Best of '09: Websites

The year 2009 A.D. is almost over. The past 12 months have brought with them many new things; some good, some bad, and some not worth mentioning. I would like to take some time and highlight some of my favorite parts of 2009. I will call this list the "best of '09" - which simply means that, in my opinion, these are the best items in a certain category. I fully expect you to disagree with some of my choices or to be upset I did not add other items to the list. If you feel this way, please add your "best of '09" ideas in the comments.

The fourth list will be websites. These are the sites I used the most this past year. This list is in no particular order.


Facebook - Now, if I have to explain why I use this site then you must not be involved with youth ministry or on the internet very much. A great site to connect with students, old high school and college friends and family.

Google - I use a lot of online Google applications. My two most used are Docs and gmail. I have a Wave account (I'd love to connect if you are on wave, too), but its fairly new and still in Beta, so I do not get too much use out of it.

Pandora - Simply a great site for listening to music. For me, its a much better alternative to buying a bunch of CD's or mp3's.

Twitter - A simple way to stay in touch with friends (and like minded people) all over the world. If you can't say it in 140 characters, then you don't need to say it on Twitter.

Blogger - I use Blogger for my blog. I know there are other alternatives, especially WordPress, but I just have not moved to anything yet. Blogger has everything I need. And to be honest, it probably helps me keep the blog fairly simple.

Youth Ministry Websites
YMToday - A great site for finding a wide assortment of youth ministry material. The site is filled with articles, tips, games, and much more. If you are in youth ministry, you need to check this site out. (disclosure - I do have a few articles published on the site)

YMX - Again, this is a great site with an assortment of useful material. The best part of YMX is the forums. The best youth ministry forums out there. A great place to connect and talk about youth ministry (or anything else) with other youth ministry people.

YouthMinBlog - Hear from a wide spectrum of youth ministry voices on a single topic. Each week, the authors discuss a single topic from their own personal perspectives. I was a fan of the site before I became a contributing author, so I'm not saying its a good site because I have articles on it - I'm saying its a good site despite my stuff.


What websites did you use the most in 2009?

Other posts in this series:
Best of '09 - Music
Best of '09 - Youth Ministry Books
Best of '09 - Non-Ministry Books
Best of '09 - Websites used
Best of '09 - Blog posts
Best of '09 - Web Apps
Best of '09 - Ministry Moments
Best of '09 - Random Favorites

Learned from Twitter: week ending Sept. 26, 2009

A few highlights from the last few weeks:

1. chadswanzy (Chad Swanzy) linked to a book on mentoring. If you are involved with teenagers, go check it out.

"The Be With Factor" Mentoring Students In Everyday Life is on Google Books http://tr.im/ywIk

2. Drun (David Runnels) offered some great advice, that we all could stand to hear.

We need people who will encourage us, strenghten us so we can learn from our limitations.

3. BtotheEtotheN (Ben Boles) shared a thought on not letting all of the "noise" around you become overwhelming.

I realized last night, it's not about the amount of noise in your life but how well you control the volume

4. gavoweb (Gavin Richardson) pointed us to an article on working with parents.

Youth Ministry Today - Parents Are Your Friends http://ff.im/-8a68o

and also this video from AT&T about "future" technology, from 1993.

RT @Alyssa_Milano See the #technology AT&T envisioned 4 our future in commercials done back in 1993 http://bit.ly/2jCzBt // i remember these

5. DougFields (Doug Fields) has officially stepped down as a pastor at Saddleback. This will mean he'll be spending more of his time training and encouraging youth workers - that's a good thing.

My resignation from Saddleback is public & all good. If you're interested see http://tinyurl.com/9sqpgo

6. pattigibbons (Patti Gibbons) reminded me of one of the reasons I love going to the National Youth Workers Convention - getting to meet online friends in person. It's going to be a great week.

@lilkup you mean I'm finally going to get to meet you?! :)

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending September 5, 2009

I took last week off from posting these updates, but this week's edition is jam packed with great information and resources. Enjoy :)



1. snavenel (Len Evans) shared a link that youth ministers need to read - the newest Youth Leader Only from Interlinc.

