Monthly Archive for February, 2008

Mecha Manga Bible Heroes

Published
by
Jon
on 22 February 2008
in Christianity, Media, Youth Group Resources, Youth Ministry and Youth Work
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Being a fan of super hero comics and Japanese anime, I was delighted to hear of Mecha Manga Bible Heroes, a futuristic retelling of David and Goliath complete with huge armoured robots (mecha) drawn in a manga style!

Alongside the various other comic and manga Bibles starting to spring up, this version will be most welcome. For more, check out the Manga Bible series starting with ‘Names, Games and the Long Road Trip‘ and working it’s way through the Old Testament, or try the Manga Bible by Siku. I’m not sure when and how the Mecha Manga Bible Heroes will be available in the UK, but it will certainly pique the interest of a number of boys in our Ignite group.

Church Forgives Youth Pastor For Slaying

Published
by
Jon
on 21 February 2008
in Christianity, Youth Ministry and Youth Work
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No, he wasn’t heavily into some computer game, instead former youth pastor Calvin Wayne Inman, 29, has been charged for the death of a convenience store clerk during a robbery. He was 16 at the time.

Apparently after being recently ordained and with support from his church, Inman went to the Police and confessed to the murder he committed 14 years ago. What I love about this story is the way the church praise him for his recent actions:

“He’s a hero, really,” said Kelley Graham, 24. “I don’t know how many people would do what he did. The Bible says you just need to confess to God. Calvin took an extra step.”

Robin Thac said her 17-year-old son was active in the youth group that Inman led.
“I am thrilled my son has a role model to accept responsibility the way Calvin has,” Thac said. “There are way too many men who don’t accept responsibility.”

If a similar situation were to happen here, I would expect the response from parents to be far more negative: “The youth leader’s a murderer! What was he teaching my kids?!”

Maybe, I’m being too judgemental on the parents ;). However, That church really do forgiveness well and show Christ in their actions. It could be a great discussion with the older members of a group.

Ht to Gman.

Values Session 6: Serve (Part 1)

Published
by
Jon
on 19 February 2008
in Youth Group Resources, Youth Ministry and Youth Work
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This is part of an 11-session series for 11-14 year olds, teaching our mission statement and the importance of its values:

We exist to learn to follow Jesus, to show honour to God, to use our gifts to serve, to support each other, and to share our faith.

Session Aim: To understand what serving is and why it is important.

Activity: The Great Giveaway
Shuffle a pack of cards and place them face down in the middle of the group, then hand out 15 sweets to each person (use a tin of Roses, Celebrations or something similar). Explain that each person must take it in turns to pick up a card. Whatever the number on the card, they must give away that amount of sweets to one person of their choice (e.g. picking up a seven of clubs means 7 sweets must be handed to someone else). Aces are low and Jack, Queen and King count as 11, 12 and 13 respectively. It is totally up to the individual who they give the sweets to and why. The game ends when someone loses all their sweets or when everyone has had a few turns each. Do not tell them until the end, but the aim of the game is to be left with as few sweets as possible.
Talk about who got the most and least sweets. Why was that? Who was most generous? Who was least?

Read: James 2:14-18

My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them? A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing. In the same way, faith that is alone—that does nothing—is dead.

Illustration: Practical Example
This will require much thought and preparation in advance, but will have a significant impact. Over the previous weeks you will have got to know your group quite well, this is your chance to show them what serving is by doing something specifically for them. Much as Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, you should do something practical for them. It could be making drinks or praying for them, it could be offering to go shopping with someone and buying a Bible study guide for another. You know your group best so find something personal for them that requires some effort on your part. Explain why putting others first is important (“love your neighbour as you love yourself” Matthew 22:39)

Discuss:

  • James says that if we don’t do anything to help others, our faith is dead. Do you agree?
  • Do you think serving others is important for a Christian?
  • Do you think that you do any serving? If yes, then what?

