eZine 09.23.2008

Creating logistical stuff probably isn’t your first priority in any given week. So why not just use our stuff?

Have you ever taken a peek at our new LOGISTICAL CRUD page?

Find anything from a sample “New Person” card that kids fill out when they walk in the room (we call them Basic Info Cards), to full youth ministry job descriptions, volunteer staff applications, and student leadership applications. The page is a gold mine of sample “paperwork.”

A Note from Jonathan: My favorite item on the LOGISTICAL CRUD page is the youth pastor’s job description. I find a lot of churches don’t have these, but need them desperately.

This sample job description is an amalgam of numerous job descriptions I’ve seen and admired. It balances our efforts with students into three key areas: outreach, spiritual growth, and leadership development. It also balances relational ministry and programming efforts. You’ll find most youth ministry aspects in this job description, including ministry to parents.

In relation to this, we just added a brand new resource to our LOGISTICAL CRUD PAGE, and that’s a one-year evaluation based off this same job description. My dad (co-author of my book on recruiting and managing today’s volunteers, The New Breed) actually wrote this evaluation and used it at the church where he just served as interim pastor. He loved our job description so much, he wanted an evaluation to use with it. (And don’t miss our interview guide that also matches the same job description.)

I picked up the 10-Minute Talks several weeks ago and finally had a chance to use it over the weekend. The stories are so captivating that I kept my audience focused the entire time. This book is a must have for youth ministries. I also like the supplemental CD, it has the outline which you can print so I didn’t need to mark up my book. Great job.
-Jason Chan, One Family Church, Alameda, CA

I really like this book. I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I work another job full time so it’s nice to have some quick and easy talks that don’t take hours to write.
-Brad Walston, West Palm Beach, FL

I really have come to enjoy this book because it hits the issues that my students are facing head on, and it gives scripture to explore for them. It also comes with a complete small group curriculum for each lesson! That helps me out in itself to prepare my adult staff and equip them with questions to ask and even what to say during their small group time. I highly recommend this book to youth workers who are ministering to the church’d teenager and the un-churched! Thanks Jonathan for your hard work and wisdom on this book!
-Scott Dozer
Student Pastor, ThornCreek Church, Thornton, CO

I work with grades 5-12. I recently hosted a night of fun and fellowship with our preteen group. I had 76 5th and 6th graders attend for our Dead Fish Olympics (an idea from your site, it was a HIT!!). I closed the evening with one of Jonathan’s 10 minute talks. I spoke about putting your faith into action so that it is not dead…like the fish. The story made me cry as I was preparing for the night and had a huge impact on the students. They were attentive, which we all know is hard for 6th grade boys. They asked questions when I finished….one boy shared a story of his own! I am very impressed with the book. I was nervous when I first got it because I thought it was something that I would never use and it was just another resource to fill up my shelves. I was so wrong. Once I dug into it a little bit and understood how to use it, I loved it!
-Charlie Conder, Grayson United Methodist, Grayson, GA

Recently I have been a bit distressed because I have been having a difficult time finding quality, relevant material to use in my Youth Ministry. Stuff is either too dorky or too deep and spiritual for my new Christian kids to understand. The 10-minute talks that Jonathan provides are not only relevant, but they catch the attention of my students. The questions are a good mix of entry level and deep. Having this book makes my job a lot easier.
-Neal Thorne, Canby Christian Church, Canby, OR

I’ve used two of your stories so far (New Beginning & American Dream) as a foundation of a youth group message. Both times the kids and volunteer staff were captivated (definitely a rarity in junior high ministry), and both times parents spoke to me during the week about my message-which means the kids went home and talked about it (another rarity). I’ve been doing youth work for 27 years. This works! 10 Minute Talks is a valuable resource. Thanks again for providing ideas and materials that make my ministry flow!
-Becky Reilly, Lakehills Covenant Church, El Dorado Hills, CA

And we’ve had several people who have been actually just reading the talks outloud…

10-Minute Talks is awesome!!!! I used it for the 1st time tonight to teach middle schoolers and high schoolers. As I was reading the story all eyes were on me……the students were all into the story/talk, I couldn’t believe it……they actually were listening and you could see that they were really thinking “who was in their back seat”. I am so excited about this book and what the teens will get from it. I can’t wait until next week!
-Michele Holloman, St. Mary’s Grove OFWB Church, Benson, NC