Savy Youth Ministry: Work Smarter Not Harder http://bit.ly/11PX8N by @interlinc

2. Psych_USA (Psych) shared a great picture from an upcoming episode. Looks hilarious.

RT @psychwrites: http://twitpic.com/flb0c -From L to R: Jaleel White, Kenan Thompson, Dule Hill, Demord Dann. THIS EPISODE IS AMAZING.

3. gavoweb (Gavin Richardson) shared a link to an article on how to turn your blog ramblings into a published book. And one about putting your youth newsletter on Twitter.

Blog to Book-12 Keys to Posting for Publishing http://ff.im/-7jBhe

How to make a Twitter Youth Group Newsletter http://ff.im/-7suNF

4. saraeden (Sara Eden Williams) reminds us that some chances are worth taking in youth ministry. (Especially if you really want to go to the amusement park) :)

70% chance of rain but we're still going to the amusement park. If I were I mom I'd probably say no. But I'm a youthworker and we're crazy.

5. Writepop (Writepop) thinks we all should know these great opening lines from great novels. I must not pay attention to the first line, because I did not know many of them.

Great list! 100 of the best first lines from novels http://u.nu/78m43 #writing #books

And he wants to inform us that laptops have been "around" for a long time, since 1937?

Is this the first appearance of a laptop in fiction, all the way back in 1937? - http://u.nu/3am43 #scifi #comics

6. SYMConference (Simply Youth Ministry Conference) is getting relationally ready for the upcoming conference in Chicago. If you haven't heard of this conference yet, you need to check it out.

lots of reconnection this week with a whole bunch of #symc volunteers who've become like family to us...I seriously love these people!

7. radarradio (Under the Radar) let us know about Amazon's free download. It only lasts until tomorrow, so hurry!

Here's link to the FREE DOWNLOAD (1 song your choice) on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ktvssj

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending August 15, 2009

This week's edition covers last week and this week. Here are a few of the things I learned on Twitter.


1. timschmoyer (Tim Schmoyer) observed something that I agree with 100%.

The longer I'm in ministry the more I'm convinced that gossip will destroy a ministry faster than anything else.

2. HolidayWorld (Holiday World) celebrated a milestone on Aug. 3rd.

63 years ago today, Holiday World opened (Santa Claus Land till '84). Thanks to all the generations who've visited over the decades!

3. MarkMatlock (Mark Matlock) linked to an article on teens and Tweeting.

Teens Don't Tweet... Or Do They? More thinking on this hot topic ... http://tinyurl.com/llhvpq

4. uthpastor (Ryan Nielson) was one of many people who linked to an article on the sad reality that youth ministers need to be more responsible than "cool."

Youth minister indicted in teen's death. A sad reminder that being a shepherd is better than being cool. http://tinyurl.com/mz4hlb

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending August 8, 2009

This week I did not really learn much from Twitter, at least not from the actual site itself. This week, I took a sabbatical from Twitter. I did not tweet, check tweets, respond to tweets or anything related to Twitter. I took the week off from staying up to date with what people were doing, 140 characters at a time.

And I learned a few things along the way...


1. I am very relational.
I like interacting with people, knowing what is going on in their life and being able to quickly communicate. This is one aspect of Twitter that I truly enjoy. I know this fact because it is the one thing I really missed during my Sabbatical. I do not have as much regular "relational" interaction with people as I have in the past and I think I find this void partially filled in with Twitter. I know some of the people I interact with on Twitter I have only met once in real-life (and some I have never met), but that does not mean there is not a friendship in place. Most of the people I follow on Twitter are youth ministry-minded folks - and those are "my people."

2. Twitter is a great way to stay up to date with friends.
People use twitter to update the status of their job search, vacation, prayer needs, or new addition to the family (rather it be human or animal). Without making numerous phone calls every day, I would not be able to keep up with all of this information. Twitter is the central meeting place for all of this information, and I'm glad it is.

3. Twitter can be very time consuming.
Depending on how often you check Twitter or how long you stay on the site, it can eat up a few hours of your day without you realizing. On the other hand, if you use mobile devices for your updates, you can add up your time just as quickly and become distracted from your surroundings. It is easy to "just check" for new updates every half hour while working on something else that you never really get in a "groove." But this is not a problem with just Twitter, it can happen with anything in your life (see point #4 & #5).

