Then the joke faded and we thought “well actually, that might be fun to try.” So we did.

To play this game you will need:

- Pool noodles, but get the ones at the dollar store that our like 60″ long, and cut them in half.

- clearly identified boundaries for your game to be played in

Shark Attack is basically the pool game sharks & minnows, but the rules for that game vary depending on where you live, so we’ll set it up.

We set up an area outside in our parking lot that wasn’t too wide or too deep for our size group, and then had everyone line up on one side. We chose one person to start out as shark, and the shark got two pool noodles. During the game, the shark can move anywhere he or she wants within the boundaries, and the object is to tag the minnows as they pass. To tag, you simply whack them with the pool noodle.

A leader will say go and all of the minnows have to run from the side they are starting on, to the opposite side of the game area without getting whacked by the shark. If they do get hit, they have to stand in the same exact spot they were tagged in, and a leader will bring them one pool noodle. They can’t throw their pool needle to get others out, they can’t move their feet in any way to get other people out, only stand as stationary towers. The last minnow becomes the shark in the new round.

Variations:

We played a few speed rounds of the game where everyone was free to move when they became sharks. These rounds were usually over fairly quickly, but what was nice about them, was because we played them after a few regular rounds, our students would primarily be concerned with getting their friends out first in these rounds, as opposed to the slower kids. So the winners of our speed rounds were, not every time, but often the students who were easy pickings with the normal rules.

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The post Youth Ministry Group Game – Shark Attack appeared first on YouthMin.org.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go!  It would have put me out of the office for too long, since I would have to fly from Atlanta directly to Minneapolis for seminary intensives.  I had to survive based off blog posts from my friends (which you can find here).  Luckily, that’s not my last chance to get my Orange fix for the year!  As many of you know, Orange is hitting the road again this year with Orange Tour 2013, regional gatherings of hundreds of like-minded ministers and volunteers.

So why am I going?  Here are four reasons I’m going and you should too.*

1. CONNECT.  

Give me a day to connect with hundreds of pastors who think like I do, love Jesus, love families, and love students?  Done deal.  I’ll be headed to the Dallas event, November 8.  If any Youthmin readers are OT13 bound, let me know!  I’d love to take advantage of being in the same place and find someway to connect and maybe even up my caffeine intake at the same time.  If you head to any OT13 tour dates, take advantage!  Post on Twitter, the Youthmin Facebook Group, send smoke signals, whatever it takes.  There should be no reason anyone shows up to an Orange event and leaves without having met a few new people.  It’s just a matter of putting yourself out there, being friendly, and looking for opportunities to connect.

2. REGAIN PERSPECTIVE.  

Any opportunity to escape my weekly routine of ministry tends to be beneficial.  I’ll be driving from Cabot, AR all the way to Dallas– about five hours.  On the way I’ll be riding with another staff member from our church, our campus Family Pastor who oversees our Children’s Ministry, who has been a good friend of mine for the past five years.  We’ll spend the drive asking questions, trying to help each other see issues from a new perspective, and brainstorming ways to creatively engage families to encourage discipleship within their homes.

3. SESSIONS WITHOUT WORRIES.

We all know how it goes…rarely on a Sunday afternoon are you home thinking, “This morning was so fresh and encouraging.”  Usually, it’s “How did they get that stuck in the ceiling tiles?”  or if you’re anything like me, “Maybe it’s true…maybe they do hate me.”  We’re busy putting out fires and connecting with people between services.  Sunday mornings are not for our own spiritual growth.  Even those of us fortunate to sit in a service are rarely completely engaged.  At OT13, whether it’s a teaching session or anything else, guess what?  You don’t have to fix, look out for, program, or take ownership for any of it!  I’m looking forward to that, even just to look for creative elements they use that may fit for me.

