See You at the Pole

CONVERGE—come together, unite, connect…

Join students around the world September 28, 2011, for See You at the Pole™, the Global Day of Student Prayer. Be a part of something much bigger than your own local campus—join the movement! Be encouraged, challenged, and
blessed to experience what God is doing globally. Regardless of the church group or the school peer group you are apart of, gather with everyone and pray. Converge!

The 2011 See You at the Pole theme verse is a promise from Scripture that is one of the most popular and quoted throughout history by believers.

Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you. Matthew 18:20 CEV

This simple verse is a comforting and encouraging promise from Jesus Himself that helps us to know He is always with us. When we gather and agree together, placing Him first, He is there. And when God and His people converge for prayer, lives change!

There are many See You at the Pole™ gatherings where dozens of students, sometimes even hundreds, gather to pray at their school flagpoles. Yet there are thousands of campuses where just a handful meet to pray. Regardless of number, God takes each situation seriously and promises to be in their midst. So, whether your school has a huge group that covers the front of the school or you have just two or three, there is power in each group.

GCYWN Summit: Starting Strong

Oct. 20 & Nov. 5 9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Locations: Oct. 20 at Faith Church on 5910 Price Road, Milford, OH 45150
Nov. 5 at The Underground on 1140 Smiley Ave, Cincinnati OH 45240

This summit is important for youth ministries to reach the middle school students. Youth ministries need to be a tool that parents can use to build character, and spiritual maturity in their middle school child. Students need the opportunity to experience God’s incredible love for them in a way that is real, relevant, and relational.  Starting Strong is totally FREE impact training for all kinds of middle school youth workers.

Please RSVP via email at stan@stanelder.com or Cincinnati Youth Worker Network Facebook page

Do Churches Contribute to Their Communities?

By Stan Elder

Recently I’ve been looking at new Barna Group study (http://www.barna.org/congregations-articles/502-do-churches-contribute-to-their-communities)  that says, “That most Americans remain relatively upbeat about the role that local churches play in their communities.”  It continued to say “that three-quarters of U.S. adults believe the presence of a church is “very” (53%) or “somewhat” (25%) a positive influence for their communities. In contrast, only 1 out of every 20 Americans believes that the influence of a church is negative—either very (2%) or somewhat so (3%). That leaves about one out of six adults (17%) who are indifferent toward the role of churches.”  People who view churches in a more favorable view are the elderly, married adults, women, churchgoers, Protestants, African-Americans and politically conservatives.

The 1st part of the study shows really positive results, but in the later part of the study things are looking grim.  In the 2nd part of the study it shows groups of people who have a less favorable view of the church.  These people are young (18-27 age), men, never-married adults, those living in the West and Northeast, unchurched adults, and political liberals.
Also despite people’s positive feelings about the church only 21% of adults could tell how the church is contributing positively to their communities. There also seems to be a disconnect for most Americans between serving the community, and helping individuals find their way to God through Christ. A ministry-related goal such as teaching the Bible, introducing people to Christ, and bringing people to salvation seems to be missing.

I can see this problem play out in this generation. The National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) show that most youth see church as just something nice. Many teenagers approach church like an extra-curricular activity.  Teens see it as a good thing to do, but not a necessity in their everyday life.  Kenda Creasy Dean talks about this in her book Almost Christian. “Many youth said religion was important…though most could not describe the difference it made to them personally.” Rick Lawrence from GROUP magazine interviewed students from different church youth groups and asked them one question “Who is Jesus?” Almost all the students answered “He is loving and nice”.

Jesus and the church is a nice thing to have in the community. Just nice?!?! That is not what the first church was, and this is not what Jesus shows us.  We see in scripture power and passion flowing out of the life of Christ. He welcomed sinners and ate with them. He corrected the self-righteous and turned the temple money tables.  Then Christ was willing to be beaten and bruised, then nailed on a cross for the sins of all mankind.  The leader of the first church had such passion for the gospel of Christ that large numbers of people became believers in Christ.

The Church needs to be more than a nice fixture in a community. The Body of Christ needs to work together in loving, powerful, and passionate ways to reach the community. The Church needs to show that Jesus is truly the Living God, and He is powerful.

Re:invent

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Louisville, KY

http://events.sbts.edu/reinvent/

Is your youth ministry relevant to the church today?

Strength in Weakness

By Stan Elder

In our ministry, we love when God uses our strength and/or giftedness because it is easy for us.  Life is smooth and there are not very many bumps in the road. But!!!  God also uses our weaknesses and the areas that we consider our failures. We beg God to please take this away.  There are times when he says “no”, but also says “I will use it”. This is something we do not like. We’d rather have everything in control, and make sure our weaknesses are hidden.  When God uses our weakness, it can be frightening to us like this picture of this youth worker jumping over fire.

