Episode 31: Avoiding a Competitive Spirit by Learning to Define Success
This week on the Who Are These Guys Podcast we have hosts Tom Roepke, Scott Mullens, Lee Nicholson, and Mr. Meltdown Matthew McNutt.
This week we talk about how to deal with a competitive spirit, and how it usually comes from an inaccurate measurement for gauging the success of your ministry to yourself, your pastor and you congregation. We also talk about mobile blogging, productivity and other resources.
Show Notes:
Utterz
Tom’s Utterz
Tony’s Utterz
43 Folders
David Allen - author of Getting Things Done
Inbox Zero - Merlin Mann
Tom typing in the background
Malone College
Skype
Church 2.0
Twitter.com
Purpose Driven Youth Ministry
Mentioned Resources
"Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity" (David Allen)
"Purpose-Driven® Youth Ministry" (Doug Fields)
Tiny projects keep it new - (37signals)
In the ongoing and relentless schedule of ministry and it’s programs, larger projects (i.e. Easter, Summer Camps, Christmas, etc.) can easily lose their momentum and focus. Check out this article from the guys over at 37signals.com and how they keep large projects manageable and interesting.
The typical project starts out great but then our motivation and interest wanes as time goes on. It’s natural. Staying interested in a project over a long period of time is a challenge for anyone. The longer the project the thinner the tail. You’re not going to do your best work in the tail. [From Tiny projects keep it new - (37signals)]
Alltop - will help you keep on top of things…
Guy Kawasaki has just launched a new startup website called Alltop . It has categories that for the major themes and topics being written about on the web, even teen news. Then is creates summary pages from the main sites on these topics and shows you the most popular stuff on the web relating to it.
It is automated web browsing and filtering - and looks like it could save you a bunch of time.
Episode 30: Keeping Balance in Ministry: The struggle between family, faith and kids farting in the front row
Show Notes
We are back with a new Who Are These Guys podcast episode! This week Tom Roepke and Scott Mullens both join me in talking about the struggle to keep balance in youth ministry, social networking and Macintosh computers. It’s a great show and we are excited for next week when we will be talking about what to do when dealing with competitive youth pastors and ministries in your area.
Be sure to check the blog for guest posts and practical tips in ministry!
Links
Simply YM
Simply Podcast
Josh’s Blog
Tony Morgan’s Facebook Death
Social Networking in Plain English
Contagious Solutions - Show Sponsor
MySpace vs Facebook
Tony’s Twitter
Tom’s Twitter
Scott’s Twitter
Andy Stanely Article: cheating the Church
Saddleback Services Live
Top Stand Alone Laptop for Ministry
TWIT [This Week in Technology] Podcast with Leo Laporte
VM Ware Fusion
37 Signals
Call Recorder
Planning Center Online
How to use a blog for ministry - Weekend Summary
I believe that social media and the movement of interaction, openness and trust behind it are so suited for ministry that they are God inspired. That said, if there is going to be just one of these tools that you use I would suggest a blog. For most ministries a blog is all the website they need and it is in a format that helps to bring value to your overall community and “offline” relationships.
So, that being the case (at least in my mind), here is a great idea for a weekly post to have on your youth ministry blog, the Weekend Summary.
As you have a blog for a youth ministry you have basically three primary audiences: Students, Volunteers and Parents. A blog post like this doesn’t have to be long it would only need to included:
- A summary of the service (2-3 sentences)
- Bullet points of your bullet points (lol) but whatever your 2-5 points in the teach was, just list them in the post.
- The “will you” / challenge / application. If you are ending your teaching/sermons with this sort of thing (hint: you should!) then include it here!
- Preview of next week. Don’t get scared we all know you haven’t even started on it yet, but at least give the title and one line about what you will be teaching about next weekend.
For each “member” of your audiences here is why this sort of post carries so much value:
Parents:
In most youth ministries communications parents or pathetically left out even though they are the most important people needing information from you. A post like this gives parents 1) comfort finally having a chance to know what their kids are learning and that it isn’t wacky. 2) It gives them a “trigger” for conversation with their teen during the week to ask them what they thought about the sermon and if they have thought about the challenge/application/ etc.
