Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Ministry Encouragement Podcast – Rev. Jim W. Hollis
Episode #012 – 9-19-12
Hello and welcome to EPISODE 012 of the Ministry Encouragement Podcast, an experience that will touch you at the point of one or more of your greatest needs, lift your life spiritually AND provide you with new Christ-empowered motivation to move fully into the JOY of discipleship and the ADVENTURE of ministry. I am SO appreciative of you allowing me to share in your life today through this Podcast!
I am Rev. Jim Hollis, the Founder and Executive Director of Proactive Ministries. God has blessed our ministry Staff of 22 experienced clergy and laity, who has provided ministry coaching and training with leaders in more than 900 congregations across North America since 1993. Proactive Ministries is the sponsor of this Podcast and can be found at: www.proactive-ministries.org OR on our Facebook Page, “Proactive Ministries,” which we encourage you to locate and LIKE.
Welcome to Episode 012, in which we will be talking further this week about bringing ministry transformation to Youth Ministry. I will be sharing a personal interview with Nate Juvinall, who is a gifted and experienced full time Youth Minister. Nate is currently the Director of Youth Ministries at the Dalton First United Methodist Church in Dalton, GA.
In this interview, Nate shares with us some of his spiritual journey in becoming a Christ-follower and then gives some practical and useful answers to several questions related to Youth Ministry today:
Question #1: As a gifted and effective Youth Minister, what do you see as three of the most needed Christian teachings for Youth in today’s culture and society?
Question #2: Having served for a number of years in Youth Ministry full time, what do you feel is missing in many Youth Ministries today that could truly make them more complete and spiritually effective? (This can be related to ministry strategies, organizational considerations, etc.. – your choice…)
Question #3: As an experienced, full time Youth Minister on the Staff of a large congregation, how do you feel the Senior Pastor of a church can most effectively relate to the Youth of the church, therefore encouraging other Leaders of laity in the church to be supportive and affirming of the Youth, so the Youth don’t feel isolated or like “an island apart” from the mainstream of the congregation?
From this interview with Nate, we gain some very useful and practical insights to how anyone can strengthen and grow a Youth Ministry today. Regardless of your size congregation or community of faith, you can use the tips that Nate shares about Youth Ministry and the ways is can move to the next level in effectiveness.
I will also be sharing a section on “The Senior Pastor’s Ministry With Youth” which is rarely discussed across the American church scene. In too many churches, Youth (ages 11-18) often feel as though they are “on an island apart” when it comes to their place in the local church. Some adults refer to them as, “The church of tomorrow,” while in reality they are very much the church of today! What steps and strategies can a Senior Pastor of a church follow to grow his or her personal relationship with each of the Youth in the congregation? These are very practical, easy to follow ideas about having the relationship between the Youth and the Senior Pastor become much closer and positive.
Finally I will be doing a section of the Podcast today on, “How Youth can reach out and relate to their Senior Pastor” from the perspective of how the youth can actually minister to their Pastor. Any Youth, junior high or senior high can use these ministry strategies to truly touch the life and ministry of their own pastor.
Thanks so much for sharing in our Ministry Encouragement Podcast today! I would really love to hear from you by email on your thoughts about the following questions, related to your experience of Youth Ministry today:
1) What is your best and most cherished memory of a spiritual experience you had in a Youth Ministry you were involved in?
2) Who was the most effective and influential Youth Minister you ever had and what made them a person that God used to touch your life?
3) What do you think is missing from most Youth Ministries in churches today? What would you change? Add? Delete?
Please keep me and our sponsoring ministry of Proactive Ministries in your prayers. This means so much to all of us. Our ministry web site is: www.proactive-ministries.org and you may contact me personally by email at: jim@ministryencouragementpodcast.com I would love to hear from you with your thoughts and experiences. IF you have questions regarding ministry in churches, please send your questions as well.
Blessings on each of you and I hope you are sharing our Ministry Encouragement Podcast with a friend.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s a good post.
Excellent post about some often neglected apcsets of ministry transition. As you say, ministry transition is deeply personal. The task of adjusting to a new job is one thing, but adjusting to a new home, neighborhood, etc. is entirely another. I especially appreciated what you said at the end, If our personal life is not being cared for, managed and supported our effectiveness in the ministry will suffer. This is incredibly important, and it is something I had to be sure to remember as I recently changed jobs. Beyond being concerned with my integration into our new church, I knew it was critical for me to make sure that my wife had ample opportunities to socialize and build relationships with people at the church so that she could become comfortable in our new city. Again, excellent post, and thanks for the many important reminders it contains.