Understanding Our Students Culture
Many have asked about some good resources on understanding the thoughts, spirituality and patterns of the culture of students we have the opportunity love and serve. Here are a few that I would start with. (Please note, I do not endorse all the things found in these books/websites. These are great tools in helping you put a grasp on this generation of Students.)
God is Moving!
God did some amazing things here at The Summit Church last weekend! Check out the video below.
Today we baptized another 50+ at our Brier Creek Campus alone. God is moving in the lives of people here in RDU.
It’s Budget Time!
For many, the thought of budgeting for the upcoming year is dreadful. For some of us, when we think of “Budget Time,” we think of Excel Spreadsheets, number crunching, calculators (if you’re awesome, you’ll use the calculator APP on your iPad,) THE meeting, THE vote, the recalculating of the budget, and so on and so forth. I love this time of the year, but not for the busy work aspect of it. I love it for the opportunity I have to utilize our resources to reach and equip students here in RDU. Let me share with you some thoughts I have on budgeting for your ministry.
1. The Budget backs the Vision: (Or the Vision DRIVES the budget!) Don’t just throw money into certain line items because they’ve “always been that way.” Work with your staff and the Elders/Deacons at your church to align your budget as much as possible to your vision. Remember, vision should drive the budget.
2. Dream Big: When the budget proposals start rolling in, the dreams start flowing. When you turn in your budget proposal to your staff, you’re turning in your vision. Numbers are just numbers if there’s no vision to drive it.
3. Don’t Complain, Use what You’ve Got! Let’s face it, most of us out there aren’t going to go from having a Student Ministry budget of $10,000 one year to having $45,000 the next. Most likely, your massive budget request in most churches will come back MUCH SMALLER than you had hoped.In my first student ministry position, my budget was, well, less than desirable. One of the leaders in the church encouraged me with some old school advice that God used to convict me and challenge me. He simply looked me in the eyes and said “Quit complaining and use what you’ve got to reach students for the the Kingdom of God.” Reality Check. I’ve used the line so many times. But this time it was real. We got creative, and stretched that budget as far as it would go. It was also one the most fruitful year of ministry we had during my time there. God is faithful. Plan and simple.
I’m a bit Red…
Many of you hate to fish. You think it’s the biggest waste of time. 
Worse than that, the idea of watching someone fish on the television is torture. Not me. I love to fish, and I love to watch it on TV as well. That is why I find this video to be hilarious. Enjoy.
The Prodigal Son…Lived out.
Check out this story from Rick and Mike Langston. Mike is one of our students here in our ministry, and I’m so pumped about where God has brought him. God is using Mike in his high school to use his story to tell others and lead others in the beauty of the gospel. Enjoy.
Love Your Leaders
When I think about the success of Summit Student Ministry, the thing I think about more than anything is our leaders (See photo, a few of our leaders at a MS event.) They are an army of brothers and sisters in Christ who are working hard towards seeing students come to faith in Christ and grow in their love of Him daily. To put it quite simply; this ministry would not exist without them. I love and cherish them. If you serve in Student Ministry, you know exactly what I am talking about.
When you care deeply about something, you take care of it. The same should be true of your leadership. Here are a few things I would suggest in regards to taking care of your leaders:
- Write Thank You’s: Time Consuming? No way. It takes just a few minutes of your day. You probably spend more time on facebook each day than it would to write 10 thank you notes. It’s a simple way to encourage them. Do not let this be optional.
- Spend Time With Them….outside of your scheduled ministry meeting. This doesn’t mean you have to plan a major hangout on a monthly basis. Start with meeting them one on one for coffee, lunch, shoot hoops, etc..
- Pray for them. Believe God on their behalf. As they are out on the frontlines week in and week out, let them know you’ve got’em covered in prayer.
- Serve alongside them and visit them in their ministry setting: Nobody likes a leader who barks out orders to everyone and then sits back and just watches. Get your hands dirty with them. Serve alongside them. Go to their small groups (Or Sunday School classes) and watch them do their magic during the week(end.) Support them by being there for them.
A Sweeping Revival?
“I believe the world is upon the threshold of a great religious revival, and I pray that I may be allowed to help bring this about. I beseech all those who confess Christ to ask Him today, upon their knees, if He has not some work for them to do now. He will lead them all as He has led us. He will make them pillars of smoke by day and pillars of fire by night to guide all men to Christ.”
- Evan Roberts, 1904
- Evan was a key player in the Welsh Revival.
- He was a College Student and Coal Miner
- Roberts had a dream of the Gospel going forward to his generation, on the backs of young people!
I believe we are on that very same threshold in this generation. I believe that this could be the generation that ushers in the Kingdom. THIS is why I do student ministry. Lord, bend this generation for your glory and name sake.
To read more on the Welsh Revival , Other Great Revivals in History, or Evan Roberts, check out some of these great resources.
- History Makers, Evan Roberts
- The Power to Change the World
- Revivals, Awakenings and Reform
- Join The Movement (Dr. Reid has a great section on the Welsh Revival and Evan Roberts)
Link It Up
I’ve been out for the past week welcoming my new daughter into the world. Having a boy 2 years ago changed my life for sure. But having a baby girl….I melted like butter. I also now know that I have the capacity to seriously inflict pain on someone if need be. That’s why I am in this guys class.
I wanted to pass along a few great reads that I’ve come across recently. Hope they encourage you and edify you as they did for me.
- Pastors: Clayton King has a great post for us!
- Five Ways to Make Your Kids Hate Church
- Thought The Resurgence did a good job Outlining the Timeline of the Rob Bell stuff here.
- Parents: A great article on talking to your kids about sex
- My Pastor has written some great blog posts on Prayer and Fasting. You can start with part 1 by going here.
- Perry Noble had a great post on Staying Healthy.
Making Disciples
“Are we creating spectators of the kingdom or participators and servants for the kingdom?”
- Jim Burns, The Youth Builder