Volunteers:
Not all your volunteers will be at, or should be required to be at the weekend services. But it would still be great if they were able to stay up to date on what is being taught. This is especially true for your small group leaders as they can bring the weekend challenge into their discussions. It also helps your volunteers that love inviting new students cause they can let them know what is coming next week.
Students:
Students are the ones we communicate to all the time. Having a post like this gives them the opportunities to ask questions, give feedback, and continue the conversation online. It also helps to remind them of what you taught because we all know they forgot it as soon as that one kid farted during the prayer at the end of the service. And just like with your volunteers it gives them a little knowledge that helps when they might take a chance and invite someone to come with them next week!
One Last Episode - Josh and Tony are walking through new doors!
Well my friends it is time for this podcast to come to a close. Josh and I both are being called into new roles in our lives and the availability and energy to keep doing the podcast just isn’t there. If you haven’t heard Josh has been asked to be the Interim High School Pastor for Saddleback Church. This is a great opportunity for Josh. But if you were stepping into Doug Fields old shoes you would want to make sure nothing was distracting you as well! Pray for Josh and go over and congratulate him at his blog!
For me I have been feeling a call to do something different with social media and the church for a while but hadn’t been able to put my finger on it. Just recently I have had some great conversations with mentors and leaders in my area and have started to get a clearer vision to what it is God has be stepping towards. So I am in the process of planting a church, but one that is built from the ground up through the internet. I am still writing, talking and figuring out what that means, but I am going to start this spring with a website, weekly teaching that is a combination of sermon and small group, and community building. There is a landslide of thoughts I have on the subject and if you are interested in the church, the idea, think it is terrible, or whatever please let me know. I am focusing all my writing and thoughts about this church, ministry and other fun stuff at my blog www.tonystewardblog.com .
BUT! We still have one show that we have committed to back when we ran the contest for registrations to Group’s National Youth Ministry conference coming up this year. Scott Mullens show idea on “The 21 questions to ask while interviewing” is the show we are going to use to close the Who Are These Guys Podcast chapter. If you have any thoughts or ideas on this topic, and even if you want to be on the final show, then email me at steward.tony |at| gmail |dot| com .
As a parting note, I want to let everyone know how much Josh and I have appreciated your kind words and encouragements as we did this podcast. We honestly never thought so many of you would be blessed like you have and are thrilled that we were able to provide encouragement, insight and training for you and your ministries. Many of our podcast shows have been downloaded over 4,000 times and we know there is a community of around 300 people who were faithful listeners.
The website and podcast feed will stay live for a long time - and who knows maybe this will just end up being a pause on the show.
Thanks all and Blessings for you and your ministries! And remember that you have something to contribute to students, to your church and especially to other youth pastors!
Teens Using Social Media - Changed your Ministry?
Teens Using Social Media Connie Bensen: My Conversations
As I was reading this article I starting wondering what youth pastors out “in the field” where noticing in how teenagers use social media. Is email nearly as effective as sms or using a social network like facebook or myspace?
How has social media changed the way you communicate to your teens and what trends do you see appearing over the next 2-3 years?
Personal attention drives Apple Store success - what about the church?
How good is your church at paying personal attention to people, their questions, their concerns, etc? Apple has certainly keyed in on the combination of support, convenience and the expression of authentic concern in their stores. Starbucks does it in their coffee shops. In both cases the level of community, loyalty and commitment are unbelievable and totally natural at the same time.
When I walk into an Apple store I know that I am not intruding if I am only there to check my email on their computer. When I walk into a Starbucks I know if I am just there to get a newspaper, or sit down and work on my computer for a while, that I am welcome to do so - no pressure to bye something first. Both of these places feel comfortable and welcoming because they value being the center of their community along with providing the highest quality possible.
