Thursday, September 8, 2016

LEGACY Has Left The Building.... Again


Last night we closed our doors and sent all of our students to other student ministries...

Yes - you heard me! Yes - we told students last week we'd be sending them elsewhere this week and we did. And yes, the questions have come in: What? Why? Don't we pay our own student pastor to have ministries for our students? What if they teach something students don't believe? What if they like another ministry better?
Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah....
We did this last year too &  our students loved it! So why have a night like this? Let me give you several reasons:

- Students need to see the greater body of Christ in action! It's easy to get caught up in our own "student ministry world" and lose sight that there are other ministries that are not only advancing the Gospel but, like iron sharpens iron, we can learn from and collaborate with. I've worked hard since arriving in Castle Rock to see ministries make Jesus known, encourage each other and work together. These ministries care for students and are sharing the hope of Jesus!

- Students can forget what it is like to be the "visitor." It's easy to get comfortable week after week with the same friends - even ones you bring. But whenever you come into a new place, a new environment, a different structure, it can be awkward and a bit scary. But, since we believe awkward is awesome, I want to put my students (& adults)  in "awkward" situations!  I want students to know how it feels to be the visitor because it can make them more sensitive to students who visit our ministry. We even had our students inviting their friends to go with them last night and be visitors together - that's cool God stuff!

- It can help students take ownership. Want students more involved in your student ministry? Send 'em elsewhere and have them come back with ideas to make yours better. Then give them the encouragement &  resources to accomplish it. They can, they will, they do and it works! We had students meet at Chick-fil-a afterwards last night to debrief and share experiences & ideas - they were non-stop talking!!! 

- It will help students verbalize their faith. The greatest way to grow in your faith is to share your faith. And yes, this  happens best with students among their peers. As they attended other student ministries last night, numerous ones told me about conversations they had about what they believe about Jesus with other students - during lesson discussion as well as while just hanging. Gospel conversations - students with students - Awesome!

- It creates faith-building, discipling opportunities. But what if students attend another ministry where they heard false teaching? Great! I'm not sending them elsewhere every week. The weeks they are in our ministry I guarantee they get solid, Biblical truth and that will help them discern truth from error. And even if this happens, you do what every parent does when their son or daughter asks a question. You discuss it together and it provides a teachable, discipling moment. Doing this helps students take ownership of their own faith which is a must, in my mind, at least before they leave high school. Side-note: The ministries I sent them to last night - I would trust those guys with my life!

- Students usually come back with a greater appreciation of their own student ministry. I heard this from a lot of our students after last night. Don't get me wrong - our students know I have no desire for our ministry to become any type of "club." But I do want them to have a place in the body of Christ where they feel challenged as well as safe, loved, accepted and a sense of belonging, because, sadly, for some, student ministry may be the only place where they find that.

So to wrap up, I don't feel threatened a bit by sending my students to visit some of the other great ministries in our city - besides, aren't we all on the same team?!~ As a called minister of God, I want to give my students the best and I work hard to do so. And if our ministries aren't the best (and you have to define best) - then shame on us, let's get them there! But if for whatever reason, a student (and/or their family) finds a better fit where they can worship, love, serve & share Jesus elsewhere - I am totally cool with that! I don't get paid commission!
Ok, I said a lot. And for now, I still have a job :)

Hizkid, mrbill

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

7 Reasons You Should Bring Yourself & Your Students To Lead THE Cause This Summer

This summer I will be taking students back to Lead The Cause. This will be my fifth LTC, not with the same students, not for the same information, but certainly for the same purpose - Transformation! Why am I going back again? Here are my Top 7 reasons:


1 - To PRAY: If this were my only reason, it would be enough. Me and my students get to beg God for our friends to come to Christ, to ask God to give us a passion for them and then for God to give us HIS plan to see these things get accomplished! AND to pray with hundreds of other students who have the same desire - Priceless!

2 - It’s a MISSIONS Week: This is not a week of just sitting in classes. We’re out sharing our faith, doing ministry, texting friends, beginning Gospel conversations and recruiting other believers to join us in this Cause! And then, when we the week is over and we return, it’s like a year long missions work on our campuses begins!

3 - It Draws Students DEEPER: Every student I’ve take has repeatedly told me that this week drew them closer to the Lord than ever before. The substance of the week causes them to risk and to be taken out of their comfort zones where they HAVE to trust in their Lord! It’s an uncomfortableness that takes us all to places in our soul we might not otherwise go.

4 - It Sends Students WIDER: The training and immediate application helps us all be better inspired & equipped to have Gospel conversations with our friends. Fears are removed and replaced with Faith - faith that we can do this and God can use us!

5 - It’s My DISCIPLE-MAKING Strategy: This week helps me make disciples who make disciples who make disciples, and it can help you do the same. Legacy is not our church’s ministry to students, it’s our students ministry to the world! LTC gives students an opportunity to get involved in this disciple-making process - and we are seeing this happen! Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UklfJ6Z-CsE

6 - Students OWN IT: Unlike camps & retreats where students usually return and tell people what they missed, LTC students return and recruit their friends to join them in a Cause greater than themselves - THE Cause of sharing the hope of Jesus with everyone! I don’t have to sell an idea to students who weren’t there, instead my students own this movements and THEY inspire & recruit others!

7 - We Return With A STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN: After praying, discussing, praying and strategizing, we come away with a set of 30 day, 3 month and 9 month goals that, by God’s grace & power, will help us reach our area for HIM! We all want to see our friends come to know Jesus, but how many of us actually sit down, pray and set goals to see that happen?! Well, at LTC we do!

In my 31 years of doing student ministry, LTC has produced more “fruit that lasts” (John 15:16) than ANYTHING else I’ve ever done! I’ve literally watched my LTC alumni leave for college, gather other followers, and begin to Lead The Cause on their campuses! If you’re tired of the typical and ready for transformational, get yourself and your students to Lead The Cause this summer!