Category Youthmark Stuff

The Highlights

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

A long, but good day.  Here are the high points (praises) of my Wednesday (and in order).

1. Got to cuddle with Will for quite some time tonight.  Got special time with Halle taking and picking her up from Pioneer Girls and got to play with Audrey while Halle was gone (and Elisabeth & Will were out with E’s sis tonight).

2. Got to eat dinner (made on our brand new stove) with the family for the second night in a row!!! (Plus my wife made her awesome meatloaf).

3. Had a fantastic network meeting with the Burien/Normandy Park YP’s and presented YMV’s to three other Youth Pastors (individually) in Kirkland, Bothell and Woodinville.

4. Had coffee or tea from 3 different companies at 4 different locations (Tully’s, Starbucks, Starbucks and Peet’s).

Now, it is time to go to bed (no worries, the caffeine consumption ended by 5:00 PM).  If you’re reading this in the morning, please pray for the Kent/Renton Youth Leader breakfast!  Hoping to get a network started and to be able to share about the Mission Ventures!

Grace,
Brian

Faith Foundations

Brian Aaby 3 Comments

One of the areas of my blogging I sensed was missing was the area of Scripture Study/Application.  So, I have added a category entitled, “Faith Foundations.” I’d like to make this a Monday staple as much as possible (or at least as much as I can remember to do it on Monday!).

Upon arrival to Starbucks this morning I felt the overwhelming need to be prayed for.  Last week I sent out my Prayer email to my Youthmark Prayer Team (if you’d like to be on that list, please email me–brian@youthmark.com). Even with that letter out there, I sensed the need to start this week by soliciting prayer.  Don’t know why, but He does.  So will you?  I will conclude this post with the specific requests.

The Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

My foundational thought for this morning has to do with the “prayer” part of this passage.  As the church was being formed and before the Apostles dispersed they were held (by the Holy Spirit) in Jerusalem.  They practiced (lived out) their faith in their backyard by being committed to several main areas: community, communion, teaching (The Word), and prayer.

As I recruit pastors (and in turn students) to our 2009 mission training and mission trips, will you be committed to the same things in our Jerusalem?  Before we are sent, we are seasoned.  The seasoning doesn’t not always mean you’ll be sent (in other words, some are called to ALWAYS remain in Jerusalem, but we are all called to make disciples no matter where we are).  In this time of seasoning (for the sake of our own Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria or Uttermost), will you pray for the work of the Holy Spirit?  Specifically pray for the Spirit’s work in the lives of these teens who will be a witness on their own campus, at their own homes, in their own clubs, at their jobs or on their athletic fields.  As they are seasoned, and as the become more and more reliant upon the Him, may we see “The Lord add to their number daily those who are being saved!”  Prayer is such a hard thing to understand, but I do know it works.  It is called for, so we’ll do it.  Please pray for His work and will to be done!

Specific Prayers for This Week:

  1. I have scheduled meetings with at least nine different churches, I’d like a few more for this week.
  2. Pray for my family and our reliance upon God for all things.
  3. For a Thursday breakfast Youthmark is hosting in the Kent/Renton area… to share about Youthmark Mission Ventures and to promote healthy networking in the area.
Let’s read the Word and respond to it by doing it!
Grace,
Brian 

Here he is to worship

Brian Aaby 3 Comments

Great connections with people this week.  Praising the Lord for new friendships, answered prayer and the ability to speak into each others lives.  As you are able, please lift up the following pastors/youth pastors/workers I had the opportunity to (or am yet to) meet with this week:

Patrick (Bellevue); Dave (Bellevue); Stephanie (North Seattle); Steve (University Place); Brent (Tacoma); Alan (West Seattle); Jeremy (West Seattle); Melissa (West Seattle); Kyle (Normandy Park); Carlos (West Seattle); Nathan (West Seattle); Danny (Normandy Park); Chad (Burien); Eric (South Seattle); Mark (Burien); Aaron (Kent); Lane (Enumclaw); Devin (Enumclaw); Wesley (Renton); Adam (Tacoma); Brandon (Renton); Jake (Renton), Joe (Kent); and Mike (Kent).

I told Will (my son) all about it, and all he could do was stand in praise (hand even lifted to the Lord, guess he has some charisma!  Ha).

Grace,
Brian

Will must be praising God! Right?

Will must be praising God! Right?

Yo-Yo

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

At my house with my family for several hours today!  YES!  Here is the yo-yo I took my 4Runner on this week.

