TeuxDeux.com - A Few Thoughts

I started using TeuxDeux.com a few months back because I am constantly trying to find new ways to stay organized. Overall, I really like it and think it would benefit other youth workers. Here are some positives and negatives of TeuxDeux:

Positives:
1. Simple.
You see five days across the screen, with the ability to scroll forward or backward one day at a time. There is no extra clutter or ads on the page. <- I really like this aspect. 2. Easy to use.
When you want to add an item to your to-do list, simply type it in on the day you want to accomplish it. It will then be added to the list of items for that day. When you finish the task, you simply click on it and it gets crossed off.

3. Ability to add "someday" items.
At the bottom of the page, you can add items to a list of "someday" things you want to do. This is great for adding items that may not need to be done for months or for making a list of ideas or possibilities.

4. Mobile apps in the works.
According to the FAQ's, there is a mobile app in the works for iPhone and possibly Blackberry. This would make TeuxDeux a better solution for those who are not close to a computer throughout the day.


Negatives:
1. Recurring items.
There is no simple way to add recurring items without manually retyping them into each new day.

2. Only move one day at a time.
Right now, you can only move one day forward and backward, at a time. According to the FAQ's, there is supposed to be a forthcoming feature allowing the ability to jump to a farther off date more quickly. But until that release, you must simply live in the week or sluggishly click one day at a time.


If you need a way to track what needs to be done, I suggest you try out TeuxDeux.com. It's free and easy to use. But if you are still not sure, check out this video:

TeuxDeux Demo from TeuxDeux on Vimeo.

"Minute to Win It" - youth ministry game resource

Over the last few weeks, I have watched previews for NBC's new shows. One show in particular caught my attention (and the attention of the rest of the youth ministry world) "Minute to Win It." Basically, contestants have one minute to complete a game using simple household items. If they complete ten games, then they win 1 million dollars. As I watched the commercials, I kept seeing games I have played with my youth groups. One is the "shrinking grocery bag" game (where the bag keeps getting shorter and shorter and you have to pick it up with your teeth.) I like the single player version better than the way I played. At a 30 Hour Famine we played where you went around a circle and everyone tried to pick it up. My version is not nearly as sanitary as the games version.

If you have not heard of "Minute to Win It" you need to check it out. It's on Sunday nights at 7 central. You also need to check out the website for the game. Up until a few days ago, I knew about the game, but I had not realized that the show's website would be a great help to youth workers until I read Youth Ministry Geek's post. You need to go check out the game vault and use a game or two.

Before I hit "publish" I feel I need to offer this word of warning to youth workers everywhere. Please do not saturate the youth ministry world with an abundance of "Minute to Win It" games or retreats or evangelism events. These games will be a great addition to your events, but DO NOT overdue it. I saw it happen with youth ministry versions of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (and many other pop culture things) and students get tired of it.


Remember that moderation is a good thing.

One last comment (question). I know there will be a t-shirt soon based on "Minute to Win It," but I just can't figure out what it will say. Do you have any thoughts?

Jaroo.com: Hulu for kids

My kids like to watch Noonbory and the Super 7 and Busytown Mysteries on Sunday morning. Both shows are part of "Cookie Jar TV." Well, on Sunday I saw a new ad for Jaroo.com which peaked my interest.

Jaroo (tagline: always something on) is still in beta, so its not expected to be without some needed changes. But I think it could be a great site for kids and families with little kids. Basically it seems to be Hulu.com for kids. As it is still in beta form, there are only a limited number of shows available. But honestly, the list is rather full of great "classic" kids shows and some good newer shows, too.

A few shows that my family would watch include:

A Miss Mallard Mystery
Animal Crackers
Inspector Gadget
Sonic Underground
Strawberry Shortcake
Super Mario Bros
Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad - never seen it but the name sounds cool
The Legend of Zelda

See the full list here.

Like Hulu, it appears that new shows will be added later and episodes will only be online for a limited number of weeks. They have a schedule to show you what new episodes will be added in the coming weeks. Overall, I think this could be a great site to watch some cartoons online. Take a look and see if there is anything you remember from your childhood or anything your kids would like to watch. Plus, its free.

I'd love to hear what you think.

Learned from Twitter: week ending Oct. 17, 2009

(multiple week edition)

Below are some tweets, from the last few weeks, that have caught my attention.


