The Systems You Need To Build A Lasting Student Ministry In 2010...

If you're youth group is going to grow spiritually and numerically in 2010 and become more of a "lasting student ministry", then you're going to need to have systems set in place.

I've been thinking a lot recently about systems. I haven't always been good with them in my life or when I was in youth ministry. But they're really important.

What do I mean by a "system"?

A system is a way you have come up with doing something over and over to get the best result you can.

A system can be made up of these things:

How you do something (method)
When you do something (sequence/order)
Where you do it (location)

We all have systems that we use in our own, everyday lives.
You don't believe me? Ok. I'll prove it to you... :)

What's your system for putting on your pants in the morning?
How do you usually do it? While sitting down or standing up?
When do you put your right leg in? First or second?
Where do you usually do it? In the bathroom after your shower? In the bedroom?

You HAVE a sytem - a way you usually put your pants on - whether you realized it or not!

It might not be the best way, but it's the way that you have come up with consistently doing it.

Systems help us to do the regular, consistent activities that we need to do in life, so that we can see a consistent result in a consistent amount of time.

That's why I'm telling you...

IF your group is going to grow spiritually and numerically in 2010 and become more of a "lasting student ministry", then you're going to HAVE to have systems (or NEW, BETTER ones) set in place!

What type of systems do you need for your youth group in 2010?
Here are SOME of the systems you need...

• A system to bring new students to your group
• A system to help these students connect with the other students and begin connecting with God
• A system to help them come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior
• A system to make sure that YOU grow spiritually in 2010
• A system to help your leaders (adults & students) to grow spiritually and in the skills they need to lead.
• A system to help the students who already know Jesus to grow in their relationship with him and live out more of their faith (discipleship).
• A system to help your group minister to your community (outreach).

Don't be overwhelmed by this list!
You probably already have a system for some of these things!

Here's what to do:

1. Print up that list of suggested systems that you need for 2010 and put a "check mark" by the ones where you have a system already.
2. Put a "+" sign next to the ones you already have a system for and that you think are pretty good systems.
3. Put a "-" sign next to the ones you already have a system for and that you think are NOT good systems.
4. Circle the ones that you don't have a system for at all.

Now here's your ACTION plan:

Take that list and focus on the systems you have a "-" sign for or the ones that are circled.

Pray, think, and dream - alone and with your leaders - of ways that you can improve the bad systems you have and come up with systems for the areas that are system-less.

(When you're done with those things, you can go back to the systems you put a "+" sign by and pray, think, and dream of ways to do these even more effectively!)

There you go. The systems you need to grow your youth group in 2010 and how to begin putting these sytems in place!

If you can begin working on these things now and in early January, then you'll be able to see new growth in your group in these areas in 2010.

That's it. Go and improve and build your systems!

Just a heads up...

• If you have already purchased my ebook "How To Build A Lasting Student Ministry", then I'm going to send you a link that you can use to give 2 copies of my ebook to 2 youth ministry friends as a CHRISTMAS GIFT to them. (Then you can check them off your list.)
  
• I have one last e-class for my "Talk Boosters" e-course that I'm doing next week. On Friday the recordings and/or ebook versions will be ready and available for any of you to purchase.
  
  I think you're really going to like what I've been teaching in this e-course. Why?
  
  Because I've heard positive response from the people who have been a part of it.
  
  Not only that, but I think you'll like it because a big chunk of it is stuff that I've never heard talked about the "art" and "science" of preaching. I'm teaching you things that I think many youth pastors don't know about speaking. I'll be sending you all info on this on FRIDAY - if you're on my email lists. Stay tuned.
  
  (*And you WILL be allowed as I did with the ebook to share this with any of your leadership team (volunteer or paid) at your church for no extra cost.)

How Preparing Your Talk (Sermon) Is Like Preparing A Meal

I'm finishing up prepping for my 2nd e-class tomorrow and I had an idea I wanted to share with you...

There is a lot in common with preparing a meal and preparing a talk. Let me show you.

1. Preparing Your Meal

When you're preparing a meal, the first thing you need to do is come up with a menu - what you will serve.

Preparing Your Talk

When you're preparing a talk, the first thing you need to do is come up with a topic or theme (i.e. the truth you will focus on serving).

2. Preparing Your Meal

When you're preparing a meal, the next thing you need to do is decide what ingredients you will use - what you will put in your dish.

Preparing Your Talk

When you're preparing a talk, the next thing you need to do is decide what ingredients you will use - what you will put in your talk to express and explain the idea/truth you want to get across.

3. Preparing Your Meal

When you're preparing a meal, the next thing you need to do is to put the ingredients together and cook (or prepare) them.

Preparing Your Talk

When you're preparing a talk, the next thing you need to do is to put the ingredients together and prepare your talk. This is where you decide on the overall flavor and come up with the final way it will "taste" to your students.

4. SERVING Your Meal

When you're done preparing a meal, the final thing you need to do is to decide what courses will come first, and in what order, and then serve your dish.

This is the final test of all your plans before. You will now know whether people enjoy and are able to digest what you served them.

SERVING Your Talk

When you're done preparing your talk, the final thing you need to do is to decide what "courses" (or parts) you will present first and in what order you will present the ideas/verses/illustrations to serve the truth you have to share.

This is the final test of all your plans before. You will now know whether people enjoy and are able to "digest" what you served them.

Think about this analogy as you prepare your talk (sermon) for this week.

• Have you ever tasted some type of food cooked one way, by one person and thought you HATED it?
• But then later tasted the same type of food prepared a different way, by a different person, found out you actually LIKED it?

When that happens you find out your problem wasn't with the ingredient. It was the CHEF!

You don't ever want someone to reject God's truth, because of HOW you serve it!

You don't want to be the barrier to God's truth! You want to be the one who prepares and presents God's truth in the best possible way.

We need to become the best we can at presenting God's truth to our students. We need to do it in a way that they can enjoy or at least digest it!

If they reject it, we want it to be because of the truth itself, not because of how we served it!

I'm going to talk more about what to "sprinkle" throughout your talks (sermons) in my 2nd e-class Wed. 12/2 @ 10am PST and AGAIN Thurs. 12/3 @ 11:30am PST. If it sounds like something that would help you, then I hope you can make it!