F O R S T A R T E R S

f r o m D o u g F i e l d s

TRENCHE SI N T H E

YOU T H LE ADER T RAINING ON T HE GO

TRAINING on the GOWhat’s the last book you read

from cover to cover? What

impact did it have on you?

What resources have helped

make your youth ministry more

effective?

Andy is one of my long-term vol-unteers who constantly puts me to shame with his intense desire to learn. He’s always commenting on a new youth ministry resource, a new Web site he’s visited, or a new magazine he’s found. I often tell him, “I’m the youth pastor and I should be telling you about these things.” He smiles and appeases me by replying that I’m the lead youth worker but he’s really the leader because he’s so committed to learning. Leaders are committed learners—and Andy sets the pace.

With so much knowledge and access to resources, Andy is also very helpful to other volunteers because he directs them to the right resources. (I just wish he’d talk about my books.) How are you like or unlike Andy?

To be an eff ective volunteer, you’ll need to regularly sharpen your mind, heart, and skills. Many great resources exist that’ll help you become a better youth ministry leader—as youth ministry becomes a stronger and more academic pursuit, dozens of books and tools are published each year. My suggestion is to try to read at least two books or resources a year: one that’ll help your own spiritual growth and one to sharpen your youth ministry skills.

Learning and growing in your own faith is an important part of being a youth ministry leader. Reading a book about building your faith may not seem, at fi rst, a youth ministry–related topic. However, if you’re going to lead teenagers closer to God, you need to be growing spiritually yourself. Teaching students out of your own growth is the most powerful way to help them develop.

Finding resources that will help with your youth ministry skills is oft en one of personal choice or recommendation. I know I’ve enjoyed books that other youth workers didn’t like, and vice versa. Ask a few other youth leaders to suggest the “one” book that every youth worker should read—and then track it down.

I get almost all of my youth ministry books and resources online because I can easily fi nd them, read excerpts and samples of the ideas, and view other people’s opinions before making the purchase. Two sources for good youth ministry resources are www.simplyyouthministry.com and www.youthministry.com.

If your youth ministry or church does not already have one, help begin and build a youth ministry library. When you fi nd a book or resource that’s helpful to you, donate it to the library for others to read aft er you’ve fi nished with it. Th is will give all your leaders the opportunity to become well rounded, both personally and in their ministry to youth.

Of course, books are not the only helpful youth ministry resource available to you. Th e list is endless—whether the need is spiritual growth, foundational practices of youth ministry, or great ideas and activities for Bible studies, worship events, and service projects. You can fi nd multimedia kits, complete programs, game books, CDs and DVDs, youth ministry and family- dedicated Web sites, and Internet podcasts focused on youth ministry issues.

One of the biggest myths about youth ministry is that every idea has to be original and created specifi cally for your ministry. Buying into this myth has wasted countless hours. Th e best use of your creativity is learning from resources created by others who have already been where you want to take your ministry. Using the best youth ministry tools will relieve the pressure of unrealistic expectations and, most importantly, free up your time to do relational ministry with your students.

L E A R N F R O M R E S O U R C E S

MA K E I T P ER SONA L

CONNECT to God’s Word

Permission to photocopy this handout granted for local church use. Copyright © Doug Fields. Published in Youth Leader Training on the Go by Group Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 481, Loveland, CO 80539. www.youthministry.com and www.simplyyouthministry.com

T O T H E PO IN T

T R Y I TConnect with three or four youth workers. They can be from your own youth ministry setting or from another church or youth ministry organization. Invite these youth workers to a resource-sharing meeting. Have them each bring several of their favorite youth ministry resources. If the resources are free to photocopy, have each person bring enough copies for all attendees. Take time to talk about the different resources and why they are valuable. Hopefully, you’ll leave the meeting with great ideas, more learning, and a few new resources. If it’s helpful, reschedule for six months later and stay on the lookout for new resources to swap.

• Expand your mind; fi nd resources that’ll sharpen your ministry.

• Grow your youth ministry knowledge.

• Don’t reinvent the wheel; take advantage of the ideas that are already available.

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it . But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 3:13-14

• This verse is often understood in terms of

forgetting the bad that has happened and

pressing on toward the mysterious and miraculous

that God can bring (specifi cally, eternal life

because of Jesus’ resurrection). What if, however,

you read it through the lens of a ministry that is

going well and a youth leader who is healthy?

What does it mean for you then?

• How can you press on toward excellence and

pursue a ministry full of continual learning?

Write a response and prayer to God here…

L E A R N F R O M R E S O U R C E S