Pray:

  • Ask God to help you see some of the problems around you so that you can help others.
  • Pray for any issues affecting the group this week.

Challenge:
Try to think of something useful or helpful you could do to serve someone else, and make it happen this week. Come back next week and tell us what you did.

Further Reading: Philippians 2:3-4

When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honour to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.

Personal Heroes

Published
by
Jon
on 17 February 2008
in Personal, Youth Ministry and Youth Work
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I made a new friend and found a new personal hero last week in a man called Jason. I met him because a friend had suggested that I give him a call: “He just needs some advice on raising teenagers” she said!
Although I have no children of my own yet, I arranged to meet up because I few years ago I adapted a parenting course for dealing with difficult teenagers. I went along to meet him, pack under my arm, ready to dispense some wisdom and change this guy’s life. I came away humbled and inspired.

Jason is a regular 23 year old guy. He’s funny, has a big grin on his face, talks a lot and seems to enjoy life. Last August, Jason’s mum died from a heroin overdose. His dad is no longer on the scene and his two brothers live elsewhere, so as well as coping with the grief of her death, Jason was left to care for his twelve year-old sister at home. He gave up his job so he be around before and after school, and he is working hard to prove to Social Services and the courts that he should gain full custody of his sister while also negotiating the benefits system, housing and schools.

While talking with him, it became clear that he is doing amazingly well. He’s passionate about caring for his sister and although it’s obviously a burden at time, he wouldn’t have it any other way. During my time there, I made a couple of suggestions but mostly listened. He’s really got it together and just needed to talk with someone about the situation.

Part of our conversation was about God. He says he knows there’s ’something there’ but hasn’t decided what yet. It’s funny because Jason has such a positive and hopeful outlook, I could sense that God was present with him anyway! I’m going to meet up with him again in a couple of weeks to see how he’s getting on.

I have a couple of other people who have become my personal heroes:
Claire went been through a really horrible experience with her husband and yet has remained hopeful, joyous and loving throughout it all. She is a real inspiration to me.
Zoe has coped with horrific trauma in her personal relationships and struggled to raise her children on her own. She was timid and fearful until she became a Christian a few years ago and has now been transformed! She is just not the same woman anymore and stuns me with her talents and abilities that were hidden before!

These amazing people serve to remind me of what can be achieved in the most difficult circumstances and challenge me to have a loving and humble attitude in my daily life.

Frozen Grand Central

Published
by
Jon
on 16 February 2008
in Media
. 1 Comment

I love this creative act from Improv Everywhere. 207 people just freeze in the middle of Grand Central Station and everyone else is just confused!

Values Session 5: Honour (Part 2)

Published
by
Jon
on 15 February 2008
in Youth Group Resources, Youth Ministry and Youth Work
. 0 Comments

This is part of an 11-session series for 11-14 year olds, teaching our mission statement and the importance of its values:

We exist to learn to follow Jesus, to show honour to God, to use our gifts to serve, to support each other, and to share our faith.

Session Aim: To find out how we can live our lives to honour God better

Activity: Left Behind
Ask everyone to imagine that were stranded alone on a desert island. Instead of asking what items they would want to bring with them, ask them what things they would miss most from their life. Allow lots of discussion. Some people may go for family and friends while others may say particular objects. Explain that these are the things we find hardest to give up. Ask them if they would be willing to give them up if God asked them to? This is called sacrifice.

Read: Romans 12:1

So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship.