In fact I would bet that most people are more loyal to Apple or Starbucks more than they are to there church, and at a certain level for good reason. They have focused on how people feel when they come through the door, not what they can get out them, at least at first. And a real key is that both Apple and Starbucks don’t have to beg people into their stores.
Now think of this in regards to ministry. How can we provide an environment where people can come and check us out? How can we make ourselves a place that is at the center of our community? How can we let people know they don’t have to make a commitment first before we will help them out?
In my mind the church should be the leader in this space, and if you especially Apple you can see the truths of the Bible and “evangelism” in full play. They might not even realize the truths they are using to build community and spread a message -but they have nailed something churches have missed. They best environment to do this is in a neutral setting, where people aren’t pressured but where they are served. hmmm..
What do you guys think?
Personal attention drives Apple Store success - (37signals)
Paul’s Advice to a Young Leader for 2008
I am currently studying through 1st Timothy and came across a classic piece of scripture that many young leaders in ministry like to point to, myself included. It is 1st Timothy 4:12 that says;
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
I think most of us get pretty frustrated when we are looked down upon as being too inexperienced, to “youthful”, or are just not taken seriously when we speak or contribute. But most of us stop there, we don’t look at the “rather” statement by Paul.
Paul’s advice to Timothy, who probably dealt with the same issues, was to focus on how to “show yourself an example of those who believe.” Paul was basically saying, what all of us have either heard or have been told, to not focus first on other people’s expectations. That we need to focus on who God is calling us to be and we need to follow that calling, especially in regards to the behavior we exhibit and the decisions we make.
The advice most of us have ever received usually stops there, with the generalization of putting God’s expectations first, and to not worry about people. Thankfully, Paul doesn’t stop there. Paul takes it the step further most of us have missed and gives Timothy some specific areas to focus on as a young leader in ministry.
The Five Essentials for a Young Leader:
Speech: A lot of times it isn’t so much what you say - but how you say it that shows wisdom or reveals foolishness. Or, it is if you say anything at all. Do you have the patience to say the right things at the right time?
[James 3:5-12, 1 Peter 2:1-3]
Conduct: This is a pretty obvious one, but how do you conduct yourself around others. Are you the one always stepping over the line in humor? When there is a large group serving, are you talking to people or putting yourself to action? First to come and last to leave, or just putting your time in?
[James 3: 13-18, Titus 2:1-5]
Love: What are your motivations? Are you reaching out to people in love or using them in ambition? Are people an interruption or an opportunity? Do you avoid the unsightly, poor and the “weird”, or are you drawn to them like Jesus was? What was the last truly selfless thing you did for someone (outside of ministry)?
[Luke 6:27-36, 1 John 4:7-21]
Faith: Who is your faith stirring you to be? 1 Timothy 3:9 describes faithful men as “holding to the mystery of faith with a clear conscience.” You don’t have to know everything, but do you believe in a way that is transparent and authentic? Are you clear about what you believe and is that a consistent element in the decisions you make?
[Hebrews 11, Matthew 21:17-22]
Purity: What does the morality in your dating relationships look like? If we could get your web browser alone and we interviewed it, what kind of things would we find out? How truthful are you at work? with your spouse? What kind of reactions do you have when your children mess up? Have you been faking the progress of sanctification for so long you don’t even know where to start living pure?
[1 Peter 1:13-21, 1 John 3]
I’ve been harsh on these questions and their assumptions because my experience has shown that not many people are willing to ask these sort of questions before something happens. But they usually have no problem putting them to someone the already know is guilty (no risk). If your desire is to honor your call, and is to “show yourself an example of those who believe”, then focus on these five areas of spiritual leadership. I have included some simple verses for each area for you to process. Take some time and journal through your thoughts, talk to God about how you are doing in each of them. It would be great to start the new year focused on taking Paul’s advice and seeing where it can take you.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The Who Are These Guys Podcast is going to be taking a holiday break until the new year. We are getting ready to gear up for 2008 and continue to talk about the issue and questions we all have as regular “joes” being used by God in powerful and significant ways.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We will see you in 2008!
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