by Chase | Leadership
Regardless of your leadership capacity there is one area that you can excel in: encouraging others.Â
People willing follow a leader who encourages them. Why? Because people want to feel needed, valued, and want to be developed to do more for the sake of the Gospel.Â
I understand that for many encouraging others seems like a foreign concept. Many leaders find it hard to encourage people. It just isn’t how their are wired or how they think. I’m not advocating that you need to completely change the makeup of your personality (which is impossible and unrealistic) but there are a few small habits that you can add into your day that will communicate value into the people that you lead.Â
Whether you are a small group leader, pastor, spouse, or senior leader, these three areas will help you connect with people and encourage them to continue along the journey.Â
3 Ways You Can Be A Leader Who Encourages Others
Be A Person Of Prayer
Daily prayer will shape your heart and mind to be that of Jesus Christ. Nothing can combat cynicism like a daily habit of prayer. As you pray for others you will begin to follow up with them. Prayer also reminds us that we are all sinners in need of Jesus. It is our communion with Jesus that brings ultimate encouragement and unity with one another.Â
Celebrate Wins
When was the last time your team or group experienced a win? Perhaps you need to define what a win is for your team (that the group engages in conversation, that students hear the Gospel, that the staff brainstorms ideas during this meeting) then you can celebrate the win – no matter how small it seems to be. People need to know that their contributions are needed and beneficial. Simply stating that there was a win can go a long way to encourage others.Â
Coach Instead of Demand
In my opinion, a basketball coach is the best description of a leader. A coach spends intentional time preparing his team for a game, but once the game starts the coach doesn’t sit on the sideline and lets the game happen – he is active in making adjustments, encouraging players, and aligning for success. Leaders who encourage others are intentionally coaching other people. They assess the situation and give constructive feedback that develops the individual. Â Viewing your role as a coach may help you remember the intentional role you play in other’s lives.Â
Now What?Â
Would your small group, team, or office say that you are an encourager? What steps can you take to encourage a couple people this week?Â
by Chase | Leadership, Ministry
Veteran ministry leaders understand this truth:Â There is nothing more terrifying than handing someone else a microphone.
This isn’t an arrogant statement! Most of us love bringing in guest speakers!
AÂ statement like this is made because speakers have used inappropriate language, spoken 30 minutes longer than their allotted time, or made the service a commercial for their newest T-shirt line.
Even with the risks, I firmly believe that guest speakers can deeply impact your student ministry events.
I love bringing in guest speakers for our events, retreats, and midweek worship services so that students can see other adults who are passionate about Jesus, hear another voice on a particular subject, and connect with another person’s story.
Read: 5 Reasons You Should Use Guest Speakers In Youth Ministry
Before I bring a guest speaker to our student ministry I make sure that they line up to a specific list of characteristics that will maximize their impact and the Gospel.
I do this for two reasons:
- To protect our students from a negative situation.
- To protect my job at the church.Â
Below is the checklist I use to gauge a guest speaker’s effectiveness for our ministry.
7 Characteristics Of An Incredible Guest Speaker
Someone Who Will Bring Us To The Throne Of God Without Sitting On One
The event is not about the speaker. The event is not about the band. The retreat isn’t even about your students. Everything you lead should glorify King Jesus. I desire to bring in a speaker who is going to magnify Jesus, not their ministry or personality. There isn’t a fool-proof method of screening, but I diligently spend hours networking, screening, and researching a potential guest’s materials, social medias, spiritual growth, and reputation.
Someone With A Positive Social Media Following
After the event our students are going to follow the speaker on social medias. This means that the speaker will be influencing my students for months, maybe years, after the event. Obviously this can be a positive or negative situation. We want to bring in someone who uses social medias to minister. In contrast, we will not pick a speaker who inappropriately uses medias.
Someone Who Is Passionate About Students and Ministry
Joy and passion for Jesus are contagious! We want to surround our students with adults who are joyfully living out the Gospel of Jesus. Joy cannot be faked. This is a mark of a disciple of Jesus who is journeying with their Savior.
Someone Who Will Honor Our Retreat/Event Theme
When a speaker goes rogue on the teaching points our students are often unable to make the connection with the theme. We have been preparing every detail of this event for months. The speaker must realize his/her place in achieving the greater vision of developing disciples.
Read:Â 7 Things You Should Know Before Your Next Retreat
Someone Who Aligns With Our Theology
One of the primary roles of a pastor is to ensure that your congregation is protected from false doctrines and incorrect teachings. I have conversations with our guest speakers and find out what their views on baptism, Jesus, salvation, and sin are before we bring them in. Since we leverage our speakers to share the Gospel of Jesus, we want to ensure that the Gospel presentation lines up with our beliefs.
Someone Who Will Interact With Our People
Relating with students from the stage is one thing, but interacting with them between sessions is a necessity for us. I don’t expect a speaker to participate in every aspect of our programming, but I do expect them to build relationships with our people.
Someone Who Is Professional
Working with unprofessional people drives me crazy! There is nothing worse than a speaker who is slow to respond to emails, ignores phone calls, disregards our time limits, and isn’t prepared for the event. There is not a dichotomy between being relational and being organized.
Now What?
What characteristics do you look for when you bring in a guest speaker?
by Chase | Leadership, Ministry
Ministry is tough. There, I said it.
If you are about to jump into ministry, and no one has told you that…well, I’m sorry. Ministry is a tough calling, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
At this point of the year, many new pastors are getting settled into their new positions. Especially for us student pastors, the fall (typically) marks the onset of your regular programming.
As a young pastor, you will be overcome with tons of thoughts, emotions, and you may even cry out of frustration (I know I did) because you have no idea what to do other than write sermons and develop small group curriculum.
Let me start by saying this: You will get the hang of things and figure out the flow of your week. So don’t fret, things won’t always seem too hectic. Here’s the other thing: As the new guy, you’re going to run into some issues and problems as you try to develop as a pastor, leader, communicator, and employee. There will be many ups and downs – and the downs seem to pile together at times – but, if you grind it out, the other side is worthwhile.
So, what’s the goal? Don’t screw things up too badly along the way!
Here’s my advice to those of you starting fresh (or again) in a ministry role.Â
5 Tips For Those Starting (Or Re-Starting) In Ministry
1. Stay Mentally SharpÂ
If you’re fresh out of college, you probably just finished four (or more!) years of the most reading you’ve done in your life. Don’t stop now. Keep your mind fresh and sharp by reading as much as you can. Read blogs (Hey, you’re doing that now!), articles, and books – and never stop.
2. Keep Your Mouth ShutÂ
This is one piece of advice I wish I learned sooner. When you’re in meetings of all sorts, you may feel the passion within you to do more, reach more, go deeper, and so forth. However, I wish I had kept my mouth shut more when I first started in ministry (actually, still learning this trait!). Most of the conflicts I’ve been involved in were because I spoke too quickly without considering tone and context. Instead of blurting out and challenging everything being discussed, sit back and just listen. Learn who has the sway in the room, find out how people think, understand the culture of your people and church and always wait five minutes before speaking. If after five minutes you still want to say whatever you were thinking, you’ve had time to word it in an appropriate manner.
3. Get Out of DebtÂ
It’s pretty difficult to leave college without any debt. Maybe you did your homework before going off to school and made the fiscally responsible choice. Or, you may be like me and didn’t get the call to ministry until after you had started college. Regardless of your circumstances, get out of debt as soon as you can. We never want to make decisions based on monetary reasons, and being financially free is the best way to avoid that. So, make a frugal budget and stick to it until your debt is gone. Besides, you’re probably not going to be making much money anyways (you’re in ministry), so develop the habit from the get-go.
4. Stay Physically FitÂ
Ministry, especially student ministry, is full of reasons and excuses to let yourself go. I currently serve with a senior minister who is 69 years old! The dude has been in ministry almost as long as I’ve been alive. Aside from his high devotion to God’s word and incredible character, what’s enabled him to have the tenure he’s reached traces to remaining physically fit. I know this because I see him at the gym almost every day. At the age and in the profession where most people give up trying, he’s remained active, which has kept his body, mind, and soul in shape.
5. Get Organized
Student pastors are notorious for being sloppy, lazy, and unorganized. So, break the trend and stereotype! Learn to organize your workweek and your ministry. I use the BASICS Notebook (which is fully customizable) because it breaks down not just monthly and weekly, but also hourly. Further, develop and organize your ministry to run smoothly and effectively. Plan out your process of discipleship, your systems for students (check-in, joining a group, etc.), and your strategies for attaining your ministry goals.
These are just a handful of things I wish I knew sooner as I started ministry.
What do you wish someone shared with you when you started?
by Chase | Leadership
There exists a numerous amount of responsibilities and nuances that go into being a pastor of any sort. Whether you’re a lead, student, children’s, outreach, associate, etc., you know the daily and weekly tasks that go into your “job.”
However, one intangible about your ministry cannot go overlooked – your leadership. I believe we are in an era of ministry where pastors, young and old, are beginning to grasp and leverage this idea of leadership. As our leadership team at my church has adopted, “Everything rises and falls with leadership.”
As a pastor, your leadership abilities must grow with the increasing demands of your ministry growth.
In other terms, if you want to see your ministry thrive in effectiveness and accomplishing your mission, one of the greatest ways to achieve the former is to work on yourself as a leader.
Yet, leadership is not something pastors are taught in school. But, it does encompass every nook and cranny of guiding a ministry. From strategically planning spiritual growth to developing volunteers to managing budgets, being in ministry means being in leadership.
And the best leaders are disciplined.
Here are four regular disciplines that have helped develop me into a better leader.
4 Disciplines to Become A Better Leader
Read
I read…a lot. You may have heard the appropriate phrase, “Leaders are readers.” Well, it’s true. I’ve yet to meet an excellent leader who isn’t constantly reading. Further, good leaders read all types of authors and subjects. From theology and doctrine to leadership and management to fiction, the act of reading is a discipline that cannot be overlooked.
Application question: What am I currently reading and how is it challenging me?
Active
There is physiological evidence to support the overwhelming mental and physical benefits of being active (you know, stress release and endorphins and all that other good stuff). Now, I’m not suggesting being a good leader means having six-pack abs. But, quality leaders understand the benefits of living a healthy and active lifestyle to remain mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy.
Application question: Am I being regularly active (gym, sports, hiking, etc.) to keep myself physically and mentally fit?
Time and Energy ManagementÂ
This may be the toughest one to implement for some. For strong leaders are organized on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. They have learned the discipline to saying “no” to good things to get “great” things done. In ministry, many people and opportunities arise to steal and eat away our time. Understanding your schedule and energy (when you work best and most efficiently) mixed with the discipline of managing it all well is a distinguishing mark of a healthy leader.
Application Question: Do I plan out my weeks down to the hour? What do I need to start saying “no” to in order to say “yes” to what needs to get done?
Sabbath
Almost the adverse of the point above, good leaders know and value rest. We were not designed to be workaholics and consumed 7-days a week with our tasks. A developed leader put themselves in places to rest and recovery on a weekly basis.
Application Question: Am I honoring a Sabbath day every week to recharge with God? What can I do to protect and honor that time?
Now What?
These four disciplines stretch me to being a better leadership. What would you add to this list? What disciplines do you use to build your leadership capacity?
by Chase | Leadership, Ministry
It seems like everyone either has a blog themselves or has a strong opinion about blogging!
Blogging has become a standard for sharing thoughts, ideas, and content with people all over the web. Even clicking to read this article shows that you take time to read blog posts occasionally.
Blogging (and writing in general) can greatly further your ministry! That simple fact means blogging needs to become a habit for student pastors.
Now, when I say “blogging,” I am using it in the general sense of posting written content online. Many of you don’t want to maintain a rigid online presence, run a self-hosted blog, or stress yourselves with the daily tasks of a professional blogger, and I completely understand! I’m not advocating that you launch a side job as a blogger, but I am advocating for the discipline of written communication.
Regardless of the platform, the discipline of blogging is extremely beneficial to student pastors pastorally and professionally.
Here are three reasons why student pastors should be blogging.
3Â Reasons Why Student Pastors Should Blog
Blogging Strengthens Your Communication
The primary responsibility of student pastors (and all Christians) is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Most church leaders tend to share primarily through verbal communication, so practicing written communication may seem counterintuitive. But when you’re communicating verbally, you need to be able to present your ideas clearly. Preparing blog posts forces you to rearrange content and communicate with clear and concise points. Practicing this skill often will clarify your overall communication.
Blogging Limits Miscommunication
People cannot access your 15-minute speech about the importance of small groups once the meeting ends. Blogging enables you to write down the most important ideas and distribute them to your team members so they can reference the content at a later time. Your written word limits miscommunications because people have a point of reference to check when there is doubt.
Blogging Expands Your Ministry Reach
As family ministry leaders, we are all called to share the Gospel of Jesus and develop leaders that engage the community. Blogging expands your ministry reach because of the shareablity of social content. Your post may not go viral, but it may influence a community leader who is outside of your church’s reach.
Now What?
You do not have to self-host your own website to be a blogger. There are plenty of ministry websites who are looking for contributors to post content and other options to lend your voice.
Another accessible platform would be your church’s website. Talk with your church administration about getting you on the rotation to write some content for the church.
Do any of you blog? I’d love to connect with you! Comment with your blog address or connect with me via Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
by Chase | Leadership, Ministry
Coming up with fresh event ideas is a daunting task.
Your student ministry calendar only offers a handful of spots that you can add in great events and I know that you want to make sure that your events are home runs.
There is some value in keeping annual events, but I suggest that you mix up your camps, events, and calendaring ever so often to build momentum and guard against creating a stagnant student ministry (more on this read: Fight Against Stagnant Student Ministry).
Events and theme nights are awesome ways to create excitement, start a discipleship focus, and get students to invite their friends.
So to help you as you plan for the upcoming season of student ministry here are a few fresh ideas to connect with students. These are simply raw ideas that you can develop a spiritual emphasis around to connect with your community.
6 Fresh Student Ministry Event Ideas
Christmas Silent Disco
Have you ever heard of a silent disco? The concept is that each attendee gets a wireless set of LED headphones that they use to tune into 3 music stations that are ran from your computer or they can be used with a live band. This could be used with a fun twist on your Christmas party in December. If you search for “silent disco” there are several companies that offer rentals and shipping.
Coffee House Takeover
Send out a text blast to your students, leaders, and parents and have everyone meet at a local coffee shop to hang out and play games. Getting your leaders and parents sitting around the table with students will relationally strengthen your student ministry. In addition to building your ministry you are also promoting local business in your community.
A great game you need to purchase is Pharisees by Kenny and Elle Campbell. Pharisees is the Bible version of the party game Mafia. This is a MUST for your student ministry! Check it out on their website: https://phariseesgame.com/
Weekenders
Students and family schedules are busier than ever. Student pastors are starting to notice a drop in retreat numbers because students can’t carve out a weekend away from sports, school assignments, and work to attend you retreat. Another option is to host a “weekender.” A weekender is a Friday evening and Saturday morning conference centered on a specific topic (like biblical dating) that is open to parents and students to attend. The event is hosted at your church with worship and breakouts sessions but is not an over-night event. A weekender offers the structure of a retreat but cuts down on the cost since meals and housing isn’t in the schedule.
Lumberjack Games
What is better than flannel shirt, pancakes, and outdoor games? You can mix this theme up for a “Highland Games” feel for lumberjacks. This would be an easy event to host at a local park and invite other student ministries to join in as you battle against one another. Run with your creativity on this one!
Mascot Airsoft/Laser Tag Battle
Our crew loves playing airsoft and laser tag with their small groups. You can add a new twist on the traditional setup and get your adult small group leaders to dress in local high school or college mascots suits and have the students play airsoft against them. If you have a hard time finding mascot suits you could always open it up as a costume battle for everyone to come in character.
Film Festival
Your students LOVE making vines, SnapChat stories, and YouTube videos. Why not host a film festival at your church with different categories (comedy, commercials, drama, etc.) for your students to create. Get them to use their phones and some free apps (check out the videoing apps I found this summer: 8 Essential Apps For Student Ministry) and let them create! Just make sure that everyone submits their video prior to the event so you can screen them and keep your job!
Now What
What other fresh student ministry event ideas have you come up with?