Illustration: Mother Teresa
Use the story of Mother Teresa to show how it is possible to live your life for God as Paul suggests in Romans.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta was a Roman Catholic nun and founder of the Missionaries of Charity. She was born in 1910 to Albanian parents in Skopje, Macedonia. In September 1946, while riding in an Indian train from Calcutta to Darjeeling, she received a divine calling from God “to serve Him amongst the poorest of the poor”.
She served as principal of a Roman Catholic high school in Calcutta, and was moved by the presence of the sick and dying on the city’s streets. In 1948 she was granted permission to leave her post at the convent and begin a ministry among the sick. In serving the people abandoned by society, Mother Teresa put love into action. Her spirit of giving inspired many to follow her, and her work eventually expanded to many other parts of the world. Today over 5000 sisters, brothers, and volunteers run approximately 500 centers worldwide, feeding 500,000 families and helping 90,000 lepers every year.
On September 5, 1997, at the age of 87, the best loved woman of the century passed away.
There are literally thousands of stories of her work, here is one in her own words:

Some of my sisters (Nuns) work in Australia. On a reservation, among the Aborigines, there was an elderly man. I can assure you that you have never seen a situation as difficult as that poor old man’s. He was completely ignored by everyone. His home was disordered and dirty.
I told him, “Please, let me clean your house, wash your clothes, and make your bed.” He answered, “I’m okay like this. Let it be.”
I said again, “You will be still better if you allow me to do it.”
He finally agreed. So I was able to clean his house and wash his clothes. I discovered a beautiful lamp, covered with dust. Only God knows how many years had passed since he last lit it.
I said to him, “Don’t you light your lamp? Don’t you ever use it?”
He answered, “No. No one comes to see me. I have no need to light it. Who would I light it for?”
I asked, “Would you light it every night if the sisters came?”
He replied, “Of course.”
From that day on the sisters committed themselves to visiting him every evening. We cleaned the lamp, and the sisters would light it every evening.
Two years passed. I had completely forgotten that man. He sent this message: “Tell my friend that the light she lit in my life continues to shine still.”
I thought it was a very small thing. We often neglect small things.

For more information on Mother Teresa, visit Wikipedia. Explain that there are millions of Christians who do the same thing at school, home and work – you don’t have to become famous because God sees what you do.

Discuss:

  • What does it mean to be a ‘living sacrifice’? How did Mother Teresa show this?
  • Do you think that your life (your offering) is pleasing to God? Why or why not?
  • What could you do to make it more pleasing to God?

Pray:

  • Pray that God will let you know that He is pleased with you. Ask Him to challenge you to make changes that show him more honour.
  • Pray for any issues affecting the group this week.

Challenge:
This week, try going without something you enjoy and spend time with God instead. This is sometimes called ‘fasting’ but is a way of showing honour to God.

Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 7:1

Dear friends, we have these promises from God, so we should make ourselves pure—free from anything that makes body or soul unclean. We should try to become holy in the way we live, because we respect God.

Cross Denominational Working

Published
by
Jon
on 13 February 2008
in Christianity, Youth Ministry and Youth Work
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Our local leaders fraternal
Our local leaders fraternal ;)

Since starting my role at ACC, I’ve spent a bit of time meeting up with Youth Workers from other churches in the local area. Although there’s a few of us, a gathering had rarely happened before and so it’s been good to share coffee, stories, and recently events with these other men and women of faith.

At the same time that these relationships have formed and totally separately, a wider group of non-denominational church-based workers have been meeting across the south coast for the very same purpose.

It seems that God is doing something in mixing up the denominations to share and support each other and it’s not just here locally. Youth Hacks had a good post about the benefits of meeting with workers from other churches. Here are a few highlights:

Let off steam - We all have crap to deal with in our communities, and sometimes we need to talk about it. Its great to be able to do some healthy venting to someone from outside of your community.
Share ideas - No matter how cool your ideas are or how long you’ve been in ministry, the folks down the road are probably doing some cool stuff. And there might be a couple of things they can learn from you, too.
Kill unrealistic expectations - Its easy to imagine that other churches have it all together. I was relieved to hear that our neighboring youth workers deal with the same problems that we do. It normalized the problem and helped me to stop beating up on myself about silly things.

Although meeting together is fine, the Christian Youth Work blog is questioning whether we actually need to show unity through practical example. Isn’t communication enough?