1. nickarnold (Nick Arnold) released a free ebook on connecting with students apart from the four walls at your church. You should check it out if you have not already. (I did add some insight/thoughts to the book, but don't let that stop you from looking at it)

free eBook full of ideas for youth leaders and volunteers to develop relationships with students, would love an RT :) http://bit.ly/J8qpk

2. YMX (Youth Ministry Exchange) asked for some help for an exchange student. (Don't know if they still need it, but if you can help - get a hold of them or let me know and I'll contact them)

HELP! Exchange student arrived with exactly 5 shirts! Have a size M guys t-shirt (maybe from a past event) he could have? @ for info

3. lovesmesomeyou (Andrew Marin) let us know that his book is available on Kindle. That's awesome. Oh, and you should check it out.

RT @likewise_books Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community, is now available on Kindle! http://ow.ly/rZId

4. outsideallday (Andy Brazelton) linked to a free online version of Group magazine. You need to take advantage of this and go learn (ie. click the link...).

Miss the last issue of Group Magazine? Thanks to @crd55 and @zafdaddy you can check it out for free online: http://budurl.com/groupmag

5. pastorbuhro (Brad Buhro) wants to add to the number of meals that Pizza Hut will donate. I don't know how long this lasts, but it wouldn't hurt to try and help.

RT @pizzahut:We will donate 4 meals to World Hunger Relief 4 each person who RTs this: http://ow.ly/qWn8 #pizzahut (More: http://ow.ly/r3Cy)

6. MarkMatlock (Mark Matlock) asks a good question. Do you have any thoughts?

The question many in their 20's (and 30's) are asking: How do I become an adult? http://tinyurl.com/yd3dogq What do you suggest?

7. nywc (National Youth Worker's Convention) is coming to Cincinnati the end of this month. They want to know if there is anything weird to do there - someone has to have an idea. I'd love to hear them (and I'll pass them on).

We're looking for weird things to do in Cincy. Got ideas? Share your link!

What did you learn from Twitter over the last few weeks?

Free ebook: Tear Down the Wall of the Youth Room

Nick Arnold, from ministryallies.com, has just released an ebook on connecting with students outside of the "church walls."

Here is what Nick has this to say about the ebook:

Looking for a resource filled with creative ideas to build relationships with students? This is a free resource from Ministry Allies full of relational ministry ideas, including hanging out with students, working on projects together, going to cheer on other students together, and a ton of other great ideas.

You can get the eb00k by clicking on the link. Did I mention it's FREE and full of great ideas.


(I had the privilege of being able to contribute a few ideas and comments to the ebook, along with a handful of other youth ministry minded people)

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 12, 2009

Here are a few of the things I learned from my twitter friends this week:


1. MinistryAllies (Ministry Allies) offered an invitation to anyone willing to be part of an ebook by adding input and suggestions to the written content. If you would like to take part, let him know. (if you don't know how to contact him, I can get you connected)

Looking for ppl to add input to an eBook on hanging out w/ teens outside youth group, like what marko did with ym3.0. anyone want to help?

2. gavoweb (Gavin Richardson) shared a story from the AP on Dave Ramsey. I have to say some of the info in the article makes it harder to believe he is truly "saving as much as he can and giving as much as he can away" as 2 of the 3 things mentioned. (the third being "make as much as you can" and that seems to be covered). What do you think? Can it be a ministry when its a for profit business? Maybe part of me would like to see what % of profit gets sent to "missions or other ministries."

The Associated Press: Christian money guru gets rich mixing faith, funds http://ff.im/-7S5LM

3. nywc (National Youth Workers Convention) was nice enough to inform anyone going to the Cincinnati convention about some lower rates at one of the hotels. BTW, I'll be at the Cincy convention and would love to connect with any of you who might also be there. Leave me a comment or send me an email and we'll get together.

Coming to Cincy? Check out the new rock bottom rate at the Westin. http://bit.ly/bBcwa

4. zondervan (Zondervan) linked to a free download of "The Naked Gospel." Go check it out and read it. What can you lose, its free. :)

The Naked Gospel ranked as Zondervan's top selling book on Amazon. Download your FREE copy at http://www.TheNakedGospel.com w code "farley"

What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Youth Ministry Mentorships (10 weeks & FREE)

The next round of youth ministry mentorships is about to start. This 10 week program allows youth ministry newbies (2 years or less) to learn from youth ministry veterans. The program is open to full-time, part-time and volunteer. (Sorry, no females this time, due to there not being a female mentor this time around).

