by Chase | Ministry
Gooooood Mythical Morning!
Have you heard about the creative genius that is Good Mythical Morning? Rhett and Link have taken the internet by storm over the past five years, posting a morning talk show each weekday. Their show, which airs on a YouTube channel (Watch: GMM Channel) has more than 11 million subscribers and over 100 million views per month as of this post. This has led to appearances on The Tonight Show, their own show on YouTube Red, and a book contract.
Oh, and the best part is that Rhett and Link are known for wholesome content. They are the kings of âWill it?â (Watch: GMMâWill it?â Playlist) Â and Taste Tests (Watch: GMMÂ âTaste Tests!â Playlist). Â
Why would I tell you all of this? Simple. Student ministries can learn creativity, content, and consistency by studying what works for Good Mythical Morning. Their content is reaching and impacting people (even your students) across the globe in a way that our ministries hope to impact others.
Ministry leaders, check out these six things your ministry can learn from the Good Mythical Morning Crew.
6 Things Your Student Ministry Can Learn From Rhett, Link, And Good Mythical Morning
- They Love Their Jobs
Millions of people tune in to see Rhett and Link. Why? Much of their content is silly (although most of it is pretty interesting). What keeps people coming back is to see the personalities of Rhett and Link. These guys love what they are doing. They are never negative. They are not arrogant. They are enthusiastic and energetic.
Student ministries: Both the paid and volunteer leaders of your student ministry need to be on fire for Jesus and students! This joy only comes from the Holy Spirit. If you donât love being at student worship or the many youth events you plan, why would your students?
- They Are Creative Geniuses
Rhett and Link are exceptional at what they do. And they donât have to reinvent the wheel each week to do it! They have created a consistently awesome (and simple) structure that resonates with their audience ⊠and they execute it well. Keeping things fairly consistent and straightforward still allows them to be really creative each week.
Student ministries: What resonates with your students? You donât have to do 50 things well. How can you communicate the Gospel with your students regularly and get them to love God and love others without constantly changing up your format and schedule?
- They Built An Online Community
Rhett and Link have created an online community of people who are loyal to them as entertainers and loyal to their brand of comedy. Even though the vast majority of viewers will never meet either of the hosts, Rhett and Link have had deep impact in their lives. If you need proof, just check out the 1000th episode of the show (Watch: GMM 1,000th Episode). These two guys started out using free tools (YouTube and various social media platforms) and minimal equipment! Sure, itâs grown from there as they have grown in the number of views their show receives, but the reason they are big isnât because they started out with fancy equipment or tons of money. Itâs because they have built a real community of people who love the show.
Student ministries: Social media cannot replace interaction in small groups and worship, but it can supplement it. How can you leverage social medias and texting systems to encourage and connect with students? (Notice that I didnât say âpost announcements.â) You need to build a community, because discipleship only happens in community.
- They Have A Simple Stage Design That Rarely Changes
The Good Mythical Morning crew spends more time creating awesome content than awesome staging. Their backdrop stays the same, except for a few minimal additions every now and then. I can imagine that their creative planning meetings probably donât include a lot of talk about how they can reach more people by changing the lighting. Instead, itâs obvious that they have all stacked hands on one common goal: quality entertainment.
Student ministries: What keeps students coming back is not how beautiful your student room is. Sure, it should be clean and safe. Cool backdrops are nice, and changing things up every now and then is fine. But your main focus has to be about sharing the Gospel and helping students either begin a relationship with God or grow in the relationship theyâve already started with God. If you are genuinely and primarily focused on that, thatâs what will keep students coming back to your student room!
- They Have An Incredible Staff
Rhett and Link arenât the only two guys coming up with content for their show. They have developed an incredible team of producers and writers to help shape their content and ensure they are connecting with their audience. Creativity truly happens within a team context.
Student ministries: Are you the only voice shaping the events, teaching content, and worship services? If so, your creativity will wane. Who are the three to five adults, students, and college age leaders that have valuable perspectives that can help your ensure that you are connecting with the teenagers in your community?
