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Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry Wednesday, January 23, 2008
A Week in the Life of a Youth Pastor David R. Smith You're sitting somewhat paralyzed in your office chair. The dazed and confused look on your face comes from seeing 56 new emails in your inbox, the phone's little red light blinking in your peripheral vision signaling voice mails, and the weekly calendar that reminds you of the two Bible studies and one talk due this week. Where do you start? You're not alone. Lots of youth pastors ask the question, "So, what should my work week look like?" Too many youth pastors, who are burdened by the incredibly difficult task of guiding teenagers in a world-run-amuck, carry a bum rap because of how they choose to spend their time. It's a great question to ask yourself, because it proves that you are focused on being as effective and efficient as possible. However, it's also a difficult question to answer. Every youth ministry requires a different type and level of care. Plus, no two church leadership boards expect the same from their youth pastor. And finally, no two youth pastors are the same. So, if you're expecting to find a filled out, color-coded, work calendar ripped from Doug Fields' Daytimer in this article, you're gonna be disappointed. I will offer you the major components of a productive youth ministry and encourage you to implement them as you see fit. Almost 99% of all youth ministry falls into one of three categories:
CAN WE SHOW THE BIG GAME ON THE BIG SCREEN AT OUR CHURCH? Every year our ministry provides fun resources for all the churches and youth groups that have Super Bowl parties. Last year, a wrench was thrown in the works... the NFL cracked down on churches showing the game on the big screen. Seriously? Yep... no joke. This actually doesn't surprise me. Any Monday Night Football fan remembers that little disclaimer they make about the game not being for public showing, yada, yada, yada. Well, some churches have these giant Super Bowl parties and charge admission. Recently, the NFL has been cracking down on these large gatherings watching the game on the big screen. Here are the two issues: collecting money, and screen size. The Daily Progress out of Charlottesville, VA has an article talking about this situation. This article talks about the Indianapolis church that was told they couldn't show the game on the big screen. A Charlottesville lawyer, John W. Whitehead, wants to fight this, saying that "he'd sue if he could only find a church willing to sign on as a client." (Really? A lawyer wants to sue?) The article goes into detail:
At issue is a law and corresponding league rule that says the Super Bowl can't be shown to gatherings
on a screen larger than 55 inches.
Is a lawsuit the answer?Whitehead, who has made a career in part by defending religious groups on free speech issues, says that rule keeps most churches from being able to host Super Bowl parties and show the game. "It's absurd to say that anyone in a larger crowd can watch it on a 55-inch screen," he said. "They can't." The league's policy is modeled after the federal Copyright Act, and does not unfairly target churches, according to an NFL spokesman. "Our position on this is that we have absolutely no objection to churches and others hosting Super Bowl viewing parties as long as they don't charge admission and they show the game on a television of the type that is commonly used at home," said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. Here's my two cents: Fair or not, it's a law. We need to obey it. But don't worry... we can still have Super Bowl parties, IN HOMES. That's right. Personally, that's more fun anyway. It's more intimate. For large churches or youth groups, what a great way to connect people with others in their area. Have "area Super Bowl parties." And as for the money? Don't charge admission, just make it a "bring your own snack" party. Admission is a bag of Doritos or a 2 Liter of Pepsi. A few examples of what this can look like...
Every once in a while Jonathan is able to offer a free training for youth workers in a certain area of the country. (Yeah... we know, we know. Sorry it couldn't be in your area!) So cancel your plans! This Saturday, January 26th, Jonathan is launching a brand new training workshop and this one time only, he's offering it totally free to any youth workers who can attend.  in a World of Isolation January 26th, Jonathan is doing a FREE Saturday morning workshop (9AM to noon) for youth workers within driving distance of Sacramento, CA. If you're a youth worker, paid or a volunteer, this is for you! Here's the details for this California training: WHEN:
1001 Suncast Lane El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 www.SunHills.org
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