Category Gospel Conversations

Finding the Entry Points into Spiritual Conversations

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

I am not gifted in evangelism.

Though many of the speaking opportunities  I am blessed with deal with equipping teens (or any age) with tips, strategies and tools for sharing our faith, I can honestly say that evangelism is not found at the top of any spiritual gifts inventory test I have ever taken.

Not #1, #2 or even #3 (most of the time it does fall around 4 or 5 though).

Though I am not gifted in it, I do it.

Likewise, though I am not gifted in mercy, I’m called to show it (Matthew 5:7). It would be wrong for me to show myself disobedient to what God has specifically called me to do. And yes, he’s called Christians to share our faith too (2 Tim 4:5). In fact, combining mercy in with evangelism makes for a pretty potent combo!

The cool part, I see God taking someone not-gifted and making me skilled. Like any area of my life, if I want to become better at something, I must learn and try. We become skilled through practice.

933642_talkingDon’t Sweat It– Just Find Your Entry Point!

My goal is to practice Real Life evangelism.

Conversational. Relational. Real.

So many of us just struggle with figuring out the entry point into a conversation. We struggle with moving from the surface to the soul. This is is certainly a risk, but one worth taking. For me, it was a Young Life leader moving the conversation from the weather to whether or not I understood what the camp speaker was talking about.

Take small risks in your conversations and see if it may just be the entry point into a real spiritual conversations.

We put together a poor-mans version of a Nooma-like video a couple years ago called Entry Points. See if this helps equip you or your group with the concept of finding the entry points into the life of a person who does not yet know Jesus!

Grace,
Brian

 

 

Are You Taking The Lead in ALL Areas?

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Perhaps you read the news last week, Pauline Friedman Phillips, who under the name of Abigail Van Buren, wrote the  “Dear Abby” advice column that was followed by millions of newspaper readers throughout the world, died at the age of 94. Not only does her column continue (her daughter took over years ago), but a spin-off, and a little less known column with a slightly different spelling “Dear Aaby” is beginning to thrive!

Dare 2 Share, a national evangelism training organization has been publishing several of my blogs for the last five or six months and just today went live with another one of the Dear Aaby video blogs.

Mike is a youth leader for Canada, eh?

Mike is a youth leader for Canada, eh?

Mike, a Canadian youth worker recently asked  the question, “what are some cool ways to get my students more into evangelism?”

I’d love for you check out the quick video response here.

The bottom line, we as youth workers, parents and pastors (and yes, even presidents of organizations) better be taking the lead in peer-t0-peer relationally driven sharing!

Like D2S, Youthmark is committed to training all in the area in real-life ways to share about Christ. We have resources for that purpose, but we also have a training experience we’d love to have you a part of. If you’re in (or near) SoCal, NorCal, Colorado, Washington, New England, Oregon or Idaho please consider being a part of our Mission51 Retreat (24 hour blitz-retreat)!

Grace,

Brian

Mission51: Real Life

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Oh man I’m gettin’ a little giddy. The Mission51 Retreat season is only a couple months away!

In the last two or three years I’ve sensed a renewal in the hearts of many I’ve interacted with. It seems a lot of people are awakening to the spiritual needs of friends and loved ones, but then quickly get frustrated (or defeated) by their inability to share the truth with these loved ones.

It’s as if they’re saying “I know I am a Christian, I love Jesus, I know that I was saved by grace through faith… but I have no idea how to share that with others in a way that is not trite, not cheesy and is non-confrontational.”

I believe at the core, soft-hearted, passionate believers are asking, “how do I share the gospel in real life?”

RealLifeConceptSmallThis is our theme for the 2013 Mission51 Spring Retreat.

With the changes we’ve made and the partnerships we now have the Mission51 Retreat is now completely open to the masses! Any youth group is now open to sign up for the Mission51 Retreat and not just those groups affiliated with a missions trip.  In addition to it being open to all, we’ve got some unique new things happening (see the video below).

We’ve even made it possible for groups to handle the registration online (click here).

Please take a minute and a half now and see the preview video for the Real Life Mission51 Retreat and spread the word to others in and around: Southern California, Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and the New England States!

