Once again, another great workshop at SYMC! Toby and Jeff, who work for Group Mission Trips, were awesome! This class was a lot different than the other workshops so far, but different (and awkward) are awesome! This class was reflection and discussion based. I'm usually fairly introverted but even I found myself participating in the discussion. If you have never checked them out, Group Missions is an outstanding organization within the Group/SYM umbrella. Our group has done Big Day of Serving and are going back this year, we are also participating in Week of Hope. Here are some of my take aways from the workshop.
-Knowing Jesus is the end game of youth ministry.
-All thriving youth ministries are Jesus centered and Others focused.
-The "How" of youth ministry missions are:
1: Exposure
-Matthew 9:36
-Get the students to see the "crowds"
-What can we do to get students in front of the crowd, so they will come away with compassion for what they see?
-Exposure does not mean doing anything, just taking the students out to see the crowds, bringing them back, and letting them unpack.
-Everyone has compassion for lost children, we would go to great lengths to help them find their parents. Help kids see the crowds as lost children and not poor, homeless, special needs, orphans, etc.
Application Ideas:
-spend the night in a park.
-take students to a park in the bad area of town, let them sit in van and observe.
-Drive through a needy area, tell everyone to sit on the outside seats (not in the middle) no talking, and everyone must look outside the windows. When you get back to the church let them unpack what they saw.
-Ask the students how are these people like me or you?
-This does not need to be a 7 point bible study, just ask them good questions.
2: Experience
-Luke 10:1-2
-The actually mission trip or event.
-What if we had no midweek meetings, but small groups of students just went out and served?
-Short term missions trips = mountain top experiences.
3: Expertise
-Luke 10: 17
-expertise is "getting better at following Jesus"
-This is phase where students own their own missions experience and are fully knowledgable and invested in it. They truly know the heart of God.
Just Keep Swimming!
Thanks Kev-
ReplyDeletewe are training for a missions trip this summer I will use some of this and look up toby and jeff. Just posted this up on The Youth Culture Report. http://theyouthculturereport.com/