Friday, September 15, 2006

Selling Jesus





Info here


Gotta love Merchandising in the name of Jesus, right?!

The amusing part is the Online Marketing with Jesus has:

"Website by naked copyright.com"

Monday, September 11, 2006

Top 10 Things to Creating a Website

1. Know the purpose of it.
2. Know what you are going to include on it.
3. Start simple - maybe start with doing a blog as a site first things like blogger, yahoo, and that are helpful.
4. Have some online policies. Copyright, does and don't. What to include and not.
5. Know what software you are going to use. I recommend either knowing HTML or Frontpage.
6. Get a webmaster and others to contribute to it.
7. Get as many involved with it.
8. Keep it simple. Too much flash distracts.
9. Keep it updated. Nothing like seeing a website that hasn't been updated in months let alone years.
10. Have Fun ...use it as a tool not THE TOOL but "a" tool to promoting your ministry.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Top Ten Ways to Resolve Conflict



(I put the above pic because I thought it amusing)

So you thought of quitting youth ministry? Get into a conflict with your Senior pastor, elder board, parents, sponsors, students?

If you been in youth ministry for any time at all you know conflict will come. It is how we view conflict and get it resolved that make us stronger leaders. (Besides using the Matthew 18 principles - go to the person firstm then witnesses, then involve leaders etc) Here are some suggestions to dealing with conflict:

1. Pray. Pray for wisdom, discernment and direction. Seek God first.

2. Rant. Journal. Talk to God and/or someone about the issue to just get it off your chest.

3. Seek wisdom. Get some insight from godly people you trust. This maybe your mentor, accountability partner, peers, online community.

4. Outline. Go over the pros and cons of the conflict, and a history that lead to it. Documentation helps.

5. Have a plan. Resolution isn't easy. So have a plan to address the issues.

6. Address, Once you follow through on your plan of action (Usually this involves sitting down with the parties involved in the conflict and maybe having a mediator). Address your outline, revise, get both sides of the issue. Address the conflict, don't attack the person (If if the person is a jerk, sometimes it is best to not let that be known) but the issues.

7. Resolution Plan. Come up with a plan together (or if the other person is unwilling still do this for your own conscience) for actions to help the healing process.

8. Forgiveness. Forgive the person and perhaps yourself for any wrong doing in this. (We could be wrong and admit to your own mistakes)

9. Look at yourself. Was there anything I can learn from this? Am I at fault? What would help me do better in the future? Seek counselling if necessary. Take a break., sabbath, time to heal might help.

10. Be a peacemaker. Learn to moderate, be a mediator, extend grace and be a life long learner in this messy world of conflict resolution.

Youth Ministry isn't easy. Conflicts will come. It is how you handle conflict that either makes or breaks your ministry and helps your leadership skills. Hang in there. Looking forward to hearing how you handled your most recent conflict.

Resources:

**Healing Life's Hurts through Theophostic Prayer - Edward M. Smith

Healthy Churches - Peter Steinke

Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict - Jim Van Yperin.

Managing Church Conflict - Hugh Halverstadt

**The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving personal Conflict - Ken Sande.

*Pastors in Pain - Gary Preston

*The Wounded Minister - Guy Greenfield

** - I currently read and helped me through some of my pain.

* currently reading or on my to read shelf.

Friday, September 01, 2006

Don't Buy the Lies - The 4% Rule

Post is here


So I wrote the above and thought I'd check for the "Of Today's 33 Million Teens only 4% will be Evangelical Believers as adults" Lie ... and saw an AD in both Youthworker Journal and ummm Group Magazine (Who BTW was disputing this lie). You would think if it is a LIE (Advertising or Not) that you would choose not to have that AD in your magazine. Just a thought on being consistent - that's all.

Healthy Church?

Getting ready to start a new sermon series. Hoping to blog more about it.