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Jonathan’s Resource Ezine |
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
- Training and Development: Tim Schmoyer talks about giving teenagers the opportunity to serve and lead
- Something You Can Use: Using Crowder’s “Shine” video to talk about how God can bring beauty out of tragedy
- Movie Review: : Jonathan and Todd disagree about “Voyage of the Dawn Treader“
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JONATHAN: What have you noticed?
TIM: A lot of youth ministries seem to concentrate their efforts on serving our students instead of giving them the opportunity to serve. I like how you put it in the book, “Could it be that today’s youth ministries are too focused on offering ministry TO teenagers instead of developing ministry BY teenagers?”
JONATHAN: So how can youth workers help teenagers grow and give them the opportunity to be used by God?
TIM: Well, many of the things you outlined in your book Ministry by Teenagers would help, practices like discipling students, helping them discover their God given gifts, giving them opportunities to serve, and putting them in leadership roles. What you outlined is exactly where my ministry’s been going the past couple years, except obviously your book wasn’t around to help me think through some of the issues beforehand. DOH!
JONATHAN: Ha… well, better late than never!
TIM: Yes. Youth workers need to be proactive about developing spiritual growth in teenagers and preparing them to use their gifts. This is a book I wish I had read several years ago when our ministry had started using students more intentionally as servant leaders. We blindly stumbled through a lot of issues in the beginning that could’ve been avoided if I had the advice and practical tips you and David shared in this book.
JONATHAN: What did you notice when you started being more intentional about using students and servant leaders?
TIM: The impact of training students to take ownership of their calling to serve the body of Christ not only altered the spiritual depth and reach of our youth ministry, but eternally influenced the lives of the teenagers who served. Many of these teenagers are now graduating high school and transitioning into Bible colleges where they plan to further their training to serve the body of Christ vocationally for the rest of their lives.
JONATHAN: That’s good to hear… in a world where we keep hearing about how many kids are walking away from their faith. It’s good to hear about teenagers being challenged to live out their faith and serve in high school, and carrying that with them into their college years.
TIM: True. And that’s why I’m happy to plug your book. Ministry by Teenagers is the perfect tool to help youth workers build a framework for coaching their students into that life-long value of spiritual leadership and servanthood.
RETAIL PRICE:$14.99
OUR PRICE: ONLY $11.99
-Kurt Johnston, Saddleback
Authors Jonathan McKee and David R. Smith provide strategies to help youth workers- from pastors to volunteers-build a foundation for ministry-driven youth groups that focus on:
If you’re charged with ministering to young people, Ministry by Teenagers is a must-have resource to make the most of the opportunity you’ve been given.
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| Dr. Dave Rahn about “Ministry By Teenagers” Picture me doing the deliberately slow appreciation clap while I read this book. The topic of students engaging in ministry-especially the ministry of influence-is one of my own passions, so I approached this book ready to wrangle over values and strategies. Instead, I find myself in jealous admiration for how well these guys have translated important principles into practical tips so church youth leaders can experience the joyous fruit of “Ministry by Teenagers.” – Dr. Dave Rahn Youth for Christ/USA Chief Ministry Officer and Huntington University Director of MA in Youth Ministry Leadership |
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David Crowder
Main Point of Discussion:
Life sometimes throws trials our way, but God promises to be with us in the dark times and bring beauty out of tragedy.
Introducing the song:
The David Crowder Band has self-produced a visually stunning, entertaining video with a strong message about the way God works in the midst of our trials. Let’s watch the video then we’ll discuss the message behind the lyrics.
The Video:
A hint, a whisper
Throw me a line
‘Cause I am listening
Come break the quiet
Breathe your awakening
Bring me to life
‘Cause I am fading…
Divide into Small Groups:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.
Review by Jonathan McKee and Todd Pearage
Rated PG for some frightening images and sequences of fantasy action.
Jonathan’s Rating: Rental
Todd’s Rating: Theatre Worthy
Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes) return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace (Will Poulter) where they meet up with Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.
Todd’s Word: Simply put…this is another fantastic Narnia film!
Jonathan’s Word: My family loved it, the people in the theatre around me loved it, you loved it… what’s wrong with me? I really thought this film was just… mediocre.
Todd’s Word: Yeah, there is something wrong with you!
Jonathan’s Word: I know, I know. This is part of the epic tale, The Chronicles of Narnia, on the silver screen. I should be bowing in reverence… not being critical. But I think part of what we do in movie reviewing is putting our biases aside-the best we can-and giving an honest review. And being completely candid, I thought the film came across a little cheesy at times.
Todd’s Word: Heresy!
Jonathan’s Word: Ha… I hear you. Don’t get me wrong. I love the book, and I think the writers did an okay job bringing it to the screen-obviously-because a bunch of people seem to be enjoying it. But I think the film had some severe problems.
But let me start with the positive.
Todd’s Word: Please do.
Jonathan’s Word: I loved Reepicheep. He made the film. I’m glad they got Simon Pegg to do the voice. He’s hilarious always.
Todd’s Word: I agree Reepicheep was great and I loved the interaction between him and Eustace. I loved their constant jabs.
Jonathan’s Word: I also really enjoyed seeing some of Lewis’ real life Christian thinking brought to the screen. Lucy’s struggle with self esteem and the consequences, and both Edmund and Eustace’s struggle with greed. Those authentic moments will be ones that parents and youth workers will discuss with their kids after the film (we’ll provide a few discussion questions for you below).
Todd’s Word: That is the beauty of C.S. Lewis, he uses this amazing story of fantasy to talk about ugly issues that are so very real. Although it may be somewhat hidden within symbols, the message is simple and to the point.
Jonathan’s Word: And what believer wouldn’t love Aslan’s comments at the end about who he really is in Lucy and Edmund’s world.
Todd’s Word: That was definitely my favorite part. What an amazing opportunity to talk to friends about that line. I mean how easy is it to ask someone, “So who do you think Aslan is in the real world”? By the way Liam Neeson is so good as Aslan. He’s not James Earl Jones as Darth Vader good…but pretty close.
Is that it… or is it time to hear what you didn’t like?
Jonathan’s Word: Oh it’s time! The first problem was the 3D. I hate 3D. I don’t know why everyone is trying to jump on the 3D train… it’s just not up to par. I saw Avatar in 3D, loved the film, hated the 3D (I whined about 3D in that review as well). When I bought it on Blu Ray and watched it at home… it looked 20 times better. Voyage doesn’t have any remarkable 3D effects anyway… it was a shame to put the whole audience in uncomfortable glasses for nothing. And I thought many of the effects looked cheesy-I don’t know if that was the 3D, or just mediocre effects. Really frustrating.
Todd’s Word: We should have switched theaters. The screening I went to was in 2D and I actually kept thinking, “Do I need to see this in 3D?”
Jonathan’s Word: No, you don’t!
Todd’s Word: Thanks. Noted.
Jonathan’s Word: I was also very disappointed with…
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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.