Wednesday, January 2, 2008

RESOURCES


Free Youth Ministry Resources: There are tons of sites out there offering lots of ideas but you don't have time to check them all out. So we recommend these as the best, the easiest to use, and the most comprehensive.

Bible Study Methods for Youth Leaders - A free E-book full of creative approaches to Bible study, written by veteran youthworker Grahame Knox.
The Source For Youth Ministry - Many free resources including games, ice breakers, movie ideas, discussions, and skits.
Creative Youth Ideas - Just what the name says. Lots of free resources.
EGAD! Ideas - Over 1700 free youth ministry resources. Perfect when you need something at the last minute.
Labyrinthos - Build your own labyrinth!
Pastor 2 Youth - A clearinghouse where youth workers share games, lessons, powerpoint presentations, stories, and other resources.
Youth Group Games - An Australian youth ministry games site with a very handy search engine for finding just the right game.
Ultimate Camp Resource - Just the place for inspiration when planning church camp or youth retreats.
Vision Generation - A free year's worth of curriculum from Fuller Seminary and World Vision on AIDS, poverty, and justice.
40 Icebreakers for Small groups - A free E-book by veteran youthworker Grahame Knox.




YOUTH SPIRITUALITY: Resources for helping you explore spiritual practices.


Practicing Our Faith
- Ideas, worship helps, stories, and suggestions for taking up a wide variety of spiritual practices.
Way to Live - The teen version of Practicing Our Faith.
Youth Ministry & Spirituality Project



Creative Worship - Ways to create worship experiences that engage all the senses.


Alternative Worship
- A nice beginners guide to creative worship.
Creative Prayer - Ideas for interactive prayer stations.
CrossPointings - a nice collection of creative prayer station ideas.
Maybe - a group of people working at becoming a community exploring creative, simple, engaged and playful living in the way of Jesus Christ.
Worship Tricks - A whole host of creative worship ideas collected by Jonny Baker.
Red - Lots of ideas from a worshipping community that integrates art-making and creative play into their worship experiences.



Tech Help: For getting the most out of your web presence, your photos and videos, and staying organized and connected with your youth.

Animoto - This web app uses your photos and "automatically generates professionally produced videos using their own patent-pending technology and high-end motion design."
Big Huge Labs - Upload photos and turn them into magazine covers, movie posters, badges, posters, and more.
Dumpr - Easily upload photos (e.g. of your youth) and instantly change them into cool stuff like easter eggs, drawings, museum exhibits, puzzles, etc.
Eyespot - a free online service that allows you to upload and edit your digital videos and pictures into short films
Weebly - A fast and easy way to set up a free website. See my youth group webite on Weebly here.
Life Hacker - Tips, links, and downloads to keep you organized.
Facebook - This social networking site is THE way to stay in touch with youth and stay connected with their world outside church.
Sketchcast - Check out this simple tool that's like an animated whiteboard for your blog. Using a "You Tube" style video, easily illustrate a concept or story with sketches, words and audio.
Strip Generator - Create your own comic strips to promote your youth activities.
Voicethread - a social networking tool that allows friends, family, or a community of users to interact via images, text messages, and voice recordings. One person has described it as "Flickr or PowerPoint on steroids."

Read more...

LINKS

YOUTH MINISTRY BLOGS

Calvin Park - Random Bloggings
Chad Swanzy
Chaotic Ministry
Clap Four Times
De Veritate
FAITH'D-Youth Church and Culture
Insight - reflections and resources on christian youth ministry and leadership
Jake Bouma
Jeremy Zach - Small Town Youth Pastor
Mark Riddle
Matt Cleaver
Mayward Blog
Nailscars
Once a Youth Pastor
Passionately Pensive - Alaina Kleinbeck
Reaching New Heights
Re: Generation - Laura Francabandera
See Through
Stuart Delony-The Ramblings

Youth Blog

Youthhacks

Youth Ministry Ideas
Roots-Ben


OTHER LINKS WE LIKE

My Contemplations - A South African blog on Christianity
Dan Mayes
Tom Hoberg - Progressive UCC seminarian
Rachel Rev - Find the I
Scooter 4.0
Tom Hoberg - Reflections on Faith, Politics, Society
Open Hearts-Affirming Pages
Monastic Mumblings
The Joe and Dan Show
A Churchless Faith
Field of Dandelions
A Religious Liberal
Stupid Church People
Emerging Minister - Creative Worship
Jonny Baker Blog - Creative Worship
Disciples of Christ Youth Ministry Docs
Randy Kuss - Youth Leader Spirituality Training/Retreats

Read more...

WHO ARE WE?

This blog is authored by pastors Brian and Jacob, and seeks to rethink the most basic assumptions of youth ministry from a mainline/progressive perspective by offering both theory and practical ideas.


Brian is an ordained pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). His education includes a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia, certifications in elementary education and gifted education, and a Masters of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. Prior to being ordained, Brian spent eleven years teaching in public schools, predominantly working with and writing curriculum for upper-elementary and middle school students in a gifted and talented program. He has served in congregational youth ministry and in outdoors ministry with youth for over twenty years. Brian has repeately been on the writing team for the New Earth Christian Resources for the Outdoors, published by Christian Board of Publication and the Committee on Outdoor Ministries of the National Council of Churches. Brian currently serves an inner-city church in St. Louis, Missouri as well as being an adjunct faculty member at Eden Theological Seminary.



Jacob is an ordained pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As an undergraduate, Jacob attended the University of Missouri. Like Brian, Jacob earned his Masters of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary. In working with youth, Jacob has experienced: both large and small church settings, long-established youth ministries, new youth ministries, and youth ministries in transition. Jacob currently serves a large youth ministry in the college town of Columbia, Missouri.

As a clergy member, camp director, and member of the Bethany Fellowship (an organization sponsored by the Lilly Foundation for young ministers in their first years of congregational ministry) Jacob recognizes the need for dialogue in youth ministry. Hence, this blog “Rethinking Youth Ministry” aims to connect readers from around the world who are passionate about youth ministry.


Read more...

About This Blog

  © Blogger templates The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP