Alvin Lau

24 01, 2015

Distinguishing Youth Ministry

By Alvin|2016-10-31T13:57:17-04:00January 24th, 2015|Alvin Lau, youth ministry thoughts|1 Comment

Ask a church their definition of "youth ministry", you'll probably get a variety of responses. Many define it as a program where youth are the target audience. Others emphasize mentoring and relationships with youth. Recently, some are expanding it to be family ministries i.e. ministering to parents and their families. Over the last few months, I've (Alvin) recognized there is a distinction between youth ministry and a church's reponse to

19 01, 2015

Avalanche 2015 review

By Alvin|2016-10-31T13:57:17-04:00January 19th, 2015|Alvin Lau, event recap|0 Comments

It's been less than 12 hours since all students, leaders and staff left Muskoka Woods. For 40 hours, we went from -25'C weather on Friday night to a "balmy" +2'C on Sunday. In fact, half the snow was sliding off the Music Hall. In that time, we've heard stories of many students seriously considering how God views them in light of what was shared. Chris Tompkins, our speaker, challenged "You're

7 01, 2015

The Big Push

By Alvin|2015-01-07T04:37:19-05:00January 7th, 2015|Alvin Lau, youth ministry thoughts|0 Comments

In the next nine weeks, I'll be involved in 3 retreats, 1 leadership conference, organizing 1 Compassion Experience and a Raptors outreach event (plus we'll throw in 3 church consultations). This is our high season at CBOQ Youth. In the midst of the organized chaos, God gave me a reminder from a devotion shared by Gloria Stafford at our last Avalanche planning meeting based on Ephesians 3:14-21. The one phrase

9 12, 2014

THE Reason for Advent

By Alvin|2014-12-09T12:55:30-05:00December 9th, 2014|Alvin Lau|0 Comments

In CBOQ Youth's calendar, Christmas is usually down time (compared to our other youth ministry colleagues in churches who have a lot to take care of before December 25). Given that our high season is just around the corner, our office will slow down with Matt and Alvin taking some time off and Angie scaling back her office hours. As you head into the heart of this Advent season (with

2 12, 2014

A Baptistic Principle in Youth Ministry

By Alvin|2014-12-02T16:42:04-05:00December 2nd, 2014|Alvin Lau, youth ministry thoughts|0 Comments

One Baptistic value we hold is "association". While every church has its own autonomy and can individually discern where God is leading them, many congregations recognize they can't do everything by themselves. Even the formation of our area associations and CBOQ itself is based on this. Two specific examples of association are our CBOQ Youth retreats and Centre Court events. Retreats like Avalanche and Blizzard require a certain critical mass

26 11, 2014

Is your Advent synonymous with "busyness"?

By Alvin|2014-11-26T20:06:18-05:00November 26th, 2014|Alvin Lau, youth ministry thoughts|0 Comments

As Advent approaches, I usually hear from our youth leaders this is one of the busiest times of year. (For us at CBOQ Youth, it's actually a slower time because no one really needs us.) While celebrations and other activities take time and energy to plan, I wonder if it becomes over-programmed. For instance, ask yourself some of these questions: As you enter December, do you feel more strained or

20 11, 2014

A National Voice

By Alvin|2014-11-20T16:31:29-05:00November 20th, 2014|Alvin Lau, youth ministry thoughts|0 Comments

Last week, directors from our Canadian Baptist partners in youth and family gathered. These semiannual meetings aren't just to catch up. They are times to discern how we can come together at a national level with discernment from the Holy Spirit. CB Youth and Family's mandate is to advocate and make possible national and global synergies in the areas of youth, family and young adult ministry. Some elements that we

13 11, 2014

What is God's vision for that student?

By Alvin|2016-10-31T13:57:17-04:00November 13th, 2014|Alvin Lau, parental care|0 Comments

Earlier this year, we started a conversation about parental care being a core element of youth ministry. One key question is whether both the parent(s) and youth leaders understand where each youth is headed i.e. what's the vision God has for that child? This isn't just about future vocation or other generic answers like "to grow up, be a good person and have a good job". While we may never

9 11, 2014

Ticats Faith and Family Event update

By Alvin|2016-10-31T13:57:17-04:00November 9th, 2014|Alvin Lau, event recap|0 Comments

Last Saturday night, CBOQ Youth with Children and Family joined the Hamilton Ticats for their final regular season game (and it was a memorable one). However, the greater impact came from the testimonies of three Ticat players: Luke Tasker, Joel Reinders and Cary Koch with chaplain Steve Kearns. Several churches with children of all ages came to hear their stories of Jesus' impact on them. Guests offered questions and some

30 10, 2014

Post-Secondary Transition Strategy

By Alvin|2016-10-31T13:57:17-04:00October 30th, 2014|Alvin Lau, youth ministry thoughts|0 Comments

As soon-to-be high school graduates are looking at options after June, it can become a daunting task. Some are excited; others are filled with anxiety. As youth leaders, helping them to navigate this time is crucial in their faith journey. While each individual's situation is unique, there are some common elements to consider. What kind of vocation is God calling that person towards? What kind of pathway is God directing