The application process is only open through Thursday (9/10), so if you want to apply - you'll want to do so soon!

There is a great bunch of youth ministers who have a lot of wisdom/insight to learn from - and I'm on the team, too. :)

Check out Tim's post on the mentorship program that covers all the information you'll need to know, plus more...

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 22, 2009

Gained a few more twitter gems this week. Just had to share these ones with you. Enjoy.


1. snavenel (Len Evans) shared a great link that churches need to look at.

We Love Our Youth Worker http://www.weloveouryouthwo... 7 promises churches make to ensure they properly care for their youth worker

2. pattigibbons (Patti Gibbons) will bring a smile to your face (if you're a youth worker) with this quote from VBS.

Comment from VBS ldr after lesson on sin: "What's not fun about a room full of pre-K & K kids and a pooping snake?"

3. giveawaylist (Big List of Giveaways) posted a giveaway that could be very useful (if you won) for some great foll0w-up material for your ministry.

New giveaway listed - check it out! : 250 5X7" Custom Greeting Cards http://bit.ly/10c0VW

4. snavenel (Len Evans) suggests all youth workers (especially those who teach) read this free e-book.

Josh Hunt is giving way a free e-book Good Questions Have Groups Talking http://www.joshhunt.com/goo... great tool 4 Youth & SS teachers!

5. FlowerInTheRain (Janelle Painter) offers a great piece of advice. Read and take to heart.

Slow down. From what we know, Jesus never said, "I'm sorry, I can't help you. I need to be in Jerusalem by sundown." Pace your life.

6. AdamLehman (Adam Lehman) shared a great moment from his ministry - a "thank you" from a student. These are the things that keep a youth worker going for months.

Got my first "thank-you-for-what-youre-doing" text from a student: "Thanks for getting people together to play xbox. It was lots of fun."

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?

RefTagger: a great Bible tool for your blog

Recently I ran across RefTagger when I was searching some information on www.carm.org. As soon as I saw it in action, I knew it was a feature I wanted to add to my blog.

What is RefTagger, you ask? Here is what the website says:

RefTagger is an amazing, free new web tool that instantly makes all the Bible references on your site come alive! Bare references turn into hyperlinks to the full text of the passage at Bible.Logos.com, making it easy for your readers to access the text of Scripture with just a click. Even better, RefTagger brings the text right to your readers by generating a tooltip window that pops up instantly when they hover over the reference. You can also have RefTagger add an icon that is hyperlinked to the passage in Libronix—ideal if many of your readers use Logos. So if your website says, “One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Romans 8:28,” RefTagger will instantly turn it into this: “One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Romans 8:28.”

RefTagger takes citing Bible references to a whole new level. All you need to do is copy the customizable code that we provide for you below and paste it into your website’s template file(s), and it will instantly be applied to your entire site—all past and future content! It doesn’t matter how big or small your site is. RefTagger does it all instantly—saving you hours of time linking verses manually! Because RefTagger uses JavaScript, it doesn’t actually change the code on the content of your site’s pages. If you decide to remove RefTagger from your site, it’s as simple as deleting the code from your template file(s).

If you ever reference Bible passages on your blog (and you probably should every once and awhile) this little plug-in is a great addition to your blog. It will be a welcome improvement for your visitors who will not always have each passage memorized.

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?

Youth Ministry Budgeting: Open Source Alternatives (addendum #1)

As an addendum to the youth ministry budgeting series, I want to look at some open source alternatives to many of the products a youth ministry needs on a regular basis. Before we get to the list, I think we need to start with a brief summary of the benefits of using open source software.

Benefits of using Open Source software:
The biggest benefit of using open source software is the money you save by not buying licensed software. In some cases you will be saving hundreds of dollars per computer that will run the software. Even getting a license to load the software on multiple computers will not be as cheap as getting the software for free. (but that's obvious, right?)

I have found that some open source software is easier to use than its licensed counterpart. In part, this has to do with not having as robust a selection of options. In other cases, its just a simple fact that the layout and tools are easier to find and manipulate.

