Category Youthmark Stuff

What Is Your Mission…Trip?

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

Are most mission trips actual mission trips or are they service trips, road trips or simply tourism-plus trips?

Is it word-confusion? Maybe it’s just a matter of semantics?

Perhaps it’s a “po-tay-toe or po-tah-toe” deal?


Mission is certainly not a faith-specific word, however, I do believe the original mission  Jesus called the first-century believers to was certainly a mission of faith-making!

Plain and simple: I believe that a mission trip should, primarily, be for the purpose of disciple-making.

Before I am dismissed as a Bible-thumping, evangelism-freak, please understand that I firmly believe that we must show the character qualities of Jesus as we share the words of Jesus (especially as they relate to eternal life). A mission trip should have the end-game or ultimate goal of more people trusting Jesus for salvation.

This does not mean that every trip will be evangelistic in nature, however, I do believe a bridge to the great commission should be able to be made, explained and trained! Unfortunately, I get the sense that very few mission trip participants are making the connection (to the eternal) or receiving training.

Youthmark distributed Pray21 books to all participants at the National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC) and did a giveaway of an iPad mini at the Verge booth. In the few  hours I spent at Verge I asked any/all who came by to register for the iPad a few missions oriented questions. Youth Leaders were very quick to give the answer to the “where do you go?” and “what they did” but only a couple were able to answer “how did you prepare the students?” I see this as a missed opportunity!

Service based Mission Trips are not my enemy, I’ve done them, enjoyed them and have seen great outcomes. But I believe they become truly missional when we make the tie to the evangelism/discipleship that will take place because of our service. For instance, we took a week to prepare a camp (physically) for a summer of hosting camps. We painted cabins, deep cleaned bathrooms, raked grass clippings and prayed over nearly every foot of the camp knowing that we were preparing the harvest field. In our prep and debrief of the daily duties we were able to motivate our group because of the hope of the eternal life-change that would take place on those grounds. Our service-sacrifice freed up others for the relational-investment they would make in the lives of students all summer. Even though we knew we were not likely going to have evangelism opportunities, we trained students in evangelism so they could relate to and pray for those who would have the opportunity at that camp. But our evangelism training leading into the trip had much more to do with Mission51- the 51 weeks of life outside the one-week trip! Our primary mission is not the trip, it’s our own campus, club, community and church!

Where is your mission… trip? Are you failing to connect the social justice acts you do with the eternal justification Jesus makes available for us?

Continue to do great things for Jesus, but make the connection to (and tell of) the great things He said as well! As recipients of His great grace, let’s look to share that message with all!

Grace,

Brian

P.S. In perusing the mission trips available at NYWC I was pleasantly surprised that a few were focused on more that just the trip and had a strong evangelism connection. I’d invite you to check out Verge and Youth Missions International as two of my favorites!

Five Youth Pastor What Ifs

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

I was a youth pastor for 16 years and for the past four years I’ve continued to work with hundreds of youth pastors through Youthmark and networking. All told, I’m two decades into this youth ministry adventure. My outlook on the student ministry culture certainly took on different perspectives during these years. From the rookie years to the “seasoned veteran” years (which, in youth ministry, takes place around your late 20’s), I have consistently looked back and wondered, “what if?”

I thought I’d jot a few of these “what ifs” down, perhaps just to encourage others. Maybe I’ll come back to some more “what ifs” later, but here are five that stand out to me right now.

1. What if I would have set a better example of peer-to-peer evangelism instead of using pastor-to-youth as my evangelism excuse? [I likely would have discovered that students have the same insecurities and fears I had and I would have begun engaging in and then training others for real-life, relational (with words) evangelism earlier].

2. What if I would have known at an earlier stage that “youth ministry” is actually student, parent, family, peer and church ministry? [I certainly would have had better volunteerism, more parent support and I likely would have felt more respected by the adults in the church rather than alienating others with the “I must prove myself to them” attitude I think I adopted].

3. What if I would have known that putting in more hours, working more days and trying to please as many as possible would NOT impress anyone other than myself? [I would have likely had a better relationship with those in authority over me instead of secretly wishing that they all would notice the hours, days and efforts so that I’d get a raise].

4. What if I would have fallen in love with coffee earlier in my youth pastorate? [I’d likely be dead from caffeine overdose… or more people would know Jesus, as the coffee shop has become one of my primary evangelism outlets]

5. What if I recruited adults to pray with our students instead of just praying for our students? [Disclaimer: I had many adults involved with our teens… but not nearly enough! This honestly is my #1 “what if?” And here is my answer: I believe that we’d see the national statistics of up to 85% of students leaving the church flipped. I believe that we’d see students and adults begin to understand the truth of 1 Corinthians 12–we are one body, many parts and all the parts are needed and I believe we’d see MANY more adults not intimidated by the teen population and vice-versa. I believe that our Sunday morning experience would look and feel way more familial and way more welcoming!]

