ANSWERING WHAT AND …. WHY!

In a recent 5.4 Friday survey we asked YL staff “What would they want volunteer leaders to have access to YL Connect?” The 18 suggestions below identified the major themes from their responses and have given us a good sense OF WHAT the staff in the field are looking for. Now, there is only one question left - WHY?

One of my favorite techniques to use when getting to the bottom of something is called the “5 whys.”  The origins of this technique are found in the early days of Toyota manufacturing.  

“The basis of Toyota’s scientific approach is to ask why five times whenever we find a problem … By repeating why five times, the nature of the problem as well as its solution becomes clear.“ Taiichi Ohno

While Toyota used this to get to the root cause of a failure so that they could get back to manufacturing cars, it can be extremely helpful in evaluating other types of problems and needs too.  

So here we are… asking you to ask why.  Why, you ask?  Well, we really want to understand what volunteers need to do and how we may be able to help equip them to do it.

You said your volunteers need access to Camp Information.  Why?  Why?  Why?  Why?  Why?

Now, a request- 

HERE IS WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU:  Can you identify what you would like your volunteers to be able to do in YL connect,, ask “why?” a few times and let us know what you come up with?

Email us HERE and let us know your ‘WHY’

STARTING SMARTER WITH STUDENT OWNERSHIP & LEADERSHIP

The Global ‘pause’ of the last few years has led to a local ‘restart’ for many of us during 2021-22. Every Young Life leader can share their own stories of the challenges within their own context and they are significant. What may be more challenging is the ability to launch a new ministry. That’s what Emma McPherson and Eric Anderson were tasked to do in Hartland Michigan.

Read their story below:

We launched Young Life in a new school/community in the summer of 2020 - Hartland High School in Hartland, MI. The leadership team was forced to approach this creatively, since they were not initially allowed in the building and events were relatively restricted or non-existent. This school is similar to many in that it offers a wide variety of sponsored “clubs” and this school actually designates a short time during the school day on Fridays each week for students to participate in club meetings, as a way to diversify learning and connections.

After some creative thinking and prayer, here is what we had:

• A brand new Leadership Team 

•  Connections with a small group of students with strong leadership gifts. .

• There was a strong Vision from Students and the broader mission community for Hartland High School.

•  An outline of a plan for the school year. 

With a team, some students, a vision, and conviction to start an official Young Life Club within the school, we submitted an application containing:

• A Teacher sponsor

• Application submission for approval 

• Overview/Purpose/Content of ‘the Club’ 

One benefit we realized was that we were able to work in close partnership with the school administration and foster a deep partnership based on trust from the very beginning. We gave significant thought as to the purpose of the ‘Young Life Club’ from the students perspective and the team defined our Friday after club as a place where “any student in the school has the opportunity to get a taste of what Young Life was all about.” The Club meetings were the same in principle to what is traditional Young Life but also very different. 

Here is what made them unique:

• Entirely Student-led.  

• Staff /Leaders did not attend the Friday Club meetings. 

• Our staff/leaders met with the student team for support, planning, and prayer. 

• The students who lead the club prepare mixers, fun, and message.

• Weekly “random act of kindness challenge” as a way to care for the entire school population. 

• The Talk is an invitation to participation and ‘come and see.’

The Friday afternoon Club complemented a more traditional weekly Club as our group grew and fostered significant ownership, partnership, and discipleship opportunities for our student leaders. The agenda for a Young Life Club during school is very simple. If you have any interest in hearing more, please feel free to contact Emma McPherson and Eric Anderson, at etakeeper13@gmail.com. 

We have found that more kids at THE “Young Life Club” leads to more kids at their new Young Life CLUB.

Written by Eric Anderson and Emma McPherson

A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION

Oscar-nominated short film “A Concerto Is a Conversation” is the story of love between a grandfather and his grandson woven together through music. It’s also a narrative about race in America. Composer Kris Bowers, the virtuoso behind “Green Book” and “When They See Us,” wears multiple hats for the film, as co-director (with friend Ben Proudfoot), producer, composer and star. He appears alongside his 91-year-old grandfather Horace Bowers Sr. The 13-minute film is the result of a short piece Proudfoot had been working on for L.A. Philharmonic, which had commissioned him for a project addressing the intersection between Los Angeles and music. He reached out to Bowers after learning the composer was set to appear at Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles for a violin concerto with the American Youth Symphony. 

Below are a few talking points to discuss with your Area volunteers, committee, and leadership. There are so many parallels we can pull from this short film that have application to the ministry we’re doing in Young Life. Consider using this short film as a tool to inspire and support your Area’s impact.

DISCUSS:  There is a strong theme of ‘legacy’ in this short film.  It touches on the affinity for music, race, discipleship and race to name a few.  In your group discuss the following questions.  

Q.  Was there a favorite quote, or scene from this mini-documentary that stood out to you?  Why? 

Q.  If a Concerto is a conversation between the soloist and the ensemble.  In this short film, which is which?  Where do you see this?

Q.  In your life, what legacy have you received?  

Q.  What legacy do you want to leave? What barriers will you or have you experienced and had to break through to establish a legacy?

Why a Day of Prayer?

It all started (and continues) with prayer.

When telling the history of Young Life, it’s tempting to start with Jim Rayburn. As the founder he is the preeminent figure, yes, but chronologically he comes a little later in the story.

Prior to Jim’s arrival in Gainesville, Texas, a group of elderly women led by Clara Frasier faithfully prayed for six years for God to reach the teenagers at Gainesville High School. Jim arrived in 1939, and when he later learned of the praying ladies, he joined them!

“I was there a year before I heard about that prayer meeting. I used to go over there with those five or six old ladies and get down on my knees with them after that club started to roll. That was the thing the Lord used to start it.”

Let’S face it, in Young Life we’re often drawn to those we see up front: the charismatic leader, the commanding speaker, the hilarious program team and the gifted musician. No doubt each is important and has a critical role to play. 

However, only the Lord knows how much has been accomplished in the lives of kids (and adults) over the last 80 plus years through the humble prayers of women and men who may never garner a spotlight.

So why a missionwide day of prayer? 

There are many reasons we could list of course, but let’s focus on this one: it’s a beautiful reminder. Prayer acknowledges we are not in control of this precious work He has entrusted to us. 

Our mission statement declares we’re all about “Introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.” We can introduce and we can help but we know only the Father can draw a person to faith in Jesus (John 6:44) and bring about growth in their lives (1 Corinthians 3:6). 

That allows us to simply be faithful, and one of the best ways is through prayer. God delights when we come to Him — in praise of who He is, with thanksgiving for all He’s done, in repentance of our sins and to intercede for others and their needs.

In Young Life this means pleading on behalf of kids. Jim Rayburn once said:

‘If we don't pray for these kids, who's praying for them? We may be the only person in that child's life that breathes their name in prayer.’" 

