Most small churches do not have the room to hold children’s and youth minisry beyond a small classroom for Sunday School.  Imagine a bus that have been converted to hold a youth ministry with seating for 10 to 20 youth, a bathroom and small kitchen area.  Interim Youth Ministries is now in development for several of these buses.  One to be used in South Africa and the other in the Philippines.  Our vision to help church plants, home based churches (without a building) and to hold youth and children ministry in remote areas.  The thought is to even have several of these Mobile Youth Ministry buses in the USA.  IYM will be looking for youth specialists to operate the USA buses.  More to follow as the Mobile Youth Ministry takes shape.

Two years ago, Dr. Matthew Bartholomew lost his wife of twenty-eight years. Now finishing his twenty-fifth year of teaching, he is at a crossroads in his life. When the opportunity to spend a few months on a private Caribbean island with a consortium of biblical scholars and research scientists, including old college friends David and R.J., Matthew decides to participate, if only to give himself time to plan the next step in life. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the research group are finally revealed when Matthew is asked to head a search for the biblical and fabled garden of Eden. Elliot Mitchell, founder of Mitchell International and the reason for the search, seems untrustworthy to Matthew. His unease is further fueled by romance lingering around the island as R.J. confesses her venerable love for him. To escape a future he may not be ready for, Matthew immerses himself into his work on The Eden Files, but digging around the compound reveals a powerful senator may be involved in the quest for wealth as well as the end of God and religion in the current American society. When the group relocates to Turkey and scholars begin disappearing, Matthew realizes he has little power to fight the deadly hands of corrupt political leaders that can wipe him off the face of the earth with the touch of a phone. When the chance arrives to be heroic, Matthew must decide whether he can plunge into history and new love without looking back or retreat into a life of anonymity. Only time will tell what lies in The Eden Files.

Published by Tate Publishing.  Find it at Tate Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders.  Proceeds from the book help support IYM.

The couple head Interim Youth Ministries Inc., a faith-based ministry that provides training and resources for Christian youth programs.

The nonprofit organization has helped about 40 churches throughout the country and several overseas.

The Yagers, who live in Pennsylvania and own a home in Trenton, hope to establish a fundamental Christian youth center in Ellsworth.

“We’re not trying to recreate the wheel here,” Bruce said. “We know there are after-school programs offered by the YMCA and things like that. We’re doing something different.” – read more

(previously published on YMX & YouthMinistry.com)

You’ve already written, signed and dated the letter. The Board of Elders have read and accepted your letter of resignation and within a few days you receive a written response outlining in detail your…transition out of the youth ministry. Now you find yourself standing before the congregation on a Sunday morning just minutes after the Senior Pastor closed the service in prayer about to make your “announcement.” With your wife by your side, a written statement in your hand, and a slight case of nervousness you announce to everyone that you are leaving the youth ministry at [your church name] because God is calling you to something or somewhere else.

As youth workers and youth pastors we have all faced this difficult task of leaving a ministry, and it never seems to get easier. The easy part of making the transition is the logistics. Making sure the teens personal contact information is up to date and all important files are current; such as a budget, medical release forms, etc. This is the logistical stuff.

But what about the relationships you’ve built with the teens and their parents. The hardest part of making a transition is how it affects us as youth workers, the teens and their families emotionally. So how do we make the transition a smooth one? What do you do when one of your students buries their head in your shoulder with tears pouring from their eyes and they’re pleading with you not to leave? It’s moments like those that rip our hearts out and bring us to the edge of changing our minds about leaving. Then we are quickly reminded it’s not our will but God’s will that we’re following.

I won’t promise you I’ll have any one proven method. I’m not offering a youth workers guide on the topic of facing the emotions of your transition. What I am providing is my own experience and how God has used me to make those transitional times just a little easier.