South to Canby, Oregon (Mentor experience)–Sunday to Tuesday

North to home–Tuesday

South to Auburn (Individual YP), West to Normandy Park (YP Network), North to Burien (Lunch with YP Network), East to Fairwood (Individual YP)– Wednesday

South to Lacey (to pick up Brad Hostak), farther South to Vancouver WA (hmm, felt like I was just there two days prior?) and then North to home–Thursday

North to Everett (Individual Youth Worker) and Further North in Everett (Individual YP), South to home–Friday

North to Snohomish (Individual YP) and Northwest to Marysville (Free Methodist Network of YP’s) and South to home.–Saturday

A premarital counseling appointment later tonight will take me a full 3 miles away from my house, making it, by far, my closest appointment!  My 4Runner thanks David and Natalie for keeping it close!

Don’t know if you’ve noticed this yet, but gas is expensive!

Grace,
Brian

Things That Are Tough About My Job

Brian Aaby 2 Comments

After three straight posts about the things I’ve been loving about my new career path, I experienced a day in which I made some discoveries of the other side.  So, here’s a quick hit, as to not throw myself into depression (no worries, I’m being somewhat overdramatic on that one) about the tough stuff:

  • Though my job is full of meeting with people, I spend most of my time getting to know the other, rather than being known.  This stands in stark contrast to being on staff at a church where, though you remain busy, you give and take in relationships.  Have a “staff,” “volunteer staff” and “youth group” meant I was knowing and being known.  
  • Because I have spent so much time getting to know youth pastors and networks of youth pastors, I have been on the road (by day) a lot.  Take today for instance… South to Auburn, northwest to Normandy Park, North to Burien, and east to Renton.  Great meetings with individuals and with my network, but in order to do any of my other work (yes, I do have other stuff to do besides just meet with people; like emailing and calling to set up, yes, more meetings!).  So, I find myself doing blog posts, emailing and advance work on other stuff either early in the morning or late at night (after the kids are in bed).  Which generally leads to sleep deprivation (didn’t help that while in Canby I stayed up way to late).
  • I desire to be around the house more than I have been able to as of late. I have loved the flexibility I had as a pastor when it came to “hours.”  Because there were days I would be out until 10:00 PM, I wouldn’t start work until Noon (which afforded me some mornings at home with the fam and Elisabeth a regular half-day “off”).  Well, this has NOT been the case thus far for me/us.  I really miss driving Audrey to her preschool and spending a few minutes watching Halle in her homeschool setting.  And before you “normal” workers (those who work 8-5) start screaming, I want you to hear me, I’m not whining about my job or my hours, I’m simply stating the change I am noticing and how I miss what has been.
  • For those who know I like coffee shops (for the atmosphere, the coffee and/or tea), I have found myself missing the atmosphere a lot.  I am still at coffee shops all the time, but right now, I am there to meet; not to chill out, work and witness.  Now I am there to meet! I long for a two hour stretch at a coffee shop to just surf the net, send some emails and plug in my ear buds!
Okay, wipe the tears away; I’m done with my ONE post about things that are tough.  For encouragement sake, go back and read my last three posts about what I love!  I am thankful for my job, I know others have it way tougher than me!!! Today was a great day, a day in which a lot got done relationally and teams signed up for YMV’s; but even with that, I think it is okay to grieve the past a bit!… Isn’t it?  
Grace,
Brian 

The Blessings of My Job (Part 3)

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

My last couple posts have looked at two (of the three) recent blessings of my job!  Today is the final one in this brief series…

One of the blessings of my job: “Gleaning”

In networking and speaking I have had the opportunity to be used in the lives of others… doing training and speaking into the life of another person; however, the flip is true as well… Others have been used to train me, speak to me and given me the ability to glean.

Whether it has been at the JFYM Forum, down in Canby for the Mentoring Conference or the Highlands Community training; I have had the opportunity to sit under some great teaching.  In addition I have had opportunities to sit with people I greatly respect and have them speak into my life.  I have also just been around great people and listened in on conversations and gleaned some great insights.  In some ways I feel like I have been a grand Buffet and gotten to pick and choose the scrumptious morsels to place on my plate… it’s been great!

Reading, listening, relating and observing… these have been the key areas of gleaning as of late.  It’s really a great cycle; glean, implement and live it out so that others can glean, implement and live it out!  This isn’t always easy; some things don’t always settle well.  We struggle to digest.  The things I am learning are high in nutrition and value, God will use these things to bless my spiritual health!

I am blessed in my job, I’m praising God for the opportunities He is affording me right now.  Pray for me, I desire to be a good steward of the things He has given me!

Grace,

Brian

The Blessings of My Job (Part Two)

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

This week I’m posting about some of the blessings I am experiencing because of my new venture!  Yesterday I posted about speaking, as for today… 

One of the blessings has been, “Networking.”

