February 2011

An Inside Look

I had never visited Zephyrhills. I knew that it was home to a spring that produced some pretty famous water. But, that’s all I knew. It was 2006 and our first YMI class had just begun. I wasn’t sure what avenue would be the best to get the word out about what we planned to do to help youth ministers and their churches.

When John Gaines, the chairperson of the personnel committee at First UMC in Zephyrhils, called me to consult with them about hiring a youth minister, I hadn’t completely perfected the pre-hiring consulting workshop I now have done for over 30 churches. And, frankly, I wasn’t clear about whether they were planning to hire a youth minister or not.

I met with the committee after having been greeted by an elderly staff member. The makeup of the committee wasn’t much younger. They quickly told me about the number of neighborhood kids that played basketball on their property. They wanted desperately to reach these youth. They didn’t know how and were concerned that the age makeup of their congregation wouldn’t be inviting.

I also learned that Zephyrhills was quickly being swallowed up by the suburban sprawl of Tampa. Within ten years, the network of highways would make their once rural community more accessible to the city. Great potential existed here and a group of people willing to explore the possibilities.

So, I gave them my best advice and encouragement, telling them that once they hire a youth minister, our program will help them accomplish their goals. I left. I sent a couple of follow up e-mails over the subsequent weeks and months. It didn’t appear that they had chosen a solid direction. Since they didn’t hire a youth minister, I moved on to some other churches that appeared to be more ready for our services.

Two years later, after a change of pastors, I visited the church again on a scheduled 30 minute appointment. The new pastor, Ken Minton, happened to be the pastor who married my wife and me. Ken told me about the new youth director they hired some months prior. Melissa was presently enrolled in seminary. She graduated from the University of South Florida, married Jarrit Tadlock and started in her first youth ministry position the previous year. Lots of life changes for Melissa, who I later knew as Missy.

Ken gave her the option of continuing seminary or enrolling in YMI. At the time we had two students who were doing both. But, the church was paying the tab. Missy chose YMI. She impressed me as somebody who had a deep and committed faith, yet she lacked self confidence, often second guessing her decisions. YMI doesn’t give a person self confidence. It creates an environment of support and nurture, so that when a youth minister makes a mistake (we all do) then there is adequate margin to reflect on the places the mistake emanated. Developing a healthy attitude towards success and failure builds self confidence. But, ultimately, the youth minister has to do this work.

Missy progressed slowly at first, reflecting her cautious attitude. As we neared the end of the first year, Missy had obviously worked on developing some great skills. Then, she broke the news. She was pregnant. Another life change!

During her first year, her husband (who I later called Jerry) became an integral part of the church’s youth ministry. He seemed to be a great balance. Missy and Jerry were discovering they enjoyed sharing ministry together. As the birth of their son, Gabe, came close, Missy, Jerry and Ken began discussing what the youth ministry might look like after November 2009.  They agreed that Missy would finish her second year of YMI and that Jerry would eventually take over the full time duties sometime after Gabe was born.

The transition of responsibility worked. Missy’s coach, Stephanie, began meeting with Jerry and Missy (and Gabe) on a monthly basis.   Missy continued to have significant influence on the ministry while Jerry ran the day to day operations. Missy’s confidence had grown exponentially.

In the summer of 2010, after Missy completed our program, I met with Ken, Stephanie, Missy, Jerry and Gabe at the Cracker Barrel to do our final consultation, the ending point of a youth minister’s involvement with YMI. It was a great meeting, other than the collard greens. They tasted like grass as Ken had predicted. However, the meeting ended unexpectedly.

Ken turned to me and announced that they would like to enroll Jerry in YMI. I like “firsts”. This would be the first time a husband and wife had ever been enrolled in YMI. It was also the first time a church asked us to partner a second time. I was also in the middle of finalizing the members of our new beginning class. Jerry’s addition to the class would be a positive experience.

