I have recently begun a Genesis study with my High School Kingdom
Seekers Bible Study group. Since there is only about eight weeks
until Mission training begins, there is no way we can get through
the vast book.

However, several of the kids told me that they would
be interested in that study so I decided we would do what we could
in the time we have.

The first night of the study, I rolled out a long sheet of
newsprint type paper and spread markers all over it. It was a big
group so I needed lots of materials.

After prayer I gave them a simple task; tell me anything they knew
about Genesis. I told them they could use words or phrases or draw
pictures. It would be up to them individually.

As soon as I said “go” about thirty 14-17 year-olds were up and at it
having a great time trying to remember some facts and drawing their
pictures.

Some of the pictures were just outrageous. It was especially fun to
see the difference in how the boys and the girls expressed Adam and
Eve in the garden!

After about 30 minutes, I had different students share with me what they
knew and show me the information they put on the paper. They all
had fun viewing each others expressions of their Genesis knowledge.

As I watched the high school group that evening, I was reminded
again how important it is to do fun and creative learning
activities, even with the “big kids.”

In truth, it frustrates me that so often the good activities and
techniques are always left for elementary kids.

I believe the church can engage high school students more in Bible
Study and grow their love for the Word of God if we would just allow
the kids to be kids.

The problem is adults believe that the high school age group is too big,
sophisticated, or mature and will reject activities like the one I
described above. The truth is I know they really will go for fun
approaches.

Sure, all groups have their token negative, sighing,
eye rolling, apathetic 11th grader. So what? That person cannot be
allowed to define your teaching style.

My wife has been a High School Spanish teacher for several years.
Because she teaches Spanish I and II she gets 9th and 10th graders
(re: the pinnacle of negative, apathetic, anti-establishment
behavior).

She can get them to do the most amazing things including
singing children’s songs in Spanish, learning cultural dances,
performing skits for small children and a lot more.

How does she do it? She sets the atmosphere, expects participation,
and before the kids know it, they are having a great time while they
are learning.

I’m not sure what you’re teaching style is, but I hope you are
including fun and creative activities as part of your weekly plan.

It does not have to be a complicated, high priced game that
includes fog machines and blinking lights. It may just be
construction paper and markers. But be sure to get your kids
moving, get them talking, get them engaged.

Don’t talk at them for an hour; include them in fun and productive
learning experiences.

This will go a long way towards teaching them a love for the Word
of God. Are you scheduled to teach a high school Bible study this
week? Go and have fun with High School!
-Greg Gunn

Popularity: 2% [?]

Matthew 4 contains one of my very favorite Bible verses. It is
subtle, but so challenging.

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at
the tax collectors booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got
up and followed him.” – Matthew 4:9

In this small passage we learn but another amazing attribute about
our Savior; He sees in others More…what no one else can. Matthew
was a tax collector which was a very unpopular profession in those
days.

It was common knowledge among the people that tax collectors
charged more than they were supposed to and pocketed the profits.

Did Matthew participate in this behavior? We do not know but he was
certainly guilty by association in the minds of most. Additionally
Matthew was a Jew working to collect taxes for Herod and the Roman
Empire. The other Jews in the town would have viewed him as a
traitor.

So there was Matthew at his tax collecting table when this man
Jesus came walking through town. Across a busy and dusty street
their eyes met. While everyone else in town saw a tax collector,
Jesus saw an evangelist. When everyone else saw a weak Jewish
servant of Herod, Jesus saw a strong servant of God. When everyone
saw a thief, Jesus saw a man who would ultimately give his life for
the cause of Christ.

The eyes of the Creator met with the eyes of the created and Jesus
simply said, “Follow me.”

Jesus saw in Matthew what no one else did.

Every Thursday we have our youth rally. At 6:15 (with a 7:00 start
time) I stand on the sidewalk by the parking lot hoping to greet
students as they come and make some positive parent contacts.

I watch as all kinds of kids show up for church. The popular and the
unpopular, the 13 year old and the 17 year old, the loud and the
quiet, they all come.

And somewhere through iPods, oversize clothes, heavy make-up, and
posturing for friends, my assignment is to pray that my eyes will
see what God sees in them.

My confession is that it is not always an easy task to see the
potential in others. For all the kids that really stand out and
their talents are obvious, there are those that it is real hard to
see what God might do with them.

But that is my problem, not God’s.

Just as Jesus took the life of a tax collector and made him an
evangelist, so He can take the life of a sloppy, apathetic teen and
make them somebody for the Kingdom of God.

My challenge is the same as yours. I must continually condition my
eye sight to see in others what God sees in them.

How are you doing in this area? I hope that you will join me in the
quest to look at every teenager who comes in our path, and see what
they can be for our Lord.

See You next week!

Greg Gunn

Popularity: 2% [?]

Do you have a great ministry? Are things going really well? Are
members of the congregation frequently telling you how wonderful
you are and what a difference you are making? Well, I hope so. But,
I have a question for you. What will your ministry look like after
you leave?

Whether you are a paid staff member or a sold out volunteer, the time
will come when you will no longer hold your current role. Then what?
Will the ministry collapse without your leadership? Will the kids
all move on somewhere else and find a different “cool” youth leader?

What will happen?

Well, Good things are happening! There is something you can do to
contribute to (not guarantee) the ongoing success of your ministry
after you have long departed; train other people to do what you do!

It seems like such a simple concept but, amazingly, there are many,
many leaders who do not train other adults to continue a ministry
work. Don’t believe me? How many times have you heard (or been part
of) a conversation like this…

“How are things going with the youth group at First church?”

“Well (deep sigh), not too well. Ever since Pastor Bobby left,
things have been terrible. Not very many kids come anymore and most
of the volunteers have stepped out. The Pastor needs to hurry along
and hire someone soon.”

A great youth leader pours into those who work alongside him/her.
This way when transition times comes the ministry can continue,
expand, and flourish until continuing leadership settles in.
Briefly, I want to suggest three things you need to pour into those
leaders around you.

First, pour vision into your leaders. Volunteers and paid staff
alike must constantly be reminded what the vision of the ministry
is. Without this critical part, a youth ministry will rapidly
wander off into a sub-mediocre social group that will entertain
kids but offer no substance.

Tips:

Make sure you have a vision for your ministry
Communicate that vision often and creatively to your youth and
leaders.

At your next meeting for volunteers/youth helpers, ask if anyone
can share what the vision of the ministry is. If no one can answer,
you have some work to do.

Second, pour the essential elements of youth ministry into your
leadership team. Proactively teach your help what is really
important in working with today’s teens.

Again, if those who follow you are not well grounded in the
essential principles of youth ministry, the ministry will quickly
drift off course.

Finally, pour process into your leadership team. Are you great at
giving devotions? Teach someone else to do it.

Are you a great activities leader? Show someone else how to be a
great activities leader. Are you really gifted at teaching Bible?

Share tips of your trade with your helpers so that they may in turn
bless others.

Teach your helpers the processes you use that make you a great youth
leader.

Popularity: 2% [?]