Thriving Youth Groups — By Jeanne Mayo (Review)

Thriving Youth GroupsJeannie Mayo is a veteran of youth ministry.  She has served for something like 35 years.  She’s led groups from tiny to huge and she has a lot of really great stuff to share.  Thriving Youth Groups is a great book to show us young youth pastors that there is really nothing new under the sun.

Jeanne’s Central point is that if you want to have a growing youth group, it needs to be a welcoming place.  More important that flash and hype, does any feel loved and connected to the youth group family?

This is something that has to be asked time and time again and youth pastors need to constantly evaluate the friendship factor in their student ministries.  If you are looking for a book that will open your eyes to new and fresh student ministry ideas this isn’t it.  If you want a book that really says what the basic and most important elements of any ministry are, then this is a great reminder.

I read this book like it was a friend talking to me over coffee.  A coach that I was meeting with who really cared about my health as a pastor and the health of the ministry that I am leading.

Old Songs Fond Memories

So the other day I went to half price books. Someone donated a whole bushel of books to the church and it has been deemed my responsibility to sell, give away, these books, and the proceeds will go to the Student Ministry. Great deal for us.

So I brought a bunch of books to Half Price to see what we could get for them, and while I was there with the great Chris Mears, I came across a CD by a band called Poor Old Lu.

mindsize Mindsize is a great CD, it only cost a dollar, and I didn’t know where else I could find it, so I just had to grab it. Best dollar I have spent in a long time.

There is something about listening to an old CD that always brings back memories. This CD in particular reminds me of my friend Dustin Shirley. Dustin is one of the most influential people in my life. He was on youth staff at the student ministry I grew up in. He was responsible for helping me break out of my shell. He was a great encouragement in my life. When he went to do an internship at another church I actually cried. I was devestated.

Fast Forward a few years, Dustin and I reunite to play in a band together. Dustin had a Jeep for a few years while we were in the Band and he and I would always ride together to gigs. Whenever we could we would ride around with the top off and listen to some incredible music. Dustin introduced me to U2 with the Joshua Tree, Sting and the Police, the 77’s and Poor Old Lu. We would crank these albums and ride.

I could never thank Dustin enough for the role that he played in my life. And when I found Mindsize I instantly thought of him and I bought it because I love Poor Old Lu and this is the only Album that I didn’t have. I also bought it because I knew it would make Dustin proud.

Dustin is now married with three beautiful Children, he helped us get into our house, and I have not been a very good friend because I haven’t called him in a long time. But I need to.

Dustin has impacted me in so many ways he’s probably in my top 5 most influential people. When Dustin was on youth staff I may have been just one more kid in the youth group. He probably had no idea what kind of impact he would have on my life, but he did whether he meant to or not.

As a youth pastor I have to be constantly mindful of who I am impacting intentionally and unintentionally. How am I living, what am I saying, am I speaking life to people? You never know if 12 years later that skinny little seventh grader might see a CD that you introduced him to and buy that CD because of the person that you were in his or her life.

Who are you impacting? Who are you living before? If you don’t know, it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Because it is. It may be small and inconsequential now, but it may turn into a life long transformation in that person. You might change their life for ever. And all you did was ride around in a Jeep and listen to really great music.

In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day – Review

In A Pit With a Lion on a Snowy DayI finally finished Mark Batterson’s In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day

What a great read.  The Central Metaphor of this book comes from 2 Samuel 23.  It’s the Story of Benaiah chasing a lion in a pit and killing it.  Benaiah later became David’s Chief Body Guard.  Batterson reveals that Benaiah’s elevated status really started when he chased this lion.

Batterson then goes on to show how time after time God brings lions into our lives to chase, that might seem insignificant at the time but really they are the first steps into persuing what God ultimatley has in store for us.

Risk is scary, but it’s worth it.  And when we stop taking risks then we really stop seeing the opportunities that Brings into our lives.  As a student ministries pastor who is about to make some major transitions in our ministry that could be really successful or it could fail completly, this book rang the bell for me.  I have a lot of opportunites and the first step is scary but I know it’s what God wants us to do.  So we are going ahead and making the change.

If you are staring down some lions, goals or dreams, that God has brought into your life, then you need to read this book.  It’s incredibly practical, fun to read, and full of great insights.  Mark Batterson’s writing style is more like a coach in your corner then an expert writing from the ivory tower of success.  He’s in the trenches, he’s on the journey, and he’s trying to help others in their journey.