4. REFILL THE TANK.

Along those lines, I always leave Orange events with a refreshed and refueled excitement for my ministry at home.  I’m ready to hit the ground running, wading through bullet points, shorthand notes, and sometimes Siri-dictated paragraphs of nonsense I gathered throughout the event.  90% of the things I come back with never come to fruition, but they usually end up birthing other ideas and concepts.  It’s always so exciting to walk back into the office and whiteboard ideas for my students and their families on the heals of Orange.

Obviously, i’m excited, and I hope you are too.  If you’re heading to OT13 Dallas, hit me up on twitter!  I’d love to start connecting and maybe find some time to meet face-to-face.  Either way, don’t wait.  Click the banner below, head over, sign up, and get ready.  Start praying now that God would use the short span of time to help you connect with others, gain a new perspective, soak up the opportunities, and refill your tank.  It’s well worth the investment.

*I receive no compensation for registrations resulting from this blog post.

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The post 4 Reasons I’m Headed To Orange Tour 13 appeared first on YouthMin.org.

• When I got here I made sure to reach out to each senior. They were some of the first students’ phone numbers I saved in my phone and the first students I had lunch with. I made an effort to show them that I care about them.
• I built a relationship with them and showed them I cared about their future. I tried to engage them with questions about their future and their dreams about college. I would encourage them with the little I knew about the area schools and gave them the best advice I could give them from my time leaving high school.
• I got them a good book, which I struggled with the most. Knowing the context I was in, I knew that their parents would be giving them good Bibles. I also didn’t want to give them good books they already read. I wanted to give them something that would prepare them well for college. I choose 99 Thoughts for College-Age people by Chuck Bomar. I tend to steer clear from “stereotypical” youth ministry books and publishing houses, not because I have anything against them, but because I just don’t tend to look at books that come out of there. It wasn’t until I was in a local Christian bookstore and thumbing through this book, that I had to reconsider my angst. This book is wonderful. It is short, thoughtful, and legit. Points on dating, spending money wisely, and how to look at campus ministries are just some of the many great suggestions and insightful tips that the author gives. His tips are exactly what I would tell the students.
• I met with my senior pastor to find a way to for the church to recognize the seniors well. We blocked out about 20 minutes of the service just for them to be known and recognized by the church.
• Lastly, I made a video with them in it to be played in service and posted on Youtube for them to look back on and share. I decided to make it upward-focused. From the music to the questions, I wanted the video to focus more about God and his work in the lives of the students, rather than just have a slideshow with baby pictures and a Vitamin C song.

How did you recognize your seniors at your church? What gifts did you give them? If you made a video, share them in the comments.

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The post Recognizing Seniors in Student Ministry and the Church appeared first on YouthMin.org.

What is God stirring in your heart?

The first few verses of the book of Ezra open with the king of Persia essentially granting freedom to the exiles of God that are within his reign the freedom to go home and to rebuild the temple of God. As Christians, we know the God we serve is great and able to do anything; for example, having the king of the nation who is holding captives, who just 70 years prior was responsible for the destruction of the temple and city, issue a decree setting those captives free to go rebuild.

But from a purely human perspective, how terrifying would this have been to live through? What if it was all just a trap? What would possess the king to issue this decree?

It’s one thing to have faith that God can do; it’s a completely different issue to have to actually take action on that faith, to take the first step into the unknown.

What I love about the first verses in Ezra is in verse 5, where it says

 

Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose heart God had moved, to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem.

I love that part: everyone whose heart God had moved; because I know how God has moved my heart and the passions he has put on me that are unique to me, and I also know there are passions he has stirred within you that are unique to you. When I read this verse, it’s the implication of the ones whose hearts hadn’t been stirred and who saw this decree go out and were content to sit on the sidelines, that leaves me with a greater sense of purpose.

Has your heart been stirred up by God to do something? Do you see a problem that needs attention, and are you willing to take a step of Faith to act on it?

There are students in our youth groups who need to develop the faith to take that first step of action, to stand up for what is right and what God has stirred in their hearts. As we shared last week, many of these students are probably the ones who are the hardest to talk to, but are the ones who will be the first to move.