It has been such a pleasure to work with this church over the last five years. I have had front row seats, watching the church define its youth ministry more completely. There aren’t any questions about what to do with the kids that show up to play basketball. Missy, Jerry and their team of adult volunteers engage them in programs that meet twice per week as well as other opportunities that meet the needs of the youth in the community. The church has felt an influx of young families that reflects a balance age distribution that exists in their community. The church continues to think creatively about the future possibilities as Tampa sprawls towards Zephyrhills.

There is more than just a spring that produces water in Zephyrhills. I know. I have been there.

Most Recently
Dessert Success

How can a dessert not be a success? One would have to try pretty hard to mess up cheese cake or spoil the chocolate. Beyond the yummy after dinner snacks, 137 people stayed to enjoy the program that featured some video clips and live testimonies from youth ministers and the youth in their groups.

Most who attended have asked me, “How did we do?” First of all the question makes me feel great. Because “WE” did it together. I am unable to do this by myself without the support of so many that believe it is important to empower our youth ministers so that they may be more effective with middle and high school people. So, yes, WE did GREAT!

We raised more at this event than we have in previous fund raisers. That’s good because our budget goal is $8000 more than last year. The gifts continue to trickle in from the event. In addition, a letter went out to our 170 other donors the week after the fund raiser. I’ll keep you posted on the overall results.

Here’s the really neat story. This may define success greater than the dollar amounts.

Dan Segale, a 2009 YMI graduate, and his wife, Nikole, came to the dessert from Brandon. He is in his fourth year as the youth minister at St. Andrew’s UMC. He called me the week prior and said that he knew a person in his church who would be making a donation to YMI. He wanted to be sure of our acknowledgment procedure, etc. I gave him all the information. I write a personal thank you note and then a statement is issued at the end of the year for tax purposes. He thanked me. And, I was excited that somebody from his church was interested in supporting YMI.

The night after the dessert I began tabulating the gifts. I opened the envelope from Dan’s table and it revealed six gifts totaling $700 from members of his church. I was moved by the gesture. I later told Dan that it “took my breath away.”

Obviously, there are people who give more. And, many others have given to the level of these individuals. However, these gifts represented great meaning to me. They said,

YMI made a difference for our church.

It was an affirmation of Dan’s leadership and our work with him to help him reach his potential.

Other churches have banded together to make similar donations. Typically the senior pastor and another staff member decide to make a significant contribution. This also affirms our work. I appreciate these gifts a great deal also.

However, a powerful statement is issued when church members see the tangible value of the work of YMI and respond in this way. Wow. It almost takes my breath away.

Partner Highlight

Southwestern College

From the beginning the Youth Ministry Institute sought validity for its educational principles from the academy. I have claimed that those enrolled in YMI will forget less of what they have learned and be able to apply it immediately to their ministry setting. We needed an academic institution that viewed it in that manner too.

Southwestern College is that academic institution. Through it’s nearly decade old online professional studies program, those that complete all the requirements in the Youth Ministry Institute will be able to transfer up to 15 hours of credit to Southwestern College towards a degree. The remaining work can be completed through its six week online courses.

It is the perfect anecdote for those that don’t have immediate access to this level of education. In addition, it validates our curriculum and our instructors. We have done a great deal of work in formalizing our learning objectives, outcomes and evaluative procedures so that our students will have the best possible instruction.

There is another great advantage. The 15 hours can be applied towards a bachelors degree or a masters degree depending on what academic level the student has achieved. This gives all students value even if they have never attended college.

The Youth Ministry Institute is one of a handful of organizations that Southwestern College has reviewed through its extra-institutional accreditation process. That process encourages the process of education as much as it values the results.

Our partnership agreement has passed through all of the academic committees and administration hoops at Southwestern College. In early March our board of directors plans to authorize me to sign it to make it official. In late March our last instructor will sign on to teach one of our four core theological classes (a new addition to the curriculum that will increase classroom learning to over 300 hours). We will then submit these hours for review so that we might increase the amount of academic credit.