Be honest and open – I have met many youth pastors/workers that kept their change in venue a secret from the teens and their families for their “emotional protection.” Then within a few weeks of leaving they decide to tell the teens and it’s like dropping a bomb in a crowded city square. In one situation my wife and I knew several months before making our final decision that God was speaking and leading us in another direction. After spending time in prayer we decided to share with our students our heart. So at a Wednesday evening meeting during our prayer time I let the teens know that God had placed in our hearts a new calling and that we were praying seeking God’s will. I not only wanted my students to know the truth, but I also wanted them to know how to pray for our ministry. We wanted to include them in the process. We wanted them to know God was calling us to go, where we were being called, and what would happen when we arrived.

From the very beginning we were honest, we were real. Over those next several months we kept the lines of communication open. Anytime there was a change or progress was made, we made it a point to once again include our students in the process and made it a matter of prayer for the entire group. By the time my wife and I knew God was, without a doubt, moving us on to another ministry our students took the news better then my board of elders. Sure tears were shed, but our students learned over those months from prayer, the teaching of God’s Word, and honesty, to accept God’s will in the life of the Ford’s.

Youth ministry is also about building solid relationships not only with your students, but their parents as well. Over those months of praying, searching and waiting we met with the parents and shared the same information with them as we did with their sons and daughters. We could have easily planned and scheduled a parent’s meeting at the church, tried squeezing it in at the end of a morning service as everyone is shaking hands, or called them on the phone. Instead we chose to meet the parents in their homes. By including the parents from the beginning it provided them with the truth of our ministry and gave them the information needed to not only support their son or daughter, but also know how to pray for the teens, leadership and us.

Does Christ give us an example? Absolutely! In Matthew 16:21 Jesus predicts His death for the first time. “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” The phrase “from that time one” marks a turning point in Christ’s ministry. Well before his trial and crucifixion “Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go.” Jesus was preparing them for what was about to happen. There was going to be some major changes in His ministry, and Jesus held nothing back from His disciples. Jesus told His disciples three important points; first He told them He was leaving, second He told them where He was going, and third He told them what would happen when He arrived.

I don’t want you to misunderstand, God’s timing is very important. You don’t want to jump the gun. If God has only knocked but has not opened the door, then sharing with your students at this point may not be the right time. Only through prayer can you be sure. Ask God to reveal to you the right time. We must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. When Jesus revealed the life changing news to His disciples you can be sure the timing was perfect.

It is important that we be honest with our students, adult leaders and parents and include them in the process when God begins to call us to “go.” Remember you’ve worked hard to build trust and respect, and to build godly relationships with your students. By keeping things a secret for the “emotional protection” of your students it will only cause emotional pain and make your transition harder.

Making the transition from one ministry to the next doesn’t have to be difficult. When making the transition there are many steps that need to be taken, but it begins with being honest and open.