- They Are Awesome At Sharing Peopleâs Stories
At the end of every episode Rhett and Link show a quick video clip from someone across the globe saying, âIt is time to spin the wheel of mythicality.â They also incorporate peopleâs stories through opening mail that has been sent to them, allowing viewersâ comments to shape content, and showing video clips sent in by viewers.
Student ministries: How can you share the God-sized stories happening in the lives of your students and volunteers? You need to know that God is working in other peopleâs lives, and so do your students and leaders! We will never how God is working unless we are willing to share our stories with one another.
Your Move
Do you watch Good Mythical Morning (or another similar show)? What is it about it that keeps you coming back for more, and how can you incorporate those practices into your ministry?
by Chase | Leadership, Ministry
For student ministries, volunteer engagement is essential.
The days of a student ministry being led by a charismatic leader with adult chaperones is as far behind us as bellbottom jeans.
Every church ministry must be aligned around relational discipleship for the flourishing of the Gospel. Student ministries will fail to develop disciples when the student pastor is the only person investing into the lives of the students. When we fail to develop disciples, we fail to fulfill the Great Commission.
Leaders are the key to student ministry discipleship. You can say goodbye to discipleship if multiple adult leaders are not connected to students.
Thatâs a big deal! The discipleship process must involve every adult volunteer. If we want to ensure every adult is on mission we need to identify what is getting in the way of our discipleship efforts.
[Read: 8 Deadly Sins Of Student Pastors]
Are you committing any of these deadly sins? Be honest with yourself, then take the necessary steps to get back on track with Godâs mission.
7 Deadly Sins of Student Volunteers
- Showing Up Late And/Or Leaving Early
Nothing communicates a lack of investment more than showing up late or leaving early. A large portion of discipleship is proximity. Those who are inconsistent at Bible studies and worship gatherings are not developing disciples. The Great Commission doesnât say âSit in a youth room to fulfill a student-to-leader ratio.â Jesus commissions every disciple to create disciples.
- Only Talking With The Adults
Why are you volunteering with the student ministry? Is it to invest in students? Great. Investment doesnât end once you step into the room; that is when investment begins! Donât fall into the temptation of sitting in the back of the student room and chatting with the other adult leaders. You are serving to make a Gospel difference in a teenagerâs life. So pull up a chair and get to know some students.
- Failing To Follow Up With Students
One hour of communication per week does not sustain a friendship. Discipling students involves following up with students throughout the week. This may look different each week (attending ball games, texting students Bible verses, inviting students to events), but the key is to show up in the life of a student. When you show up outside of âchurch timeâ students will begin to see that God cares for them outside of âchurch time.â
- Never Talking About Jesus Or The Bible
Student ministry isnât all fun and games. Who am I kidding? Student ministry is awesome! The presence of games shouldnât lead to an absence of Biblical instruction. Each student ministry volunteer has a responsibility to share about the grace, love, and goodness of Jesus. Donât let the student pastor be the only voice the students hear.
- Pretending That You Have Figured Life Out
You know that being an adult doesnât bring clarity to life and an uncanny ability to live perfectly! Be careful not to project a âholier than thouâ persona in front of your students. Jesus has saved you, and the students, by grace alone. Sure you have some wisdom to share, but be sure that you are communicating that you still need Jesus.
- Failing To Grow Spiritually
The number one role of a student ministry volunteer is to be a spiritual leader. It doesnât matter what area you serve in, you must be growing spiritually. The churchâs mission is to create disciples. Only disciples can create disciples. An excellent book to gauge your spiritual health is Ten Questions To Diagnose Your Spiritual Health by Donald S. Whitney.
- Investing In The Program While Neglecting People
How many hours have you spent working on the worship set list this week? Or how much time have you spent looking at your small group lesson for Sunday? How about this one: How many hours have you spent encouraging and communicating with students this week? Preparation and study are essentials to be a great leader, but when we drift away from the people and only invest in the program, lesson, or worship gathering, our students will leave the church.