What a privilege, what a joy, what an opportunity to praise the Father and breathe the names of kids up in prayer alongside our brothers and sisters scattered around the globe! Yes, we pray throughout the year, but for two days every year we can raise up our voices in unison to the One who invites us to approach His throne of grace with confidence.

The theme for this spring’s Day of Prayer is “Restore.” On March 1, may you sense great restoration personally and corporately as part of this wonderful worldwide calling. 

Young Life Day of Prayer Resources

Written by: Jeff Chesemore

Can I Do “All Things?”

There is a sneaky, devious, and—I dare say—evil distortion that tells us that our human limitations are “bad” or wrong. We all like to think we can do it all, but we don’t always have a healthy, or right, approach. 

I don’t presume to know the motives behind those who promote these messages. Yet these messages are dangerous, unhealthy, and untrue. Most of the time they are a call to walk in faith and meant to encourage risk-taking. They grow from promises that we can do all things, that nothing is impossible, and that if we trust God, we will be able to do what we never could otherwise. 

While these promises are true, this type of thinking is a deceptive lie that encourages us to think our created limitations are wrong. It confuses our sinful lack of faith in God with our God-given, created limitations. The most easily identifiable of these Christian messages comes from an isolated and out-of- context Bible verse: Philippians 4:13. It’s usually shortened to something like, “I can do all things.” 

This all-too- common tendency is ultimately rooted in a wrong understanding of Jesus and of ourselves. As I show in the book, all of us—including many Christians—look at the life of Jesus Christ, and we assume we are meant to be his equal in every way. Jesus Christ is human and we are human, so we should strive to be like Jesus, right? But this (false) Christian logic neglects an important difference. While Jesus was fully human, he was also uniquely God. And even though we should seek to be like Jesus, that does not mean we become like God in every way. In some ways we become like God, but in many other ways we remain subject to God’s created limitations. The faulty logic works like this: 

God has no limits.
Jesus is God.
Jesus has no limits.
Jesus is human.
I am human.
I have no limits (through Christ). 

This line of thinking tempts us not to think twice when we read, “I can do all things through Christ,” and to assume this statement means that as Christians our human limits have been expanded or redefined. But this assumption ignores a key difference between Jesus, who has two natures, and you and me. 

We don’t become God. We remain human, with all our created limitations, and learn to follow Jesus by faith, walking in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Grasping this difference is one of the keys to embracing our God-given limits as good limits.

In The Good News of Our Limits: Find Greater Peace, Joy, and Effectiveness through God’s Gift of Inadequacy, I urge us to embrace the blessedness of our limitations and adopt a few key biblical and practical skills to better balance our lives.

Written by: Sean McGever, PhD smcgever@gmail.com

Learning 0122

A GOOD TESTIMONY

“Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!

Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.”

-Psalms 107:2   NLT

“I’m sorry, I don’t have a good testimony!”

Have you heard these words from a friend who was convinced of such? Or perhaps you have even uttered them yourself. Well, it’s time to figure out what that statement actually means.

Looking at the origin of a testimony, the word comes from the world of jurisprudence…

“An assertion of firsthand authentication of a fact.”

If that is what a testimony truly is, how is it possible to have a “bad” assertion of?

Well, it’s BAD if it was NOT first-hand, or NOT an assertion, or NOT a fact. Other than those reasons…you’re good!

Because, and here’s the secret, you are NOT the star of your life’s testimony.

If you’ve given your life to Jesus, then He is the Star; He is the Focal point of your story; 

He is the one who is worthy of the praise, accolades & worship of your transformation. Hear me clearly…your testimony isn’t about your badness, it’s about His goodness. In fact, ‘your’ life isn’t even yours anymore.

Galatians 2:20 says “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

This verse helps me understand that my testimony isn’t about me. It’s about Christ living in me…that is what’s incredible & life-changing & worth sharing. 

The life-altering fact that Christ is alive in me and He is the one who takes center stage and the spotlight.

When the caterpillar builds its chrysalis - we don’t celebrate until the butterfly emerges.

Y’all, the transformation that God does on us, in us & despite us is the absolute Miracle.

His work is in the transformation of the Death to Life.

Don’t get caught focusing upon the caterpillar when the butterfly is the result of the beautiful and miraculous transformational power of God.

Let’s camp there. 

If we can’t get excited about this. We probably shouldn’t be sharing our story in the first place.

If we feel that the more pain we sustain and sin we commit sweetens our testimony, we are trying to take the spotlight from Jesus. And that, my friends, is a BAD testimony.

To build a “good” testimony, just takes a few things:

• An Eye Witness:  I WAS THERE. First-Hand experience only. (No hearsay allowed.)

• An Event: THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. The Moment we came face to face with Jesus.

• The Facts:  THIS IS HOW CHRIST CHANGED ME. The Transformation.

• The Result: FROM HERE FORWARD. My New Direction.

That’s it. Don’t fall into the trap that many do. “The more sin = the ‘mo better’ testimony.

Also, many believers listen to the lies that their stories aren’t worth sharing - for lack of a ‘wow factor.’

That cannot be further from the truth. For those who have difficult or tough backgrounds are so incredibly encouraged by people who have stories unlike their own. When they hear a story of a loving Father and/or Mother who prayed for their kids and taught them the truth of the Gospel, that, my friends, gives them hope for their own family’s futures.

They hear from you these four simple words: It. Can. Be. Different. That is incredibly encouraging.

We have forgotten that the purpose of sharing one’s testimony isn’t for your personal exaltation, but for His Glory.

The gospel is good news - why do we so often fixate upon, or even honor, our bad news? I believe it is because we have come to see ourselves as the star. Lord, forgive us.

Your story—regardless of how “spectacular” or “ordinary” you think it is—is a story about who God is. It is your eyewitness account of how God rescued you from your sin through Christ and changed your life as a result. When you share your testimony, you are helping others to know what God is like.

Open. Identify your life theme for your story that God used to help bring you to Him. (“My life revolved around…e.g., relationships, sports, money, recognition)

1. Life Before Christ. What was your life like before you came to Christ? Show your need for Christ.

2. Trusting Jesus. Give the details about why and how you gave your life to Christ. What was your “aha!” moment?

3. Your Life Since. Share changes that Christ has made in your life as they relate to your theme. Share changes in your attitude or character, not just behavior. What’s different about your life now?

Life Verse. End with a Bible verse that relates to your experience.

OH! And don’t forget…

• Pray before you share your story.

• Be honest.

• Stay away from words of religiosity.

• Keep it succinct. Aim for three to five minutes.

• Practice until it becomes natural.

Here’s to the moment we can all say,

“I have a very good testimony, because I have a very good God.”