Honestly, most of this ties into that last one. I wish I would have had someone investing in me at a deeper level. What if someone was praying with me and not just for me? I wish something like Pray21 would have been around 15, even 10 years ago. At the risk of touting product over blog content, I want to urge folks to check this thing out. Team students up with caring adults (even get the mentor for pay the $10 or so for both books) and get this praying with youth thing started!

What if?

Grace,
Brian

A Guaranteed Way To See Lives Changed

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Here’s the guarantee: Pray WITH Youth.

I have been very encouraged by the reaction to the release of Pray21! No, I don’t believe that this book is the guarantee to changed lives, but I do know that it serves as an excellent guide for Praying WITH Youth (which does change lives). Pray21 is a simple, less-than-a-month commitment between a teen and an adult mentor.

The guarantee is that Praying WITH Youth will change lives — the lives of both the teen and the mentor.

Take just a second to think of the effects it’ll have on a teen:

  • he/she will feel cared for and supported
  • he/she will discover gifts and abilities
  • he/she will learn from God’s word
  • he/she will have a sense of being a part of the greater body (not just youth group)
  • he/she will likely gain encouragement that is so desperately needed in his/her life

How about the effect it’ll have on the adults/church:

  • We will have a greater connection with the next generation
  • We will be reminded that teens are far more capable than what most think they are able to accomplish.
  • We will have a greater sense of our calling and influence
  • We will see that 1 Corinthians 12 is true (one body, many parts, all needed)
  • We will likely gain a lifelong friend

“Pray21 has made a bigger impact on our congregation than any other thing we’ve done together” Dave Lind, Senior Pastor, Calvary Bible Church, Rutland, VT

I know I want to see permanent changes in my own life and in the lives around me. Changes that lead me closer to the thoughts and actions of Jesus. Prayer is what will fuel these changes. Praying WITH a teen will change both of our lives!

So seriously, what would prevent you and your church from doing Pray21?

Grace,
Brian

Dear Aaby: The Debut!

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

I’ve been waiting for this day! The day of NAME-REDEMPTION!

“Hey Westminster,” “Flabby” or “Dear Abby” were the common dig-attempts.

For too many years I was made the victim by having the last name Aaby (let alone all the times I had to go first, for simply being first in the alphabet). Well, this morning I discovered that my post for the Dare 2 Share blog (Relational And Relentless) entitled “Dear Aaby” went live. I hope that it makes a regular appearance where students, youth leaders or parents can ask questions, specifically about evangelism related topics!

Check out it out here. And then after watching it (about 2 minutes) I’d love for you to come back here and comment any questions you’d like to see answered in the Dear Aaby series. Don’t hesitate to email a question as well (brian at youthmark dot com).

This debut episode tackles the question of how to take a common youth group game and use it for evangelistic purposes!  Watch now!

Let’s tackle the fears of sharing our faith and relationally live and share the Gospel!

Grace,
Brian

Comment or email: What question do you have about evangelism/sharing our faith?

Do You Trust Teens?

Brian Aaby 8 Comments

I don’t get it…

  • One scored six goals in a world cup game.
  • They’ve written world famous operas, inspired nations to battle victories and created the social networking phenomenon.
  • In athletics we’ve seen total dominance from some of them– a Heisman trophy winner, a Daytona 500 driver and one was arguably the best gymnast ever.

I’m talking about teens.

  • Educators push them to take AP Physics and Calculus.
  • They hold down jobs and we trust them to watch after our own children.
  • They create art, perform, bake, dance and defend our nation.

But in the church…

  • We ask them to listen to us (Sunday morning, mid-week and in small group).
  • We buy them endless amounts of pizza in the hopes they’ll come back.
  • We beg them to bring a friend to the camp that we planned for them.
  • We tell them to sit still while the Pastors and adults speak at them.
  • We tell them they are the next generation of leaders, but give them little to lead.

It’s time we (the church) take the governor off their accelerator!

Jesus gathered a group of ordinary young adults (most of them teens), mentored them and entrusted them to start the church.

Student Led, Adult Mentored (SLAM) Ministry.

This phrase causes angst among many. Some read student led and become anxious, they fear chaos will ensue. Others read it and are threatened “but how will I use my gifts?” Even teens may read it and have their doubts, “I’m too young, I don’t need more on my plate!”