]]> http://www.interimyouthministries.org/?feed=rss2&p=42 0 http://www.interimyouthministries.org/?p=97 http://www.interimyouthministries.org/?p=97#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:15:51 +0000 IYM http://www.interimyouthministries.org/?p=97 I’ll get right to the point…Iron Man was Awesome! If you’re thinking about waiting for it to come out on DVD, don’t. Today Kim and I took several teens from Matthew House to Ruby Tuesday’s for lunch and then to the movies after their hard work this morning as volunteers for a local church festival. As I sat on the edge of my seat I thought how cool it would be to have my own suit like Iron Man’s. I’d be able to fly at supersonic speeds and have superhuman strength.
So who I Iron Man? Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is the CEO of Stark Industries which produces advance weapon systems for the U.S. military. Tony flies to Afghanistan to demonstrate a new weapons test to the United States Air Force. On his way back to his plane, his convoy is attacked by terrorists, and Tony is wounded by a Stark Industries missile. Tony is captured and held hostage in a cave with Yinsen (Shaun Toub), a doctor who saves his life. When Tony Stark is kidnapped by terrorists he’s forced to reproduce the new destructive Jericho missile he was demonstrating from parts of other weapons. Instead, Tony decides to build a suit of armor. The suit gives Tony the strength and protection to be able to escape the terrorists. Back in America, Tony builds a better suit of armor which gives him superhuman strength with the ability to fly. With the help of his personal assistant Pepper Potts and Air Force Lieut. Colonel Jim Rhodes, Tony vows to protect the world as Iron Man.
Did you know that each of us has been equipped with our own suit of armor? When we put our faith in Christ alone we’re equipped with a supernatural suit of armor that gives us superhuman spiritual strength to protect us and help us fight against spiritual warfare.
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. – Ephesians 6:11-13
Satan loves to trick you and I into believing spiritual warfare is about the people in our lives. Like that annoying brother or sister who nags you, the teacher handing out loads of homework, or your parents grounding you for something you’ve done wrong. Spiritual warfare is NOT about people, it’s about Satan and his demons. Spiritual warfare, Satan and his schemes are real. In order for you and I to battle spiritual warfare we need to follow Ephesians 6:11 and put on our spiritual Iron Man suit. In Ephesians 6:10-13 God promises to give us the power we need to say “no” to the devil’s temptations, protect us from his schemes, and give us the superhuman spiritual strength to stand our ground. It takes a deep relationship with Jesus Christ.
The key to Iron Man’s strength is a super cell power supply located in the center of his chest. For you and I Jesus is our power supply. So how do we obtain Jesus? Jesus is the only source, there is no other power or name that will save us.
“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Acts 2:21
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.- John 14:6
Salvation is not achieved by works (by what you DO) but received through faith (by what Jesus has DONE).
You know I had an awesome thought. Can you imagine an Iron Man army of teens suiting up everyday equipped to share their faith, growing deep in their relationship with Jesus, and fighting off the schemes of Satan? In his most recent post Greg Stier put it best when he said; “Let’s stop the defensiveness and go on the offense for Jesus! The end result? When teenagers graduate from high school they don’t evacuate the church but they do help evacuate lost souls from the kingdom of darkness! They become missionaries at their universities and workplaces. They don’t merely retain their faith, they regain lost ground for the kingdom of God by advancing the mission and message of Jesus everywhere they go!”
So who will join me in suiting up and becoming a spiritual Iron Man ready to storm the gates of hell?

So what has become so frustrating? Watching churches and youth leaders fall for the latest “youth group” fad or “feel good” curriculum instead of preaching the principles of God’s Word. Discouragement over the number of “spiritually apathetic” teens today, as a result of many “spiritually apathetic” people in the pews of our churches. Annoyed that youth ministry isn’t taken seriously and that youth workers are sometimes considered glorified babysitters. Let me say this; I take youth ministry seriously and so do you. And frustrated over school activities that draw our students away from church, and the parents that allow it to happen. It seems there is always something that brings us down.

Recently I sat down with a piece of paper and made two lists. At the top of the first column I wrote “successes”, and at the top of the second column I wrote “frustrations.” Guess which column was the longest? As I wrote out my lists I realized God used me to reach the quiet shy kid who now shares the Gospel with everyone he meets. The girl with low self-esteem who now walks each day with confidence in Christ and is now helping others know they are loved and have worth as a child of God. And the rebellious comedian that came to church because his parents made him is now a youth pastor in a growing church. I filled both sides of the paper with the joys and successes God has given me in ministry and I keep that list in my journal. Why? Because I keep adding to it, the lists are getting longer. Can I suggest taking a moment to do a “gut” check in your own ministry? I’m sure you’ll have your own stories of success. Does this list mean we’ll never have frustrations again? Yeah…right! We’ll still have frustrations but instead we should begin to handle those frustrations with a different attitude.

We’re told in Philippians 2:5; “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” We can choose our attitude. We can either approach our frustrations in ministry with a selfish attitude or “press on” and look for opportunities to continue serving God and serving others. We’re also reminded in Philippians 2:14; “do everything without complaining or arguing.” When we get frustrated isn’t that what we spend our time doing, complaining to God and others about all that is going wrong in ministry? Aren’t you tired of being frustrated? I know I am, and we haven’t seen the end of our frustrations. But the truth is overcoming the frustrations in ministry begins with us. It begins by submitting to God and listening for His whisper just like Elijah.

