Grow yourself and ministry as a resource. One of the most common traits among youth workers who impact their local schools is that they have developed themselves resources schools want to use. Advanced training, certifications and degrees are readily available through institutes of higher learning. More education often creates more opportunity for entering the school arena. Think about it, excuse the generalization that youth workers know how to interact and speak to teenage audiences. With education credentials, how cool would it be to be “that” guest speaker giving “that” talk in your local high-school general assembly? Our ministry recently created a 501(c)3 called Teen Lifeline (www.lifelivedbetter.org). Our high school minister completed a master’s degree in counseling, discovered a need through working with local school counselors (relationship building), developed a program to meet that need, then resigned his church-based ministry to work in this community-based ministry. (It is truly cutting-edge, lets-take-it-to-them strategy.) Currently, the program is fully funded, operating in a number of local school districts and enjoying a number of open-door opportunities. Perhaps the root of the statement, “They don’t want us in schools!” is our fault. Develop yourself and ministry into relevant, useful resources!

   

The Power of a Hamburger

Recently a ninth grader gave his life to Christ with an interesting story of his conversion. While still a sixth-grade student at a local public middle school, he was handed a hamburger by our junior high minister who was at the school eating with one of our “regular” students. He found the minister to be friendly and genuinely interested in him coming to visit our youth ministry. Interestingly (Or was it divine plan?), the hamburger receiving sixth grader was a student in a class taught by one of our youth volunteers. Long story short, the student came to youth group, saw the youth minister, his teacher and was well-received by a group of students and adults who lived out their faith inside and outside school hours. Three years later, the kid gave his life to Christ and was baptized by the teacher’s husband (a school administrator), who also developed a relationship with the young man. Wow! Witness the power of a hamburger and simple invitation given during a school lunch.  (Note: No gospel tracts were used or offered during this interaction).