Another benefit for some of the software is the ability to modify content on the internet without being tied to a specific computer. This means you do not have to be on your youth ministry computer to update your message for Sunday. If the software is internet-based, you can work on either a Mac or a PC, or both. Along with this feature, comes the ability to have multiple collaborators working on a project at the same time. You can add information to a document and any other collaborator will save the changes next time she opens the document. This cuts down on emailing updates and forgetting which file is the most recent edition.



Open Source (FREE!) Alternatives:
Here are a few places to start your search.

Word Processing:
Open Office
Google Docs - while not open source, it is a great free alternative

Presentation Software:
Impress (in Open Office)
Presentation (in Google Docs) - some limitations when using offline

Photo Editing:
Gimp - The best alternative to photoshop I have found.
(you will want to check out some of the available plug-ins , too)

Video Editing:
Kaltura - online video editing

Financial Software:
Buddi


You will also want to check out Open Source Living - a great site for finding more open source software.


Saving money by using open source software frees your ministry to use the money in other ways. There are some great ways to use this "extra" money that will make a bigger impact that just buying software. This topic will be my next addendum post for the youth ministry budgeting series.




What open source software would you add to this list? What open source software does every youth worker need to know about?

A few posts worth reading: May 11, 2009

Here are a few posts I think you should read. Go ahead and click the links...


1. Jeremy (over on Youth Ministry Geek) shares this link to finding the best fast food places during your road trips this summer.

2. Dennis shares 4 great tips on how to adapt lessons for your youth group as part of an ongoing discussion about using "freebie" lessons in youth ministry.

3. There is a great series of posts on evaluating success in youth ministry over at the YouthMinBlog. Posts like this one. Go check them out and join the conversation.

4. Here are some tips on Spring Cleaning - by Relevant Magazine


What have you been reading that you think needs to be shared?

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?

Youth Ministry Budgeting: Tips for Saving Money (5b of 5)

(This is part 2 of the final post in a 5 part series on youth ministry budgeting. You can see the earlier posts here: 1 - stewardship. 2 - categories part a and part b. 3 - process. 4 - to buy or not to buy. 5 - tips on saving money part 1)

No youth ministry is immune to the economic hardship facing our country. And in order to be better stewards of our resources (and possibly stay afloat), we all need to learn to save a few bucks. Here is part 2 of my thoughts on how to save money. To see the first 5 tips, go here.


6. Involve more adults
Instead of doing things like ordering pizza or catering all of your meals, think about asking people to help cook and serve the food. It doesn't have to be food, it can be decorating for a special event, setting up, manning the tables.

This tip was shared by Sara Eden , so I'll just let her share some thoughts about it.

"The other thing we've done is moved away from the church providing dinner at youth group each week. Now what we do is ask people to sign up to provide dinner. The really cool thing is that it's giving people who don't feel led toward the traditional 'youth ministry volunteer' role an opportunity to serve the ministry and get to know the students (and allow the students to get to know them). The people who cook for us are invited/encouraged to stay and eat dinner with us and then students help with clean up. It's another step toward healthy inter-generational relations. God took something that was done as an economic measure and turned it into another awesome opportunity for ministry. He's so good like that!"

7. Donations
We all need items for the youth ministry: chairs, couches, lighting, sound equipment, electronics, transportation. Instead of going out and buying them, ask people to donate them. (Now, when you do this be prepared to get people's junk. So either you need to be very specific, simply say "no thanks," or just throw it away later.)

This is something a friend of mine, Bill Nance, said he has been able to do in his ministry, which has helped since he doesn't have a big budget and really needs to stretch it.

8. Think "in house."
When you are planning an event, the two biggest costs are always the speaker and the band. Next time you are planning an event, think about using someone from within your ministry to do the speaking or worship (concert). If that will not work, try to find someone local to cut down on travel costs.

9. Use Open Source software
Instead of paying full price for your software - you might want to look into some of the open source alternatives. Most of them are just as good as the expensive versions, and they are free.

More information about open source software will be in another post.

10. Stop spending money
This sounds simple enough, doesn't it? But there are more than a few youth ministries that simply refuse to stop buying stuff. You do not need that new Wii or flat screen TV. You may not really need new carpet right now, it could wait a year or two longer.

