipleship is modeled in the manner of Jesus and the Disciples. You study service, hospitality, community, or discipleship and then are sent out to live it out in community. Daily, you return together, debrief and do it again. It’s experiential discipleship!

Here is what I observed this Summer-. 

• WORK CREW BOSSES: Every day a work crew boss lives at the intersection of mentor, boss, discipler, and motivator to small and large groups of teenagers.  A 4-week small group with intentionality and intensity!!

• SUMMER STAFF COORDINATORS:  It is not hard to acknowledge that at the center of much of the change and tension that we are experiencing as a culture is the College-Aged Student.  Summer Staff Coordinators have a front-row seat to the openness, hunger, and hurdles that are present on college campuses and get to exercise discipleship principles in the midst of it all, daily! 

• HEAD LEADERS:  Head leaders do contact work with everyone at camp and you can’t host a daily leader meeting and not be changed.  Equipping, encouraging, and teaching are the sweet spot for head leaders while managing schedules, and being a Young Life leader to everyone at camp on the side.  

• PROGRAM DIRECTORS:  The Program team is successful when they aren't just funny, but in touch with the culture by opening up a space for the gospel to squeeze in.  Laughter is one of the key tenants of the mission and it is a high calling that oftentimes is at the top of the list of what others admire and appreciate about the mission.  One month of sharpening that skill makes your 

• SPEAKERS:  Obviously, the Camp Speaker has the honor of speaking daily, but perhaps more importantly they are able to observe what element of the Gospel resonates with students ‘today’.  That is next-level knowledge that only comes from the gift of having a weekly audience of students that lets you see how your theology intersects with the street. 

• CAMP DIRECTORS: At most camps, the CD has the opportunity to equip, encourage and manage a team of over 100 staff and volunteers. Additionally, they are privileged to partner with the camp staff and others.  The empowerment of this team happens daily! 

Lastly, the beauty of YL camp is the Camps within Camp. Work Crew, Summer Staff, Volunteer Leaders, Assigned Team, Interns, Property Staff, Adult Guests, Families. All of these are experiencing intimacy and transformation. Literally, we are witnessing the mission statement at work on a daily basis, there may not be better training available. 

0-100 in 2.5 Days

That's the speed that relationships can do on a shared adventure. A weekend trip is a perfect opportunity for shared adventure and deeper relationship! 

In Young Life, we have a camping culture! I'm not sure anyone would disagree with that. We have some of the most amazing properties in the US, and Canada (thanks, Malibu!) We have the opportunity to spend time with our friends in incredible places doing crazy things. The question you should be asking yourself is, WHY? Why do we do camping (shared adventures) with our College, High School, and Jr High friends? 

This question is crucial! Most of us know understanding the “why” is usually more important than figuring out the “What” and that is no different here. So, for clarification's sake, let’s name the “why’s.” First, we do shared adventures to take students out of their element so that distractions are limited, focus is increased and THE GOSPEL is shared. 

Giving away the Good News is the reason we take students away! It's what we do! It’s who we are, both as believers and within the mission of Young Life. 

The second “why” is too fast forward relationships. After all, we are in the relationship business, right? If you are older than 50 you may remember the famous Seinfeld episode where Jerry asks his current girlfriend to go away for the weekend. In a conversation with George, “one weekend away is the equivalent to 50 dates.” It’s true. One weekend or week away with students will bring everyone together in a way that you just can’t do at a weekly Young Life club. You come back with inside jokes, fun stories, road trip memories, and having, hopefully, built meaningful relationships. 

In two and half days you can bring a friendship to the point of real honesty and get to process the gospel in a way that would be hard to do otherwise. 

So all that being said, I do have a top-eight tips for shared adventures that you should consider moving into the school year. Are you ready?

#8 - Let students lead and give you “leaders” the inside track. One of the benefits of doing shared adventure is to lean into our campaigner students and let them lead. They can lead in a number of ways, share their story, serve, plan, and drive (if you do college), but whatever it is, let them help! It’s the journey, not the destination 

#7 - Much like Club is organized craziness, any shared adventure should include “planned nothingness.” That’s right, most good stuff happens in the times in between the planned stuff! 

#6 - Prioritize food! Food is not a throwaway deal. If you are at camp it's somewhat easy, but you should still plan the snacks and other things you get to do. A good meal goes a long way in creating an atmosphere. 
#5 - Plan the unexpected. Shared adventure should include a pretty good schedule, but should also allow for “flying the seat of our pants.” One or two things where the group gets to decide will bring folks together.

#4 - Mandate some downtime! Just like after the Cross Talk at camp, forcing students to turn off and be still might be the best gift you give them. It can be an hour floating in a boat or sitting on the beach. It does not matter, just make them be alone with themselves. 

#3 Plan your year NOW! A fall weekend or getaway, a spring break trip or team time, and something in the summer should be on your calendar in August! You are talking about the next trip as you finish the first one! Nothing should sneak up on us! 

#2 Plan the content well! Remember the first “why” we do this to share the gospel, so make sure you do it. It might be awkward and you will have to lead but DO IT! We do this to let folks know how much they are loved by a God who created them! 

#1 DO IT! Don’t make excuses, don’t bail. Make sure YOU go on the trip with them! There is no substitute for being WITH folks. Don’t miss out. 

Go on an adventure with your folks, you won’t regret it. 

Written by: John C. Byard, Young Life College

SHARING WHAT ONLY YOU CAN SEE

WHAT ARE YOU ‘UNIQUELY POSITIONED’ TO DO?

On September 29, 1932, one of US history's most iconic pictures was taken, then shared by the NY Herald Tribune, Sunday Supplement. LUNCH ON A SKYSCRAPER was the photo. The backdrop was what would become one of the most photographed cities in the world:  New York City. 