Grace,
Brian

 

UGH! Spiritual Manipulation…

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

c_37I’ve enjoyed writing blogs for Dare 2 Share and have especially enjoyed doing the Dear Aaby video blogs lately… However, today, I saw they went live with a bonafide old-school text only blog I wrote! It’s one of those blogs that gets right to the point about my beef with some camps and retreats (not to mention missions) and can serve as a warning to us all about spiritual manipulation.

Though it feels a little odd to quote myself, but hopefully to entice you to read the blog, here’s my favorite line: “You should never ask for a hand to be raised if you haven’t presented Jesus was raised from the grave!”

Check out the full post here!

I’m praying the we teach the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

Grace,
Brian

Rocky Mountain High… oh, um, yeah, Hello Colorado!

Brian Aaby 2 Comments

Like us in Washington the legalization of marijuana in Colorado has brought on a slew of new jokes (like my lame title to this post). With that being said, I’m looking forward to a quick-trip to Colorado and if you’re a youth leader in that region, we want to see you and give you some youth ministry freebies (including lunch)!

DSCF0150If you are or know of a Youth Leader along the greater I-25 or I-70 corridor we (Youthmark and Youth Missions International) are hosting a few Youth Leader Freebie Gatherings. Surrounding a meal we will eat and discuss our passion to see students equipped to reach their own campus, club, community and church with God’s love through the gospel!

mission_51I’ll be sharing about our Mission51 Retreat (one of our 7 retreats is coming to Colorado) and our curriculum that groups are using to prep before, during and after a mission venture. Brian Hughes will share about all the great ways God is using mission trips domestically and internationally and invite youth leaders to consider using YMI for full-scale serviced trips (for the best rates!).

Besides the meal, we’re giving away some valuable resources as well!

You can let us know you’re interested by commenting or contacting us here (just let us know which one you want to attend).

  • Tuesday, January 15 LUNCH: Beau Jo’s Pizza, Arvada (7525 W. 53rd Ave.) 11:30 am
  • Wednesday, January 16 LUNCH: Santiagos Mexican, Longmont (231 Main St.); Noon
  • Thursday, January 17 BREAKFAST: Cracker Barrel, Colorado Springs (8355 Razorback Road); 9 am
  • Thursday, January 17 LUNCH: Hosted at Calvary Church, Pueblo (5 Tulane St.), 11:30 am

Spread the word!

Grace,
Brian

Lovin’ New England

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Don’t let the blog title lead you astray. I am NOT talking about the Patriots. As the NFL tournament begins I declare that I am ALL IN for the Seahawks.

However, having visited New England last fall I am super-stoked to be returning not once but twice over the next four months!

jfym_logo_forumIn February I will be teaming with my friend and host Rob Townshend to lead the Jesus Focused Youth Ministry Forum in Rutland, VT (event info here) Not only am I teaming with Rob for this event, in a sense I’m teaming with my long-distance mentor and friend Barry St. Clair. Barry will also be in New England, but he’ll be leading a second Forum in Bethel, CT (event info here). I am incredibly honored to have been asked to speak at this event!

On that trip I’ll also be preaching at Calvary Bible Church in Rutland! I’m excited to see many of the same people I met in the fall when I spoke at the Endeavor group there.

29721_131153373561428_115287315148034_377471_1589633_n.jpgIn April I’ll return to New England with Youthmark for the Mission51 Retreat! This event will take place at Monadnock Bible Conference in Jaffrey, NH. I cannot wait for this year’s “REAL LIFE” theme.

If you’re in New England or know of Youth Leaders in NE, please send those you know a link to this blog! We’d love to partner with them and see the great things God has done and is doing!

If you have a speaking need or want to dream together for an event please check out my speaking page and contact me, I’d love to partner with you!

