MAC Track: Raising Up a Generation of Vocational Ministers

An important and sometimes overlooked aspect of youth ministry is to build a culture that welcomes students to explore ministry as a vocational option and to come beside students as they explore the possibilities open to them if they have expressed an interest in or possible calling to ministry as a career.  Ministry as a Career Track, or MAC Track, is a ministry designed to provide avenues for students who have expressed an interest or possible calling to explore vocational ministry, ordained and lay ministry, as a career option.   This ministry is committed to excellence in offering students a realistic view of ministry, developing leadership through experiential learning, and providing an authentic Christian community where students with similar goals are whole-heartedly seeking to discern God’s direction for their lives.  This ministry has been very successful as a part of the rezlife Student Ministries at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. On this site we offer you the downloads we have developed over the first two years to use and modify in whatever way best fits your setting.  We invite you to interact with others who are developing similar ministries on the forum page here on umyouthpastor.com or contact julie.peters@cor.org with questions or if you need additional info.

Invisibility in Worship Leading

He must increase, but I must decrease. - John 3:30 (NASB)

Part of your job is to be invisible. Our role as worship leaders and band members is to make God more visible and ourselves less. We are simply making a way for others to join together in praising God, and modeling how they are to do it. How is it that we can be an invisible worship leader?

Here are the top 8 ways to be a VISIBLE worship leader:

1.    Use many solos or distracting music. We do a good job of focusing on the worship rather than the music. But as we get better, we need to be careful if it calls too much attention to the band, it calls attention away from God.

Click to read more ...

Quick Tip: Free Awesome Fonts

Prior to becoming a full time youth minister, I was a freelance graphic designer/print broker. Frequently I would find myself looking for a really cool font to give a project just the "right" look. Turns out I still do that alot with Youth Ministry. A great FREE source for fonts is www.dafont.com . They have one of the largest Free font databases I have seen in a long long time. So the next time you need a cool font, check out www.dafont.com

Quick Idea: Scavenger Hunt with a Purpose

Everyone does a scavenger hunt from time to time.  You've probably done everything from back to school to video or clue-based scavenger hunts.  Next time, take a moment earlier in the week to call your local mission organization and ask them what supplies they need.  Then, use those items (all new unless the mission will take used) for your list.  You decide on how many points each it worth, and voila!  Your scavenger hunt will be more than just a good time for your students, it will harness their connections and resources to help fulfill the needs of your community.

Inexpensive Draw for Students: Local Bands

One of the biggest discoveries I made in my early years of ministry was the draw of local bands.  All throughout your community there are teenagers practicing in bedrooms and garages waiting for a place and an audience.  When you open up your super bowl party or friday night hang out time a beautiful relationship is formed.  

First, you have something out of the ordinary to offer your students, and second, the band will promote your event until they are blue in the face.  No one wants to play to an empty room, and local teen bands have a way of making sure that doesn't happen by getting every friend of a friend to show up in support.  Depending on

Click to read more ...