4. Even if you take Twitter away, you can find other ways to "waste time."
There are many other websites that can take over your time: Facebook, myspace, YouTube, ESPN, or TMZ to name a few. I've heard many people (esp. people on Facebook) mention how silly they think Twitter is or what a waste of time it is. Yet, as I think back to my pre-Twitter days and my Sabbatical I can honestly tell you that anything can be a waste of time. I think things become a waste of time when we use them to avoid what we need to be doing. Some people use music or TV to avoid talking to someone (maybe its your spouse). You can read to avoid household chores. Anything can become an avoidance technique, which then becomes a waste of your time.

5. I need limits to everything I do, or I'm bound to become consumed by anything.
It doesn't matter if its Twitter, video games, TV shows, reading or exercising - I tend to take everything to the extreme. Personally, I struggle with finding balance in areas of my life. I start to do better in one area, which means I do worse in another one. This need for boundaries/balance is an ongoing struggle, which I assume will stay with me until I need someone else to do stuff for me.

6. I like technology.
Nothing much more to say - I really like technology. Case-in-point: I have been on Twitter since March 2007 - well before it became popular.

Learned from Twitter: week ending August 1, 2009

A lot of interesting and fun stuff on Twitter this week, and I only see such a small portion of the entire thing.

1. BtotheEtotheN (Ben Boles) shares with us a great moment he was able to share with a former student. This is one of the things that makes a youth minister almost forget the tough days.

putting finishing touches on a wedding ceremony for tomorrow, the bride asked me to do her wedding 7 yrs ago, can't believe it's here!

2. wuske (Shawn Wuske) summed up his thoughts about an upcoming lock-in using percentages. The only problem is that we're left wondering about the 28%.

I'm about to leave for the lock-in. 40% of me puking, 30% chance of me crying, and 2% chance of me getting stabbed.

3. MarkMatlock (Mark Matlock) provided a link to a story that reminds us that some teenagers are really hurting. (The author of the article is not a fan of God, or so it seems)

Parent Of The Year Awards (sadly, not for great parenting) Mom drugs daughter to impregnate her ... so sad. http://tinyurl.com/luazd9

4. HolidayWorld (Holiday World) says that the announcement for their new addition for 2010 will come in 2 weeks. I'm hoping for the addition of a "Groundhog Day Village", but my gut tells me its going to be a ride in the Thanksgiving section.

Will is telling our staff of directors about our addition for 2010; we're all sworn to secrecy. Public announcement is August 13.

5. tspencer (Travis Spencer) linked to a story about a lady getting sued for a thoughtless comment on her twitter account. Be mindful of what you say about companies, make sure you aren't making stuff up.

be careful tweets: http://cbs2chicago.com/loca...

6. dbeckner (Dennis Beckner) experienced a little role reversal while eating lunch with a former student. This is a situation that youth ministers dream about. :)

Ordering lunch with a former student. Realized I forgot my wallet. That's a switch. Usually I get stuck w/ the bill.

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending July 25, 2009

Today is a special day for me - its my little girl's 1st birthday! So, to help you celebrate my little girl's birthday, I thought I'd share some highlights from Twitter this past week. Oh, who am I kidding, I was going to share them anyway. :)

1. YS_Scoop (Youth Specialties) shared the link to Tic Long's new blog. If you have not checked it out, you need to. Tic is a great advocate of the youth worker and have great thoughts - plus he's just a good guy.

"Keep up with Tic and what is next in his life at http://ticlong.wordpress.com/"

2. snavenel (Len Evans) shared some news about a new stage of his life. Check out his blog to find out more about Len and see how you can be praying for him in this transition.

"Shared today, that I'm no longer the youth pastor at the church. Have applied to work with the http://nnym.com Gathering prayer supporters"

3. timschmoyer (Tim Schmoyer) shared two links for resources youth workers might be able to take advantage of in their ministries. Check out these links and see how they can benefit your ministry.

"FREE City cars time lapse video download in HD. Might be good as a title background for a YG video: http://bit.ly/2DoEc"

"RT @slickdeals: 20 5x7 Photo Prints $0.99 http://bit.ly/1ZHnf // Perfect for all your camp and missions trip pictures!"

4. StudentMinistry (John from Lifeway Student Ministry) linked to an article on helping your students after you get back from camp. If you took kids to camp, or know some who went, you'll want to read the article.