At mid-day,  11 ironworkers were photographed seated on a girder on what would ultimately become the central feature (RCA building) of the surrounding Rockefeller Center. Ultimately, 14 buildings made up the space above 50th Street, NYC now known as 30 Rock. 

Behind the 11 men on the steel beam, you can view Central Park in the background, the growing city below and the Hudson river in the distance.  These men (children of immigrants) are suspended 78 stories above the city (840 feet). They sit on a narrow support beam with a 4 inch lip.  At that time, half of the structural steel manufactured in the US was being used by New York City, to make room for the 24 million immigrants who had descended on Ellis Island between 1883-1925. A burgeoning population, still suffering the effects of  the great depression in the background told the larger story of… 

• 25% unemployment rate.

• The collapse of several banks in New York City alone.

• A contentious Presidential election race between FDR and Herbert Hoover.

• The repeal of Prohibition. 

• The end of Babe Ruth’s 14 year stint with the  New York Yankees.

• The epicenter of Immigration shifting from The Mayflower to Ellis Island.

This simple photo provided a hopeful perspective that signified  that ‘something was starting.’ One historian, explaining the popularity of the photo mentioned that “In the midst of the building of NYC, this was the moment when New York became NEW YORK.” The 11 men were ‘UNIQUELY POSITIONED’ to have a perspective that no one else in the city possessed. They are tremendously aware of their surroundings and seem at ease. Their location wasn’t safe although they appear unfazed by the danger below. Their nonchalance can make the observer conflicted by discomfort and the desire to join them!  Of the 20 million historical photos stored at Iron Mountain (a 6 square mile storage facility 360 miles west of NYC)  ‘Lunch on a Skyscraper’ is their most popular.  Ordinary people doing extraordinary work may be the  reason. Few get to do what they are doing. 

All organizations have teams that are ‘UNIQUELY POSITIONED’ to effect change. They have perspectives that come from altitude, role, and tenure. Young Life is no different. If you serve in leadership in your Area, Region, or Division, you have perspective that allows you to see what is becoming. You see…

• What is starting and where greater focus is needed.

• The potential timeline, hurdles, and cost.

• The opportunities and possibilities.

• HERE is an example of a local Young Life Area Committee’s observation on what they are ‘uniquely positioned’ to do.  

Understanding what you are UNIQUELY POSITIONED to do gives you perspective to not only notice what is stirring but to find the places where only YOU can serve. Here is an exercise to do with your Committee or Leadership team.  TRY THIS EXERCISE:  

1. Study the, Lunch on a Skyscraper photo. (What emotion comes forth? Why do you think it is poignant that the identities of both the 11 men and the photographer are still unknown decades later?)

2. What are 5 areas where your perspective is Uniquely Positioned? What can you see that others may not have the same vantage point? (Be specific)

3. What are the harsh realities that you see in your ministry context that others may not be aware of?  (Share thoughtfully and respectfully observations you have from your perspective) The truth and reality that you see?  

4. Conversely, what are some opportunities that you see that others may not be aware of? (What are some areas of leverage that stand out to you because of your role, or vantage point?) 

5. What are some areas of support, training, resourcing, and strategy that can only be accomplished by those on your team, with your perspective?

I sometimes wonder if the ‘Lunch on a Skyscraper’ photo became famous because of the good questions it prompted.  

• “Are they really doing that?”

• “What are they discussing?” 

• “Where, when, and what is happening?”  

What is more fun than observing ordinary people doing extraordinary things? If you do the exercise listed above, I would love to hear your thoughts. Call or email me at kenbtank@gmail.com or (303) 472-8140.  

-Tank. 

Use your PET PEEVES for good

Pet peeves are minor annoyances tied to a situation, a person, or a system. Listed below are some examples. Check all that qualify as a pet peeve for YOU:

Although pet peeves can start as frustrations, they can easily turn into a motivation. Having pet peeves means you have an opinion and you probably have thoughts about a potential solution too!! Bottom line:  pet peeves are small irritations that if addressed can lead to a significant positive effect. If directed appropriately, a solution to a pet peeve can bring about change. There is a simple progression that leads to change within a group or organization when pet peeves lead to pet passions and ultimately to pet projects.  

PET PEEVES:  An observation or annoyance that makes you say “We have to FIX this!” 

PET PASSIONS: A strong interest that you feel a strong attachment toward that makes you say “I need to DO this!” 

PET PROJECTS:  A cultural tweak, theory, or adjustment that makes you say “You need to SEE this!” 

(The 3 P’s) Peeves, Passions, and Projects are the little things that wake you up in the morning and keep you up at night. The common thread through each of them is that they represent small problems that are fixable! The answer is NOT a new program or initiative, but rather a pivot or tweak. 

Here are a few ways that some Young Life staff took a frustration (challenge) and created a simple tweak that improved things and reshaped the mission.  

• Q. How do we think strategically about outreach and discipleship?  A. MAP/TREE/LIST AND 3-12-72

• Q. How do we build a culture of Contact Work?  A. CONTACT WORK JOURNALS AND CONSISTENT ACCOUNTABILITY

• Q. How can we increase volunteerism with the ‘right’ people?  A. +1 PILOT COHORT

• Q. How do we foster community, accountability, and encouragement in our personal devotional life?  A. THRED JOURNALS 

• Q. What is a way we can align discipleship experience for all of those serving at camp?  A. SUMMER STAFF AND WC DEVOTIONAL 

• Q. How can we compete with corporate summer Intern programs?  A. SUMMER STAFF qualifies as SUMMER INTERNSHIP 

• Q. How do you highlight the Committee Chair /Area Director relationship?  A. WEEKLY CC/AD FACE TO FACE MEETING

• Q. How can you engage 25-35 year olds in your community?  A. YO PRO JUNIOR BOARDS 

• Q. How do we create a rite-of-passage experience?  A. ADVENTURE CAMPING

Here are 3 simple steps to move from a frustration to a solution in your YL area. Think about a frustration/challenge that you have tried to address in the past or a current issue you are working on now.  

