This semester, I got to participate in a lot of things. One night I got to lead a game. It was great experience getting up in front of the kids, I felt like I could be myself. Another night Pastor Tony asked me to pray before he gave his message; this was a stretch for me because I get nervous when I have to talk in front of people. Occasionally after the message, Tony splits up the youth, by grade, into small groups. When this happens I go with the 10th graders and discuss with them the message and pray with them when it is all done.
Every week before youth, Tony has all the adult leaders meet and discuss the layout of the night. Tony has a little half sheet of paper with the outline of the night. I find this very helpful, because I always am wondering what is next. This is definitely something that I am going to hold on to and continue when I am a youth pastor.
Something that really stuck out to me in one of my meetings with Pastor Tony, is what he told me after I told talked to him about a boy in the youth group that I connected with. He told me that relationship and mentoring is what having youth group is all about. He said that when I get a job, and become a youth pastor, I am going to want to train my leaders and student leaders to be open to meet people and befriend them.
Ever since my mid-term evaluation meeting, I have made it a personal effort to learn the students’ names, and step out to meet them. By stepping out to meet them I am saying that I want to know them on a more personal level. I am better at larger group things rather than one-on-one conversations, and that is one area I struggle with, yet when you read through my blogs, you will see many instances where I have improved!
Over all this semester has been a great learning experience for me. I feel that I have accomplished my goal in becoming a friend to the students on a personal level. One thing that I wish I could have had a little more practice in is the area of preaching. There was a time when pastor Tony scheduled me to preach, but it never happened.
1 comment:
Yeah, man. I was just writing about relationship on my last post. No matter how many program ideas are flops, if the relationships are successful, then you've done good ministry. I am really glad God's House really understands that and has been right there to encourage me to keep trying things when I do something that doesn't go the way I hoped.
hey man, don't worry about preaching, you'll do that next semester. Besides, preaching is easy compared to building relationships.
I have noticed you getting better about being friends with students in the way you write.
Post a Comment