"Help Your Students Keep Their Camp Committments" now on LifeWay.com/Students - http://bit.ly/gQ7du

5. MikeFoster (Mike Foster) shared this little bit of wisdom (and truth). I agree wholeheartedly with his statement.

"true leaders take ownership of their contribution to a bad event."

6. rainnwilson (Rainn Wilson: aka Dwight) offered a little bit of hope for those Office fans who are tired of watching "summer television." The Office is back to work!

"Office table read today. Like first day of school. What to wear!? Make sure to ask for spoilers cause I will def. be revealing all!(um, no)"

7. theofficenbc (The Office on NBC) provided a little bit more information for Office fans - the first episode is entitled "Gossip" (oh, the possibilities).

"Scoop! Season 6 of "The Office" officially begins today, with a table read of Episode 1, entitled "Gossip." Welcome back everyone!"

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending July 18, 2009

Being gone for most of the week meant that I didn't catch a lot of the good stuff Twitter had to offer, but I did catch a few things.

1. SITM (Stuck in the Middle) is giving stuff away, and all you have to do to win is help promote their awesome middle school event.

"WIN $50 and Free Pizza from Stuck in the Middle: http://seaninthemiddle.com/..."

2. bigsmooth433430 (Matt Couch) is celebrating a collaboration with a local school for one of their upcoming events. Awesome chance to impact more students and work together with the local school system.

"We're in! Avon has agreed to support our Battle of Schools event! Thank you Jesus!"

3. shawnmichael (Shawn Michael Shoup) got to hang out with Skillet. Its always nice to hear good things about "Christian" bands.

"Secret's out: I just got to hang out w/ the guys from Skillet for the past four hours. Great guys!"

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending July 11, 2009

What a fun week its been, on and off Twitter. Here are a few of the nuggets of wisdom and wonder I learned on Twitter this week.

1. saraeden (Sara Eden) was blessed by some generous people at her church. These are the people who both bless & humble us as we serve God and students.

"the grandparents of 2 students just offered to write a check for my @nywc registration. Humbled by this church family over and over."

2. riddlegroup (Mark Riddle) shared a great opening line for your next message.

"A great intro to a sermon/talk: "Your job is to take notes, my job is to make that impossible." - Peter Rollins"

3. MarkMatlock (Mark Matlock) asked a great question for anyone with kids to answer. So, what is your answer?

"Sit-down meals with family 'keep youths out of trouble''. How often does your family eat together? http://tinyurl.com/mmsv2o"

4. (Anonymous twitterer) shared one of the reasons youth ministers do what we do.

"Had a great meeting with a young man considering going into full time ministry."

5. shawnmichael (Shawn Michael Shoup) quoted me for the first time of anyone on Twitter (that I know of). Thanks Shawn. (I just thought I'd share with you, blog readers, because I thought it was cool that he actually quoted me.)

"You need 2 B involved in a youth worker network & more importantly, U need 2 strive 2 help make it the best network anywhere."(via @lilkup)

6. saraeden (Sara Eden) shared a great moment she had with a senior and freshman. Sometimes, high schoolers are just amazing, aren't they?

"Just heard a senior say 'woo hoo! You're officially a high schooler!' and high five a new freshmen. Love it!"

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: Week ending June 27, 2009

This is the first full week of summer and for the youth worker that means not being in the office. That was noticed this week on Twitter, as many days were low on the tweeting by friends. I can only hope this means a lot of ministry was done with teenagers. Anyway, here are a few things I learned this week...

1. jenhowver (Jen Howver) shared an article on conducting surveys.

"an ingenious way to conduct a survey (& probably get a good grade on your research project!): http://bit.ly/xtxfV"

2. ellerytheband (Ellery) has been sharing thoughts on what is going on in the studio. A new album is coming. If you do not know Ellery, check out their music - its good.

"Several times through "Christopher," and a new idea w/ each try. Finally have an arrangement we're living with; feels good."

3. MarkMatlock (Mark Matlock) passed along an article on teens and sex. If you work with teenagers, you'll want to check out this article.