Now What?
After taking an honest look at this list, how many of these sins are you struggling with? Being able to diagnose our current level of engagement will allow us to dive deeper into our discipleship efforts!
What other areas would you add to the list?
by Chase | Discipleship, Ministry
It doesnât matter if you are a 7-year-old heading to your first summer camp or a senior adult â camps, retreats, conferences, and events can leave a lasting spiritual impact in your life.
Retreats come in all shapes and sizes. There are week-long camps, weekend retreats, one-day events, and conferences. While they vary in nature they all have one thing in common â they allow the attendees to step away from their normal day-to-day routines and focus on Jesus.
God has used my time at camps to wake me up spiritually and provided a place to grow spiritually. I became a Christian, committed my life to ministry, and even met my wife while I was at various retreats.
While you may not meet your future wife at a retreat, here are some other reasons that you should consider joining the next retreat that your church offers (or sending your student).
5 Ways Retreats Can Draw You Closer To Jesus
Retreats remove you from your day-to-day habits.
Have you been in a rut? We all get to points where we need a break from the demands of life. High school relationships may have you stressed to the max. Your kids schedules can wear on your stamina. Retreats, camps, conferences, and events are just that â a retreat! Taking a retreat will allow you to catch your breath, both physically and spiritually.
Retreats allow you to refocus on Jesus.
Our minds can be cluttered with deadlines, activities, relationships, and commitments. Retreats are the perfect place to give your brain a chance to reset and refocus on Jesus. The priorities of your day can interfere with your worship of Jesus. Retreats are designed to remove the distractions and sins that bog you down so that you can worship Jesus.
Retreats remove you from negative influences.
Most of the people who surround you in school or at work are negative influences. A spiritual retreat gives you an avenue to remove yourself, even for a weekend, from the negative relationships, horrible advice, and complainers that push your spirit down.
Retreats cause us to anticipate the power of God.
Going on a retreat with your church means that you have cleared your calendars, turned in your forms, paid the registration fees, and packed up your bags for the event. A retreat allows your mind to anticipate a move of God in your own life. It is something that you can look forward to with a longing to meet with Jesus.
Retreats lead you to a fresh movement of Godâs Spirit.
A retreat will not only remove you from negative influences — it will draw you into Godâs Word. Whether it is the guest speaker, worship set, or small group time, you will start to experience God like never before. His Spirit moves in incredible ways when we humble ourselves and turn our gaze onto Him. Â
by Chase | Discipleship
Teenage love is in the air.
In the culture we live, dating is common even from the early teenage years. Even though is it common, there is still plenty of confusion and frustration that comes along with it.
Let me warn you on the front end — this blog post is not going to tell anyone to kiss dating goodbye. The conversation of whether or not a teenager should date is strictly between the parents and their child. Â
What I want to do is offer up some advice for teenagers who are dating. Often we make huge decisions (like who we should date) without much thought. Donât worry, even your parents are guilty of absent-minded decisions from time to time.
Here are 11 truths no one tells you about dating in high school.
11 Truths No One Tells You About Dating In High School
You will date someone that you will marry, so be realistic about it.
It is doubtful that the person you are dating in high school will turn out to be your spouse, but eventually you will marry someone that you date. Before you start dating a person make sure that they are the type of person you want to end up with.
Your worth and identity are determined by the One who created you – not the one you are dating.
No boy or girl will determine your worth. My friend Todd Jones is writing a book right now (called Jesus-Colored Glasses that launches this summer) where he explains that the value of an object is determined by the One who created it and by what someone is willing to pay for it. In your case, Jesus created you and He died to redeem you. Your worth is infinitely more than any boyfriend or girlfriend could determine.
How someone treats other people reflects their core character.
Is he a jerk to his parents and everyone around him? Well, then he is a jerk. It doesnât matter how nicely he treats you, he is still a jerk. Â
Love blinds you to a personâs flaws
The emotions you feel on a first date can cloud your judgement. Love will blind you and keep you from seeing a personâs flaws. Yes, we are all flawed people, but it is important to listen to what your friends and family say about the person you like. It may be hard to sift through other peopleâs advice to determine whether their concerns are legitimate, but knowing how others perceive your boyfriend or girlfriend is invaluable.