I don’t see that there is any actual need for us to physically do things together, because we may all be called to work with different people, at different times, and do different things, so is it more important that we work together, or be seen to be working together, or that we follow the calling that God has placed upon us?

Personally, I think working with others is vital in building trust and relationships. It will also benefit the young people who access the various activities when they see their workers communicating and sharing. As such, I’ve also continued to meet with LAYA, the Littlehampton Area Youth Agencies. This is a planning and information-sharing group made up of statutory and voluntary agencies who run services for young people. I used to be part of it in my previous role, but I now represent the first church invited to attend. As a result the church is becoming known by these professional agencies for the quality and varied work we do.

So how can you work with other churches and agencies to enhance your work and what God is doing through you?

Pardon?

Published
by
Jon
on 12 February 2008
in Personal
. 0 Comments


So a while back I bought these expensive noise cancelling earphones with the different buds on the end which you use to fit your ear perfectly. I was listening to my iPod on the train up to London this morning when my phone rang. As I pulled the ‘phones out of my ears to answer the call, I realised that the changeable bud had come off my left ear and was firmly stuck right inside!

Running late for my meeting, I went straight there and spent most of the day in mild discomfort trying to adapt to being partially deaf while working out if I was actually shouting at people when I opened my mouth. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone there.

I ended up going to Boots, buying some tweezers (along with some manly aftershave so I didn’t seem too odd) and then carefully fishing in my ear until I managed to liberate the little rubber bung. It took a long time. From now on, I’m carrying a full vanity case with me - or maybe just using the earphones that came with the iPod. I haven’t decided yet.

Glubble

Published
by
Jon
on 12 February 2008
in Media and Technology
. 1 Comment

Glubble

Glubble is a great plugin for the Firefox web browser that gives totally FREE parental controls! There are essentially two criteria for using it:

  1. you must use Firefox for web browsing
  2. you must have children that use the internet

Aimed at primary aged children, Glubble changes the look of the browser to a simple kid-friendly interface when they log-in limiting their browsing to a variety of ‘glubbles’.

Glubbles are bundles of content from the web, either editorially selected and collected by our resident expert on child content and published in the library for you to choose from. Or they can be created by you directly.

When adults log-in, firefox works as normal giving control over the kid accounts. The great thing about this software is the interaction. Kids can send messages to other family members, request that adults allow certain sites, and search the web through Glubble’s filters.

Glubble won’t work for older children and teens who can navigate their way around a computer and launch another browser (IE anyone?) but is a great choice for allowing younger children on the web. All I need now are some kids…

Worship with Young People

Published
by
Jon
on 11 February 2008
in Youth Ministry and Youth Work
. 0 Comments


I was listening to the Simply Junior High Podcast earlier today and they were talking about worship with youth groups. They were saying it was great to get young people involved as it helps to engage the group in the family service. Now I’m sure it wasn’t meant in this manner, but during the discussion they kept referring to the inferior quality of using young people in the worship band. There was a general assumption that using young people is good, but won’t be up to the usual standard.

Yesterday I lead worship at Arun Community Church and used some of the young people from our Ignite group. We had a drummer aged 11 on the first song who was just phenomenal, two singers aged 12 who carried every song beautifully, and a bunch of children signing actions to a Doug Horley song. At no point was it ‘cheesy’, ‘ropey’ or ‘poor quality’ but rather uplifting and inspiring for the congregation to see these young individuals using their talents to worship. It was an amazing and humbling time. They really are fantastic!

In addition, we also handed out glass nuggets (like the ones above) at the beginning of the service to symbolise ourselves as beautiful in God’s eyes and then encouraged people to bring them forward during the worship as a gesture of bringing ourselves before God. This seemed to really inspire quite a few and served to engage the parts of the congregation that switch off during ’singing’.

So please do use young people in your worship services, but give them the credit they deserve and expect them to shine!