In His Grip,

Kent Williams

THE POWER OF A NAME…..”MITCH”

(Remembering and celebrating the life of Bob Mitchell) 

A mononymous person is an individual who is known and addressed by a single name.  Famously, celebrities and historical figures like  Adele, Plato, Beyoncé, Shaq, Drake, Socrates and Prince tend to earn the moniker.  In Young Life, there are few in our history distinguished by a mononym. ‘Mitch.’ (Bob Mitchell) is at the top of the list. Mitch died on May 19, 2021 and his passing leaves a profound hole in the mission. A short bio of Mitch’s life of faith and ministry with YL can be found on page 11 of Relationships magazine HERE. It has been well documented; Bob Mitchell had done it all!!

• From Club Kid to Young Life President

• High School Work Crew, to creator of the Young Life Training Department

• Legendary Program Director, to compelling Camp Speaker, 

• Disciple of Jim Rayburn, to model-of-faith to the entire mission. 

I have had the privilege to live a short drive from Bob and Claudia Mitchell for the last several years.  Although being that close to one of the legendary couples of the YL mission should have been enough, I wanted more. I just knew that good things would happen if I could keep them both around, so our staff created an honorary role for them: CHAPLAIN. No compensation, business cards, or vehicle lease-just an offer for consistent access and interaction with our staff. What a gift that season was to us!

A chaplain in the military has a specific role of presence with a wide berth in how it looks day to day. 

CHAPLAIN DEFINITION:   The Chaplain's responsibilities include performing religious rites, conducting worship services, providing confidential counseling and advising commanders on religious, spiritual and moral matters. Chaplains are commissioned officers stationed wherever there are military members, including challenging environments in conflict.

In summary, a chaplain stays around. That is exactly what I wanted Mitch to do.  Mitch knew better than anyone I know what the YL staff person's day to day life looks like. He defined it and had lived it better than most so he became much more than a chaplain. In our lives, he ultimately embraced many titles.  

Here are a few:

SAGE:  (A mature and venerable person of sound judgement.)  

Mitch served in practically every role in the YL mission. When he spoke, the wisdom rested gently on the listener and they were changed. His words carried weight.  

HISTORIAN: (A person who studies or writes about the past with authority)  

Mitch was the YL archivist in any room he entered and a gift to any gathering. If Mitch arrived, you would gladly relinquish the mic and just let him speak. You would never tire of the same selection of tales from the early years because he spoke to the WHY of the WHAT. When you left, you were reminded of what really mattered.  

PROPHET:  (One gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight.)  

Mitch had confidence about the Lord’s movement and spoke with conviction.  He moved us with nuance through challenging waters culturally and theologically.  He spoke truth with grace.  (A lost art)

PASTOR: (A spiritual overseer)  

Mitch was one of the great encouragers and connectors to the core of the mission. He ALWAYS brought conversations back to Jesus and you left refreshed and ready.  Nothing better.

ICON:  (A person widely admired for having great influence or significance in a particular sphere.)  

The fact that we still roll in laughter performing the sketches that started with Mitch or giving our own spin on the illustrations and insights to scripture that had their beginning with him speaks to the wisdom, longevity and staying power of his gifting.  

MENTOR: (A trusted counselor or guide.) Mitch was unencumbered. He had given much of his life to being a pastor and YL staffer but in this volunteer role, he could give simple, clear and unbiased counsel. He was honest, direct, and humble. A triple threat in a mentor. 

MODEL:  (An example for imitation)  I still strive to be a missionary like Mitch. I want to have an unwavering heart for the lost. I want to emulate his quick wit, humor, and timing. Paint a picture and tell a tale with words like he did, but most of all, I want to exude a familiarity with Christ that’s intimate. Nothing is more attractive. 

Maybe that's the way you get assigned a mononym. You are given one name because you really have earned several. Jesus had dozens of titles like Savior, Redeemer, Bread of LIfe, Teacher, and Lord to name a few so that is why IMMANUEL (God with Us) summed them all up. It seems fitting and makes sense.

Mitch, our Chaplain, earned many titles just by staying around. Ultimately, to us, he became …the PHYSICAL representation of the VISIBLE expression, of the INVISIBLE God …and that is why we will miss him so much! Many of the original ‘Club Kids’ are gone now, but we all have a corner of the world where God has called us to be present. 

Thanks Mitch, for being with us! (Mitch’s celebration of life occurred this past month. Give yourself a gift and watch it HERE.  It is available for a few more days.)

Written By: Ken B Tank. and thousands of YL Staff over the years

LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING

The Gift of the Daily Examen

The first time I heard the phrase was from my parents. The second time, it was a teacher.  Later, crossing guards and others burned it into my memory. The instruction was simple -look both ways before crossing the street. Lastly, I learned the song!   

“Look both ways when you cross the street, 

Left and right, what do you see?

 If no cars are coming, you're safe as can be. 

Look both ways, look both ways.”           

                                                       ~~ Geof Johnson 

The safety message was to ‘take a moment before you move forward.’ Recently I have considered how valuable it would be to apply this simple principle that we learned as children into my adult life today.

• Awareness of your surroundings

• Ponder the destination you just left as well as where you are headed

• Notice the unexpected in the ordinary

“Looking both ways'' is a life lesson that translates. It affirms awareness more than caution. Embedded in the statement is the intent to move forward. A child who is encouraged to look both ways does not intend to stay on the curb, but more so intends to head toward a new destination. As believers, we are people who see, reflect, take note, and change. MOMENTS happen daily and may be forgotten, but MOVEMENTS need to be noticed, acknowledged, and fostered.

The DAILY EXAMEN is an ancient spiritual practice adopted by the early church and exists in many forms today. Simply it is a prayerful reflection over the events of each day. If there is an element that is distinctive of the ‘Examen’ it may be the PACE. In a world of sound-bytes, video clips, and cultural attention deficit, the Examen is a stroll that moves through the last 24 hours and then slowly crosses into the next day. No moment is too small and if our theology is correct, God is in all of them. In summary, you are looking for God's presence in your past and His direction as you go forward. 

As believers our relationship with Jesus is to be current, dynamic, and noticeable. Our interaction with him should be similar to how we talk with a friend, familiar, safe, and vulnerable. For me, to have a consistent practice that allows me to see God’s hand in my whole life has been invaluable and pivotal to my faith.  

Many have developed techniques for a Daily Examen. Saint Ignatius Loyola championed its practice early on and encouraged the Jesuits to practice it 2x a day (noon and the end of the day). He viewed it as a gift from God directly and wanted it shared widely. Below are the simple steps of the Daily Examen and a way that you can look both ways, your past and your future, in a posture of gratitude and sensitivity to Christ. 

1. SETTLE -  Become aware of God’s presence. Slow your breathing. Try putting your feet on the floor (get settled). Set aside distractions and be expectant to receive from the Lord. The day could feel chaotic or busy, but ask God to bring clarity as you reflect. 