It takes years to affect culture but often-times the smallest adjustment has the greatest impact over time. I would love to hear tweaks you are making in your context and how it is going. Let me know what you are learning.    Written by: Tank

THE LEGACY OF INCARNATIONAL WITNESS

    -Rediscovering the Occasional Papers-

I am so grateful for the staff that have curated a historical archive of Young Life’s resources and documents over the past 80 years! Recently, I stumbled upon some documents that are not only insightful to the history of the mission and pertinent to our current cultural challenges today. 

• Jim Rayburn’s first ever leadership manual

• Decades old camp video’s and ‘Say Gang’ pamphlets

• The original YL song books  and training resources.

…are just a few of the timeless gems  worth rediscovering.

The ‘Occasional Papers’ written by John ‘Jack’ Fortin are a series of essays whose relevance are just starting to be rediscovered. In recent conversations with some Senior Staff in the mission, I learned that Jack was a graduate of Luther Seminary and was on Young Life staff for most of the 1970’s and 80’s. He served as an Area Director, Regional Director, and Divisional Director over part of the Midwest. He hired Nancy Warden, the first female Regional Director in the mission and his wife Sara Fortin was on the Centurion Leadership team for over 10 years.

Jack wrote more than five sets of Occasional Papers over the course of his staff tenure on various theological topics that are foundational to Young Life. This specific set of papers summarize a gathering held March 1978 in Stuttgart, Germany and recounts a dialogue about Incarnational witness. Because of the age of the documents, photocopying or scanning them was not a viable option so I decided to retype the seven pages in preparation for a team discussion. Over the course of several days, I  was given the chance to ‘soak’ in truth of its wording and celebrate the biblical centrality of Young Life’s methods. The ideas, thoughts, and themes that Jack articulated left a mark on me and I was reminded of some of the very foundations of our mission vision, values and methods. 

INCARNATIONAL WITNESS: WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT HAPPENS. 

Jack unpacks the concept of ‘Incarnational Witness’ in four parts:

1. What it is.

2. How it started.

3. How it works.

4. What our attitude should be in the process

What stands out to me most is the emphasis that Jack places on the role of Christian Community in Incarnational witness and writes: ‘The act of loving through a personal relationship will usually precede the verbalization of faith in order to ‘flesh-out’ the reality of Christ’s love which the witness then shares.’ He then looks through that lens at the mission of Young Life and speaks about ‘contact work’ and describes it as, ‘physically going to the places in which adolescents are found, whether it be a street corner, a pool hall, a back-alley, the school yard, or a McDonald’s hamburger stand.’

Although back-alleys and pool halls might not be the places where we meet kids today, the heart of what he’s saying is true. Young Life leaders go to where kids are to invite them into relationship and community in order to witness in both ‘word and deed.’  As I’ve been reminded about the foundational values of our mission through reading these pages, I hope they are an encouragement to you as we get back to the basics of what makes Young Life ‘still work’ after all these years. I’m grateful to Jack and the mark he left on me and the mission.

We are currently searching the archives for more of Jack’s Occasional Papers.

• If you are interested in facilitating your own discussion on Incarnational Witness, you can download the Occasional Papers HERE

-written by Kimberly Silvernale

ANSWERING THE 3rd QUESTION

THE 3rd QUESTION IS THE HARDEST!!

All Innovations have two key elements:   

1. Try something NEW.  

2. Bring VALUE.

Daily, we are struck by large and small problems that we are convinced, “someone needs to solve!”  

Some are SMALL:

• Squeezing the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.

• Designing packing tape that  tears cleanly

• Preventing clothes from getting caught in a zipper. 

• Fixing broken Christmas tree lights.

• Milk cartons not opening correctly.

• The wait time on customer service calls.

• 3 ring binders not clipping together. 

• Pringles potato chip cans opening that are too small for your hands to fit. 

Throughout history, entire Nations have tried to solve problems that are BIG:

• Quality education.

• Affordable Health Care.

• Responding to natural disasters. 

• World hunger and malnutrition.

• Climate change.

• Bias, prejudice, and inequality. 

• Armed conflict.

• Clean Water and Sanitation issues.

• Homelessness.

In Young Life, our innovative culture requires several things to work- collaboration, alignment, and integration across departments and creativity. Perhaps, most importantly, there is a need for strong PROBLEM SOLVING skills to handle the ‘heavy lifting’ of identifying the final steps as we RE-tool, RE-think and RE-imagine how to reach the next kid. Over the 5 year span of YL Forward every pilot that was launched had a multi-step process, input surveys, charters, ‘lead teams,’ and coaches. It’s impressive, but without the final steps of how to make an idea ‘operational’ all the work is wasted. 

Below are 3 questions and a simple ‘DIY’ exercise you can try as you innovate in any context or scope.   

PROBLEM SOLVING QUESTIONS

QUESTION ONE:  What is the problem? 

We answer this question all the time. Before and after meetings, in hallways, and even tossing and turning in our sleep.  Actually, it doesn’t take a lot of talent to spot the problem. Just eyes and ears and some general awareness of your surroundings. This question lives within the world of pet-peeves. Essentially, areas of irritation or frustration that we are committed to addressing.  

