Youth Ministry Events as Faith Formation – Part Three

Processing Events and Connecting to Daily Life

Practice DiscipleshipSpring 2012 Training

Youth believe in God! Yay! So…now what?Let’s deconstruct MTD in the lives of youth and

challenge youth to experience Jesus Christ through authentic relationships and experiences that are rooted in sound theology and practices.

In Session One, we talked about the: Purpose of Events

In Session Two, we talked about how you:Prepare your Group for an event

Did you miss a trainings? Watch past sessions online at www.elcaymnet.org/ELCATrainingOverview

A Quick Review…

Session Three(What you are hearing today!)

We will talk about how we help groups experience the work of the Holy Spirit in the midst of an event, and how to connect that event to their daily lives…and maybe even share it with others!

Events are opportunities for young people to disengage from the world around them so they can fix their eyes on Jesus Christ.

Out of our comfort zone, we can see the world and ourselves from Christ’s point of view rather than our own.

Hand-Holdingand

Finger-Pointing

Spiritual direction often is considered one of the practices of communion, since the ultimate objective is not to offer moral instruction or pastoral care. The goal of spiritual direction is reaching toward oneness with God by discerning God’s direction for our daily lives.”

-Godbearing Life, pp. 139-140

Hand-holding is ministry of presence…

Finger-pointing is ministry of direction.

Photo by Sam Mugraby, Photos8.org

Photo by Sam Mugraby, Photos8.org

Participation is ACTIVE

Experience the event fully

Observe what’s going on with the youth

Translate your experience into a story to share

Hand-Holding(Participation and Listening)

Participation is GENUINE

Expect to be transformed yourself

Be who you are

Hand-Holding(Participation and Listening)

Participation is COMPLICATED

This isn’t just a vacation, you know!

Full participation is hard work!

Hand-Holding(Participation and Listening)

Listening is ACTIVE

Listen with your ears

Listen with your eyes

Listen with your body

Respond with clarifying questions

Hand-Holding(Participation and Listening)

Listening is GENUINE

Listen because you care

Be open to the questions youth ask

Hand-Holding(Participation and Listening)

Listening is a DISCIPLINE

Part of listening well is hearing what is said

Part of listening well is “hearing” what is NOT said!

Listening is focusing on the speaker

Listening is hard work!

Hand-Holding(Participation and Listening)

Ask good questions

Make observations

Point to Jesus

Finger-Pointing(Giving Direction) ?

Photo by Sam Mugraby, Photos8.org

W = WhereH = HobbiesE = EventA = Acquaintances

T = Travel

“WHEAT” It!

The first person ASKS questions and LISTENS

The second person RESPONDSThe third person OBSERVES

Allow each person to rotate through the various roles.

Give the group members 5 minutes for each role.

Listening and Questioning Practice

Connecting Events and Experiences to Daily Life

“The entire congregation makes a difference in youth ministry.” (p. 83, EYM)

“Of parents who report that their faith is extremely important in their daily lives; only 8% of those parents’ teens report that faith is not very or not important in their lives.” (p. 171, EYM)

Set goals for how your events can be transforming.

What kind of goals would you have for a weekly Bible study?

What kind of goals would you have for a summer trip?

Connecting Events to Daily Life

How will you communicate with parents about what was experienced?

You can never communicate in enough ways!

Involve the parents in your event somehow

Create activities for families to do together that support or extend the goal of your event

Connecting Events to Daily Life

How will you share your events with the congregation?

WorshipWritten communicationVisual images around the churchInvolve congregational members in eventsCongregational mentors/prayer partners

Connecting Events to Daily Life

How will you intentionally share your event experiences with youth who could not attend?

Storytelling with purposeGroup buildingCommunicate while goneInvolve other youth, parents and congregation

in planning

Connecting Events to Daily Life

Managing Your Group During Events

Some of these tips will apply to trips only, some will apply to local events as well.

“When did we ever get the crazy idea that to make children do better , first you have to make them feel worse?” -Jane Nelsen

Cell Phones

Will you allow them?

How will you monitor their use?

What is the church’s liability?

Managing Your Group

Transportation

How big is the group and how will this affect the type of transportation you choose?

How will you separate groups into vehicles?Will you/can you use transportation time as group

building time?How will you get back to vehicles?Who will drive?

What are your safety concerns?How much baggage can youth bring?

Managing Your Group

Lodging

Where will you (and other adults) sleep?

What are the overall sleeping arrangements?

Safe haven/risk management policies

Managing Your Group

Food

How many meals?

Where do you plan to eat?

Will you give food money allowances or pay as a group?

Managing Your Group

Group Management

Small Groups with designated leadersCovenant issuesHow many sponsors do you take?Come prepared with “back-up”Make a ministry opportunityKeeping track of your group

Managing Your Group

Wow!!! Now you’re ready to go!!!