Two weeks ago in out student ministry, we kicked off a series called “the pink elephant” talking about some of the things that we avoid talking about in churches, specifically relationships!
This past wednesday on our snow day we talked about relationships with out parents(cue the groan).
In prepping to lead the discussion it was fascinating to me that 8/10 students say that their relationship with their parents is the most influential relationship in the lives. Yet, on average, students spend 2 minutes a day in meaningful conversation a day!
It is hard to imagine a functional relationship let alone a growing and vibrant one that only functions on two minutes of meaningful conversation a day!
Before those of you who are no longer students or who no longer living with your parents count yourselves out, I think the challenge is even harder for you! For instance, I now live in Tennessee and my parents live in California. For me to invest in my relationship with my parents take a phone call. (I hate talking on the phone). Unfortunately, apart from text message and email, there aren’t many other ways for me to continue to invest in our relationship!
So here’s the challenge:
Over the next 20 days – take 20 minutes a day to invest in your relationship with your parents.
1. It could be as simple (or complicated) as a phone call or email.
2. Some of us need to get out and go do something together on neutral grounds. Go to Starbucks, go see
A movie, go for a bike ride.
3. Spend 20 minutes doing something that communicates love. If your mom loves it when you do the dishes, take the time to do them without being asked!
The topic of relationship with parents is messy. It’s messy because everyones story looks different. Some of our parents are separated, some of us are adopted, others of us have parents who mistreat us, and some of us have parents who are no longer around for
one reason or another. Truthfully, the 20 minute challenge is a challenge to invest in a relationship. If that can’t be your parents, make
it your spouse, your kids, your friends, or your co-workers!
We know that every relationship is two sided. You can only do your part. But you can do your part and allow the other person to be responsible for theirs!
The choice is yours. Are you up for the 20 minute challenge?
Last night due to SNOWPOCALYPSE 11 we were forced to cancel our normal student ministry programming. Actually, all kidding aside, it was pretty bad last night and I am glad that we didn’t have students trying to make it to our space for program.
Instead of canceling all together – we hosted our second ever Charge ONLINE using Ustream and the great Camera/Tech set up that we already have at Cross Point. Even if you don’t have a nicely put together LIVE site for your church or the highest quality equipment, you can actually do this pretty easily using your laptop(if you have a mac) or a web cam.
While online programming is nothing new for churches everywhere, it is definitely new for me! I still feel like I am wrapping my mind around how to best use this tool! One of the differences between what we have been doing and what some group do is that ours is not a packaged teaching/worship that gets launched at a certain time. We have written a script, but we try to do our best to engage in a dialogue, not simply a presentation. We will try to start with a topic, but then use polls, video clips, and open ended questions to create discussion in the chat section. We have asked some of our volunteer team to log in and engage conversation with the students because as the facilitators we can only choose so many comments to hit on.
Part of the reason we have been doing this is out of necessity. Its hard to build momentum when you have to cancel program 3 times in a month in a half. This gives us an option to cancel and not cancel all at the same time. The other part is that there are students who engage with this discussion that would never engage 1on1 or in a small group setting!
I was pointed to a great article this morning in Business Week which talks about this generation tech needs and how businesses need to be aware and engage when hiring them.
“The millennial generation grew up in an instantaneous world, with Google immediately answering their every question and helicopter parents at their beck and call. Millennials are now bringing those same instantaneous, always-on expectations into the workforce, particularly when it comes to technology and tech support. To recruit and retain top talent, businesses have no choice but to adapt to this fast-paced generation’s technology needs. Here are a few of their needs and tips on how to cope”
The article goes on to offer 4 suggestions…
1. Offer real-time response.
2. Consider supporting BYO devices.
3. Enable anywhere access.
4. Foster collaborative communication.
I think that as a Student Pastor, I have to asking some of the same questions. How can I offer real time response for students? What would it look like for students to BYO device? How can I enable their access to our info? What does collaborative communication look like?
Im sure there will be some who want to push back that this is simply feeding the monster that is out of control – and while it may be a fair question – I can either get ahead of the Tsunami and come up with strategy on how to successfully navigate it, or I can stand my ground and get blown up by the rushing water.
What do you think? What are some new tech resources we can use in student ministry or church ministry?
A little while back I was reflecting on the idea of creating experiences that stick.
Yesterday was an experiment in those experiences. Our space and our ministry is very much in the building process still, but we seem to have great momentum. A week ago, as you walked into our spaces, allowing your eyes to adjust to the transition from the fluorescents abusing your eyes in the hallway to the kinder floods that now hang from the wall/ceiling in our space, there were a few different experiences for you to participate in.
One of the biggest hits is the food. I don’t know what the scientific reasoning is, but the reality is that food does amazing things to the feeling of a group! One week we had pancakes, another breakfast burritos, and last week we had a cereal bar!
Another is video games. Someone was so kind as to donate a Guitar Hero and we had already purchased an Xbox and a Wii. Its not much, but they jump on it and its pretty funny to watch them get their rock star on!
Another is games We’ve purchased a couple of group games like Apples to Apples and Catch Phrase and had a fooseball table donated, so whether you are into hanging with your friends around a table or dominating the plastic Pitch- there should be something for you!
Yesterday we introduced another experience for them during our CONNECT time. My wife and I went to Michaels and bought a variety of basic art supplies. Some cheap canvas, a couple of sketch pads, a cheap pack of brushes, colored pencils, some paints, and stuff to make bracelets. We had picked up some cheap easels that were going to be tossed, we put down some plastic drop cloth, and hung some raw light bulbs using a simple lamp socket and cord from home depot. I wasn’t sure how the students would respond to the space, but I knew we had some artists. 
It ended up being a big hit. We probably 20-25 students who connected that way and in my opinion that’s a big deal!
Obviously there are other experiences that we try to create for students to CONNECT to – we have volunteers there to talk to kids, we have music on, there’s couches for them to chill on, but I am always trying to come up with new spaces that they can identify with!
What are some of the spaces that you have created for students to connect with?