TRY THIS! Think of a challenge or pet peeve that has come to mind lately. It can be tied to your job, your home-life or your community, but it has to be something that has some degree of a connecting point to you and have the ability to influence and address it. Now: Write it done on a piece of paper.  Just one sentence, general description. 

QUESTION TWO:  What is the Solution? 

This question goes a bit deeper but is just slightly harder to address. A base-level understanding can equip even the most entry level expert with the knowledge to come close to a solution. Most can get close to the bulls-eye. You can identify someone coming to grips with this solution with the statement ‘You know what we need to do…..” 

TRY THIS! You have listed the problem, now take a guess at the possible solution. What do we need to do? Give yourself some guardrails. We don’t have unlimited resources, time, and funding, but on that same piece of paper, for the next minute, give yourself the freedom to solve the issue and list the solution in your view.  

QUESTION THREE: What are the next steps?

Here is where I have seen groups get stalled. This is the ‘now what?’ stage of problem solving and how your group navigates this space will separate them from the crowd. It requires patience, broad based knowledge and most importantly the ability to not just have a plan but work that plan.  

TRY THIS!   Ask yourself the following 10 questions

1. Make an effort to take apart the problem. What is the core issue?  Not just the symptom symptom? 

2. Who else or what other departments need to be in this conversation? Are there some experts you could learn from?

3. Has someone else tried to fix this problem before?  What happened?  What can we learn?  

4. What do you think will be the cost of fixing this problem? People? Resources? Can we afford it? 

5. Is there alignment? Is everyone on board? What could be some hurdles we could encounter internally?  

6. How long will the potential solution take? Weeks? Months? Years? Will there be stages/phases or benchmarks?

7. What does success look like? What kind of outcome are we looking for?

8. What is our definition of traction?  

9. Engage ‘thought partners’ and create an outline of a plan. How disruptive could it be? How do you make adjustments for it?

10. When does this need to happen? Today? Someday? Do we have the bandwidth to do __X__? 

The reason the 3rd question is the hardest is because it makes you involve others, think through next steps, and count the cost.  That is also the beauty of bringing about change. The work is always hard but if thought through it calls for more patience than effort. Answering these three questions can get you far down the road but as you go through the exercise, share with me your thoughts on the PROBLEM, the SOLUTION, and the NEXT STEPS as you try NEW things that bring VALUE! 

Written by: Ken B. Tankersley

LENT, The Intersection of Lament & Celebration

 I stumbled upon Daniel Bonnell’s art a few years ago while looking for a creative way to engage the various liturgical feasts in the Church calendar. Now he serves as a regular ‘go to’ for me when I am anxious to revamp, rekindle or re-engage my understanding of scripture. Over the next few weeks we will enter the Season of Lent marking the time period of prayer and preparation before Easter. Here is a print of the painting Lamentation of the Father by Daniel Bonnell to provide some inspiration this season. 

Daniel Bonnell is a working artist, an author, and a teacher. He is known throughout the United States, England and Israel as one of the few noted sacred painters of the 21st Century. Bonnell received his BFA degree from the Atlanta College of Art and his MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and his paintings are found in churches around the world, and private collections. If curious, his art may be found at BonnellArt.com.

The Lamentation of the Father surrounds both Lament and Celebration, a tension that we have become accustomed to in our current cultural climate.It's intense in the themes of discord, mockery, humility, and loneliness. Bonnell captures it all. Interestingly, he chose to paint this scene on ‘grocery bag’ paper on purpose because the surface is humble, modest and world wide. There is so much to draw from in this painting! 

Bonnell was quoted as saying that “every piece of art is a personal devotional letter or offering to the Lord.” For me, his painting beautifully depicts the breadth of what occurs on the cross. Some elements to note: 

• He had a three step process with his paper canvas 1) paint the painting, 2) ball up the paper, and then 3) gently flatten it again with an iron to depict an aged and weathered texture.

• The earth tones of the painting are contrasted with the funnel of white rain from above and God’s reign pouring out below. 

• The stark outlining of Jesus' body subtly shows how Christ’s humanity is contained within his divinity. 

• The outstretched arms show a savior who has not only been ‘sent’ through embrace but ‘given’ obedience. 

THE CRUCIFIXION- Mark 15: 21-39 -The Message

21 There was a man walking by, coming from work, Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. They made him carry Jesus’ cross. 22-24 The soldiers brought Jesus to Golgotha, meaning “Skull Hill.” They offered him a mild painkiller (wine mixed with myrrh), but he wouldn’t take it. And they nailed him to the cross. They divided up his clothes and threw dice to see who would get them.25-30 They nailed him up at nine o’clock in the morning. The charge against him—the king of the jews—was scrawled across a sign. Along with him, they crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”

31-32 The high priests, along with the religion scholars, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—but he can’t save himself! Messiah, is he? King of Israel? Then let him climb down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then!” Even the men crucified alongside him joined in the mockery.33-34 At noon the sky became extremely dark. The darkness lasted three hours. At three o’clock, Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” 35-36 Some of the bystanders who heard him said, “Listen, he’s calling for Elijah.” Someone ran off, soaked a sponge in sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.”37-39 But Jesus, with a loud cry, gave his last breath. At that moment the Temple curtain ripped right down the middle. When the Roman captain standing guard in front of him saw that he had quit breathing, he said, “This has to be the Son of God!”

Lent is a complicated season on the church calendar, embracing both Lament and Celebration at the same moment. Grief, sorrow and weeping are inescapable within the truth of the Crucifiction. Conversely, celebration is demanded when one appreciates the depth and power of what occurred on the Cross. The gospel can be found at this intersection of those two realities. Jesus, promising ‘full life’ (Celebration), while embracing the label ‘man of sorrows’ (Lament). The Lenten season heightens our awareness of both, but offers great hope. The 40 days of Lent begin with Ash Wednesday on March 2, 2022. Let's continue to live at that intersection! If you have your own thoughts on the painting, please contact me.