How much it hurts when it ends is directly related to how much you gave away.
Be careful not to cross physical AND emotional boundaries. Iâm sure you have heard that you should not cross certain physical boundaries, which you shouldnât, but just as important is making sure you do not cross emotional boundaries. If you are in high school you should not be discussing marriage. Crossing physical boundaries makes it easier to cross emotional boundaries. Crossing emotional boundaries makes it easier to cross physical boundaries.
The decisions you make today determines the type of person you date tomorrow.
You will find yourself dating a certain âtypeâ of person. The decisions you make when it comes to which friends you hang out with, which events you attend, and the college you go to all shape the âtypeâ of person you will likely date. Small, daily decisions determine our big life-moments.Â
Your parents still set the rules and parameters.
As a student you still operate under your parentsâ authority. That includes dating. Any curfew, rules, or restrictions that your parents set must be honored. It is their job to look after and provide for you.
Only Jesus will complete your life.
If you are looking for a girl or guy to bring you unending love and acceptance, you will never find the right one. As I said above, people are flawed. Only Jesus offers unchanging love, grace, and forgiveness.
Donât waste time dating a loser.
Life is short. Donât waste time dating a lowlife. You know who that person is. We have all dated at least one. Go ahead and call it quits and stop wasting your time.
Dating one loser doesnât mean that you must date another loser.
Just because you have dated a loser doesnât mean that you have to date another loser. Nothing is wrong with you. You are not broken. And, as I mentioned in the first point, youâll eventually marry someone you date. So you might as well take a good hard look at your standards and raise them now.
Jesusâ grace is sufficient for you.
There is forgiveness and restoration available to you, not matter what mistakes you have made or what boundaries you have crossed. Jesus has created you. He loves you. He wants a relationship with you. And as you navigate what dating looks like for you — what to avoid, what to embrace, and how to be obedient — Jesusâ grace is enough to guide and direct your choices.
Now What?
What pieces of advice do you wish you would have listened to when it comes to dating in high school?
by Chase | Leadership
Thereâs no doubt about it, words have power.
Words can be the cause of stress that robs you of your passion, joy, and zeal to serve others. That kind of stress can trick us into believing that the grass is greener somewhere else and that no one — where we are at least — will ever appreciate the work we do to encourage and equip people to make much of Jesus.
If you are on the verge of throwing in the towel or simply need a boost of encouragement, be intentional about the words you allow into your heart and mind! Fill your day with words that affirm your calling, whether thatâs through Scripture, quotes, or encouraging words from a friend or fellow ministry leader.
To get you started, here are eight quotes from ministry leaders and eight Bible verses that will remind you of the importance of your faithfulness.
8 Quotes That Will Encourage You To Keep Serving
âThe first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: âIf I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?â But the good Samaritan reversed the question: âIf I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?ââ – Martin Luther King Jr.
âIf you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.â – Mother Teresa
âThere is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.â – Nelson Mandela
âIf you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.â – David Livingstone
âWhen I cannot read, when I cannot think, when I cannot even pray, I can trust.â – James Hudson Taylor
âOur greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that doesnât really matter.â – Francis Chan
âThere are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things.â – Dwight L Moody
âTo be right with God has often meant to be in trouble with men.â – AW Tozer
8 Scriptures That Will Encourage You To Keep Serving
âLet us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.â – Galatians 6:9
âCommit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.â – Psalm 37:5
âBlessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.â – James 1:12
âAbove all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.â – Proverbs 4:23
âIf it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.â – Romans 12:18
âFear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.â Â – Isaiah 41:10
âOn this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.â Â – Matthew 16:18
âAnd my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.â Â – Philippians 4:19
Now What?
What words, quotes, and Scriptures have meant the most to your ministry journey?