Elijah had reached a point in his ministry that he was so frustrated, discouraged and afraid that he ran and hid in a cave. But wait a minute…what about that Mt. Carmel moment of victory when he stood up to the prophets of Baal? What could have caused him to feel discouraged and disillusioned that he ran and hid soon after seeing lives changed? Two words…hate mail. Jezebel sent a life threatening letter to Elijah and he ran. “So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” – I Kings 19:2.

Eventually Elijah stopped running and found himself sitting under a broom tree in the middle of the desert. His frustrations had reached the point that he wanted to quit, actually he wanted to die. And even though God provided for his needs he still focused on his discouragement. “He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.- I Kings 19:4-6. After regaining his energy Elijah spent forty days and forty nights in the desert where he finally came to a cave to hide and sulk some more.

There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” – 1 Kings 19:9-13

We can all definitely relate to Elijah. How many times have we ran and hid in our cave? How many times have we told God we’ve had enough? And sometimes in our frustrations we look and even expect God to do something BIG instead of take the time to listen for His quiet whisper. The convicting part of Elijah’s story for me is when God asks him; “what are you doing here, Elijah?” Once I stop complaining about the frustrations and really listened to God’s whisper and hear those same words echo in my heart; “what are you doing here?” It’s then I realize I had been wasting my time sulking and complaining instead of using my primary gift to serve God and reach teenagers with the Gospel.

It’s time to change the course of youth ministry. It’s time we to join the ranks of others who have chosen to overthrow the old way of youth ministry and transform youth ministry into what God intents it to be. It begins by listening to God and relying strictly on the principles of His Word. It begins by focusing on the primary gift God has given us. It begins by following the will of God, taking risks, being bold, dreaming big, being real, and becoming more like Jesus. It begins with putting God and His Word ahead of anything else. And it means putting a stop to our own negative attitude and lack of joy.

That’s right…I said our own negative attitude. There is no question that youth workers get discouraged, frustrated and on the verge of quitting (if they haven’t quit already). The frustrations listed are true and it seems we deal with them everyday. And the more we get frustrated the less we depend on God, the less joy we have about our job as a youth specialist. How many times have we sat complaining to God asking Him to change the hearts of those around us that cause the hair pulling frustrations in ministry, but never take the time to do our own gut check? How many times have we sat around with colleagues in the ministry spouting off only stories of discouragement and not stories of successes and salvations? And how many times have we preached James 1:1-3 to our students, but failed to live it out in own life?

It’s amazing how we allow Satan to take one negative in our ministry and turn it into the biggest obstacle of our life. Why are they obstacles? When we allow the negative to become the center of our thoughts and conversations we immediately do exactly what Satan sets out to do; we stop doing ministry and we sulk. The truth is…once we take that “gut” check God will show us something amazing. He showed me the amazing truth that He has given me more successes then frustrations.

Youth ministry is tough. And until Christ returns we’ll continue to face frustrations and discouragements. But what should frustrated youth workers do? Well, we need to first take time alone praying and listening for God’s whisper. That means stepping away from the office and/or anything that will cause a distration (MP3, laptop, kids, etc.) and truly be alone with God. “Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10. We need to pour our heart out and truly be honest with ourselves and God. And while praying we need to dive into God’s Word and meditate on His principles first, before ideas found in the latest youth ministry magazine. We also need to start talking to those with years of ministry experience who have faced frustration, hid in their own cave, heard God’s whisper, and came out having a Mt. Carmel moment. I am learning all the time that no matter how long I’m in youth ministry there is always going to be someone who’s been doing it longer. Their years of experience and wisdom can be a valuable tool and a huge encouragement.

It has been a day gladness and sadness. As I started the day, I was very thankful of how great God is. He has allowed me another day to enjoy being on His earth. Soon after breakfast, my son and I drove to one of the local high schools for his participation in the local Relay For Life, I was reminded of family and friends who has lost the battle, or who are currently fighting a battle with the dreaded disease called “CANCER”.