But we’re only reading half of the phrase, we cannot forget the adult mentored part of the statement.

There’s nothing new under the sun. About a year ago I came up with this phrase ‘Student Led, Adult Mentored’ (SLAM) Ministry, but it is a concept that has been practiced for many many years. As already stated, it was what Jesus did, but it was also the way the very first youth ministry organization was started in 1881 (Christian Endeavor International) when a group of teens were challenged by an adult mentor (Francis Clark) to live daily for Christ and lead his cause!

Over the course of the next year with teens playing the key role, Youthmark, Christian Endeavor and a few others organizations and individuals are going to role out some game-changers in student ministry. We want to go back to the beginning where Jesus asked a group of teens if he could “teach them how to fish for souls?”

Students are ready, capable and already leading in so many other realms, it is time (again) for the church to give them room to operate and mentors to come alongside them!  

Grace,
Brian

Don’t wait, the first initiative is out for this movement. Go to Pray21.com and begin this thing with praying WITH teens!

Making Tents and How You Can Help!

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

In prayer, by faith, we believe God is moving and using Youthmark and we’d love for you to consider this unique way of partnering (SPOILER ALERT: NO we’re not looking for you to write a support check)…

When we launched Youthmark in 2008 we had several people ask if they could support us (financially), but Elisabeth and I really wanted to explore what it would look like to do Youthmark as a ministry/business. Though Youthmark is certainly missional, we didn’t see ourselves as vocational missionaries. We simply asked for those making the offers to support other missions/ministries but implored them to pray for us!

Well, four plus years in and though we’re making changes, we’re still saying the same thing! We are moving toward producing other resources for the student ministry field. By faith we believe this is what God has called us to do, but it is risky to leave the “known” and explore the unknown.

As we continue to “make tents” (1 Cor. 18:1-3), we are confident that God will continue to provide for us. Besides creating resources, I believe there is one other arena that God will use to provide for us that also fits within my gift and passion set: Teaching. Training. Inspiring.

I love speaking, training and inspiring people for a life of mission here, there and anywhere. I believe it is my calling to train people (students, leaders, parents, etc.) in everyday opportunities we have to be used for the cause of Christ (Mission51).

If you are at a church, school or parachurch and looking for someone to come in speak and/or help create an event and experience where training and inspiration can be provided I’d love for you to consider partnering with me/us! I “play well with others” in that I can simply be a speaker/trainer for you, but I REALLY love the entire process where we dream, scheme, plot, plan and especially pray for the right direction for these events!

I said “us” above, because the under-discovered talent in the Aaby family is Elisabeth. She is such a gifted speaker, I’d love to see God use her to bless your ministries as well… Elisabeth is at her best speaking to women (youth, young adults, moms and at women Bible studies, etc.).

You can click here to see what sort of events I typically speak at and specifically what things have been on the calendar in 2012.

We prayerfully consider all opportunities and simply hope the asking party has done the same as they consider a budget for travel and honorarium. We want to work with our partners to develop a budget that honors God and each other!

Shoot me an email (brian at youthmark dot com), Tweet, Facebook message or even comment your interest and I’ll be happy to follow up with you. We can talk dates, times, desires, etc. as we begin the conversation!

We’d love your prayers as we make this transition in our lives and as God develops these new partnerships!

Grace,
Brian

Urgent Message To Pastors & Elders

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

You may have faith, but do you have a faith that anticipates a great work of God?

Your church may have a Youth Ministry program, but are you anticipating God to do a great work through the people that make up that program?

You may hope for revival, but are you willing to challenge your congregation to pray and anticipate that revival for 31 straight days?

“The work has been chiefly amongst the young; . . . few others have been made partakers of it. And indeed it has commonly been so, when God has begun any great work for the revival of his church; he has taken the young people, and has cast off the old and stiff-necked generation.”  ~ Jonathan Edwards, commenting on the First Great Awakening

Elders at our church gifted each family with Pray31

On Monday, October 1, 2012 our church and thousands of churches around the nation will begin Pray31, a one-month, (& approximate) five minute per day, prayer initiative that focuses on praying for our nation. This is not political, it is spiritual. Elected officials will legislate laws that may or may not help the nation look more ethical/moral, but it is only God who can change hearts.

I was recently interviewed by Tim Eldred, the National Spokesperson for Pray31. I am excited about this initiative and we stand together   in hope that God, through Pray31, will unite the hearts of Christians across this country. As a result, I believe we will even then begin to see God at work through the lives of our young adults/teens! To that end, I’m equally excited about something that we (Youthmark) will release very soon (hinted at in the video)!

