Evaluations and some great ideas
Posted by Kami on Feb 28, 2008 in Uncategorized | 1 commentHey all-thanks for tons of great evaluations! We’ll be drawing for the IPOD soon, and might even through in a free conference registration for 2009 for the best comments received! I’ll keep ya’ll updated on the comments and trends we’re hearing. I’m loving the big dreamers out there–suggestions for Bono as a keynote speaker. Hey–maybe Bono will cut us a break and speak AND bring in a little U2 concert. We’re in the brainstorming phase…right? (I can’t imagine the technical riders on some of these suggestions, that’s enough to send me to a padded room!)
This was my first time to a conference and my wife and I had a fantastic time. We were spiritually refreshed, and everything we went to has had an impact on our lives and youth ministry. I spent most of my time on the counseling track with Marv and was able to get such great insights into how to understand youth with deep issues. At the end of the session on cutting I was so overwhelmed and just waiting for the ‘what do you do now’ info. It was encouraging to find out that we are doing the right things already… building relationships, showing the love of Christ, being consistant, etc.
I have never heard of Dare 2 Share, but the message by Greg was very motivating and directional. We’ll be bringing our youth to the November meeting in Washington. Specifically I appreciated the talks about seeking out the tough questions and facing them head on with faith that God will give you the answers when you need them. I came back and started this with our high school youth and they gave me some great questions that I am responding to each week.
The skit guys were great and we’ve begun some impromptu drama which has been great. It’s getting them moving, involved and thinking.
In one of the first sessions when I heard the worship, great music, great leaders, and the ninth grade band I was very moved. My heart started to break with sorrow as I realized how most of my group has never experienced this kind of worship before. I have, but they haven’t. I’m not a music guy, don’t play the guitar, and don’t know how to lead music… so my youth are missing out on meeting with God through worship. When we broke up into threes to pray for the person to our left, what an incredible experience. I turned to my wife and could see in my heart her standing at the sink in our kitchen with a smile on her face, kids in the house, but she was turning looking at our island seeing Jesus there who was pleased with her as she uses her gift of hospitality. In the midst of a full house it was Jesus that she was connecting with as He was using her to reach teens. When the guy, (I had never met) turned to me and he said… I don’t know why, but I just want to say the word ‘music’, the very thing on my heart for these kids. After I came back I shared my heart with my HS discipleship group about the desire to begin a music ministry… they were all excited and started to share with me what they can do to make it happen. So we’re moving forward in faith that God will work out the details of a new youth led worship team.
Doug and his wife helped both my wife and I greatly. Dougs message about caring about kids, my wife’s time in his wife’s session for pastor’s wives were great helps to us. We came back to the ‘leader stuff’ that can be difficult. I came home from a meeting which was actually a good meeting but I didn’t want to talk about it with my wife… I was tired and didn’t want to continue the meeting at home for another hour. This was the first time my wife realized that she didn’t need to know everything and that it wasn’t a rejection of her, I just needed some time to unwind. It may seem like a little thing, but it was pretty freeing for both of us. It also helped to talk about how to use our home, our schedule etc., in a practical way. My wife is now in taking over my scheduling which frees me up and gives her a little more oversight of my needed free time. Sometimes my free time feels like I’m not accomplishing much, I tend to feel guilty about it, but it helps to know that’s normal and I need it anyway. I teach high school full time and I’m the youth pastor as well… so I am pretty booked. Doug.. thanks for all of the material you have provided us. I have used both revolution series and given out about 100 one minute bibles which our High School and Middle School groups are both using for our mid week events. I have given it to several high school teachers who are also using it at school for devotionals… great inreach material!
Our High School group is currently about thirty, (it was 2, two years ago) and many of them are unchurched, and unsaved. Since the conference five of them have come to the Lord in a strong way, and I do believe their families and friends will follow.
Just a couple suggestions for future affinity groups. I would like some regional groups… we didn’t meet anyone from central New York and I imagine there were many there. Also a group for public school teachers, I wonder if there were any others. It would be great to share some strategies and get some encouragement.
Thank you all for your work and faithfulness. I could add more, but this is probably going overboard already. God bless and I’ll see you next year with my whole youth staff. Our leadership has already approved this in our budget for next year.
Allen Christman