Others of us have had our hearts stirred up to do something wild in our ministries, build a new tradition, or destroy an old one. Sometimes God moves in us and shows us where we need to go, but we get paralyzed with fear in that first step: what if this wasn’t God showing me this, what if the church hates it, what if I lose budget money, if this goes wrong could I lose my job?

I can’t tell you what God is stirring you to do, but I can tell you that you shouldn’t let his voice stop at moving your heart. Take action.

The first step is always the hardest. But the hard steps that are certain to be on His path are far greater than a million easy ones not on His path.

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The post The first step is always the hardest appeared first on YouthMin.org.

Here’s a look back at some of the things we posted this week:

Ben Read and Jeremy Smith Debated whether or not Youth Groups should let students use cell phones.

Two new games were added: Who’s the Hero and Say the Same thing.

A reader submitted a great post to share with your volunteers about connecting with students.

And Keith Parker continued his series on Planning a Mission Trip.

Here were the posts we read elsewhere that we think you should check out:

Social Media Resources for Parents by Austin McCann

Why you should stay in your ministry by Michael Bayne

What does it mean to disciple others by Matt McGill

New Brain research about young teens and identity formation by Marko

Free E-book “Helping Teens answer tough questions” by Tim Schmoyer

How to value and empower your volunteers by Jill Harris

John Piper and Mark Driscoll talked me off the bridge by Jared C. Wilson

Extraordinarily Ordinary by Aaron Armstrong

http://geoguessr.com - This is the best use of google street view ever. You play a game where it loads you in streetview in a random place, and you have to guess where in the world you are, getting points for how close you come.

bibleminded app - a great app to help memorize scripture, great for students, volunteers, and ourselves

The post Editors picks 5.17.13 appeared first on YouthMin.org.

I am becoming more and more convinced that what happens at the end of the trip and the follow up after the trip are as important as the trip itself. Having a solid plan after the trip can help you to harness the incredible spiritual momentum that the trip creates.

I will be honest and confess that I don’t always do a great job of following up after the trip. Busy schedules, family, and the “next event mentality” always make this a difficult strategy to execute. But I see the value in a post-trip plan, and want to share some ideas that might help you to follow up after your next mission trip.

1. The trip home is important
As we are returning home after a great mission trip, I always instruct my students to be ready for mom and dad. Parents will always ask, “How was the trip?” I want my students to be ready to answer that question, and to answer it well. I tell them to be ready with spiritual answers, not the funny thing that happened on the bus on the way home. By having your students prepare in this way, you will help parents see the value of your trips, and you will help your students think through all that God has done on the trip.

2. Personal devotions after the trip
I think most of us probably prepare devotional thoughts or booklets for the trip itself. Something I have started doing is including a reading plan or devotion ideas for after the trip. Often, we instruct students to “stay in the Word” or “read your Bible daily,” but we rarely provide them with a game plan or resource to help them accomplish this. Late this summer, we are taking a small group of college students to Honduras. As part of their cost, we are purchasing the book Disrupted, a 52-week devotional designed for those who have experienced a cross-cultural mission trip. Either find or provide a resource to help your students stay in the Word.”

3. Get your whole church family involved
Studies like Sticky Faith have shown that one of the best ways to keep students plugged in to the church is to connect them with the larger church Body as a whole. When we return from a mission trip, we almost always play a slideshow in the main worship service, highlight the trip, and wear our mission trip T-shirts together on the same Sunday. I also instruct the congregation to seek out the students wearing the mission trip T-shirts and ask them about their trip. Sometimes, depending on the trip, we may devote a Sunday night or a Wednesday night to highlighting the trip, and allowing students to speak about their experience. Be creative, but involve the whole church in spiritual growth after the trip.

4. Use technology to stay in touch
We usually create a texting group for all the students that are on our mission trips. After the trip, this texting group is a great resource for spiritual encouragement. By occasionally sharing a scripture, a word of encouragement, or a challenging question, you can help extend the trip in the mind of the student. This can also be a powerful tool to help you connect with the parents of those students. The sky is the limit!