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul’s shows us a difficulty in his life. Paul had something that was so painful to him that he called it a “thorn in my flesh” and “a messenger of Satan”.  We do not know what this problem was, but it was chronically debilitating to him. He pleaded to God to take it away. Basically God answered him and said “No! I will use it”. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  I do not believe this was what Paul wanted to hear.  No one wants to hear God say “no” after pleading to remove a painful issue in their life. In this instance, God was telling Paul his weaknesses
will lean on God’s grace.   Paul saw the joy in letting God’s power be used in his weakness.  In fact, he said that he was boasting, glad, and delighted in his weakness. Paul understood that allowing God to fill him with His power was greater than Paul doing it on his own.

I understand Paul’s request to God. It’s a prayer I have probably pray a million times myself. My thorn in my flesh is that I have two disabilities.  I deal with a speech impediment and a form of dyslexia. I don’t see words backwards as some people do, but I will sometimes place words and letters out of order. I have struggled throughout my life with speaking, reading, and writing. As a five year old, I remember working with a number of therapists on both impediments.  Through time and hard work, I found that I wasn’t stupid – in fact, I was intelligent (and I like to think still am). I could do everything other people can do; I just need to do things a little differently.  I also thought that I would never have a job that included public speaking or writing for an audience. In the movie “The King’s Speech,” King George VI had to give a speech to England explain that England was heading into World War II. The problem was that the king had a severe speech impediment, and it was up to him to speak to his country.  He quoted, “The nation believes when I speak, I speak for them. I can’t speak.” This relates to my life in many ways.  There have been a number of times I’ve asked God “How can I do this? I slur my words and have hard time writing about it.”

God has done and is continuing to do amazing things in my life.  I’ve been in youth ministry for 16 years now, which is a highly communicating field.  I have spoken at youth retreats, conferences, sermons, and meetings.  Now, with the Network, I speak to others to gather support for my efforts and to equip and train other youth leaders.  In the Network, I’m writing articles, reports, and prayer letters every month.   I have seen God’s works of grace and power in my weaknesses. I have discovered that when I recognize my limitations and turn to God in everything I do, I’m more effective.   To this point, I can say what Paul said “I delight in weaknesses, and in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  This gives me courage, and deepens my worship because when I admit my weakness, I’m affirming God’s strength.

What is your story?  Do you trust in your abilities alone? Are you afraid to step outside of you comfort zone?  Are you allowing God to demonstrate his power through your weaknesses? The problem with working only with your strengths is that you are tempted to do it without God and that can become pride.  Your weaknesses allow God to fill you with his power which is a lot stronger than your own. God never intend you to be passive or ineffective. Yes, in life, there will be setbacks and failures, but do not let them pull you down.  Look at some of the great people in history who had weaknesses and failures.  Albert Einstein’s parents and teachers thought he was mentally handicapped. He was also expelled from school. Isaac Newton never did particularly well in school either. Thomas Edison’s teacher said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” In the scriptures, Moses, Gideon, and Peter had weaknesses and failures, but God displayed His power in them.  In all things, depend on God. In your weakness, let God’s strength shine in you. You will find that God will use you in ways you can never imagine.

We Love Our Youth Worker

NNYM is working on bring a ministry from the United Kingdom called  We Love Our Youth Worker to the United State. You maybe asking “What is We Love Our Youth Worker?” They help churches reach the highest standards in the way they employ a youth worker. Check it out www.weloveouryouthworker.org.uk

Flow Fest

Here is a great concert for your youth group to go to!

Hope Inner City and The Flow Church are hoping to get at least 500 youth there to help us raise the money they need to repair church building, as well as purchase music, video, and art production equipment.

Hope Inner City exists to plant inner city churches in Cincinnati.

The Flow Church is a church plant in West Price Hill.

Live performance by K-Drama, D-MAUB, Yaves the Street Pastor, Nue Breed, Lesun & Matthew Bracey

Welcome to the new Greater Cincinnati Youth Worker Network Website

This site is to help youth workers in their everyday ministry. The GCYWN is a community of youth workers who build into one other through prayer, sharing resources, and strategizing to reach teenagers for Christ. This website connects you to other youth workers and many resources. Come explore the site, post messages, and add events to the calendar that you feel would be useful to other youth ministries.
This website will be constantly updated.  Please feel free to comment on how to make this website more useful.

In Him,
Stan

Youth Specialties Announces Doug Fields to Join YS Team

Go to http://www.youthspecialties.com/pressrelease/doug-fields-to-join-ys-team/?utm_source=Youth+Specialties&utm_campaign=94e7597823-Doug-Fields-Announcement&utm_medium=email

Greater Cincinnati Youth Worker Meeting at The UG

Youth Worker,
For those who don’t know me, my name is Stan Elder.  I am working with the National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM) as the Cincinnati Metro Coordinator.  The Network is about youth workers working together to see the best way to reach the youth for Christ.  In John 17 it talks about being united together.  This unity will show who Christ is.
On may 25th at 10:00 am @ The Underground we are inviting you to learn the direction that the youth network is taking in the Cincinnati metro area.
The Underground
1140 Smiley Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45240