2. LOOK BACK - Review the day in gratitude. Note the joys, delights, and gifts of the day. Slowly, purposefully, and intentionally, notice the significant and seemingly minor moments of your day (food, sights, people, work, etc). As you reflect on the previous 24 hours, pick one event that stands out to you.

3. NOTICE - Pay attention to your emotions. Ignatius thought God was easily found in our emotions. What were they? What is God saying through them to you? Not shame, but awareness. Is there a prompt in the midst? Someone to reach out to or contact? Anyone you need to apologize to? Anything bother you? What can you do to take care of it? Has this distracted you from anything? (try to sit and listen) 

4. FOCUS -  Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. A vivid moment that could be good or bad. Look at it from all angles. Allow prayer to spring up to it. Praise, petition, lament, intercession, and gratitude. 

5. TOMORROW -  Now go forward! What are your feelings about tomorrow? Any changes, convictions, hopes?

As you look both ways and foster a sensitivity to notice God’s hand in your past and your future, you will understand in a deeper way that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” - Hebrews 13:8

A CHALLENGE: If you want to join me in practicing the Examen everyday for a month, together send ME a short email so we can encourage one another! 

Written by Ken Tankersley (kenbtank@gmail.com)

A SMALL SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE CAN CHANGE YOUR CAMPAIGNER GROUP

The thought of restarting local Young Life contact work, campaigners, and club is even sweeter than it is typically in the fall. I keep thinking about one of the best descriptions of Young Life I have ever heard: “Young Life in a community is a social movement empowered by the Holy Spirit.” 

“Social movement” is foundational; it’s incarnation. Intentional invitations. Real friendships. Leaders and campaigner kids being the aroma of Christ in the halls and the stands. Generous amounts of time with kids. 

“Empowered by the Holy Spirit” is life changing: New kids are pulled in weekly. Love of God invasion. Total life transformation. Complete forgiveness. Eternal celebration. 2 Timothy 2:2 is a model for how multiplication changes a school and keeps on multiplying through the world. 

In my humble opinion, to re-start this fall we will have to simplify and focus on what is critical and most important: 

1. Let’s meet as many kids as possible and start genuine and real friendships! (a social movement)

2. Let’s seek the Lord on behalf of kids and pray for the Holy Spirit to empower our ministry! Paul said it this way from a prison cell. Colossians 4:2-4 – “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.”

Here is a great question to consider as we get restarted this fall: 

What if our campaigner kids were at the center of “a social movement empowered by the Holy Spirit” in their school!? Just leaders at the center is OK. Leaders AND campaigners students would be amazing. Campaigner kids have 100% access to the social heartbeat of the school and they have the Holy Spirit in them! Campaigner-centered ministry is hands down the most energizing, discipling, multiplying, faith-infusing, joy-inducing, future-leader-producing endeavor that I have ever been a part of. How can we put our campaigners in the very center?

As I start my 34th year as a Young Life leader in our local club, I keep trying to help kids learn how to PRAY and to seek the Lord to join with the Holy Spirit to impact lives. Here are two practices that I keep coming back to:

1. Having a weekly prayer meeting (additional to campaigner meetings) with our most motivated campaigners. “Friday morning prayer” at 6:30 am will be starting its 10th year running. We pray for each other AND for an ever-growing list of friends we want to know the Lord. 

2. At the end of Campaigners pray in a CIRCLE FACING INWARD for each other, and then pray in a CIRCLE FACING OUTWARD to pray for our friends in our school. 

**TRY THIS:  I have found that when we physically gather to pray (additional to campaigners) AND when we physically face IN AND OUT when we pray, our campaigner kids join with the movement of the Spirit and catch a vision for ministry for the rest of their lives. Teaching kids to pray and praying with kids has become a consistent best practice for me. We have seen many of our “kids who pray” become Young Life leaders and future world changers. In the picture around the table, six of the kids I can see are currently Young Life leaders in college. 

Written by: Rich Dargenio

Coaching an Effective Team Meeting

Like them or not, it would be hard to argue that the New England Patriots have been a football dynasty for the better part of the last 15 years. In practice, their head coach, Bill Belicheck, is known for instilling the same simple message over and over. There are hundreds of memes about it, eye rolls from the haters, and a general understanding that he keeps beating a dead horse - but no one is arguing with the results. The message is that the team will win if each player zeroes in on the task in front of them, focuses on good fundamentals, and “does their job” on game day.  The team keeps winning Super Bowls with some incredible talent and that simple formula. In Young Life, we’ve got the talent. Our people are second to none. But do we have that kind of focus on our fundamentals? How well do we really block and tackle?  

I think we’d all agree that the basics of what we do are simple. We show up to where kids are, we get to know them through shared experience and friendship, we share the gospel when there is an opportunity, and we love them regardless of how they respond. Our role as volunteer team leaders, committee chairs, or staff people, is to coach and equip those volunteers to follow through on fundamentals. We get to help them focus and “do their job”, and if we do that well, we win the game. 

One of the best venues we have to encourage this is in our team meetings. Team meetings are our practice field, and we serve our people when we give them a playbook for how to practice. Below you’ll find a bookmark you can print and give to your team leaders. The idea is to give them simple directions to practicing well. 

Team Meeting Bookmark HERE

Set back by injuries and the loss of key free agents, the Patriots have been losing this year. In an attempt to change that story, at the end of the game a couple of weeks ago, Belicheck did something uncharacteristic. He drew up a trick play to try and win the game. Needless to say, it didn’t work, and when he was interviewed afterward, he shared that it was time to get back to the basics.  

It’s been a tough season, and we might feel like we’ve been losing as well. Up to this point, we may have been trying to win with trick plays. While COVID-19 has taken a lot from us, I believe it has also presented us with an amazing opportunity. The loss of large-scale events has given us the chance to inspect our fundamentals. To get back to our core values by investing in equipping our leaders to spend time with Jesus, encouraging them to live in community with each other, and challenging them to pursue real relationships with kids. And it all starts with how we coach them in practice. 

Jesus spent some time in large venues preaching the gospel, but he spent a lot more alone with the Father, on the practice field with the disciples, and ministering to groups of individuals as he traveled from town to town.  My encouragement to you is to try out the bookmark. Use it to guide a team meeting and see if it helps you to “do your job” in a better or more fundamental way.  We may be without the things we usually lean on, but with some focus and intentionality, we can use this season as an opportunity to get back to the basics and win some games.

Written by Matt Walker (ylmattwalker@gmail.com)

THE LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP MODEL

What do we mean by “Leadership Development?”

As you may know, we now have a Department of Learning and Leadership Development  in Young Life. Tricia Blake leads this department as our first Chief Learning Officer.  I imagine that everyone reading this article would say that leadership development is important, both for Young Life as a mission and also for the Kingdom of God in general. Yet everyone reading this article would not have the same understanding of leadership development, even while we believe that it is important.