 

It’s not too late to get involved. Click here and order enough prayer atlases for your church. If you order early this week you’ll be able to pass them out this next Sunday so your church can begin next Monday, October 1!

What’s stopping you? Let’s anticipate God together!

Grace,
Brian

 

Sneak Peak at another Major Announcement Coming Soon

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

In just a couple weeks it will be official, and I’ll make a more major announcement then, but was pretty excited to receive an overnighted package yesterday. Pictured below is the proof for the first cover of a Youthmark published book!

We (Brian/Youthmark) have several published projects, but this is the first book that we YOUTHMARK have published! Very exciting times. I’ll explain all the cool details soon! Please pray for this new endeavor!

Grace,
Brian

The Northwest Is Cutting Edge!

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

We may be Sleepless, but we’re a pretty proud bunch of innovators!

Seattle home of… grunge music, the new-era of coffee and some rather larger machinery that flies.

Well, we’ve been selected as the launching point of another pilot, Open Seattle. 

If you are involved in the Student Ministry Field (volunteer, paid, parent of teen, etc.), this is a one-day (Saturday) event worth checking out. In addition to it being innovative in its approach, it is EXTREMELY affordable, just $25!

An event like this typically would cost a lot more, but none of the speakers is getting paid– we’re doing it because we believe it is something that is needed  in Youth Ministry RIGHT NOW (collaborating with others and mutually training one another)!

Come join us, Saturday, October 6! 

Youth Pastors/Directors: Bring a few (or all) of your volunteer team!

Youth Leaders: Bring the ideas you’ve been afraid to share in the past, here you’ll have an audience who WANTS/NEEDS to hear them!

Parents: Come partner with a tribe of youth leaders who so desperately need teammates!

The next stops for Open are Boston and Paris… that’s right, we’re first, AGAIN!

Grace,
Brian

P.S. I’d love to have you join me at my session, “The Virtuous Cycle”… We’ve seen the “vicious cycle” (one bad thing leading to other bad stuff, etc.), I’ll be inviting us to see the cycle of redemption that can exist where we lead with training students to live and share openly about their faith. A virtuous cycle of (warning: Big Theological Terms Coming) Evangelism and Edification!

Register Here!

Super Exciting BIG Youthmark Announcement!

Brian Aaby 4 Comments

Our little organization which has a BIG vision for Mission51 just got a MAJOR boost!

As I have talked about for the last few months and hinted at in a few blog posts, Youthmark has been in discussions with a few organizations about expanding the Mission51 movement!

One way we will see this take place is through our strategic partnership with Youth Missions International (YMI). This alliance will enable Youthmark and YMI to:

  • Equip more people for Mission51
  • Better train for specific locations
  • Send to more places (domestic and international)
  • Increase customer service
  • Offer the most affordable package for missions that include before, during trip and post Mission Venture materials

For those who have experienced a Youthmark Mission Venture you will only experience an increase in what you have received for the same price (in fact, in some cases, for less cost).

In this partnership Youthmark gets to do what we do best: train, equip, send and return participants for Mission51 – the 51 weeks of mission back home!

Likewise, YMI gets to excel all the more in what they are known for: delivering custom-made domestic missions and fantastic YMI hosted mission trips to international destinations.

In this arrangement we will now be able to send church groups and individuals  on mission trips! EVERY participant gets the Youthmark (Mission51) training and follow-through while being ushered through the on-trip experience by the esteemed YMI!

The Short List of What’s Included:

  • Choice of trips on 5 different continents or any of the 50 states
  • Customized aspects for every Mission Venture
  • Personal consultant for the entire process
  • Complete Leaders Guide (the A to Z of missions)
  • Complete 10 week curriculum for the entire students ministries (not just mission team)
  • Mission Prep Workbook for every person going on the trip
  • Mission51 Training Retreat
  • Devotional for each participant on the mission venture
  • Guided Study for family members at home
  • Follow-up book to launch your study and application for after the Mission Venture

Domestic trips are offered for as little as $289-$349 (and include ALL of the above). Check out the BUILD YOUR TRIP tab at YMI and get the ball rolling! Don’t hesitate to call us at Youthmark, 800.455.1450 if you have questions or call YMI to talk about any specifics as well. YMI: (866) 487-7563!

Spread the word to others. Pray for this partnership and join in by pre-registering a group or individual now!

Can’t wait to see how God uses this for his glory!

Grace,
Brian