Rethinking Youth Ministry2

RESOURCES

2008-01-02T10:24:00.003-08:00

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.

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.
Weebly - A fast and easy way to set up a free website.
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."

LINKS

2008-01-02T10:24:00.001-08:00

My Contemplations - A South African blog on Christianity
Dan Mayes
Scooter 4.0
Tom Ryberg - Reflections on Faith, Politics, SocietyOpen Hearts-Affirming Pages
Monastic Mumblings
The Joe and Dan Show
A Churchless Faith
Field of Dandelions
Stupid Church People
Jonny Baker Blog - Creative WorshipDisciples of Christ Youth Ministry Docs
Randy Kuss - Youth Leader Spirituality Training/Retreats

WHO ARE WE?

2008-01-02T10:23:00.000-08:00

This blog is authored by pastors Brian Kirk and Jacob Thorne, and seeks to rethink the most basic assumptions of youth ministry from a mainline/progressive perspective by offering both theory and practical ideas. You may contact us at brianskirk@yahoo.com

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 repeatedly 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 and has contributed numerous articles to YMtoday. He also writes a twice-monthly column on youth ministry for the interfaith website Patheos. 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. In addition, Jacob's ministry efforts have been focused on hospital chaplaincy and pastoral care. Jacob currently serves a DOC congregation 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.

Jacob is co-author, with Brian, of the text Missional Youth Ministry: Moving from Gathering Teenagers to Scattering Disciples.