Archive for January, 2009

THIS GENERATION – January 2009

January 2, 2009 · Filed under This Generation

FBC HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH WINTER RETREAT / WV SKI TRIP… February 13-16

2 Days Lift Tickets & Rentals, 3 Nights Lodging, Transportation, & Food Cost: 3 Dinners, 3 Lunches, & 3 Breakfasts… cost will be 400 dollars per person, then several trip-goers can factor in a 50 dollar discount for FBC church members… remember that a mandatory 150 dollar deposit is due on January 30th. Only 35 spots are available for this trip, so pay your deposit soon to ensure your inclusion on this trip.

The trip from Fort Payne, AL to Flat Top, WV is 400 miles… we plan to drive 6 1/2 hours plus we will be stopping once for fast-food on the way there. Several have expressed interest, but we need deposits paid soon to move forward with this trip.

The trip is primarily for students in 9th through 12th grades. College Students interested in attending can see Joey Downey for more information or send a facebook message to me (Jeff). 7th and 8th graders can join us if they bring one or two parent chaperons.

Currently adults planning on going include: Jeff Ford (youth minister), Mark and Beverly Petty (youth parents), Joey and Susan Downey (youth parents & college chaperons), Hannah Moses (college student & chaperon extraordinaire), and Jason Hensel (youth parent). Other chaperons may join this list in days to come.

We will depart from First Baptist Church when all participants arrive at the church on Friday (probably around 3:30pm), we will not depart until all have arrived for departure; remember, the sooner you arrive on Friday, the sooner we can arrive at our ski destination. 9th through 12th graders will miss school on Monday; however, with a proper written request, this absence will be excused.  

We will be staying at Glade Springs Resort www.gladesprings.comand skiing at Winterplace Ski Resort www.winterplace.com .

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We are planning to take a special Saturday-trip sometime soon especially for 7th and 8th graders at Snow Mountain www.snowmountainpark.com . More details regarding this trip will be provided at our January 18th Student / Parent Youth Ministry Luncheon.

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PARENT / STUDENT FBC YOUTH MINISTRY LUNCHEON… January 18th

This is a lunch event that we hope all students and parents connected to First Baptist Church are planning on attending. The meeting will begin a few minutes after the closing of our January 18th AM worship service. I will share many details that will benefit you in the months to come, as we continue to seek to make an impact with the love of Christ in Fort Payne, AL and beyond. Permission Slips for our year of church events will also be provided.

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Philippines ‘09 Trip Preparation: January Meetings

Our first planning meeting will take place after PM Worship @ FBC – January 18th. PM Worship begins at 6pm. Our second planning meeting is on January 25th @ 2pm: please meet at the church, we will prayer walk a portion of the trails at Desoto State Park if weather permits on the 25th. Please pray for the following FBC Students & Adults: Mike Story, Eleanor Isbell, Joey Downey, Jeff Ford, Thea Ford, Roger Walworth, Tamy Story, Melanie Roberts, Christy Bennifield, Buffy Tate, Sara McCutheon, Debra Story, Lauren Story, & Luke Jennings. Our mission trip dates are June 18 through 30.

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Spring Break Mission Trip ‘09

We plan to travel to Baton Rouge, LA on Monday March 16th. We will arrive back in Fort Payne on Thursday or Friday (details are still be worked out). Our primary ministry partners will be CrossPoint Baptist Church www.crosspointchurch.org . We will work with this church to minister to the people of the city of Baton Rouge in a variety of ways. More details coming soon.

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MFUGE ‘09 Dates & Location & Cost

Dates: July 6 through 11 of 2009

Location: Belmont University in Nashville, TN

Cost: 150 dollar deposit due on Sunday, April 26th… Total cost is 350 dollars per person (FBC church members receive a 75 dollar discount… total cost for church members is 275 dollars per person).

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Please contact Jeff at First Baptist Church (256.845.2015 & jeff@fbcfp.org) with your concern, prayer requests, and questions… thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving with you in Fort Payne, AL.