"Teens Just as Likely to Have Sex, But Less Likely to Use Contraception Than They Were A Few Years Ago http://tinyurl.com/m5mp8o"

4. outsideallday (Andy Brazelton) announced a brand new small group curriculum from Simply Youth Ministry. The Live curriculum is a downloadable 4 year curriculum that is easily customizable to fit your group. (I am honored to have been able to contribute a few of the lessons for this curriculum and hope they challenge students to live for God)

"Drum roll please...after several years in development, check out our brand new 4 year small group curriculum plan. http://budurl.com/bwaf"

5. FlowerInTheRain (Janelle Painter) passed along some sad truth about Apple and the iTunes App store. They are now allowing porn in their apps, which means I am disappointed in Apple.

"RT @kcampos: Porn is now allowed on the iTunes App Store, because 3.0 has age restriction ability. http://is.gd/1daEV // such a shame Apple"

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending June 20, 2009

An interesting week for Twitter. Here are a few of the things I learned this week..

1. crowderband (DavidCrowder*Band) let us all know that the new album is close to being done.
"Church Music is getting mastered in new york today!"

2. RickSkip (Rick Lawrence) shared some thoughts from Kurt Johnston about job descriptions. How could this change your leadership team?
"Riveted by Kurt Johnston's insight at our GROUP Leadership Summit—use “job boxes” instead of job descriptions. Leaders need room to develop."

3. MarkMatlock (Mark Matlock) wanted people to know about a great opportunity for life planning. Check it out.
"For those asking about Life Planning. Dan Webster has a grant that allows reduced pricing, but it is limited. http://tinyurl.com/nr9xov"

4. justinross (Justin Ross) shared an article about why Twitter rescheduled its already scheduled maintenance.
"Twitter reschedules planned maintenance to allow Iran protests to continue. http://bit.ly/gfF6K"

5. AdamLehman (Adam Lehman) shared one of the joys of youth ministry. "Hanging" out with teens, suffering for the sake of ministry. :)
"Some students were bored and now I'm sitting in the church office with 2 xbox360s, 2 TVs, and 5 dudes playing halo."

6. gavoweb (Gavin Richardson) shared a link to an article about what it might look like if Tiger Woods happened to twitter from the US Open. Pretty funny.
"if Tiger Woods twittered the #usopen http://twurl.nl/g7qrir (hilarious, except they go oldest to newest top to bottom, not quite right)"


What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending June 13, 2009

With VBS this week, I did not get to see as much Twitter goodness as some weeks. But there were still some great stuff that came across my twitterstream. Here are a few of the things I learned this week.

1. kentshaffer (Kent Shaffer) sent a link to a blog post about a family photo getting used to promote a foreign product. Could this happen to you and me?

"Your social network picture may end up advertising some foreign brand - http://bit.ly/KAiGi"

2. pattigibbons (Patti Gibbons) had a not-so-pleasant experience at a choir concert. As youth workers, haven't we all been to at least one concert/program like this?

"The lady behind me is singing along w the choir. Bonus - her kid is kicking my seat!"

3. ypadam (Adam Reed) shared his excitement about Vacation Bible School. Its always a joy to see the kids excited afterward - its like a mini version of summer camp.

"VBS celebration service was great and so was the ice cream! the kiddos are worn out and heading to bed"

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending June 6, 2009

Like most weeks, there was a lot to learn from Twitter this week. Here is just a sample of the goodness I took away...


1. uthministerman (Jasper Rains) reminded us of the importance of rest.

"And God said, "Let there be Sunday Naps," and there were Sunday Naps and they were good."

2. MarkMatlock (Mark Matlock) thinks if you use personal illustrations in your messages, make sure they are true - all the time. Don't use someone else's or make one up just to prove a point. A reminder to any of us who communicate. Be authentic.

"a pastor saying "true story" after an illustration implies some are not true. It's like a magician saying "i have an ordinary deck of cards""

3. crowderband (Davide Crowder*Band) is going to be on tour, pick up your tickets.

"be the first to get your fall crowder tour tickets, available NOW @ http://www.sixstepstickets...."

4. YMTV (Dennis Poulette) offers this link to a few tips for youth workers. If you are in youth ministry or know someone who is, you need to take a look at this list.

"Reading 45 tips for youth workers - http://bit.ly/94O7N"

5. DougFields (Doug Fields) offers a link to a video he thinks you all need to watch.

"Somehow this video seems fake, but I know the editor & it's real--real AMAZING. Guys will love it: http://tinyurl.com/nqf89r"

6. rainnwilson (Rainn Wilson) linked to an interesting discussion on SoulPancake about explaining God in less than 10 words.