I look forward to continuing to foster a solid connection with Southwestern College.

Coming Soon

I am traveling again!!! My 1997 Ford Explorer is a testament to the fact that if you keep the oil changed, a car should run well beyond 150,000 miles. Topping out at 20 miles per gallon, I will travel over 3000 miles this spring, visiting with pastors and youth ministers from at least 50 churches.

My message? I’m telling them about the Youth Ministry Institute. The goal is to get as many people talking about the work that we are doing in Florida. A church doesn’t have to be a potential partner church to meet with me. Pastors and youth ministers make referrals to me all the time.

I have been traveling around Central Florida since the beginning of the new year because that is where I live and it is pretty easy to get around. Last week I was in Southeast Florida (between Fort Lauderdale and Vero Beach). Here is the extent of my planned upcoming schedule. I am continually adding appointments. So, let me know if you want to meet with me or you would like me to meet with someone else when I am in your area.

Eastern Florida (Melbourne to Ormond Beach)                      March 1-2

Lakeland Area                                                                            March 3

North Florida (Jacksonville to Gainseville to Tallahassee)        March 15-17

Tampa Bay Area                                                                        March 29-31

South Florida (Sarasota to Naples to Miami)                            April 11-12

Final Word
From the YMI Guy's Blog

I am sitting in front of my balcony window typing this. I have seen some beautiful views from the balcony. In fact, the balcony sometimes provides a bird’s eye perspective on life. I can see further. I can see a bigger picture of what’s below me. I remember, as a kid, I always wanted to sit in balconies – at church, concerts, etc. In reflection, I think I wanted to be in the balcony as a kid so that I could see the entire production, one that I was probably too short to see from the floor. My perspective from the floor, no matter how good the production, was flawed.

So, the view from the balcony changes my perspective. It fits closer to reality. I turned 48 this month – young to some and old to others. I feel like I have been able to move to some balcony seats in recent years. My job has changed. I am more of a consultant, advisor, mentor and coach. I seem to assert my view from the balcony more often. It is requested. I feel permission to give it. And, it is received most of the time.

I don’t want to say that I see things without any emotional attachment. But, I have been in a new place emotionally with my opinions. In other words, I am more than okay with opposing perspectives on the same issue that come from the floor or other balconies. It doesn’t upset me when people disagree with me. For me, that has been rather liberating.

I’m also aware of one who sits in a higher balcony – that has greater perspective than I. So, I don’t want to presuppose that I have more accurate opinions and thoughts than God. Being open to and aware of God’s perspective results in a calming influence on my soul.

Recently, in my role as a church consultant, I issued some pretty strong opinions to help direct church leadership in working with their youth minister. The church leadership didn’t follow my advice. I played my role as a strong advocate and literally did everything that I knew how to do while still remaining professional. They moved in a different direction. While their decision saddens me, I am okay with the direction they have chosen. You see, their prospective is extremely valid even if counters mine. And, if God is moving in this situation, who am I to question the outcome?

I don’t always like everything I see from the balcony. But, the perspective is valuable for the next time I am in a similar situation.

As I write this, the balcony from which I am currently looking at will have the same view for the rest of this week. I get to see the blue Pacific Ocean, the coast of Mexico, an occasional whale or pod of dolphins and a few vibrant ports of call during the week. I am on a cruise with my parents, celebrating their wedding anniversary. I don’t get to look out this kind of balcony often. I literally have never had a balcony on a cruise (this is my second) and I don’t often take this much time to distress and unbusy my life.

I’m guessing that I’ll gain greater perspective on more than just the Pacific Ocean. I’m hopeful for moments of clarity and self reflection. In each of my first two days, having seen the sun rise over the shore of Mexico, I’m reminded about the vastness of God’s creation and the expanse of possibilities in life. I’m reminded about the rhythmic way in which our lives operate the best, from sunrise to sunset.

So, I can’t help but to enjoy THIS balcony. But, regardless of the location of the balcony, the view is always good up here. The view is always good!