What can we learn about leadership development from the life of Jesus??

Though Jesus never used the term, I am struck by Jesus’ intentional approach to leadership development.  What do I mean by that comment?

• Jesus intentionally selected twelve people for his primary community. His call was simple and focused on purpose: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.”

• Jesus’ approach to leadership development was rooted in prayer and expressed in large vision. “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”  - Matthew 9:37, 38

• Jesus delegated responsibility to his disciples and provided accountability for them. He sent them out to minister in pairs. (Matthew 10:5 ff; Mark 6:7 ff; Luke 9 and 10) Note the accountability in Mark 6:30.

• Jesus restored the disciples when they failed. Although the greatest example is probably Jesus’ restoration of Peter after his denial (John 21), Jesus’ response to Thomas’ doubt, His response to the request to place James and John at his right hand, and His gracious response to disciples’ inability to heal a father’s child (Mark 8:14-29) all reflect Jesus’ continuing trust in the disciples as well as his readiness to give restorative correction when they had failed in some way.

• Jesus called the disciples to love. As we read in John 13, His command is not simple to love one another, it is “love one another as I have loved you.” And both in John 13:35 and John 17:23 Jesus states that the disciples’ love for each other, and our love for one another, is the greatest testimony to His truth.

These are some of the most significant reasons that I am so taken by Jesus’ approach to leadership development, and they are vitally instructive for us.

As we have refined our thinking for our purpose in Learning and Leadership Development, we have agreed that our goal is to create a culture where every person aspires to be an effective leader, a people developer, and a lifelong learner. (See attached model.)

This process begins with the centrality of our life with Christ as we are transformed in our relationship with God, self, and others. It is bounded by the mission, vision, values, and methods of Young Life. It is marked by a focus on people development, courageous behavior, comprehensive stewardship, collaborative leadership, and excellence in execution.

Leadership Development was at the heart of Jesus’ mission. It was the leadership Jesus developed, empowered by the Spirit, that has guided the church for centuries.

Please join us in building a culture that is biblically rooted, where everyone is an effective leader, a people developer, and a continuous learner!

10 TIPS FOR SELF COMPARISON IN A DIGITAL AGE

THE RIGHT TYPE OF COMPARISON.  

(Self awareness in a digital age) 

The current explosion of digital technology not only is changing the way we live and communicate but is rapidly and profoundly altering our brains..[turning us into shallower thinkers].

Gary Small, UCLA professor of psychiatry [59]

YouTube is the second-most-visited site after Google. Two billion users log in to YouTube every month. YouTubers upload 500 hours of new content every minute, and viewers watch over five billion videos every day. This equates to over 82 years of new video daily, which is more than the programming total of the first 20 years of TV!

Pre-pandemic, the average adult in America spent more than 11 hours per day looking at some type of screen: a computer, TV, phone, or tablet. Some of this is for work but most is after hours. 

Part of our role in being involved in Young Life is to help the kids we support have a healthy relationship with social media. This is difficult to do when most of us don’t have health in this arena. Let’s get healthy!

The right type of comparison

Let’s say I follow 730 people on my favorite social media platform, which is Instagram. Most of us follow more. This means that every day of the year my account would theoretically show me photos from two people who are having the best day of their year (730 people divided by 365 days = 2). We usually post more if we’re having an incredible experience or a phenomenal trip, so it probably means more than two posts. It also means that every day of the year, 61 of the people I follow are having the best day of their month (730 divided by 12 months = 61). So when I look at Instagram every day, my feed is flooded with images of people who appear to be having their best day of their month, year, or maybe even their life.

How can I not feel like my life isn’t measuring up?

We have front row seats to peoples’ best days—every day. Exotic locations, special someones, and everyone looks like they are laughing really hard at all times. Not many people post sad or lonely posts; I know I don’t. People have said to me, “Pete, you lead such an exciting life!” I usually laugh nervously and mutter something about not posting when I’m often home alone on a Saturday night. Maybe I should. 

At the end of the day, we should only compare ourselves to ourselves. This self-comparison is not a thief of joy but a key to growth. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday. Compare yourself to who you were last week, last month, last year. Not to anyone else. Are you growing? Are you challenging yourself? Are you improving as a person?

How to fight back: Top 10 Tips for Healthy Social Media Use 

1. Schedule social media time throughout the day where you consciously choose to use social media. Only use it during these times – 15 min blocks work well. Be “uninterruptable” during the rest of the day. You can limit social media using Rescuetime (for laptops/desktops only), Break Free, Moment, or a similar app.

2. Utilize the airplane mode button early and often, or put your phone on silent and set it out of arm’s reach. Check your Screen Time in your weekly evaluation.

3. Turn off all social media notifications. This is a game changer and you won’t miss anything I promise. 

4. Engage your social media with purpose and gratitude. Be grateful for blessings in loved ones’ lives. Use other posts for inspiration and motivation, not comparison.

5. Become a person of pause. Pause before posting or replying to a post. Are you edifying and building people up or are you tearing people down?

6. Make your bedroom a “social media free” zone. Don’t look at social media for the first two hours of the day or the last hour before bed.

7. Move social media apps off your home screen and into a folder where they are more difficult to access. Then move them to the second page of that folder. Title this folder “Playtime,” “Amusement,” “Wasting time,” or “Recess” to remind yourself of its true purpose.

8. Have a regular time of “fasting” from technology. Fasting is abstaining from something. Start with a day and go from there. Shoot a bullet before a cannonball.

9. Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about yourself. Remember that in most posts people are carefully curated and it is not reflective of real life. 

10. Delete all social media apps off of your phone. I knew someone who did this and only used her web browser or her laptop to look at social media. She still posted from time to time, and said her life was ten times better. She reclaimed her life.

For most of us, massive, ruthless, drastic action will be needed around social media because of the grip it has on our lives. What action will you take to have a healthy relationship with social media and show the kids you are investing in to do the same? 

A large portion of this article is taken from a brand new book that just released:  Adulting 101 Book 2 by Young Life staff Pete Hardesty and former YL leader/staff/committee Josh Burnette 

Global Training & Discipleship March 2021

A WORD FOR THIS SEASON - Judgement

The season of Lenten reflection and fasting serves as an opportunity for personal repentance and corporate reawakening. The 40 day journey culminates in the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection making Easter Sunday one of the most important days in the Christian calendar marking Jesus’ victory over death on the cross and allowing  believers to celebrate his life. Accept this painting from Daniel Bonnell as a gift  for you as you prepare for Holy week leading up  to Easter. 

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. I stumbled upon Daniel Bonnell’s art a few years ago while looking for a creative way to engage gospel narratives in the New Testament and now he serves as a regular ‘go to’ for me when I am anxious to revamp, rekindle, or re-engage my understanding of scripture or my embrace of a significant season in the Church calendar like Lent.  