"What God IS or ISN'T in 10 Words or less. http://tinyurl.com/qdyqph"

And then he followed it up with this retweet:

"Nice! RT @giannajessen Faithful, Savior of a girl who limps, comic, mysterious, Lord."

7. 3DGomers (Third Day Gomers) let us know about a photo contest over on the forums. Follow the link to find out more info - some really cool prizes for the winners (if you are a Third Day fan, which you should be, btw)

"Photography Contest - Win art prints by @JasonMitchener! Grand prize: Third Day Retro Pack! All can enter! More here: http://www.Gomers.net"

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending May 30, 2009

Another fun week on Twitter. Here are a few things I gleaned while learning what people were doing in 140 characters or less.

1. mclanea (Adam McLane) shared a link to a pretty cool new tool for youth workers. If you haven't seen this iPhone app yet, you need to check it out. (Tough Topics discussion starters right on your iPhone or iPod Touch for only $1.99)
"Is happy about this: http://eepurl.com/bqWz Feels good to finally see a project hit shelves... long time coming."

2. saraeden (Sara Eden) was kind enough to help another minister celebrate his anniversary.
"kid-sitting for a few hours so a ministry colleague can take his wife out for their anniversary."

3. outsideallday (Andy Brazelton) is looking for some jr. high specific content for something at Group Magazine. If you have anything you can share, let me know and I'll get you the contact info.
"Need jr high-specific games, Bible studies, devotions. Also partnering with parents and building volunteer team. [let me know & I'll connect you]"

4. bgray (Ben Gray) unveiled his new design business. Earlier this week, I said that you should consider Ben when you had a design need, well this is how you do it.
"Shadeofgray Design is open for business. Tell your friends. http://shadeofgraydesign.com/"

5. billdawgcbc (Bill Nance) loves middle school lunch. But when its chicken nuggets, how can you not.
"Middle school lunch yay for chicken nugget day!"


What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending May 23, 2009

This week, my Twitter feed brought some laughs and great youth ministry reminders. Here are a few of the highlights...


1. MatthewMcNutt (Matthew McNutt) shared a great moment in mass text messaging. A reminder to the rest of us to always set your cell phone to silent or turn it off while in church.
"Blasted a text message out to 90+ people today with SimplyTXT. The problem? Middle of the worship service. Phones buzzing everywhere! FAIL."

2. youthministry (YouthMinistry.com) reminded us that middle schoolers are awesome. Or they just have a lot of energy (one of the two).
"the jr highers I work with would be all over this. Mt Dew Nite http://budurl.com/ymdew Thanks Chad Shiffer for sharing!"

3. YMTV (Youth Ministry TV) inspired me with this quote. (Stick around Twitter during any given conference and you'll see a bunch of these quotes show up in your Twitter feed)
"[generic leadership comment that is really smart and I want to implement] - [conference speaker] (via @stephenwebb)"

4. justayouthguy (Jon McIver) knows that youth ministers do not need rule sheets when we play games. We either know the game or we just make the rules up as we go - that is the way youth workers operate. :)
"Watching a teacher explain Red Rover to a group of 4th graders. She keeps looking at a rule sheet. A rule sheet? Really?"

5. rockinyp (Tim Schmoyer) thinks there is a different way to grow a youth group than cool events.
"Seriously? This is how you grow a youth group, with cool events and marketing? http://bit.ly/ca7s1 I like my way better http://bit.ly/16UKmM"



What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending May 16, 2009

Here are some of the things I learned from my friends on Twitter this week...


1. AdamLehman (Adam Lehman) shared a link to a post from his fiance, about marrying a youth pastor.
"quest blog post by my fiance, @alliepal : "i'm about to marry a youth pastor" http://tinyurl.com/or7ddc #stumin"

2. SITM (Stuck In the Middle) is gearing up for the next year of tour. If you work with middle school students and have not checked out this ministry, you need to right now.
"Stuck's jr. high event tour 2009-2010 dates are up http://twurl.nl/u62pi2 - coming to KS, MO, CA, FL, OH and the Pac NW. Check it out!"

