Tag Archives: youth ministry

From Faith & Leadership — Teen’s online church draws young people from around the world

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By Joely Johnson Mork, freelance writer and contributor at Faith & Leadership, a publication of Duke Divinity School

“Like many teenagers, Daniel Herron, 16, of Tacoma, Washington, has a busy life. He’s a member of the Sea Scouts, the nautical branch of the Boy Scouts of America. He serves on the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Board, helping to award thousands of dollars to local organizations. He’s active in his high school’s Bible study group.

And he’s also the founder and pastor of an online church that has attracted more than 4,500 members. Not a “pretend” or “make-believe” church, but a real — albeit virtual — church where teenagers from across the country and around the world gather to worship, pray and connect with one another.

Known as The Robloxian Christians, or TRC, this nontraditional congregation has important lessons for those who lead traditional churches and church institutions, theologians and youth ministers say.”

Click here for full article — it’s worth the read!

Included are a few reflection questions regarding the nature of an online church, definitions of church, the needs of young people, and the abilities of young people:

  • What does The Robloxian Christians tell us about the capacity of young people for imaginative leadership in the church?
  • What spiritual and faith formation needs of young people is TRC meeting that “real world” churches are not?
  • How do “bricks and mortar” church experiences inform the practices of The Robloxian Christians? Why are “brick and mortar” churches still an important part of Daniel and other members’ lives?
  • Is TRC a “real” church? What makes a church “real”? What are the essentials of church?
  • Are the children and youth in your church agents of ministry, or objects of ministry? What is the difference?
  • How can your church provide a safe space for unchurched people to ask questions and have dialogue?

Let us know what you think!

Youth Pastor Promoted To Real Pastor

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SAN ANTONIO, TX—After years of toiling in a not-quite-a-real-pastor job, local youth pastor Chet Walden received an offer for a real pastor position Thursday, sources confirmed. According to reports, Walden immediately accepted the offer without reading any of the details, commenting to friends that he had “arrived” and his time of pre-pastorate testing was at an end.

Another funny article from the Babylon Bee – Click Here!

I cannot tell you how many times people would ask me when I was planning on becoming a “real” pastor.  Other friends were more careful, and would “encourage” me by stating how they could see me becoming a senior pastor some day.

While my faith in God and passion for the church remain, my life experience and view of scripture has led me away from working as a “pastor,” so I guess that I never was a “real” pastor.

But I share this for all my friends who work in youth and young adult ministry, may it cause you great joy and laughter.David - Prof 2

Dr. G. David Boyd is the managing director of EA Resources, and the Founder of the EA Network.

Orange is the New Black – Turning Family Ministry into More than a Fad.

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Orange is in.  Everyone must have it in their wardrobe, refer to it regularly, and show it off whenever possible.  Nowhere is this more true, than in the church.

The concept of Think Orange, a book written by Reggie Joiner, states the influence of the church and family working together makes a greater impact than those same two influences can have individually.  This ministry philosophy seeks to unite family and church to have a stronger spiritual impact on children and adolescents.

Orange is the topic of many sermons, and many are attending the conferences.  Many churches are changing the titles of their pastors (to include the word family), but…

does it go any deeper?

I fear that many churches have added an orange outfit to their closet, just in case they need it.  They have bought the book, know the bullet points, and spout off the right answers when the topic is discussed.  However, Reggie writes, “Family ministry should not be another program you add to your list of programs.  It should be the filter you use to create and evaluate what you do to influence children and teenagers.”  (Think Orange, 83)

We have to move orange beyond fad, and into practice.

In order to accomplish this…

As a youthworker, I know you are overwhelmed.  It is hard to evaluate when you have several families in crisis and another program to prepare for in just a few hours.  However, a time of reflection and evaluation is always worth the effort.

If you are interested in an overhaul, and don’t know where to begin, contact David at gdavid@earesources.org.

4 Lies Church Taught Me about Sex

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I found this article well-written, and true as I work regularly with those who were raised in the church, and are now married.

Two Quotes:

“Those of us who choose to wait do so because we hold certain beliefs about the sacredness of marriage and about God’s intentions and wishes for humanity, and we honor these regardless of whether they feel easier or harder.”

We do not refrain from sex because God will bless our sex lives.  We seek to glorify God with our lives before we are married by remaining pure.  We glorify God after marriage by enjoying His gift of sex.

“In the meantime, we in the evangelical church has a lot of work to do correcting the distorted ways we talk about sex and sexuality, especially to our youth.”

No youth pastor has ever tried confuse their students about sex, but it happens.  Even if we are careful about what we teach, we cannot control how it is heard.  However, perspectives like this are helpful as we try to address the sexual purity that is so desperately needed in our society without directing our sheep into other errors.

Read the Article here.

Dr. G. David Boyd