Global Purpose Seekers is a program developed by International Missions that enables young people to make wise decisions and discern God’s will. Using the global positioning system analogy for tracking location, this GPS employs five “satellites” to help students know where they are and which way they should go:
• Scripture - The Bible is our source of divine wisdom and revelation.
• Prayer - Communication with God is a two-way channel
• Conscience - The leading of the Holy Spirit convicts and convinces
• Godly mentors - Seeking wise counsel for advice and confirmation
• Experiences - God has equipped, directed and gifted you uniquely
Each satellite will be presented through seminars and activities at the National Youth Conference. Students will also be able to participate in a simulated cross-cultural experience by visiting a mock international marketplace bazaar. The capstone event will be a Concert of Prayer on Tuesday evening.
Students that attend all five satellite sessions will receive special recognition during the NYC Awards Ceremony.
Here is an interesting program that promotes Bible Memorization and general Bible knowledge. Check out Bible Bee.
Bible Bee is a memory competition for children and youth. It is very similar to a spelling bee, except contestants are required to recite Bible passages and facts rather than spell words.
A total of 100 finalists per age group from all over the United States will travel to the National Bible Bee Contest in Washington, D.C. The National Bible Bee Contest is offering the largest prize of any academic competition of its kind!
Donate books to the English Reading Room in Central Asia.
They can use new or used books in good condition, fiction or non-fiction in any genre and for any age group.
These books will be used to stock the only Reading Room in a city of over 2 million people. It will serve as a focal point for people to borrow books or sit and read, enjoy a cup of coffee, and chat with native English speakers.
It only costs $35 to send a USPS flat-rate box of books anywhere in the world. Send an email to SCM@randallhouse.com for the shipping address.
We enjoyed a great line up of youth worker seminars at the 2008 NYC. If you missed them or want to hear them again, they are now available on podcast. Here is the list of what is available:
Here’s idea from Dave Inman on using text messaging in youth ministry:
Every Wednesday at about 5:00 I have been emailing a short text message to every youth group student’s cell phone. It is usually a thought-provoking question we will begin the lesson with, or a statement that will create interest. I have found this does 2 things: 1) all the students not on my list are giving me their cell numbers to text them also (showing me this is really working), and 2) the students who have not been coming regularly, or considering skipping have at least 1 church contact a week (almost works as slick as calling, but not quite).
If you are like me, and only have 200 or so texts to use a month from my cell phone, there is a great FREE option. You can email a text message for free from your computer. Enter the 10 digit cell number @txt.att.net (Try texting me: 5739154159@txt.att.net). I have an outlook list of students cell number emails, and can send a prayer request, reminder, or Wednesday message in seconds. This is not necessarily my idea, but a combination of ideas from Greg Stier (Dare2Share leader’s seminar), Sean Warren, and my in-house computer genius, Mark Heflin.
I know this will probably only work for limited age groups, but thought this may be something to share with other youth pastors – we all work for the same boss! Have a great day, Bro Dave Inman.
The FWB Youth Worker Gathering at the Youth Pastor Summit is scheduled for March 2-4. Registration will be available on January 19, 2009. Mark your calendar and register early.
This unique event includes two days of exciting programming with the Youth Pastor Summit at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, plus an additional day of fellowship with FWB youth workers. Registration is FREE. There will also be a lot of FREE resources. Your only expense is your hotel, meals, and travel.
If you are planning to attend, please send an email to SCM@randallhouse.com. We want to have contact information on all FWB youth workers who will be attending. SCM will be reserving a meeting room for the FWB Gathering group in one of the local hotels. Reservation information will be passed along when arrangements are made.
All youth workers are invited: full time, part-time, volunteer, teen and children workers. The YPS Gathering is a great time to network with other FWB youth workers, share special needs, glean valuable insights, and gain much needed encouragement and refreshing. Hope to see you at the Gathering!
Adam Clagg has been selected as the Digital Editor for Randall House Curriculum On Demand. He will be working with a variety of freelance writers to develop topical Bible studies, which will be available to download from our new website that will be launched this summer.
Adam serves as the Executive Pastor of Covenant FWB Church in Soddy Daisy, TN. He also teaches online for University of Phoenix and Grand Canyon University.
Adam is a graduate of FWBBC. He holds an M.A. in Youth and Family Ministry from Lee University, and an ED.S. In Educational Leadership from Liberty University. Currently, he is working on his doctorate at Liberty.
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. - Henry David Thoreau
We will disagree with Thoreau’s application of this truth, but it remains that, in fact, there is variation in what people hear. It is evident in our natural hearing by the following demonstration:
The high-pitched frequencies, generally audible only to younger ears, have been used by shop owners to keep teens from loitering in front of their stores. That same technology is now being used by teens to avoid parents and teachers being able to detect when students’ phones ring. (Tip to parents: the dog will hear it, learn how he behaves when the teen’s phone rings.) (The younger Randall House staff have been greatly annoyed with these high-pitched tones during my preparation for this post.)
All this brings to mind that spiritual hearing will also vary.
Just as we may be a bit skeptical that there actually is any sound being made by the higher frequencies, the world cannot comprehend spiritual truth. Their ears are “dead” to the sound. No amount of persuasion can cause them to perceive. No amount of effort is able to force them to hear.
We can argue principles, morals, and truth all day, but we may as well try to convince a statue to come in out of the rain. They just don’t get it. They can’t get it because of the spritual darkness and deafness. Only the power of God’s Spirit can bring light to blind eyes and the voice of truth to deaf ears.
Answers in Genesis provides important information about scientific issues that will help you be more informed about social issues. Check out their video on Stem Cell Research.
The SCM Youth Ministries Kit is a brand-new tool from Randall House to help make youth ministry preparation time more efficient and effective. It includes an Annual Calendarwith dates, reminders, and links to a wide variety of events and projects of interest to youth and youth workers. It offers over a year’s supply of Bible Studies, and contains 15 Categories of Resources & Web Links. Here are some screen shots of the various files and elements of the YM Kit.
This CD kit is available for purchase from Randall House for only $49.99. Call 800-877-7030 or email SCM@randallhouse.com. It will work on both PCs and Macs.
This weblog reflects the personal views of Danny Conn in his individual capacity. It does not necessarily represent the views of Randall House Publications. Any links from this blog to other sites are provided simply for convenient access to the information contained therein and should not be construed as endorsements of these sites or their content. Neither the company nor this individual is responsible for content, links, or products found on any other site.
Global Purpose Seekers is a program developed by International Missions that enables young people to make wise decisions and discern God’s will. Using the global positioning system analogy for tracking location, this GPS employs five “satellites” to help students know where they are and which way they should go:
