| TheSource4YM.com | |
 | Jonathan’s Resource Ezine |
Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
| In This Issue |
- Featured Article: When Your Senior Pastor is Praying for You
- Something You Can Use: Sock Mania
- New Movie Reviews: “Batman Begins” now in theatres, and “Coach Carter” & “Hostage” released on video/DVD today (and Jonathan’s 2 cents about Imitate-able behavior)
- Jonathan Training in the Greater Phoenix Area: Only a few weeks remaining to pre-register for our “Reaching the Unchurched” Saturday training workshop for only $10
| If you aren’t a subscriber of this EZINE and would like to subscribe – it’s free – just pop on www.TheSource4YM.com and sign up in the upper right hand corner. |
| Featured Article: When Your Senior Pastor is Praying for You |
June 21, 2005
Isn’t it great to have a senior pastor who is not only supportive of your ministry, but supportive of YOU? That’s why I was encouraged by this email:
Jonathan,How cool to hear this from a senior pastor! I used this opportunity to share with him how I specifically pray for all of you. Here’s what I told Pastor Davon to pray for:
I am a senior pastor at a church that has just recently hired a youth pastor. Next month we are having a prayer vigil on a Saturday and I am encouraging people to pray for two things: 1) Our annual revival 2) Our new youth minister and his ministry with us. I am passing out a sheet to guide people in their prayer thoughts. What are some prayer points that you would include? How do we pray for our new youth minister?
Pastor Davon, North Carolina
Davon,
First, I have to say that it’s so encouraging to hear a senior pastor asking how to pray for their youth minister. Unfortunately, a number of youth ministers feel little support from their church- I’m glad to hear of your love and support.
How to Pray for your youth worker:
- Pray for him personally. Pray for his family (I don’t know if he’s married, etc.) Pray that he doesn’t neglect them, but can find a balance between serving others and being the husband, father, etc. that he needs to be.
- Pray for the team of people that he gathers around him. Pray that the Lord of the harvest would bring workers to help him reach out to youth, build them up, and disciple them.
- Pray for direction-God given direction-and purpose for the youth ministry.
- Pray that God would bring people of influence in his life, so that he would become sharper and more effective at doing the Lord’s will.
- Pray specifically for the three different types of kids that he’ll reach. Pray for those who don’t know Jesus. Pray that this ministry will reach out to those kids and share the truth to them in a real and relevant way. Pray for the Christian kids that need to grow in their faith. Pray that they would understand what the Bible says about how to live day to day. And then pray for student leaders-totally committed kids who not only are growing in their faith, but reaching out to others for Him.
Jonathan McKee, President, The Source for Youth Ministry
Do you have a team of people that will pray for you in these areas? Don’t hesitate to develop a prayer team for you and your ministry. It might not happen if you don’t ask.
Jonathan McKee is president of TheSourceForYouthMinistry.com 
and author of the new book “Do They Run When They See You Coming? Reaching Out to Unchurched Teenagers.”(CLICK HERE FOR THE BOOK) Jonathan speaks and trains across the country and provides free online resources, training, & ideas for youth workers at www.TheSource4YM.com
| Something You Can Use: Sock Mania |
In the last month we added over 30 new games and icebreakers to our website. Here’s a fun “UP FRONT GAME” to do with a couple kids while the audience watches!
SOCK MANIA
Two students at a time play in the middle of a circle while the others cheer them on. Have two students seated on the floor with their shoes off and a pile of socks between them (can be their size or larger, but not smaller).
Give them one minute to see who can put the most socks on one foot … blindfolded! There will be grabbling and pulling for socks. It can get pretty hysterical to watch. After one minute, have the two stop & count how many socks each one has on their foot. Then have the next two students play. There can be a play-off until you have one winner & a prize.
| New Movie Reviews: Batman Begins, Coach Carter, Hostage (and Jonathan’s 2 cents about “imitate-able behavior”) |
Batman Begins (6/17/2005)Rated PG-13
for intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Ken Watanabe and Tom Wilkonson
Holy surpassing sequels Batman!
Let’s be honest . . it’s been YEARS since we’ve had a good Batman film. (Yes, that especially includes “Catwoman!” “Holy trampy heroes Batman!”) The wait is over. Get ready for a creative and original Batman film that stands apart from the other sequels and spinoffs.
Batman Begins grabs your interest from the very start with its creative pacing and distinctive storytelling style. (It was no surprise that this was directed by Momento’s Christopher Nolan-Momento broke new ground with its unique storytelling order.) The story begins bouncing back and forth amid four different time periods between past and distant past. We are introduced to the 8-year-old Bruce Wayne, the college aged Bruce, the runaway Bruce, then the “prodigal returns” Bruce. Nolan beautifully carries the audience on a journey between these time periods, never confusing us.
The film retells the story of how young Bruce was orphaned. It doesn’t try to keep its continuity with the original Tim Burton Batman (with Michael Keaton & Jack Nicholson). Batman Begins tells its own story-a more convincing one at that.
Batman Begins also introduces a brand new element into the Batman story-one that explains his fighting skills and ability to disappear into the night. When Bruce runs away from his past, he finds himself across the world in Asia becoming part of an age old secret organization-the “League of Shadows”-that rids the world of corruption and decadence. He devotes months with this “League” where Ra’s Al Ghul (The Last Sumarai’s Ken Watanabe) and Ducard (Liam Neesan) train him to be a warrior for justice.