HERE is a link to print one of his current pieces of artwork titled “JUDGEMENT.” Judgement is a word that we have become accustomed to seeing and feeling in our current cultural climate and the painting acknowledges that.The scene is  intense. There are themes of discord, mockery, humility, and loneliness. Bonnell captures it all! Interestingly, he chose to paint this event on ‘grocery bag’ paper on purpose  because he wanted a medium that was humble, modest and world wide.  His three step process was simply to:

1. Paint the painting. 

2. Ball up the paper. 

3. Flatten with an iron to depict  an aged and weathered texture. 

What I appreciate about his style of painting is his ability to capture ‘moments’ in scripture. As a stand alone, those moments are intense, transformative, complicated, and telling. They demand the observer to engage, look deeper, pause and think.  For that, I am grateful. During this 2021 Lenten season he also seems to catch the ‘corporate moment’ we are all dealing with around the globe surrounding civility, blame, isolation,  and disruption. In many ways, this painting shows not only that Jesus is ‘counter cultural’ as so many Biblical historians are apt to point out, but also affirms the common understanding that oftentimes  the majority opinion in scripture tends to be wrong. 

I don’t know exactly which ‘scene’ in Holy Week Bonnell attempted to highlight for this picture, but it could certainly be the selected passage from LUKE 23:  13-23 below:

Pilate gathered the people together with the high priests and all the religious leaders of the nation and told them, “You have presented this man to me and charged him with stirring a rebellion among the people. But I say to you that I have examined him here in your presence and have put him on trial. My verdict is that none of the charges you have brought against him are true. I find no fault in him. And I sent him to Antipas, son of Herod, who also, after questioning him, has found him not guilty. Since he has done nothing deserving of death, I have decided to punish him with a severe flogging and release him.” For it was Pilate’s custom to honor the Jewish holiday by releasing a prisoner.

When the crowd heard this, they went wild. Erupting with anger, they cried out, “No! Take this one away and release Barabbas!” For Barabbas had been thrown in prison for robbery and murder.  Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, tried to convince them it was best to let Jesus go. But they cried out over and over, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

A third time, Pilate asked the crowd, “What evil crime has this man committed that I should have him crucified? I haven’t found one thing that warrants a death sentence! I will have him flogged severely and then release him.”

But the people and the high priests, shouting like a mob, screamed out at the top of their lungs, “No! Crucify him! Crucify him!”

Finally their shouts and screams succeeded. -  Luke 23: 13-23

As you enter Holy Week, ponder the following questions surrounding this painting and accompanying scripture:

Q.  What character stands out from the painting?

Q.  Of the gestures and raised hands etc, what do you notice? How does it make you feel?

Q.  What do you glean from the posture of the person of Christ? (both internally and externally)

Q.  In the passage above which verse or statement in the scripture seems to be represented by the painting? How? 

Q.  In what ways do you see ‘JUDGEMENT’ depicted in the painting and the passage.  What new perspectives on the word do you have as you prepare to celebrate Easter? 

For better or worse, JUDGEMENT may be the word for this Season and the purpose of Holy Week is to reenact, relive, and participate in the passion and punishment of Christ. Judgement by its nature, demands a response and that response is clearly felt in the  three days spanning Good Friday to Easter. Perhaps as Spring enters our world we can explore how to be people of peace who are grateful to receive and extend grace in a season of Judgement. Hopefully, GRACE may be the word for the coming Season.  

Written by: 5.4 Friday Team

BINGE READ THIS BOOK?

BINGE READ THIS BOOK?  - Rediscovering the MPOE

(Read to the End- Special Invitation at the end) 

It can be challenging for me to see opportunities or find hope in this current season. Like many of us, I experience disruption upon disruption, as well as a pronounced sense of being ‘stuck’ most days. The ebb and flow or feeling up and down has made me more reflective. My realization: things are hard, BUT on the bright side, my devotional times have never been so rich, I have made a habit of walking miles each day, and I have daily conversations now that I don’t think I was equipped to have a year ago. In addition, I am sure that I have never watched as many TED talks or listened to as many podcasts or read as many books as I have during the past several months. To be fair, my binge-watching is at an all time high too. (Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime video are all winning.)

I have a small library. Nothing fancy, mostly paperbacks, but enough books to fill a shelf and impress guests. Over the past few months, I have had the chance to dust off some of the classics. I simply re-read and rediscovered some time-tested truths that I have forgotten. What books? Books like...

• True Spirituality - Francis Shaeffer

• Your God is Too Small -  JB Phillips

• Celebration of Discipline - Richard Foster

• Be my Witness -  Darrell Guder

• The New Testament in Modern English for schools -  JB Phillips

• Peculiar Treasures, and Wishful Thinking -   Frederick Bueckner 

• Out of the Salt Shaker -   Rebecca Manly Pippert

As I have talked with many of you, I realized that I am not the only one.  A return to the basic, foundational truths and key principles of our faith and ministry has been a viral trend in our mission. 

A favorite book that I keeps being mentioned in various conversations, with different groups and settings is:

Title: THE MASTER PLAN OF EVANGELISM.  

Author: Robert Coleman,  Written:   1963

Overview:  Coleman models Jesus’ discipleship methods in Matthew 4: 19. It's a classic and at last count has  sold more than four million copies and has been translated into over 100 languages! This 160 page, 60+ year old book is a ‘must read’ for YL Volunteers, Staff, and Committee! The eight guiding principles that frame the book are so simple, I almost remembered it from memory and I haven’t read the book for years.

1. Selection 

2. Association 

 3. Consecration 

4. Impartation 

5. Demonstration 

6. Delegation 

7. Supervision 

8. Reproduction

To be honest, it’s hard to accept that this book wasn’t written by YL! Our methods are so embedded in its chapters.  The whole thesis is that Jesus set the bar high for discipleship when he called twelve average men to follow him. Coleman distills that truth even further, “you find the most natural way to be with someone,” he said. “You’ve got to be with someone to disciple them. That’s the master plan.”

At the heart of our conversation around discipleship and the principles of 3-12-72, or the international context of map/tree/list, lies the reality that “Discipleship is not a gift of the spirit; it’s a command.  It’s not some special call; it’s a way of life,” —Dr. Robert Coleman.  I know I didn’t write this book, but I have sure benefited from it.  Also, I enjoyed re-reading it because I am reminded to live out its biblical truths. If you are inclined to read or re-read it, I have an Opportunity for YOU!   

SIGN UP HERE!   THE MASTER PLAN OF EVANGELISM VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB!   

• Starting March 2021 - December 2021 (Brief hiatus over the Summer) 

• Train the Trainer model, you attend the Club then lead your own with your Committee and Volunteers

• We buy the books for you and send helpful resources 

• Limited Spots! We have spots for 25 YL Area’s and Committees and two Regional Cohorts. So hurry!   