-Ken Tank. 

THERE IS ALWAYS MORE THAN ONE WAY!

We have all had to become inventive over the past few years. Our routine has been hijacked, our discomfort level pushed, and our plans disrupted so just like that, we became INNOVATORS. Now, entering another calendar year of the new normal, words like disruption, epidemic, pivot, ‘super-spreader,’ and herd immunity roll off the tongue…sort of.  

In Young Life, I have had the privilege of working with a group that has been tasked with thinking about Innovation and how Young Life not only survives, but thrives during this season. We see hope and are convinced that if we are aware of the innovative opportunities in front of us we could ultimately be more relevant in engaging adolescents as a mission over the next several decades then ever.  Recently, it has been encouraging to witness how staff around the mission are ‘finding a way’ to reach more kids, the next kid and especially the furthest out kid. 

Innovation is foundational to our faith and rooted in our mission’s history. The Incarnation and the Cross are both innovations that changed the world.  Jesus is an innovator:   the  39 Parables and 37 Miracles found in the New Testament Gospels are in some sense, his way of using creative means to reach humankind.  

What is unique about God’s methods is his desire to include us in the process. Jesus’s plan for reaching the world is men and women. An example of the role we all play in sharing the good news can be seen in Acts 10 through the interaction between a roman soldier, a disciple and an angel.  The Roman Centurion, Cornelius, was living in Caesarea. He’s described as a good man, disciplined, responsible and courageous. He had a heart that sought God and had questions. Through an encounter with an angel, he was instructed to send for Simon Peter as a person who would  be able to answer his questions. Interestingly, the angel arranged the meeting but the disciple shared his message. Perhaps God knew that a man would be able to relate, connect or empathize. Whatever the reason, God seems to like to reach people through people.

Whatever current definition you embrace around the culture of Innovation, FINDING A WAY seems to say it all.  It is exactly what Jim Rayburn was ‘charged’ to do in Gainesville, Texas 80 years ago and what we passionately continue to do today. 

The  team I serve with have had success in discovering new ways  to reach every kid.  Below you will see three short videos on how WyldLife, Young Life College, and The YL Leader Blog are serving the Field by partnering in innovation.  Watch the videos and feel free to contact the staff through the link provided if you are interested in learning more. 

A God who can transform water into wine, would also like to transform communities and hearts. Finding a way may mean that the traditional ways are  blocked. It also implies that a new opportunity is there, just not seen  yet! It is our privilege to see them and share them. That is hope! 

WyldLife  (Julie Clapp)

Young Life College (Kenny Nollan) 

YL Leader Blog (Drew Hill)  

Written by: Ken Tankersley

VIRTUALLY EXPERIENCE THE 2022 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL WINDRIDER SUMMIT

Two years ago, Young Life gave staff the opportunity to experience the Sundance Film Festival as a winter Training Timeline option for those who had finished AD school. I jumped at the opportunity, and soon found myself at a film premiere, watching a movie starring The Rock… with the The Rock in attendance about 15 rows in front of me. 

Some of the highest grossing films this year, such as Shang-Chi, Dune, Black Widow, Godzilla Vs Kong, A Quiet Place 2, No Time To Die, Halloween Kills, Eternals, were ALL directed by filmmakers whose earlier films premiered at Sundance, with them in attendance alongside festival attendees like me.

Through our partnership with Fuller Theological Seminary, we’re offered a graduate level course called The Sundance Windrider Summit. The Windrider Summit is designed to encourage thoughtful conversation against the backdrop of Sundance films and inspire the next generation of Christian leaders.  

Each morning, our group of Young Life staff joined a few hundred other students from about fifteen other seminaries and organizations, where instructors taught on how to look for the gospel (or lack of the gospel) through contemporary independent film. They also brought in numerous directors, currently premiering their movies at the festival, for interviews with the class.

After each morning class, we would walk through the snowy, picturesque Rocky mountain town of Park City, Utah to find our theaters and watch a movie (or two) a day. Many of those films would be introduced by the cast and director, with hopes of their movie becoming the next Sundance darling, which happened to first films made by past directors here like Christopher Nolan, Rian Johnson, and Quintin Tarantino.  

It was a gift to experience such an influential film festival while translating with other Young Life staff the practicals of using our world's culture as ways to teach about Christ. This class was impactful on my ability to use certain popular movies almost like parables, helping to illustrate points while teaching at Campaigners, leadership, or club. The class also helped me wrestle with what current independent films communicate about the heart of our secular-cultured ministry field.  
I found many of these films reflect what we’re seeing in the broken lives of kids we care about, and the need and longing for a savior was just under the surface of each movie we watched there.  These filmmakers are cultural theologians with a pulse on what matters to our furthest-out-there society, and their films can give us more empathy and language to help us communicate the gospel in a language they can understand.  

Although our class is already full this year, Young Life is offering all interested staff the opportunity this January to join in VIRTUALLY from the warmth of your own home. Join students and leaders from around the world as we gather virtually during the Sundance Film Festival, January 23-28th, 2022. A fee of $250 not only gets you Zoom access into the Windrider Forum class for the week, but also access to your choice of 7 different feature films premiering at Sundance, which you can view from any screen accessible to stream online content.  Sign up closes December 5th.  Click here to sign up today!