5. Plan a reunion
One final idea that may help encourage your students to continue growing spiritually is to plan a mission trip reunion. Get together with the group, reminisce about the trip, and ask challenging questions about how their life is different because of it.

I know following up after a mission trip can be hard work, but it can also be very beneficial to your ministry and the students you love. I’m curious, what are some great post-trip things you have done to encourage your students?

The post Planning a Mission Trip: After the Trip appeared first on YouthMin.org.

So simple, we could play it tonight without needing too much time to set it up.

The game is called Say the Same thing, and the app was created by members of the band OkGo. They do a great job of explaining how the game works in this video, which will be great to play for the students to set up the game before we play.

If you didn’t catch it from the video, essentially, two people say a word they are thinking of. Using those two words, they try and find a word related to the combination, using the original two words as clues to figure out what the other is thinking. The object of the game is for them to finally get to where they can say the same thing.

So tonight, we’ll get two volunteers to play, and we’ll have them play the game. We’ll have them on opposite sides of the stage with stacks of a paper and a marker, so they can write the words down and reveal at the same time. We’ll keep track of how many rounds it takes for them to say the same thing, and possibly have a few other sets of volunteers compete against the top score tonight, if we have time, or in future weeks.

I’ve been having a blast on the iphone app version of the game, and would love to play a round with you. Add me on Facebook and find me in the game!

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The post Youth Group Game: Say the Same thing appeared first on YouthMin.org.

The students in the room? They have homework. And soccer practice. And girlfriends. And video games.
OK, so I at least have video games in common with students.

The next time you’re in a room with adults and students, make an effort to have conversation with multiple students before you seek out your adult friends. As a volunteer, you came for the students. They are the ones you’re ministering to.

If it helps, decide to have three conversations with students before talking with an adult about their week. The conversations don’t have to end in a Gospel presentation (though you never know!), but should be longer than “Hey! How was your week?”

Ask them how their extra curricular programs are going. Ask them what their plans are for the next holiday. Ask them about their jobs, their boyfriends, their school, their home, their math test, even their video games. Show students that you came for them by engaging them as they walk into the room. It can make a huge difference later on as they reflect on their experience in the youth group.

Seek out students first, you never know what you’ll find!

This was submitted to the site by Ronald Long using the Submit button near the top of the site. We didn’t ask for enough information from him to give him a bio, so Ronald, if you see this, message me so we can fix it.

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The post Engaging students you have nothing in common with appeared first on YouthMin.org.

We called it “Who’s the Hero?” Simply because someone is going to end up with a lifesaver, and the person in the middle has to guess who.

There’s two ways to play this game, and thats up to you to decide.

The first way is to have the person in the middle close their eyes and count to 30. While they are counting, the students holding the string will pass the lifesaver around, in any direction, but trying to stay quiet. When the 30 seconds are up, whoever has the lifesaver simply covers it up with hishand, while the person in the middle has 3 guesses to guess who is holding it. They guess wrong, they sit down, they guess right, they rejoin the circle and whoever had the lifesaver is now in the middle.

The second way of playing it lets the person in the middle keep their eyes open and watch. The group will still pass the lifesaver around, but they will have to be more sneaky about it as to not get caught. Depending on your group size, the person in the middle has 3-5 guesses before they are out. This version would almost be similar to the winking murder game a lot of Youth Groups play.

So there ya go. We have several other games we played recently with lifesavers we’ll be posting, but we’d love to know your thoughts on this one, if you play it, what we could change to make the game better, that sort of stuff. And as always, we’d love for you to submit a game to the site using the big blue submit box near the top of the page.

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The post Youth Group Game: Who’s the Hero? appeared first on YouthMin.org.

Read Jeremy Smith’s thoughts on why Youth Groups should absolutely let their students use their cell phones.

Read Ben Read’s thoughts on why Youth Groups are better off not allowing students to have their cell phones.

The post Should Youth Groups allow students to use their phones? appeared first on YouthMin.org.