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your first 2 years in youth ministry

January 1, 2009 · Filed under Reflections on the Text

I’m reading a book by doug fields: “your first two years in youth ministry – a personal and practical guide to starting right”, and i’d like to share some of the key insights and study questions with my world wide web friends…

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Chapter One: where do i start? committing to the essentials…

A Few Key Insights:

1. Our success in the youth ministry race has a lot to do with developing a big-picture perspective.

2. Commit to… move slowly, check motives, evaluate your heart, steer clear of the numbers game, never criticize the past, avoid comparisons, focus on priorities, pace yourself, serve, be a learner, and pursue contentment. Further explanations of these commitments can be found here… http://jeffandthea.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/insights-from-doug-fields-your-first-two-years-of-youth-ministry/

3. a word about being in youth ministry for the long haul and being in your 30s and 40s… http://jeffandthea.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/insights-from-doug-fields-your-first-two-years-of-youth-ministry/

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Study Questions for Chapter 1:

1. Which commitment is going to be the toughest for you?

2. Which commitment offers you the most encouragement?

3. Do I have a sprint mentality or a marathon mindset when it comes to youth minstry?

4. How will it affect the church and / or the student ministry if I quit too soon?

5. What is my personal plan to evaluate my motives?

6. How can I begin an honest conversation wth my supervisor about the numbers game?

7. What can I do to improve the commitment that I struggle with the most?

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Chapter Two: why do i feel this way? dealing with discouragement…

A Few Key Insights:

1. I have found discouragement’s frequency to be the most humbling and sobering truth about youth ministry.

2. It’s easier to avoid people when we’re discouraged than to invite them into our pain.

3. There is hope, and, because the God of the universe is involved, it’s plentiful. When discouragement hits you, count on God to use that season in your life to increase your ministry effectiveness. God may be using periods of discouragement to take your life and your ministry to a deeper and better place.

4. It is difficult for others to completely understand the world of youth ministry until they’ve lived in it.

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Study Questions for Chapter 2:

1. Where do you find yourself most easily discouraged in youth ministry?

2. Which suggestion from this chapter can help you respond to your time of discouragement?

3. Do I have a thoughtful plan for dealing with discouragement? If so, what is it? If not, is it worth thinking through one?

4. Over the last year, has my discouragement been painful, untimely, selfish, or lonely?

5. Do I have a friend and / or mentor who cares for me beyond youth ministry? If not, how and when can I find one?

6. Do I have days throughout my week when I consiciously get alone in order to get refreshed? If not, how can I make this a priority?

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Chapter Three: how do i stay spiritually fresh? establishing a heart foundation…

A Few Key Insights:

1. Hearts that aren’t connected to Jesus don’t help the youth ministry team.

2. Without spiritual health, you won’t make it in youth ministry. Don’t misunderstand: you don’t need the knowledge of a Bible scholar or the spiritual disciplines of a monk, but you do need a heart that’s tender toward God and open to his leadings. You need to be in love with Jesus.

3. Don’t allow increasing ministry to decrease your intimacy, and don’t let your service exceed your worship. Jesus’ strongest words were reservced for ministry leaders who had either forgotten or ignored the primacy of their inner world. Jesus clearly communicated where to look for spirituality – inward. (Matt 23.26… blind pharisee! first clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.)

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Study Questions for Chapter 3:

1. which personal warning sign do you identify with from pages 69 and 70? Why?

2. what adjectives would you use to describe your current spiritual journey?

3. do i spend more time thinking about my youth ministry responsibilities or my spiritual life?

4. what external, spiritual acts do I value as signs of someone being spiritually mature?

5. am i aware of the warning signs that lead to spiritual disconnect?

6. now that I’m away from my group, how would I really describe my spiritual journey? is it different from what i shared in the group? if so, why?

7. what keeps me from being consistent in my time with God?

8. how would i explain to a student what i do to stay spiritually fresh?

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Chapter Four: what’s most important to students? being with them…

A Few Key Insights:

1.  (to be continued)

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Study Questions for Chapter 4:

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