Written by ​​Ryan Mecum, Area Director (ryanmecum@gmail.com)

Global Innovation Archives

All around Young Life there are great ideas. Innovation has been a focus well before 2020 forced us to get even more creative. 5.4 Friday has celebrated these ideas each month for the last few years. If you’re looking to be inspired, or simply celebrate the innovation around us, we encourage you to browse the archives of Global Innovation from 5.4 Friday:

CONTENT SONGS ON DEMAND

What happens when you get a few Young Life musicians in the same room? You get not only some good music, but you get some music with depth! That’s exactly what happened when three amazing Young Life friends gathered together to create some accessible music for everyone around Young Life.

Big Water Collective (BWC) was formed by a desire to break down the barriers that many of us experience today through creation of a diverse group of musicians all striving for one goal: to encounter the Lord in a new way that is accessible to everyone.

With the original group comprised of Tyson Motsenbocker (San Diego, CA), Kaitlyn Danos (Young Life College @ LSU in Baton Rouge, LA), and Shua (San Diego, CA), Big Water Records blends notes of soul, indie, and worship into a scripturally-based EP from the book of Psalms—using common language that can used for club talks, content songs, leadership meetings, and worship. 

The group came together for two days in San Diego to listen to God’s direction for the project, then used Switchfoot’s Melody League Studio to record the music live in one sitting. The collection consists of three original tunes, videos, and charts: Draw Me Close, Guiding Light, and Pick Me Up.

Draw Me Close is based around Psalm 23 and communicates that no matter how far we’ve gone or how long we’ve been drifting, God is always drawing us back to Himself. Guiding Light references Psalm 119, telling us that the Lord is not distant, but speaks to us in the here and now. Lastly, Pick Me Up depicts Absalom’s pursuit of David and speaks to the reality that God desires to find us in the midst of our battles, picking us up, and ultimately saving us.

Recently released on Spotify and YouTube, the project is accessible to anyone who is interested in connecting to God in an authentic and real way. In addition, by contacting Scott McClain (Ozark Bayou Region) at 225-364-8507, you can grab your own copies of the chords and lyrics to begin worshipping with us. In the next few weeks, all of our content will be uploaded to linktr.ee @Big_water_records.

Lastly, if you have any input on the EP or think you have an idea for a future song, we’d love to hear your thoughts. We will be having a writers workshop with Charlie Hall (Frontline Music) in early 2022 and recording our second EP this summer. Please feel free to reach out if we can answer any questions. (scottmcclainyl@icloud.com)

Links to each of the songs are below:

Draw Me Close

Guiding Light

Pick Me Up

Get To You Know Club Beyond

Did you know?

Young Life Military has been walking alongside military teens since 1959. Jim Rayburn saw the need for ministry to military teens and said, “There are eleven Air Force high schools in Germany alone! These kids are as American as Chicago—football and basketball league games, the works. And these kids are stranded. If we don’t go after them, no one will.” In 1980 Military Community Youth Ministries (MCYM) was established and Young Life has staffed ministry outreach to military teens through MCYM ever since. The name coined by our military teens for the ministry is “Club Beyond” and we are known by that around the world. There are over 500,000 teenagers who have a parent or guardian serving in the U.S. Military.

Military teens can easily be overlooked as they move frequently (six to nine times in their school-aged years). They often are even moving around the world. And many go to school “inside the gate” of a military installation and are not accessible to the general public. Club Beyond staff and leaders have access to military teens and seek them out. In order to have installation access, we have signed agreements with military chaplains and commanders to be on base and provide programs and mentorship for these teens. We currently have more permission than we have staff. The military wants Club Beyond and we pray for called staff to invest in military teens lives. If you, or someone you know, wants more information about coming on staff, email recruitingteam@clubbeyond.org

Why is Club Beyond so important? Staff, chaplains, parents and teens answer that question in this video. 

How much do you know about Club Beyond? Test your knowledge here.

Want to know more about Club Beyond and how you can get involved? Contact Marty McCarty at mmccarty@military.younglife.org

THE NEXT BIG THING IN YOUR REGION

How are we fostering innovation?

Is it just some lofty idea or something that truly impacts our local ministry?

The team over in Oregon got serious about this concept of innovation back in 2019 when they launched a Regional Innovation Team. Chris Herb raised a chunk of funds and deployed a team led by Area Director, Justin Scott, to foster innovation and help support these new ideas. 

What Does an Innovation Team Do?

Justin and his crew focus on supporting their regional staff’s crazy, new ideas to reach kids. Their goal is to fund ideas within the region that will help them reach new, and more kids. They provide support and feedback for new ideas throughout the region. They poke holes, listen, and throw out supporting ideas. They also help staff get the right people “in the room” to make those ideas come to fruition. 

They also help FUND these innovative ideas. This team has an allocation of grant funds from their Regional Director to give to innovative ideas and projects throughout the year. 

What Has Come Out of This Innovation Team?

Justin Scott shared some of the ways they’ve worked to reach kids in new, innovative ways. Obviously, COVID-19 threw a wrench in so many of “our” plans, but remember all of this was no surprise to God! In the past two years, and throughout the pandemic, this region has seen some pretty creative strategies come to life. The result: reaching MORE KIDS!

Here are a few of the new ministry approaches that have evolved:

• Gaming Ministry: Club anchored around a building that serves as an after school space. 

• Angling Ministry: An avid fisherman takes leaders and kids out on the water and to learn how to fish and share the gospel in the process.

• ‘Basketball in the Park’ Park Cleanup: An under-resourced club in a bigger city had a local park where kids hung out consistently. The local team built up a basketball program, tournament, and club centered around this park!

• International Focus: One college director is thinking creatively around strategies for reaching international students on campus; she’s building up a program aimed at engaging with international students that are on their campus. 

• Skating Ministry: One community leveraged the skate parks in their community and set up ministry to reach this group of kids.