Most of July and August were spent putting together the Youthmark Mission Venture prospectus.  This meant I spent many-an-hour at Starbucks writing copy for the different pages and talking through design concepts, etc.  Well, the job completely changed after Labor Day.  For the last three weeks the thing I have done the most is meet with people and networks of people!

Though I have enjoyed the network times (for example, I drove to Mill Creek and met with 12-15 youth leaders from the various churches and para-churches in that area), but the one-on-one times with area youth leaders has been the thing I love LOVED the most!  Sitting one-one-one or one-on-two with people from local congregations has been such a blessing.  To hear real stories of successes, failures, brokenness, humility and humor has been life-giving.  Sometimes it is just so nice to have a refuge and be a refuge.  I pray that this “ministry” for youthmark can be a gift to these youth workers!

Through networking I am often able to share about the Youthmark Mission Ventures as well.  Because I believe so much in the ministry strategy it is not something I really need to sell.  In fact, none of my one-on-one appointments with youth workers has had the implied intent of selling a YMV.  Though I am very excited about the resource I know it isn’t for every group; but it’s been neat to see how the people I am sitting with can see how much it can help their group.  Pray that the Youthmark has the opportunity to serve 36 different teams this next summer!

For those I have been able to network with thus far, thank you!  I can’t wait to see more healthy networks exist in the Pacific Northwest!  We are truly stronger together!  

Grace,
Brian 

The Blessings of My Job (Part One)

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

I’m thankful for the opportunities my evolving career is affording me.  Over the last couple weeks I can look back and divide my “position” into a few subdivisions, each one has been a fun blessing.  This week I’ll post about these blessings in a few different posts.

One of the blessings has been “Speaking.”

Highlands Community Church; Parents of Teens Class: What a wonderful classification huh?  The Parent’s of Teens class was a hoot!  They were fun, funny and hungry! It was nice to come and be an advocate for youth and youth workers in a way I could never before with the title of Youth Pastor.  Great feedback afterwards, I can’t wait to see how P-O-T’s and Youth workers begin to team more and more.

Jesus Focused Youth Ministry Forum: I spoke on “Building Leaders” at the forum.  I can look back the volunteer teams God has given me and truly say these people have blessed my life, and the lives of countless teens/families.  Speaking on this subject was a pleasure and honor–it afforded me the opportunity to reflect upon these great people!

North Creek Presbyterian Church Fall Retreat: This was a great group to speak to.  NC’s Youth Director, Jimmy McPherson, had a younger group in attendance and he utilized his older students in leadership roles and they stepped up to the plate.  The three student sessions and one leaders session were a lot of fun.

Highlands Community Church; Charting the Course Training: HCC devoted a full Saturday morning to training their lay staff.  They offered some 30 electives for the ministry leaders in Children and Student Ministries.  I taught on, “The Parent Factor,” in Youth Ministry.  I firmly believe we need to team with parents in reaching the young people today!  

This Saturday I’l be speaking at the “See You After The Pole” Party in Burien. This is a rally for all the youth in the greater Burien/West Seattle area (7:00 PM, Saturday, Sept. 27 at Highline Christian).  In a few weeks I’ll be speaking to some parents and leaders at a church in Covington.  I pray God will continue to bless me with opportunities to bless and be blessed!

Grace,
Brian

Mentoring, part 3

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

Last January I was invited to a nine-month mentoring experiment/experience.  A large grant foundation (Murdock Trust) paid for about 70 people in the NW (AK, OR, ID, MT and WA) to go through training/review/etc. in the area of mentoring.  It’s been a good experience so far.  We’ve been given books to read and review and we are to come prepared to Canby Grove Conference center about once every three to four months for our on-site times.  This next week concludes my nine month experience.

It’s been neat to look back at my nine-month journey and see where God has led.  Nine months ago I was not positive that Youthmark would be my full-time ministry by now.  I was thinking about ministry and mentoring only within the context of my local church and network. I was not nearly as close with the likes of Bo Boshers, Jess Champers, Cory Freese and Mark Moder (they are all part of this experience and I’ve gotten to know each one well through this).  A direct result of the experience as been me discovering my own need to be mentored.  And as I have written about recently, I asked Barry St. Clair to mentor me.  

Mentoring is such a large part of what I hope to bring to the Youth Ministry arena through networking.  As I make all these phone calls and emails to set up times with Youth Pastors, my heart yearns for opportunities to influence and encourage our youth workers to be in relationship with youth/staff whom they mentor; but, perhaps even more importantly, that these youth workers be mentored as well!  Pray for the NW youth leaders and those they seek out to help shepherd them.

Thanks Murdock for affording me the opportunity to be blessed in many ways through this process!

Grace,
Brian