 If you are interested, just respond “I’m Interested!” to Blake Raney  and we will give you information about an upcoming call to give you the overview of this initiative. This could be one simple, and fun way to reconnect to the DNA of the YL mission for your local areas. 

DECEMBER TRAINING

2020 has brought many longstanding and beloved elements of daily ministry to a grinding halt. It’s been a year filled with maybe, maybe not, who knows, we’ll see, hard to tell, no decision yet, change of plans, probably not, definitely not and … well, you get it.
We could probably all compile a lengthy list of “Why 2020 Was Not My Favorite Year.”
We might even be tempted to say that 2020 has been our worst year ever. Except for this: Jesus still reigns. The gospel is still true. And we still have work to do.

One bright spot of 2020 has been the growth of YL’s digital discipleship resources on our Bible Project partner site, Instagram, and the Bible App. During the early days of Covid quarantine, thousands of people joined “3-in-1," our 30-day dive into basic trinitarian truth on both the Bible Project and Instagram. Our Bible App reading plans now have over half-a-million subscribes, and over 300,000 completions.

We still believe face-to-face, in-person, real-time relationship is the sweetest context for ministry and discipleship. But we also believe that technology provides amazing opportunities to connect with kids even when we are separated, whether by quarantine rules or global miles.

We want to continue growing our digital discipleship library, and we want you to help. Would you consider digging through the stack of resources you’ve created during these past months (and years) and sharing them with the larger mission? It would be a gift of eternal and global proportions. Perhaps you are fluent in more than one language and would be willing to translate our current resources.

The links below provide basic writing guidelines for all three of our digital resources. Please read them carefully and then consider joining our efforts to help resource and equip our staff and leaders with solid and engaging truth about Jesus Christ — our Lord and Savior, the King of Kings, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the incarnate God, the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior of the world, the creator-redeemer-rescuer, the One in whom we live and breathe and have our being. Amen.

• Bible App Reading Plans

• Bible Project content

• @yl_discipleship

• Writing Guidelines for Bible App

• Writing Guidelines for Bible Project

• Writing Guidelines for Instagram
  
  
  
  

LIVING AT THE INTERSECTION OF VOCATION AND AVOCATION

The day before I came on Young Life staff, I made three observations that I referenced in my journal. “This is incredible, I get to tell kids about Jesus. I get to grow deeper in my faith and... I’ll get paid for it!” Maybe you have felt or written something similar. Basically, two of my favorite things- Christ and Kids- were in one place. From that day on, I have been privileged to live at the INTERSECTION of my Vocation and my Avocation. 

AVOCATION:  A passion or hobby

VOCATION: A career or calling

Over the years, I have witnessed the up-side and downside of living in the intersection.  The gift of doing what you love and the challenge of loving what you do.  There is the challenge of navigating personal boundaries, work schedules that go far beyond 40 hours and emotional and physical fatigue.  Ultimately, it is the gift of living into CALLING.  Not necessarily to an organization like YL or even a community or a zip code but to a person- Jesus Christ. That is why Frederick Buechner is famous for observing, ‘The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.’

I was lucky to receive the following counsel in my first year in occupational ministry. “Make sure your ministry flows out of your life in Christ.”  It seemed logical and simple to me until I experienced the opposite of having “my life in Christ flow out of my ministry.’ Now,If you have made it this far into the article, reflect on the question below. 

(Question) Take two minutes to write down one personal example of how you have lived in the guidelines of the first statement above vs. the second statement. Draw some personal observations and conclusions. 

This may help, ROBERT FROST, the Pulitzer Prize winning American poet, known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech wrote a 9 stanza poem in 1934 called ‘Two Tramps in Mud Time’  which represents a beautiful celebration of work as your joy.  In the 9th stanza he highlights the complementary nature of the two words we have been discussing. 

My object in living is to unite

My AVOCATION and my VOCATION

As my two eyes make one in sight.

Only where love and need are one,

And the work is play for mortal stakes,

Is the deed ever really done

For heaven and the future’s sakes.

It’s all there. Deep gladness and deep hunger, task and hobby, & love and necessity. We are spoiled people who live at the intersection between Christ and kids. I would be lying if I did not acknowledge, at times (and perhaps in this current season), that our calling can feel like a job, and the day to day tasks that were a joy could now feel futile. That is a dangerous place for people in ministry to live because if mission becomes a job then suddenly there are requirements, boundaries, and limits. Conversely, if it is a Calling, there is no hurdle too high, no challenge too extreme and no disruption to encompassing.

Let’s encourage each other to live in the middle of the intersection between Vocation and Avocation. The privilege is ours and nothing compares to the view from the middle of an intersection. Traditionally in the Church, intersections are the place that SACRAMENTS live. The cross between the earthly and the divine. We should be able to see further into both worlds.  I’ve included a morning prayer (morning resolve) that I say every day. It has been helpful to me to remember the uniqueness of Calling. 

**BONUS  If you are one of the first 10 YL areas to respond by EMAILING ME then we will send morning resolve cards to you for each of your Volunteer leaders including Committee. If you are interested in the Robert Frost poem in its entirety, you can find it HERE.

Written by: Ken Tankersley kenbtank@gmail.com 

THE ARRIVAL OF ADVENT

Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty…ninety-five, one hundred…Here I come, ready or not. Of course, that’s the way our familiar game of Hide-and-Go-Seek begins. I wonder if God said those very words about 2,000 years ago as He entered our world on that first Christmas Day?

The pastors and Sunday School teachers had been teaching the Bible where it says that a Messiah (God’s Rescuer) was coming. One group called the Pharisees loved God so much that they wanted to be sure they obeyed all of God’s Laws. They were so focused on their behavior to honor God that they had grown out-of-touch with God’s Heart, so they weren’t ready. Another group called the Sadducees wanted to have all their beliefs and theology (which means “the study of all things about God”) exactly right, so they weren’t aware, nor ready. Another group called the scribes and the priests were too concerned with their religion’s place in society, with preserving their traditions, and with their status among the people, so that they weren’t ready. Joseph, Mary’s fiancée, wasn’t ready; it took an angel to convince him. The regular person living in that day wasn’t ready either. Too much time had gone by with too much confusion about God and when His Promise to Come and deliver their nation from the Romans who ruled them would come true.

Each year we do many things to GET READY for Christmas. We buy gifts, prepare meals, go to parties, travel to gather together with loved ones in the family, and more. Sometimes, in all our getting ready for Christmas, we aren’t so ready for the remembrance and celebration of the what, why, and how of Christmas, the promise that the God Who came in history as Jesus, comes to us each day, and will one day come in the future. 

The four Sundays and weeks before Christmas Day, we call The Season of Advent. Advent simply means “a coming into view”, or “coming into being”, or “arriving.” God’s Advent means His coming into being (arriving) on our Earth as Jesus. In other words, Jesus is God’s Advent.