Innovation can happen anywhere. Sometimes when we are faced with the tightest constraints, we experience the biggest breakthroughs. The last year or so forced us all to do this in our local ministry. Odds are, you have innovative ideas happening in your own region. Our question is “do you have the support system to help you turn these ideas into real-life ministries?” Justin, Chris, and the rest of Oregon Cascades region are reaching new, and more, kids than ever before because they’re leaning into new ideas. If you are interested in how your own region can build an innovation team or want to learn more about the structure of their innovation grants, reach out to Justin (scottyounglife@me.com)!

HAVE WE SKIPPED A STEP IN CONTACT WORK?

Whether you are just starting Young Life, or have been doing it for a while, you know that this ministry thrives because of its commitment to relationships. In fact, one of Young Life’s major C’s for ministry is Contact Work. 

This is the intentional commitment to do what Jesus did. Go where people (adolescents) are and initiate relationships with them. Contact work has three levels:

LEVEL ONE: SEE & BE SEEN. Start by showing you are interested in their lives.

LEVEL TWO: TALK WITH KIDS. Talk to kids about the things that interest them. Be a good listener.

LEVEL THREE: DO THINGS WITH KIDS. Build a deeper level of friendship.

Although showing up to be seen by our adolescent friends is relatively easy, having the opportunity to engage in the deepest level of contact work (do something) is not possible without crossing the often scary bridge of the second stage of contact work:  talk, or say something.  I sometimes wonder if we tend to skip the 2nd level of Contact Work?!

Jesus didn’t just go where people were, He crossed the bridge of talking to people so that He could do something with and for them. When I think of the power of saying, engaging in conversation after we have shown up, in the hopes of making a deeper impact in someone’s life, I think of Jesus and Philip. John 1:43 says, “The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘come follow me.’” Jesus shows up in Galilee but he didn’t stop there, he spoke words to Philip that changed his life, come follow me. 

Without Jesus saying something to Philip, Philip would not have later had the opportunity to witness and share in the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6. Jesus’ verbal engagement with Philip changed everything and was so impactful that later we see Philip mimicking his Savior-Mentor-Teacher. 

Later on we see another Phillip of the Bible! In Acts 8:26-38, we find Philip being led by the Holy Spirit to “go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Philip goes, shows up, is seen. There, he sees an Ethiopian eunuch reading the scriptures. I’m so glad the story doesn’t end there because Philip SAYs something that will forever change the Ethiopian man’s life. He asks him if he understands what he is reading. 

Philip’s willingness to ask the question, say something after having shown up results in this Ethiopian's understanding of salvation and the privilege of being baptized as a believer and follower of Christ. But what if Philip only showed up and never said anything? 

Friends, as you continue to show up in the world of adolescents, be encouraged to be led by the Holy Spirit and brave enough to open your mouth to talk to those around you. Ask questions, engage in conversation, and trust that the LORD will use your words to change the lives of those who are seen by you.  

Written by Sophia Cox 

TRY THIS: DAILY

“If what you are doing now is not working, try this.”

When I grow up, I want to be like Tom Raley. I had the privilege of serving with Tom during my first years on staff. Tom was a club kid from East Texas who met the Lord through Young Life and joined staff in 1953. We met when Tom led spiritual formation for staff in Dallas, and I’m grateful for the seven years I spent learning from him until his death in 2008.

It wasn’t the number of clubs he started or the number of kids he reached during 55 years on staff that made me want to be like Tom. It was his steadfast commitment to following Jesus. Tom read his Bible, and he prayed. Every. Single. Day.

Tom attended a staff conference in 1970 where the speaker talked about the spiritual lives of those in ministry. Tom remembered him saying, “If what you are doing now is not working, try this.” Tom made a decision that day to spend the first hour of every day with Jesus. Early morning meetings and late night clubs were never an excuse – he simply adjusted his alarm.

Tom was a voracious reader of authors like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Henri Nouwen, but he rarely used devotionals. All Tom needed was his Bible, a journal, an hour each morning, and 30 minutes each evening. He adapted practices shared at the conference to create his own spiritual rhythm. 

Here’s how Tom described his routine:

“I settle down in a quiet place with a cup of tea. First, I read the Scriptures and ask God to speak to me – usually a chapter, but this varies. I record in my journal His Word to me that day. I then follow a 7-step format for my morning prayer. I record each step in my journal. It helps me to write down very specifically what I am saying to the Lord as well as what I hear Him saying to me. In the evening, I look back on the day and follow four specific steps.”

Those who knew Tom saw the fruit of his daily time with Jesus. When he passed away, it didn’t surprise us when people described Tom as “a man who loved the Lord more than anything” and “a wonderful model of Christ-likeness.”

Tom created space so that he could be “transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

I still have the piece of paper Tom gave me outlining his prayer time. I redesigned it as a bookmark and now I try to make his routines, my routines. I watched Tom become more like Jesus, and I hope God will do the same for me.

You can download Tom’s steps for morning and evening prayer HERE. If you’d like a bookmark, LET US KNOW and we’ll mail you one.

Written by: Julie Clapp, Vice President of WyldLife

THE ? WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE ASKED

-The effect of 7 words on every conversation-

Jesus asked great questions! He didn’t mince words and was masterful at getting to the point. He listened well, created safety and space, and was absolutely the best at the ‘mic drop’ question. He knew how to engage, was comfortable in silence, and somehow posed the question someone really wanted to be asked. 

Questions like:

• ‘Are you hungry?’  

• ‘Are you thirsty?’  

• ‘Do you want to get well?’

• ‘What can I do for you?’  