Subsequently, after changing pace several times with each film within a film, the story settles in the present to a Bruce Wayne ready to fight injustice… but unclear of his methodology. So we get to journey with him and see the development of everything from his costume, to his gadgets, the bat cave … even his car.
All the while the plot thickens and Gothom City’s need for a hero comes to its peek. And it’s up to Batman to save the day.
INCLUDING SOME DISCUSSION JUMPSTARTERS
Coach Carter (released on video 6/21/2005)Rated PG-13
for violence, sexual content, language, teen partying and some drug material.
Directed by Thomas Carter
Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown, Ashanti …
Every once in a while a film comes a long that inspires those of us who work with youth-you can make an impact in the lives of kids!
Coach Carter does just that. Based on a true story, Samuel L. Jackson plays the controversial high school basketball coach who benched his undefeated team due to their collective poor academic record in 1999.
This film gives a realistic glimpse at the world that many of our kids live in and the struggle they’re facing. More so, it shows a good example of how a man doesn’t budge on his values, but shows love in his discipline and care for the teenagers he’s working with.
Coach Carter isn’t just a good story … it’s a good film. Performances are strong across the court. You wouldn’t expect less from Samuel L. Jackson, but the supporting cast came through as well. Rob Brown brings another strong performance, just as he did alongside Sean Connery in Finding Forrester. (Which, if you haven’t seen … do so now!) And Rick Gonzalez really delivers as the rebellious Timo Cruz. (Ashanti isn’t too shabby either.)
Audiences also like Coach Carter because it’s a “feel good” film-a success story. It doesn’t leave you depressed or in limbo walking out of the theatre. The conflict works itself out. We don’t always see a lot of that, especially in films based on true stories. It’s nice to hear a true story with a happy ending.
But the highlight of the film is truly Samuel L. Jackson’s character Coach Carter. The Coach’s strict style reminded me of stories I’ve heard of John Wooden, the UCLA coach who won 10 NCAA championships at UCLA and 88 straight games. No one has come close.
Hostage (released on video 6/21/2005)Rated R
for strong graphic violence, language and some drug use.
Directed by Florent Emilio Siri
Starring Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, Ben Foster …
How do you describe the film Hostage? Let me put it this way: it won’t be up for “Feel-good film of the Year!”
Hostage is intense, dark, violent and eerie. If you like that kind of genre … then Hostage delivers. And compared to the film in the theatre next door (Sin City), the film is Ghandi.
But there’s another element to consider-imitate-able behavior-a concept I’ve talked about in the past with films like Peter Bogdanovich’s Targets (1968), Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976), and the Hughes brothers’ Menace II Society (1993). It’s a subject that has caused incredible debate over the years. But first … a little about the film Hostage.
The synopsis is this: Devastated by an unspeakable tragedy while on the job as a hostage negotiator for the LAPD, Jeff Talley (Bruce Willis) resigns and accepts a low-profile job as the chief of police in the sleepy town of Bristo Camino in Ventura County. On a slow Monday morning Jeff Talley’s job becomes anything but quiet and sets him on a course that could change no only his professional but personal life forever.
When three delinquent teenagers follow a family home intending to steal their car, they get more then they bargained for. The trio finds themselves trapped in a multi-million dollar compound on the outskirts of town with no way to escape. Panicked, they take the family hostage, placing Talley in a situation that he never wanted to face again. He is forced to take on a role he abandoned where the stakes quickly evolve into a hostage situation far more volatile and terrifying than anything he could ever imagine.
I saw this film with another youth worker who’s very in touch with kids today. And we both had the same exact thought: we were reminded of the numerous school shootings in the last decade. Maybe it was just subconscious for me because the dark teenage character named “Mars” was played by Ben Foster who also starred in the Showtime original picture about a school shooting called Bang, Bang, You’re Dead. And maybe it was just that his character Mars was lanky, “Goth” … and looked a little similar to certain pictures of Columbine’s Dylan Klebold. Regardless … the film definitely portrayed Mars as a sinister, gun slinging … dare I say “bad-ass!”
My friend and I both wondered about him as a negative role model. The last thing we want kids picking up from a film about raging teens is “imitate-able” behavior. And to a neglected, awkward or teased teenager, Mars might just be the coolest character they’ve ever seen. And his actions might be just what they’ve been looking for.
INCLUDING HIS “2 CENTS” ON IMMITATE-ABLE BEHAVIOR
| Jonathan Training in Phoenix: Only a few weeks left to pre-register for our “Reaching the Unchurched” Saturday training workshop for only $10 |
Youth Specialties/Zondervan recently released Jonathan’s hit new book, DO THEY RUN WHEN THEY SEE YOU COMING? REACHING OUT TO UNCHURCHED TEENAGERS. (CLICK HERE FOR THE BOOK) Bring the training to your city now!CHECK OUT THIS UPCOMING TRAINING-WORKSHOP:
-Chandler, AZ-
July 23rd, Jonathan is doing a Saturday workshop (9AM to 3PM) for youth workers within driving distance of the Phoenix area. If you’re a youth worker, paid or a volunteer, this is for you!
Here’s the details:
WHEN:
- Saturday July 23rd, 9AM to 3PM
- CrossRoads Nazarene Church 2950 W. Ray Rd. Chandler, AZ 85224
- Two choices:
- $20 after July 20th or at the door on the 23rd (includes lunch)
- ONLY $10 if you pre-register before July 20th (includes lunch)
- CONTACT the CrossRoads Church office at (480) 722-0700
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Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.