Grace,
Brian

P.S. Go Seahawks!hi-res-158040530_crop_650x440

The Stuff of 2013

Brian Aaby 2 Comments

Happy-new-year-2013-green-isolated-white-background2013…

  1. A new look for the blog (have done this the last couple years).
  2. Weigh less at the end of the year than I did at the beginning (accomplished that in 2012).
  3. Blog more in 2013 than in 2012.
  4. Publish a few books (a few of my own and few from others).
  5. Share meals, not just yard conversations, with neighbors.
  6. Log more miles on my bike than I did in 2012.
  7. 13 pre-planned dates with Elisabeth (a gift I gave her at Christmas).
  8. Park my car in the garage all year (clear the clutter).
  9. Do one major house or yard project (likely our deck).
  10. Get to at least one new state or country.
  11. Read all of the Bible (it’s been a couple years since I did this in a year).
  12. Solo-date each month with each of my kids.
  13. Talk to and about Jesus. A lot.

Grace,

Brian

Real Relationships

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

557539_10151163765247077_561781203_nHad a great time speaking at a 5-Church Retreat in Western WA December 27-29! Theme was “Blessed to Be a Blessing” and I developed the theme by looking at Real Relationships.

  • Real Relationship With God (1 Thessalonians 1)
  • Real Relationships with Parents (1 Thess 2)
  • Real Relationships with Friends (1 Thess 3)
  • Real Dating Relationships w/ Purity in mind  (1 Thess 4)
  • Really Relating with the Lost and Idle (1 Thess 5)

My prayer for this great group is that they would understand that Jesus’ goal is redemption in each of these relationships and that because they’ve been blessed they can be a blessing in and through each of these areas!

Loved speaking this week! If you or your group is interested in having me speak, I’m looking to fill up the 2013 calendar. March through May is booked, but a few weekends in the winter are still open and then many opportunities open for June and beyond! For more info click the speaking page above or here.

Grace,

Brian

13 Things To Consider for 2013

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

I’m not a new year’s resolution type-a-guy. I’m not against them, to be honest, I just put off thinking about them until December 31 and by then I’d just be making a resolution on a whim.

Instead of a resolution, I created 13 considerations to think about between now and the New Year. Perhaps a few of things will become more than areas I just consider, but truly become things I commit to.

I invite you to the journey… make some assessments and see if any of these considerations for 2013 are ones you want to embrace.

  1. Who is a person I did not spend much (if any) time with in 2012 that I’d like to reconnect with in 2013?
  2. What are some ways I’d like to cut back on online social networking and step forward in-person socializing?
  3. What are some (new) ways I can serve, encourage, pray for and bless my wife?
  4. What is a possession I will give away (or sell) in 2013 in order to bless someone else?
  5. What is one specific and meaningful date I can plan for each one of my kids?
  6. Knowing we are one year closer to Jesus’ return, who are three people that I’d like pray for, care for and (hopefully see opportunity) to share the gospel with?
  7. What is something I want to do this year that most people would be surprised by?
  8. What is a segment or book of the Bible I don’t know as well as I’d like that I will take steps to know more?
  9. What restaurant have I not been to that I will go to in 2013?
  10. What are three areas of my life that I currently see as areas in need of strengthening?
  11. Who are three people in my life that I see as “strong or experienced” in the above mentioned areas that I can have a coffee/meal with for a one-time (or more) mentoring time?
  12. What book (among the scores that have been suggested) have I not read yet that I will FINALLY read?
  13. Who is one person (outside of my family) that I will specifically make it my goal to bless and encourage for the entire 2013 year?

Any other questions you’d like to share that could cause us all to think? Which of the above list sparked some deep thoughts for you?

Grace,

Brian

What You May Be Neglecting In Your Ministry

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

If you were to identify two or three areas of neglect in your youth ministry what would they be right now?

Seriously, if you are involved with student ministry you ought to be asking yourself this question and rectifying the neglect.

I recently revisited a blog I wrote a couple years ago and tweaked it a bit for the Dare2Share blog. That blog went live on the site yesterday here.

In short, I make the case that I see three things that many ministries are neglecting.

1. The Campus

2. Evangelism

3. The Gospel

Some may argue that this trifecta ought to be three of the pillars of a youth ministry, yet they’re getting neglected.

But no worries, I am not one to just name the problem and hope that it goes away, check out the post, I give three suggestions for the road to redemption!

Check it out and give some feedback (here or there)!

Grace,
Brian