Luke 2:10 records the angel speaking to the shepherds about Jesus’ Coming saying, “I bring you GOOD NEWS of a GREAT JOY, which is for ALL PEOPLE.” What is that JOY the angel announced? That God was not content to be a concept, like we simply acknowledge there must be a Creator because there is so much design and beauty. The JOY is what great lengths God went to so that we could know Him personally. What kind of God leaves heaven to pursue us sinners? Our God. 

This is not a fairy tale; it does not begin, “Once Upon a Time…” Our God became a fertilized egg in the womb of a poor teenager. Any concept of God as a dispassionate observer of our lives here on earth is smashed to pieces with God’s Advent…Jesus.

How can we prepare our hearts for Christmas? By observing The Advent Season, which begins November 29th, the Sunday of Thanksgiving Weekend; so, it can sneak up on us. I wrote a Family Advent book to capture the season as a family. I commend it to you. It also is an inexpensive gift to campaigners, leaders and Committee. God’s Blessings on your Advent!

Order at Saltresources.com or the YL online store.

Written by: Ty Saltzgiver

HOW OUR INTERNATIONAL TRAINING INCREASED 600% DURING A PANDEMIC

Four months ago I began a new role as the Asia Pacific Training Associate at the height of Covid. Perfect timing! All my trainees were dispersed among eleven countries, thousands of miles, speaking different languages and quarantined! Our original plan this Fall was to have two trainings:

• A two week New Staff Training 

• Week-long Emerging Leader Cohort(s)

Like so many, we were forced to move all our training online. This highlighted challenges ranging from setting to teaching to length. This shift made the event a team effort more than ever and the unexpected positive result was that student participation increased 600% from 30 students previously to over 180 this year! Now this is a ‘new normal’ that I can get used to! In a season where virtual platforms seem like a poor replacement of in-person training, I witnessed four key improvements in our model that could only have happened virtually. These pivots can happen in any context so here is what we learned:

1. EVERYONE BECAME A TRAINER: While hoping to decentralize training with the introduction of local trainers in each city, the hybrid online/in-person format allowed this to happen immediately. Our prediction of 20 cohorts quickly increased when 53 people from 11 countries signed up to be Trainers!  Interest and ownership changed everything. Working in small groups in accordance with local COVID restrictions allowed each trainer to show creative hospitality and host their groups like a cabin leader at camp. After each zoom teaching session, the in-city cohort would discuss contextualization. After three days of online NST, new staff were looking to their trainers for leadership, and wisdom. I couldn’t hope for more. 

1. BROAD ACCESSIBILITY: Making training online, allowed for more people to attend. Part time staff and  long-term volunteer leaders felt honored to participate. Language is always a challenge at Int’l trainings but the online model allowed for more translators to be involved, easier clarification via text, and no need for clunky headsets. A wider range of teaching voices were heard as senior staff living in several different cities participated in teaching sessions.

1. FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP: A group gathering of almost 200 people with flights, hotels, food, can be financially prohibitive  for an International Young Life area. Online reduced costs drastically! Local trainers and online teachers worked to make things as hospitable as possible providing food, gifts, and significant ‘touches’ and communicated excellence, without incurring additional costs. I learned hospitality is vital to relational ministry but does not need to be expensive.

1.  IT WAS FUN! Our training umbrella name is “Better Together” and that is true! We are better when we are together. Small groups were just thankful to be together, even though it was online. Humor, connection, encouragement, and community were priorities. Each participant was reminded that they are not alone! While each team and staff are tending to the plants the Lord has given to them, this week they got to see the bigger picture of the Garden! 

Lastly, virtual platforms will never replace in-person gatherings in quality however they can be a significant compliment when done well. For Young Life’s Asia Pacific staff, the disruption that led us to an on-line model allowed us to ‘reach and teach’ more staff and leaders, broaden the ownership, lessen the cost, and feel more connected than ever before. How could these four pivots look in your context? I would love to share what we learned. Please feel free to contact me to talk more. 

Written by:

Suzanne Sittko, Young Life Asia Pacific Training Associate (suzanne susittko@gmail.com )

HOW STARTING SMALL GETS BIG RESULTS

As We Move Into the Fall…

As you think about the fall, pause for a moment. Stop thinking about your calendar (and what you may or may not be able to put on that calendar.) Instead, think about the kids you miss most.

Who were you planning to take to camp? Who loves to laugh with you? Who asks great questions when you open the Bible? Whose circumstances have broken your heart?

Start by thinking about those kids. The friends God has put in your life and called you to serve.

Now think about what it could look like to live life and do ministry with those kids again.

Young Life exists to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. Our mission isn’t club or camp – those are tools we use to fulfill our purpose. What tools are available for you to fulfill our mission right now with that group of kids you miss? You can continue to build relationships and talk about Jesus.

Ask others on your team to do the same. Who do they miss? If each leader on your team spent the fall investing in their own small group of kids, you could still impact so many. Imagine the long-term dividends when you invest in their lives, both for kids and their school.

**************

Let’s think small to get big!

In the spring, many of us jumped into emergency mode, doing the best we could to replicate “normal” ministry tools in a virtual setting. As this season of uncertainty continues – and looks vastly different from country to country, state to state, and even city to city - it’s time to remind ourselves of our mission, take stock of what we can do, and create a new rhythm of ministry.

What if God gave you an entire semester to reset, recalibrate, and rediscover true north? What would you do? Here are some principles to guide you as you answer that question:

Focus on the mission.

Young Life exists to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. Our mission isn’t club or camp – those are tools that we use to fulfill our purpose. What tools are available for you to fulfill our mission right now? You can still build relationships with kids and have conversations about Jesus.

Invest in the few.

Give each leader a specific group of kids to focus on. At each school, assign leaders to a gender and grade of kids. A team of four leaders could go deep with 40 kids. Spend the fall semester casting vision, giving ownership and doing contact work with each small group. Imagine the long-term dividends in their lives and in that school and community.

Pour into leaders.

Meet with them regularly, one-on-one and in small groups. Study the Bible together. Read and discuss the Master Plan of Evangelism or another book. Create a culture of community as your team grows together in Christ and leadership.

Don’t worry about labels.

Spending time with a small group of kids this fall may look like a cross between club, Campaigners and contact work. That’s okay. Relational ministry in any form is what is most important.

Plant a contact work flag.

We still want to go where kids are. If you can’t go to schools or school events, you can likely find somewhere that kids will be. Maybe it’s the Starbucks or local park closest to the school. Once you find it, make sure leaders are there regularly.

Be creative with contact work.

Spend more energy thinking creatively about contact work than club. Let’s get excited about what we can do, rather than getting stuck in what we can’t do. No matter our circumstances, we can still find ways to build relationships with kids. And now, maybe more than ever, kids needs us to show up for them.