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Tag Archives: Church

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The 3 Keys – What a Pastor Should Look for When Hiring a Youth Minister

By | September 7, 2010

At Life Teen we are so blessed to have so many holy men serving parishes as priests. I often get the questions from pastors about hiring the right youth minister. For example – could I recommend anyone for them to hire as a youth minister for the parish? I also frequently get asked what to look for in a new youth minister. So here are the 3 things that I tell them to look and listen (key into) for when considering a candidate for youth minister: I call them “The 3 Keys”

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New Ideas Welcomed – Sort Of?

By | July 28, 2010

What an exciting time for Catholic Youth Ministry! The reality is that teen culture continues to change. There are many new ideas and practices being developed to reach teens. Ever wonder why some ideas when first introduced aren’t received well by the rest of the Catholic youth ministry world? Here is an overview depicting acceptance of new Catholic youth ministry practices and the timeline it takes for the ideas or changes to be embraced, implemented,eventually rejected and then become legendary.

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The New Busy – Is it Impacting Your Ministry?

By | July 23, 2010

I have talked to a lot of youth leaders and pastors this summer and I have grown keenly aware of a trend or direction in ministry. At a youth conference last weekend after I had complimented his choice for youth minister, a pastor of a parish attending shared a concern that his youth minister was spending a lot of time with teens at camps and conferences this summer. The pastor went on to tell me how the youth minister needed to realize that he needed to be careful not to let things like email and administrative aspects fail or to let the perception of the other parish staff seem like he wasn’t working. It immediately made me aware that even though the youth minister was really doing a great job in relational ministry (what we pray every youth leader will be doing a great job with) he was still being primarily or at least equally evaluated for his administrative skills or worse yet how it appeared to other staffers? It made me think of how our system of ministry can fail or be at odds with the one of the primary ministry postures of spending time with teens, not to mention spending time in prayer. It made me wonder if there is a “New Busy” that is zapping all the energy out of well intentioned youth leaders?

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It Goes with the Territory

By | July 20, 2010

When I was growing up almost every time I would whine and complain about something, my dad would simply say – “It goes with the territory” – meaning that more than likely what I was complaining about was something that went along with either the choices I had made or that it was part of being the age I was and wishing I was more grown up. The reality for us in Catholic youth ministry is that there are a lot of potentially unpleasant things we face simply because it goes with the territory. The key is not focusing on all the negatives we face but in realizing the positives that go with the territory.

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3 Ways to Not Only Survive but Thrive On a Low Ministry Budget

By | July 6, 2010

So you have a great group of teens and you are psyched about how God is moving. But there’s just one catch: you have a low budget and don’t know how to keep up with other ministries that have all the bells and whistles. Well…don’t worry, do something about it. I keep hearing from Catholic youth leaders that they have a small budget or that their budgets have been cut. Most parishes operate on a budget that starts in July. If you find yourself in a situation where your budget has just been cut or you have always operated on a small budget – here are 3 ways to not only survive but thrive with less budget dollars:

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Are You a Jan Stock?

By | June 23, 2010

You know, you have met them, people who go above and beyond and make things happen. My family and I visited Bryce Canyon National Park yesterday and we met a park ranger who really was impressive and stuck out – Jan Stock! She was amazing, her enthusiasm, dedication and communication skills were astounding. Here is 5 things that Jan Stock does very well! See how well you are doing in these 5 areas in regard to youth ministry: 1.) Connecting with People – Before she started her presentation on

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10 Things That Will Kill The Mood of a Youth Meeting

By | May 26, 2010

Want to make sure that you don’t kill the mood at your next youth event> Check out these 10 things to avoid….

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If You Want to Learn Current Teen Culture – You Will Love These Sites!

By | May 25, 2010

How familiar are you with teen sexting, girl bullying, club drugs or that teens are back into bowling? How up to date are you with today’s teen culture? Check out these 5 websites to make sure that Catholic youth ministry at your parish stays connected to the world of teens you are seeking to journey with.

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Don’t be talkin’ ‘bout my Mama: protecting your teens from mistruths

By | May 13, 2010

I sat stunned in the back of the room. I was in shock. “Did he just say that?” I asked myself in utter disbelief.

I had been asked to speak at a multi-parish teen retreat (in a state that will go unnamed). During this particular session a local priest was present and had agreed to answer teen questions about the faith…

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Are You a Bringer?

By | May 12, 2010

In the Catholic youth ministry world, there’s often a big difference between the bringers and everyone else. The bringers carry somebody or something. They seek or form community and make things happen. It’s not unusual to go to the smallest parish and find someone serving teens there who isn’t small at all. Sometimes, this is an unpaid servant, someone that’s inherited or acquired their mission out of necessity. Anyway, you can’t just say you’re an bringer and be one. It takes a lot of prayer and surrender to be a real bringer!