3. ymgeek (Youth Ministry Geek) let us know about some free fonts. And who can't always use a new font for the newsletter?
"Free Fonts anyone? 15 Fresh High-Quality Free Fonts - http://is.gd/yRDB (via @smashingmag)"

4. WorshipRising (Kevin Richardson) shared some great news and an answer to prayer.
"As of June 1st I will be the full-time worship/arts pastor at The Journey Church in San Francisco... more details to follow soon."

5. YouthMinBlog (YouthMinBlog) wants to know if you would like to help get the word out by adding a badge to your blog.
"Would you be able to put a YMB badge on your blog? http://youthminblog.com/bad..."

6. foecuspastor (Clay Conry) clued us in on the twittering habits of one particular astronaut. (I'd hate to see the roaming charges on that call)
"Twitter continues to amaze! @astro_mike is in space right now and has promised to tweet from orbit! Social Media FTW!"

7. mattcleaver (Matt cleaver) was the first to inform me that tatango doesn't offer free text messaging anymore.
"bummed that tatango isn't doing free group text messages anymore. Any other free options out there anymore? #ym"

8. sandyhughes (Sandy Hughes) mentioned that the astronauts got to listen to a little Third Day as their alarm clock music - not a bad idea.
"they just played "God of Wonders" by third day for the astronauts wake up song this morning."


What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending May 9, 2009

Didn't get to see as much of the Twitter stream this week, but I still managed to catch some good nuggets of wisdom and truth.

Here are some of the things I learned this week from Twitter:

1. riddlegroup (Mark Riddle) reminded us of one very simple part of leadership that we must be mindful about.
"dreaming with people brings life, dreaming for people is deadly."

2. saraeden (Sara Eden Williams) shared a prayer request that reminds us of the importance of what we do with students.
"Just hearing of an incident at a high school in the area: Senior committed suicide in the school bathroom this morning. Please pray for all."

3. dbeckner (Dennis Beckner) shared about his night teaching and reminded us that it doesn't have to go "perfectly" in order to be effective. God shows up despite our fumbles.
"Crazy night of teaching. Everything went wrong, but message still got through. I'll put that in the win column."

4. YS_Scoop (Youth Specialties) provided a link to the video from this week's conference call with Marko about the National Youth Workers Convention.
"Did you miss today's conference call? Watch the recorded video right now! http://nywc.com/live"

5. youthministry (Youth Ministry) offered a link to a free Mother's Day lesson (if you still need one - which none of you reading this would, right?)
"Still wondering what to teach about Mother's day? Here's a great freebie lesson for you: http://budurl.com/ymmd"

6. briandurr (Brian Durr) had a run-in with the campus security this week thanks to some school policy changes. All he wanted to do was eat lunch with his students.
"Wow- One of the local high schools changed their security procedures. I was escorted off campus for trying to eat lunch w/ my students."


What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending May 2, 2009

This week in Twitter was full of insight, laughs, free stuff and lots of discussion. Here are a few things I learned from Twitter this past week.


1. BtotheEtotheN (Ben Boles) added something to my "wow, really?" file.
"The Catholic priest officiating the wedding opened the service with, pray for this couple to your god whom ever that may be."

2. kentshaffer (Kent Shaffer) shared this story, which is sure to make you feel a little less smart than you did this morning.
"One student gets perfect scores on the ACT, SAT, & PSAT - http://bit.ly/40vQq"

3. justayouthguy (Jon McIver) shared a great interaction he had with a student.
"Just asked Middle School girl 'why do you have a water balloon in your purse?'"

4. YouthMinBlog (Youth Ministry Blog) provided a code to get a free video download from Bluefish TV.
"Use the code BFP3 to get a free video download from http://BlueFishTV.com"

5. theofficenbc (The Office) provided a link to a new ringtone that Office fans will want to get. Might I suggest not putting this as your sr. minister's ringtone - that might get you into some trouble. :)
"You asked for it, you got it! Get the Dwight "Idiot" ringtone that Jim made in "Broke" @ http://www.nbc.com/The_Offi..."