As I reflected back upon some of my greatest memories with my grandfather, that came after he had been diagnosed with this monster. Granddaddy would always try to make the family laugh even thru all the pain that was showing thru his expressions. One day as I was visiting Granddaddy, he assured me that when life seemed to be spiraling down and/or out of control, that God was walking right beside me and keeping me in his arms. Today, God showed me exactly what Granddaddy meant that day. As I looked around, all the individuals, families, and other various groups that were in attendance, had been affected by cancer in some way. Even though they had been affected, and some lives, families, or friendships had been changed dramatically, they chose to rise up and fight against this monster that had caused so mush despair in their life. Some may have lost their loved one(s) to cancer, but had over come the sadness of the lost to help make a difference for others.

But as I sat back and talked with one of the youth leaders in the church that I now serve, I was reminded of another battle that I have become involved in. As I looked around the track today, and saw various church groups set-up along the track, I wondered how are they reacting to this other battle. What battle am I talking about? The battle that all Believers should be involved in! The battle is “The battle for our Children and Teens”. I looked out around the track, as the Kids Lap was taking place, could not help but to think, “Where are these kids heading in life”? Or better yet, as our youth got challenged Sunday morning by my great friend Warren, “Whom are they letting make the choices in their life”?

As Believers, who are we letting dictate our life? Is it The Holy Sprit, or is it the world? Have we as Believers been so relaxed or so self-centered, that we have let the world tell us what we can and can not do. The world tells us that our children can’t pray at school, but is that want the law really says? NO. They can pray and express their religious beliefs, as long as it is student led. Yet, we as Believers have become conditioned to what the world is telling us. Other words, we have listened to them tell these lies until we have believed them. This is exactly what Satan wants. To feed us lies, until God’s people believe them.

How can we fight back in this battle? The Bible gives clear instructions to this matter. Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation, The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Prayer is the first and most important part of our life. Without first praying to God for direction and seeking his will, we are just wondering around blinded. If we will seek his direction, then he will provide. 2 Peter 3:9 tell us that The Lord is not slack concerning His promises.

Secondly, we must read God’s Word, The Holy Bible. When we read The Bible, which should be daily, we take and put God’s Word in our Heart. When we allow God’s word to penetrate our heart and hid itself in our heart, then we can use it to teach others and lead to them to a personal relationship to Christ. The Bible tells us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another” (Colosians3: 16).

Also God calls us to be his witnesses. Isaiah 43:10 says: “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen”. Our actions will always speak louder than our words. I once heard a saying that went something like this ” I will be a witness for God, and sometimes will use words when necessary”. How true this can be. When a soldier is awarded a medal of honor for his/her heroic action(s), he is not being awarded for what he has said. He is being awarded because of an action that he has taken. Sometimes when he is taking action, he will use words to try to assure and comfort someone in need. As Believers, we should be the same way. We should let our actions show the love of God, and then reaffirm it by using words.

So how are we to fight the battle to save our children? Payer, Reading and Memorizing Scripture, and being a Witness for God.

We have a choice. We can continue to let the world control us, or we can fight back. Just as the people that had gathered to support a cause to help fight against a dreaded disease. They could have easily set at home and just say that cancer is a fact of life, or we have to die of something. What about our actions as Believers? Do you set back at home, or in Church and think well we don’t need these kids or teens in are church. They dress awful, they are so disrespectful, they would be bad a bad publicity for our church. Etc….

The only way that we can help change these kids is to just love them like Jesus. They don’t know anything about God, Jesus, The Holy Sprit, The Bible, church, or any of the commandments that God has given us. All they know is the immoral and unethical society that they have grown up in. When we show them the love of Jesus (Witness), and teach them the Scripture (Reading and Memorizing of Scripture), and then interceding on their behalf, and asking God to work in their life (Praying), then we will begin to see the battle for the lives of our children being won.

What is your choice? Which side of the Battle are you on? There can be no middle ground in this battle. Do you want to see our children continually growing up in an immoral and unethical society? Or do you want to see them growing in a Godly society that places value on good morals and ethical decisions?

THE CHOICE IS YOURS!!!