It's been said that Generation Z's attention focus is 8 seconds (YouTube: "How to Communicate with Gen Z"). What does communication look like in a youth ministry setting, assuming you can't produce a high quality video every week? Here are some suggestions on how to enhance your youth ministry talks. Consider ways your message can be communicated through different multiple intelligences. While you may not be able to utilize all
Last weekend, we hosted our 19th Avalanche retreat (if you include the first jr. high retreat that happened at the same time as Blizzard in 2001). While the temperatures were very cold (possibly the coldest Avalanche we've had), God continued to move in mighty ways. The cold temperatures altered some of our plans. We managed to play our team competition game in the gym with over 550 students and leaders.
As Baptists, we place a high value on the autonomy of the local church. It’s crucial for local congregation’s to discern God’s direction in their specific context. But we also realize we are part of a larger (Baptist) family and thrive in larger community.  ASSOCIATIONS Almost all of our CBOQ churches belong to a regional association. Association gatherings enable churches who are geographically closer together to support one another
You likely have a group of students whom you’re trying to develop in their faith and leadership skills. They may even be involved in other ministries in your church or volunteering in the community. But how do they piece all those parts together? Here are some suggestions for helping that student make sense of all they’re experiencing. Do they have someone (or group of people) who they can bring all
Andre Rocha Youth and Worship Pastor Bromley Road Baptist Church (recorded: May 14, 2020) INSIGHTS FROM ANDRE They've tried to connect with their youth every day. Sidekick.tv is a key tool that's helped their new online programming. God is still the same so rest on him.
This summer will be different from the ones we’re used to. It will unlike anything we’ve experienced before! With the lingering effects of COVID-19 still around, what might the summer hold for you and your team? School is cancelled for this rest of this year. (Enhanced e-learning summer school is available, and although some of your students are itching to get into those programs, likely most will not).   Graduations and other celebrations are on hold. There will be no overnight camps.  There will be significant restrictions to
High school grads in the 2020 cohort will experience a summer and fall unlike previous generations of grads. Grads who are continuing to post-secondary studies will experience orientation events and the first weeks of classes (if they exist in person at all) in completely new ways. Some grads are deciding to defer their acceptances for a year. (Note: If you are looking to defer but haven’t done so already, you’ll need to check with your respective institution to see if any conditions apply to that deferral.) Other grads made the decision to defer a while ago.  If you
One of our youth pastors has commented that there is a good chance churches will be able to have larger group gatherings than most other businesses/institutions. Assuming you are appropriately fulfilling your civic and social due diligence, you may want to consider ways to provide space for both youth who are regularly connected to your group and others who are not. There likely will be numerical or proportional restrictions to consider
On our final day, we visited two different locations. First, we visited the old city of Santo Domingo. We began with visiting Basilica Cathedral of Santa MarĂa la Menor, the oldest cathedral in the Americas. With reverence, we explored different areas of the main sanctuary. Afterwards, we had a chance to shop in the tourist area of the old city. In the afternoon,
This story was submitted by Brook at First Baptist Church, Mount Forest. When I attended the First Baptist Church and Youth Group, the volunteers and youth pastor were some of the best people I have met. I was new to the church and group but when we went into lockdown, I was still treated like family. I was given my first personal Bible and it has a personal message from
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