Jesus’ words cut through the relational minutia and went straight to the heart because he asked the question beneath the question. We would do well to learn from his style. One challenge that has surfaced  globally is  the cultural inability to engage in healthy civil discourse or question asking. Dynamic, two-way conversations have been replaced  with one sided debates, and subsequently left us with the inability to truly listen. 

Conversely we may be talking more than ever...

• Zoom fatigue and ‘white noise effect’ are real conditions as a result of the significant increases in communication platforms, and methods.

• The average YouTube length is 12 minutes, with 1 billion daily mobile video views.

• TikTok reached 700,000,000 active users in 5 years making it the 7th largest social media platform.

• In recent years, TV watching has dropped by 4% (18-49 yr olds) BUT jumped by 74% on online platforms.

• Snapchat has over 265 million users who prefer messages with filters, shortened stories, and disappearing content.

Bottom line: We tend to talk at, rather than talk to and because we have lost our ability to listen, conversations have lost their power. They have become, superficial, one-sided, and far from transformative. Verbal Interactions are supposed to be refining, precious, disruptive, compelling, and thought provoking.   In a world where tensions feel ‘heavier’ there is a profound need to empathize, connect and resonate which comes from an ability to ask the good question and truly hear others. Over the last several years we have slowly LOST OUR ABILITY TO LISTEN.

This year I conducted a personal ‘case study.’ Basically, I identified a phrase/question that I wanted to be known for asking. I wanted to have the opportunity to ask it in every conversation I was in. Nothing too ornate or refined but just simple enough to be compelling:  7 words in the form of a question.  

My measurements were simple: 

1. How often do I ask this question?  

2. How often was it posed to me?  

The question? 

“TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?”

Every conversation I had, I committed to asking this question at least once. Any meeting that I attended, I made a mental note of how many times the 7 words were used. The question elevated the recipient and fostered humility from the questioner. What the question was stating was, “I want to know your thoughts.” “I want to learn from you.” I was stunned by the response every time I posed the question, and I was on my heels every time I was asked. In honor of the 7 words, here are 7 things I learned from using this phrase.

1. BE ‘OTHER’ FOCUSED:  If it is true that our favorite word is our own name then it seems fair that our favorite sound is our own voice.  Imagine the opportunity we are given to hear a different voice, perspective, view. There is something healthy about giving up significant ‘time of possession’ in a conversation. 

2. CURIOSITY IS COMPELLING:  The world has become myopic and resistant to input. It is also growing in scope, diversity and breadth. Those that will thrive in a changing world will be those who seek input to improve in their skills and grow in their awareness by being comfortable in silence, and committed to seeking to understand.

3. THE VALUE OF BEING SPECIFIC:  Jesus was the best at asking the right question at the right time and oftentimes, the question that others wanted to be asked. It takes thought, work, and discernment but WOW asking good questions is a lost art form and the conversation moves quicker and deeper. 

4. THE MARKS OF A DISCIPLE:  The question doesn’t just request advice, it actually gives the other person's view ‘weight’ and welcomes input, teaching and instruction. 

5. PING-PONG vs PITCH & CATCH:  Some conversations  are barely an exchange of ideas but more a swapping of views where the loudest and last view tends to win (ping-pong). This question forces a slower, lingering conversation where thoughts can settle (pitch and catch). 

6. MOVE THE NEEDLE:  A question that is a request elicits a response. A jaw drop, awkward silence, a sigh, highlighting its uniqueness. To share thoughts, be heard, and acknowledged for our own wisdom is a rarity. Let’s be unique. 

7. YOU WILL LOOK DIFFERENT:  Our posture is external and internal. When you ask this question, you are leaning in, sitting back,  taking mental (or physical) notes, making eye contact and reacting in hundreds of non-verbal ways.. 

As a mission, asking this question and listening to the answer may be our superpower!  Relational ministry cannot survive on soundbites and there is a great need for understanding in the world of kids. These 7 words could be a starting point to some great conversations. 

•  If you ask profound questions- you will get profound answers 

•  if you ask shallow questions, you will get shallow answers

•  if you ask no questions at all, you get no answers at all!  

TRY THIS CHALLENGE! Try this personal case study for yourself for one week. Ask the question in every conversation. Keep track of when you hear it asked of you too. Take notes. Then call me, text me or email and tell me what you learned? I’d love to know what YOU think.   -Tank

Kenbtank@gmail.com

(303) 472-8140

Hear About YL1: Young Life’s Next Move To Reach Every Kid

Over Young Life’s 80 year history as a mission, the heart for the ‘furthest out’ kid has been beautifully evident. Recently, there has been a growing conversation to coordinate an effort among YL staff  to share insights and best practices of ministries for kids served by various social service systems. Although these efforts haven’t always been widely known, they represent the heart of the mission’s desire to reach ‘Every Kid’ and address a growing crisis in our culture.  

As the dialogue grew, God moved through the heart of a generous group of women, who invested in the development and resourcing of these ministry types as they develop in scope and presence and that’s how YOUNG LIFE ONE was born! As a mission we say we want to love all adolescents and YL1 aims to honor that posture by reaching out to kids who have been impacted by our cultural challenges. There are currently four different demographics we aim to reach out to: teenagers impacted by homelessness, trafficking, incarceration, and/or the foster care system. 

It has been clearly evident that the Lord has affirmed Young Life’s presence in serving students in these unique contexts over the decades and chosen our current season as an opportunity to provide structure, systems, and resources as we move into coming years.  

Our goal is to train leaders and staff in how to love and care for kids in these governmental systems in an effort to communicate the message that tells each teenager “we love you, we believe in you, and we want to see you survive and thrive now and into adulthood.” We want these teenagers who are so often overlooked or misunderstood to know that the God we know and serve loves them beyond comprehension.