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 | Jonathan’s Resource Ezine |
Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
| In This Issue |
Something You Can Use: Three “Out of the Box” Event Ideas from the New 2005 Outreach Resource CD
- What People Are Saying About Jonathan’s New Book: Hear from Jim Burns, Chap Clark, Scott Rubin, Kurt Johnston, Walt Mueller, Wayne Rice, and more!
- Jonathan Teaches at the Atlanta YS Convention This Weekend: Take Note of His New Time Slot
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| Something You Can Use: Three “Out of the Box” Event Ideas from the New 2005 Outreach Resource CD |
Here’s three great “Out of the Box” outreach event ideas you can use! These are just three of the 52 great event ideas from the new 2005 OUTREACH RESOURCE CD that we’re giving away FREE with the pre-purchase of Jonathan’s new book! (CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS CD AND BOOK)
Kung Fu Night
Kung Fu night always rocked. We would get a ton of Chinese food and decorate our house as Chinese as we could get it. (no chairs, lots of paper lanterns and some traditional Chinese artwork) We even had Chinese music playing in the background. Everyone had to dress Kung Fu and we played cool Kung Fu related games – chopsticks with ping pong ball relays, nun chuck routine contests, Shoulin monk sword fighting (swimming pool noodles while standing on a beam) and of course prizes for most original costumes. It was a tradition to watch the last fifteen minutes of Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (one of the greatest martial arts films ever made). Then we would discuss the clip-it is about honor (but to be honest it is more about serious butt kicking). We did this for 3 years in a row. The best one we ever did, we had invited two guys from a Christian martial arts team from up the road. They broke a bunch of boards, did some Kata forms and gave their testimonies. This was our biggest event and we would have an average of 75 kids come for this event. (Those were HUGE numbers for us. We usually had 10-15.) Our kids loved this night so much they invited all of their friends.
Thom and Amy, volunteers, Youth for Christ, Sacramento, CA
191 Night
My youth pastor and I were looking over our attendance list and noticed that we had 191 kids on the roll but only about 130 actually showing up. We were trying to figure out how to get all the kids to show up just one night when we invented “191 Night.”
We made t-shirts and sent out flyers with a goal of getting everyone to show up and bring a friend. We did crazy stuff on stage, gave out prizes, had awesome worship and our youth pastor gave a short message of salvation. 293 kids showed up and packed our youth room to the seams. 17 kids got saved and about 10 of them became regular youth group attendees. It was awesome. Last year we did 191 night part 2 and saw over 300 kids pack out our youth room and about 15 kids make 1st time decisions for Christ. It was insane!
Katie Capshaw, Youth Pastor’s Assistant, Trinity Assembly of God, Cookeville
Cardboard City
The idea is to have a Youth lock-in to raise awareness of the homeless in the area. The youth get people to sponsor them with donations. The only thing the youth are to bring to the event is a cardboard box (refrigerator-size) to sleep in. Upon arriving, each would be given monopoly money (not equal amounts) in exchange for the donations they raised. This money could then be spent on soup, coats, beverage, etc. (comparable items a homeless person would need using monies they have found or been given).
Then several fires would be lit in 55-gallon barrels in the church parking lot for warmth and the youth would set-up their box for the night. The following morning would close with a message of God’s love for everyone and His compassion to reach those in need. All donations and monies raised would be given to a local homeless shelter and if possible, we would have the kids work there on the closing day of the event. This event had so much impact on the church congregation that even the elders of the church came out to spend the night in support of the youth and the cause.
Steven Cree, Youth Director, Calvary Gospel Church, Helmetta, NJ
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So you’ve heard about the book, and you’ve heard that you can get the 2005 Outreach CD for FREE when you pre-order it … but what are people saying about this book?Jonathan McKee’s heart for those who are not yet Christians is contagious on every page. He has put together a very practical book to help us be more effective in evangelizing this generation. Everyone should read this book once a year.
Jim Burns, Ph.D.
