Creating a Unified Team

Ministry works better when we approach it from a team aspect. One person cannot hope to accomplish ministry at the same level of excellence as a team of people working in concert with one another. In ministry, I have served on some good teams and not so good teams. Here are a few lessons that I’ve learned:

People Who Are Informed Are Less Likely to Gossip-Often times ignorance can create a breeding ground for gossip. Also, it is a team’s worst enemy. When you keep people in the dark, sometimes their mind plays tricks on them. They read into a situation or conversation, and the lack of communication creates gaps they gladly fill with their own speculation or a pain. If you want to create a unified team, keep people in the loop! When you communicate well, you crush the early growth of gossip.

People Who Have Great History Have Unity-If you have a few key volunteers who have been with you since the beginning, you know how sweet it is to be with them, serve alongside them, and do the hard work of ministry together. You literally and figuratively have each other’s backs, and unity is your middle name. On the other hand, when you have high a turnover or a collection of young, immature, or inexperienced youth workers serving with you the total opposite can happen. Work hard to keep them around for the long term.

People Who Laugh Rarely Turn on Each Other - I’ve noticed again and again in my years of ministry that when people laugh together, they love each other more. When you are in a relationship with your people-great stories, memories and inside jokes-the stronger you are together. When was the last time you spent some time just playing with your team? When was the last time you had an award ceremony and gave out awards for everyone? Laughing together creates unity quickly. 

Practical Idea: Resource Box

Over the years there are some just practical things that you need to have in order to do ministry with young people. One of the most important that I use often is a resource box. This resource box is full of the practical things that you always need for retreats, youth group lessons, etc. that unless you pull them together in one place you spend a lot of time looking for them. Here’s what’s in my box:

1. Pens
2. Pencils
3. Scissors
4. Tape (scotch, masking, duct-you never know when you might need duct tape)
5. Hole punch
6. 3 x 5 note cards
7. Plain white computer paper
8. A package of multi-colored construction paper
9. Rubber bands
10. Crayons
11. Markers
12. Assorted stickers
13. Popsicle sticks
14. Fishing line
15. Balloons

My box is one of those that you can get at a home improvement store that has the fliptop lockable lids ($6-$10). All of the other things that I listed are in smaller plastic containers that fit neatly into that one big box (I have 8 and got them at a dollar store). If you are making a resource box what would you put in yours?

3 Ways to Make Your Message Stick

I often wonder as I teach and preach, "How much of this is sticking?" I work very hard to prayerfully craft a message that reflects what the passage is about, while at the same time keeping it interesting for young people to be engaged. Here are 3 things that I've learned to do to make my message stick.

1) Be Concrete - A lot of our faith is based on abstract ideas. It’s hard for children, as well as young people, to grasp some of these abstract ideas without relating them to something that they can experience with their senses (touch, smell, taste, hear, and see). For example, if your teaching young people about the doctrine of the Trinity, it can be quite confusing unless you find an example that they can relate to.

2) Be Vulnerable - Young people can’t relate to someone if they’re not willing to be open and honest with them. Furthermore, young people can see right through someone who is fake. The more open and honest you are with your young people about who you are, chances are the more open and honest they will be with you. I take this example from Jesus. Jesus was very open and honest with his 12 disciples and formed deep long-lasting relationships with them. The same can be said in developing healthy and meaningful young people’s ministry. Young people are starving for real relationships, so be vulnerable with them.

3) Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) - This is my favorite! Nothing helps a message stick with a young person than if you keep it simple. They are not looking for graduate level discussions or someone who can regurgitate doctrinal statements of faith. They are looking for simple, no-nonsense ways of living and being in relationship with others and God. So whatever you teacher or preach KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!

Thank You Dr. Kirby

There’s always that one – that one pastor that you always remember. Rev. Dr. Wallace Kirby was the first and major influence that nudged me to ministry.

When I served as acolyte I can remember the 50-ish Dr. Kirby giving me a high 5 as we moved into position in the choir room. His wisdom and playful spirit adored him to the congregation and to me.

As I continue to be nurtured by my home church (Edenton St. UMC, Raleigh, NC) we received other pastors, but I always remembered Dr. Kirby. One year when I, as a youth member, was at Annual Conference, Dr. Kirby approached me and said, “Warren you’re going to be a pastor one day.” At the time I didn’t think much of it, nor really believed it. I thought that that’s what every pastor said to every young person.

It wasn’t until I receive my call to ministry and was actually before the annual conference again for ordination that I ran and to Dr. Kirby again. Several years retired, Dr. Kirby made it a point to attend the Annual Conference Session where I was ordained for ministry. After the service, Dr. Kirby sought me out and said in his jovial, loving way “See, I told you so!”

I believe that at our baptism we are all called into ministry. We may all live out our calling in different ways, yet we are each called. If you are an older youth or young adult and you have had someone tell you “you’re going to be a pastor one day,” I would invite you to check out explorecalling.org to learn more how you can participate in a national event that they UMC sponsors to help young people explore their calling into ministry.

I simply wanted end this article with a huge thank you to Dr. Kirby… Without his prodding, I might never have served God in this way!