6. 6drews (Mike Andrews) brought up a great thought for all youth ministers to consider.
"weighing the risk/reward of changing culturally based thinking in the church vs. behavior modification in order to avoid controversy"

7. AdamLehman (Adam Lehman) mentioned a church that saved money by trying to be good stewards of their resources. [Personally, I think its sad that this type of church is different enough to be considered newsworthy. We are all called to be good stewards.]
"a church saves $268,000 by going green. http://tr.im/jVdN"

8. williamhartz (William Hartz) shared some wisdom/insight he learned at his small group.
"Anyone who holds to the theory that girls don't poop... Tonight's conversation at small group has amply disproven it. #awkward"

9. kentshaffer (Kent Shaffer) provided another article link, this one tells us that most people who use Twitter quit way too early.
"60% of Twitter Users Quit Within the First Month - http://bit.ly/oIwCO"

10. drumdog00 (Justin Van Rheenen) shared a link to a free download from Thousand Foot Krutch.
"RT @chuffybass5: You can download new TFK free at www.welcometothemasquerade.com and if you're a TFK fan like me, you'll love it!!!"

11. YS_Scoop (Youth Specialties) has a really cool offer going right now.
"Help us purge our offices! You get great YS stuff and help mentor kids. http://tinyurl.com/realityc... Spread the word!"


What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: 2 weeks ending April 25, 2009

Here is what I have learned from Twitter over the past 2 weeks...

1. shawnmichael (Shawn Michael Shoup) reminds us that youth ministry doesn't stop when a student "gets saved." There must be discipleship and teaching.
"8 salvations so far this Easter wknd w/ a brand new discipleship life group starting Tuesday 2 help them start on their spiritual journey!!"

2. pastorbuhro (Bradley Buhro) shares a great moment in youth ministry. Is this the new "window flyer" form of advertising for your ministry?
"We tweet our sermon notes to teens every Tuesday. A couple of my teens went to the Verizon store & set the sample phones to recieve them."

3. YS_Scoop (Youth Specialties) offers a few free tools for your youth ministry. You need to check them out.
"3 Free Productivity Tools for YM. Guest post from @joeldiaz & @joshcook83. http://eepurl.com/Wt7"

4. CoffeeWithChris (Chris Szulwach) offers some advice to another youth worker, that I think we all can use. You might want to check out this game site.
"@saraeden just was you are looking for game sites? Is that right? I'll add http://www.ylplaybook.com/ to the mix for ya!"

5. AdamLehman (Adam Lehman) is interested in starting a ym teaching pool. You might want to check it out.
"anyone want to form a youth ministry teaching pool? http://twurl.nl/iivzk2 #stumin"

6. snavenel (Len Evans) shares a link to a free book with some great insight. Take the time to check out the book and see if it can benefit your ministry.
"Youth Ministry Tribe-Free book- Paul Turner's "The Cure For The Common Youth Ministry" @ http://thediscipleproject.net Great insight & FREE"

7. Drpoulette (Dennis Poulette) relaxed, something youth ministers need to do often. Might I recommend a hammock.
"Relaxing in the hammock swing on the back porch. It's beautiful out tonight in Mexico city. Q"


What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: week ending April 11, 2009

Here are some of the things I learned from Twitter, this Holy Week...


1. theuprisinglive (Chad Swanzy) offered up an idea for a "free" night of fun with your youth group.
"free slurpees for your small groups and very low budget road trip idea... http://tinyurl.com/d533wp"

2. EvanCourtney (Evan Courtney) provides a code to get some free videos from BluefishTV.com.
"10 free downloads from Bluefish TV. Use code GoGreenRev"

3. ICEHOTEL_Sweden (Ice Hotel) is close to saying goodbye until next winter.
"Only two weeks left of ICEHOTEL - We are getting closer and closer to spring, when the Midnightsun takes over... http://tumblr.com/xbv1jts3k"

4. FlowerInTheRain (Janelle Painter) proves she is one proud "parent." :)
"It's Bring Your Child to Work Day. I brought my macbook. the end."

5. YMX (Youth Ministry Exchange) offers up a free lesson on John 9.
"Thought about a lesson for next week? Hit the link & get freebie for April 9: See Believe Live Inductive Study on John 9 http://is.gd/rGS6"

6. theofficenbc (The Office) provides a link to the new opening credits.
"Notice the new opening credits? Watch the "Michael Scott Paper Company" version again @ http://tinyurl.com/d9ez5u"

7. kentshaffer (Kent Shaffer) offers up some free fonts.
"30 free fonts for professional designs - http://bit.ly/GB02A"


What did you learn from Twitter this week?