President, HomeWord (YouthBuilders)
What does it mean to “reach out to unchurched teenagers”? What does it look like? How do you plan for it, teach to it, and strategize it? That’s what Jonathan McKee has given us in this honest, important book. Do They Run is grounded in scripture, solid in theology, and clear in application. I am grateful for this not only as a professor in youth, family and culture, but also as an active youth worker who still weeps for those kids who do not know how deeply God cares for them. Jonathan has not given us another theory on evangelism, but a handbook for decisive, Christ-driven engagement with those we seek to reach.
I know that this book will help you, because it has helped me.
Chap Clark
Professor, Youth, Family and Culture, Fuller Theological Seminary
I loved this book! It made my heart for students beat even faster. Even if you think you’re already reaching unchurched students, this book will lift your vision even higher. Jonathan goes beyond vision to offer practical help to reach all students-students who God is crazy about! I’m convinced that reading this will help move our junior high ministry closer to what God wants it to look like.
Scott Rubin,
Junior High Director, Willow Creek Community Church
Most youth workers feel like we just aren’t reaching enough students for Christ; at least that’s how I feel. In this book, Jonathan took me on a journey that was both convicting and encouraging at the same time! Instead of a few “happy hops to Heaven”, Jonathan provides a holistic approach to reaching this generation of un-churched students.
Kurt Johnston
Junior High Pastor, Saddleback Church
Jonathan offers practical and timely advice learned over his years of ministering to those outside the church. This is a book that will challenge and equip you to enter into their world for the sake of the gospel.
Walt Mueller
President, Center for Parent/Youth Understanding
What a terrific book this is! More than a manifesto, it’s a very practical guidebook on how to communicate the good news about Jesus to today’s postmodern generation with love, grace, and humility.
Wayne Rice
Co-founder of Youth Specialties; director, Understanding Your Teenager Seminars
This book is a biblically compelling and culturally relevant strategy for reaching today’s unchurched teenagers for Christ. Many youth workers are either too quiet or too loud when it comes to telling the age-old gospel message to postmoderns, but Jonathan McKee strikes a refreshing balance that is much needed in today’s youth ministry culture.
Greg Stier, Dare To Share Ministries
You are holding in your hands a very practical, down to earth book on reaching unchurched students. I especially enjoyed the variety of stories that illustrated the points that were being made. It is obvious that Jonathan has a love of God and kids. What he is writing is real. It comes from hands on experiences with youth. He knows kids, both churched and unchurched. He is no arm chair strategist, he has been there. I think this would be a very valuable addition to any youth minister’s library.
Les Christie
Professor of Youth Ministry, William Jessup University
Jonathan’s book comes out in just a couple weeks, so take advantage of our pre-sale where we’re giving away the new 2005 Outreach CD to anyone who pre-orders with us!
Now, we know that you can go down to your neighborhood Christian book store in December and buy this book. That’s why we’re throwing something in for free, just to say “Thanks for buying it from us!”
Again-this CD will be given away free to everyone who pre-purchases Jonathan’s new book this month. So pre-order now!
AND GET THE FREE CD
| Jonathan Teaches at the Atlanta YS Convention: Take Note of His New Time Slot |
This weekend is the third of the three Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Conventions-this one in Atlanta, GA. This Fall THE SOURCE has been at this event in the two other U.S. cities, and we’ll also be at the upcoming Atlanta convention.
Some things you’ll want to know about THE SOURCE at this convention:
- Jonathan will be teaching his “Reaching Out to Unchurched Teenagers” seminar (CLICK HERE) at a new time. His Atlanta seminar is now on Sunday, November 21, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- In Addition, we at THE SOURCE will have our booth there- make sure you stop by if you’re attending. Jonathan will be there along with his dad Tom McKee who many of you know from www.VolunteerPower.com
- Jonathan’s new book, “Do They Run When They See You Coming? Reaching Out to Unchurched Teenagers” published by YS will also be highlighted at THE SOURCE’s booth at this convention. Anyone who pre-purchases this book at this convention will receive the new “Out of the Box Outreach CD” for free- we will have the CD’s with us at the convention! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SAYING ABOUT THIS BOOK OR TO PRE-ORDER NOW. The book hit’s the shelves on December 3rd.
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Copyright ?2004 The Source for Youth Ministry
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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.