Bottom Line, read this book.  Tell others about it, and while you’re at it you might as well subscribe to their podcast so that you can get a supplemental tool for your readings.

Transitions

It’s weeks like this where I am reminded that life is never static.  Just when things get cozy or you develop some sort of pattern, things find a way of changing.  People move, jobs end, kids grow up, life happens.  And it’s these periods of transition that I think really define us as people, because often these are the times when we have to grow.  We don’t have the option to remain the same, we have to change.

Our church seems to be one major change after the other lately. And it’s been really stressful, and really difficult. and yet for the most part really healthy.  There are some changes that are sad, some people leaving that disrupts plans or really shake things up.  But how we respond to these changes are important.  Are we going to be afraid, nervouse, paralyzed but fear.  Or are we going to look at our God and say, you’re Big and you’re in charge, I’m going to trust you for the next step, for the next person, for the next challenge, for the next opportunity. 

I’m leaving Cutter & Buck.  Today is my last day, and I’m really excited to transition back into one job with the church.  This is the first job that I’m leaving where I will really miss working here with these people.  But I am excited to be able to work full steam ahead for the church.  In the midst of all the changes that are going on I really can’t afford to have my brain split in two different directions.  I need to have my time back to one schedule. 

I have been praying like crazy lately that my new focus will pay off.  I feel bad for the months that I have been stretched so thin, there have been things that I have been unable to do, and things that have been neglected just so I can get done what needs to be done, so I am glad to get back in the saddle and ride. 

I’m sure that there will be many more transitions that I will have to face, and I’m sure that I will be challenged, stressed and bummed out about some, but I need to always be excitied and eager to see where these transitions are going to take us. 

Crazy times, but I have a God who brings peace.

I love my first Senior Pastor Joe Fuiten, for always saying the same prayer at the beneditction of each service, I’ll close with the quote:

“And now I pray that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will rest and abide with us all, both now and forevermore.  Amen.”

It’s been a bit

Hello,

Well it sure seems like it’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything of substance here. I have been super busy at Cutter & Buck, and I have been on vacation so I really didn’t want to write while I was hanging out with Kathy and Judah, so I have just been chillin’

What’s been happening in my life? Well Judah’s been sick for what seems like forever, and it sucks because he doesn’t sleep super well when he’s sick and we have to use this little bulb thing to get all the crud out of his nose so he can sleep. He hates the bulb, it makes him cry as soon as he sees it. He has associated the changing table with the bulb as weel so whenever we lay him down he instantly cries. Good times. I think my gray hair patch is spreading because of this alone.

I ate lots and lots of food on thanks giving and then the proceeding days I ate a lot too. So that was fun. I really love thanksgiving.

A little tradition that my family has started is renting this cabin over in ocean shores for the weekend after thanksgiving and so we headed over there on Friday morning, and had a really great time with my parents and siblings and their significant others. We spent a lot of time playing Ligretto which we think is German for the most aggrivating, addicting, and fun game ever. I don’t think I ever one but I sure did have a good time.

When we drove home it was snowing. That was odd. And it made the drive home quite intersting. Lynnwood got dumped on, so it’s been pretty amazing here. Woke up monday moring to clear roads, went in to Cutter & Buck early because I was going to go to the Monday Night Football game with my dad.

As soon as we got to the stadium it started snowing, which always makes football more fun. I never ever thought I would see a snow game at Qwest Field, but man it dumped last night.

SnowGame

Shaun Alexander was back in form last night 40 Carries 201 yards.

Alexander Rushing

Brett Favre had a great game until the 4th Quarter

Favre & Matt

Matt was back and after a few struggles had a great game

Matt H

Jeremy Stevens finally caught one that matteredstevens' spike

It wasn’t looking pretty at first but it was an exciting game and the Hawks Won so it made standing in the snow for a couple hours worth every minute. And I got to hang out with the old man so that was a fun time.

Last night after the game I had to take Dad to his house, but 405 froze so we got off in kirkland and spent 1 hour going 2miles. My sister was stuck in the traffic from 5pm to 1 am. Kathy was driving to work but she couldn’t get the focus through the mess that is 405 so she met her dad and gave Judah to her parents for the night. Traffic was so bad that I had sleep at my parents house, so that was a huge fiasco with all of us spread out over the east and north sides of the lake.

Today the roads were pretty icy so staff meeting was canceled and I called in ill to Cutter & Buck. What a day.

That should about catch you up with all that’s beengoing on in the life of the Deuman family. I hope you had a great long weekend and if you are inside right now from the cold then I hope you are staying warm.