The best way to save money in your youth ministry is to simply spend your money wisely. Think twice before making purchases. Hold off on major purchases as long as you can.


Six more ideas on stretching your budget.

Youth Ministry Budgeting: Tips for Saving Money (5a of 5)

(This is part 1 of the final post in a 5 part series on youth ministry budgeting. You can see the earlier posts here: 1 - stewardship. 2 - categories part a and part b. 3 - process. 4 - to buy or not to buy.)


Everybody needs to save some money, including youth ministries. So what does it take? How can you save a few dollars here and a few dollars there? In this post, I want to share a few tips on how your youth ministry can save money. As you will see, a few dollars saved on a regular basis will add up to big savings over time.

I do not think I need to spend a lot of time convincing anyone that they need to save money. Well, I hope I do not need to. Youth ministries across the country are struggling just like any other organization, company or individual. People are making less; therefore, they are giving less to the church. When the overall church offering is down, each ministry has to reduce its expenses in order to help stay in the "black."

Here are a few areas to look at next time you are thinking about saving some cash.

Ways to save money:

1. Salaries
Allow me to start with the least popular thing I am going to write. The first place to look for ways to save money is in the salaries. Are you really being a good steward of your congregation's resources with your salary? Can you afford to live on less?

Let me share an example of what I mean. I know a congregation that was running a couple hundred people a few years ago. Now they are averaging maybe 80 each week. Yet, there are 3 staff members: sr. minister, associate minister, and secretary. I think the secretary is full-time, but I am not sure. I do not know what the associate minister is paid, but I know the sr. minister is being paid more than someone in this size of a congregation should be paid. The congregation is struggling to meet salary each week, and they are sending emails each week asking for more money to meet those salaries. Are those ministers being good stewards? In my opinion, no. Think about the impact the minister would have if he offered to take a paycut to help the congregation from having to close its doors.

2. text messaging
It seems as though every teen has a cell phone with text messaging. So, it makes sense that the youth staff would need the ability to text teens. But what option do you use? Here are a few choices:

MinistryTxt
This option starts at $5/mo.
(thanks Len Evans for the info)

Tatango
starts at free
has option to send text from computer or cell phone

SimplyTxt
starts at $10/mo.

I have not used any of these services, but many of my youth ministry friends have and talk very highly of each service.

3. Curriculum/Lesson Material
Many of the major publishing companies offer some great resources in this category. And if you want to just get everything in one bundle, this might be the way to go. You can check out Group, Standard, teamce to name a few (well, three to be exact).

But if you really want to save money (and not spend any, either), here are a few other suggestions.

*Online "Freebies"
There are a bunch of great freebies available on the internet. Check out this top 5 list, for examples. In fact, there are so many great freebies that a youth minister could simply use freebies and not do any work. I THINK THIS IS THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO - so be careful not to become dependent on using freebie lessons!

*curriculum swap with local churches
Take your old curriculum and find another congregation in the area that will be willing to swap their old stuff for your old stuff. You will each get new curriculum, plus you won't have to find a place to leave and forget about store your old stuff.

*reuse older stuff
Or you can just reuse the older stuff with a new group within your congregation.

*Rotate material
Take your material and rotate through the years. For example, use a 4 year scope/sequence for the high school and rotate through material every 4 years. If you have a 7/8 grade class; rotate every 2 years. Using this rotation model will help you save money and will help you be intentional about what you are teaching the students.

4. Prizes/Giveaways
Students like getting stuff and we like giving it away. But it can get expensive to have prizes on a regular basis. How do you save money on prizes? By taking one of these steps...

*Buy from thrift stores, garage sales or on clearance.
You cannot afford to have really cool (read, expensive) prizes every week. So do not try. Just get some fun, old or silly stuff to use and have a big box to keep it in. Then let the students grab one prize from the box.

*Ask for donations
For those bigger events, you might want a better prize to offer. In those cases, ask companies and individuals to donate prizes (or money to go toward buying prizes) for you to give away. This gets the community involved with the group, saves you money and promotes your group at the same time.

5. Buy online
All youth ministers have things to buy: books, supplies, classroom material, water guns, whoopee cushions. Why not look into buying those items online. A few onlines places to try - ebay, half.com, amazon, craigslist.

In part 2 of "Tips for saving money" we will look at 5 more ways that your youth ministry can save a few dollars.

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?