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Tag Archives: Leadership

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What Pawn Stars Can Teach Youth “Ministars”

The hottest show on cable TV in the US is a show called “Pawn Stars”. It revolves around a guy – Rick Harrison along with his father, Richard “The Old Man” Harrison, his son, Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison” and family friend Austin “Chumlee” Russell. Harrison gives viewers a behind-the-scenes peek into his Las Vegas business the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. In the process, he educates audiences on the history behind many of the unique items sold in the store. The show offers several useful analogies for

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5 Ways to Get the Most Out of the 2011 Life Teen Leadership Conference

This Monday over 450 teens will attend our annual Life Teen Leadership Conference. This year our conference is at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. If you are heading to Kansas for the conference – here are 5 ways you can make sure you have one of the best weeks of your life.   1.) Meet New People – You are attending a conference with hundreds of other top Catholic teens who are mostly all striving to grow in their holiness. Don’t just hang out with the people you are going to the conference

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7 Things Parents Won’t Tell You

Unlike most parents of teens who go to work each day in some secular job, I spend my days talking with priests, DRE’s, diocesan directors, youth leaders, teens and our amazing staff at Life Teen sharing the privilege of serving in full time youth ministry. Like the saying goes – “do what you love to do and then get paid to do it”. Of course there are downsides to full time youth ministry as well. One of the most frequently asked questions at our youth ministry training conferences has to do with

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What (Teens) Want

One of my favorite blog writer’s is Seth Godin. Seth inspires me to always think out of the box. He recently wrote a blog entitled “What (People) Want”. I couldn’t help but notice how it applied not only to adults but to the teens we serve. So here is my reframing and tweaks to Seth’s list and how we could apply it to Catholic Youth Ministry. Here are five easy and not so easy things you want to make sure you are doing for the teens in your parish… 1. Notice Them Make sure when you see a teen

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The Case for Unassuming Youth Ministry

The most effective parish youth ministries maintain what I call an “unassuming youth ministry” stance. This means that they know they need to re-earn attention, re-earn loyalty, and reconnect with teens and parents as if every day is the first day they started the ministry at the parish. Signs that We Have an Assuming Youth Ministry: – We start feeling successful or assume we are the only choice for teens. – We start comparing and assuming youth ministry at our parish as better than what

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Keys To Being a Great Core Member

I was training a group of young core members when I commented about what a great looking group of young adults they were. I think I said they looked like they could be in a Gap Ad. All of a sudden one of the girl Core Members asked me “What’s the perfect core member looked like?” I thought for a second and then immediately responded – “that’s simple – the perfect Core Member looks like Jesus”. You see the world tells teens how they should look, as Core Members it’s not about how we look, it’s all

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Advice to Any New Youth Leader

After starting out by hitting my head against several brick walls in the first few months on the job as a part time parish youth leader, I wish someone had sat me down and given me advice to get off to the right start at the parish. So now 23 years in youth ministry, I have decided to write some advice for any one who’s new as a youth leader. Advice for new youth leaders: 1.) It’s Not About You, It’s About the Teens – The world and our Church has seen enough self centered leaders. We don’t

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Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble In Ministry When…

I don’t like to speak of humility, just the mention of it implies I am not humble. Here is a gut check regarding humility that I have found a huge spiritual help. The Seventeen Evidences of a Lack of Humility By St. Josemaria Escrivá 1. To think that what one says or does is better than what others say or do 2. To always to want to get your own way 3. To argue with stubbornness and bad manners whether you are right or wrong 4. To give your opinion when it has not been requested or when charity

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They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Skinny Jeans?

I may take some heat for this with some of my close ministry friends, but here goes. I have attended several Catholic and non denominational youth leader gatherings over the past couple of years and I am always amazed at “the uniform” that many youth leaders and musicians utilize. Skinny jeans, plaid shirts and hip glasses are the rage. A lot of people can pull off wearing them and look great. Unfortunately, there are many who appear really awkward and fall into the group of “trying too hard to fit

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The Number One Reason Youth Leaders End Up Off Course

Ever wonder what happened to some of your peers in youth ministry? Over the past few years, I have talked with long term veterans who have maintained strong ministry for years, veterans who are no longer involved in ministry and a bunch of youth leaders in between. I have come to the conclusion that there is one main reason why a youth leader ends up off course.