2019 Youth Workers' Coaching Group

Youth workers are some of my favorite people on the planet.

You are fun, future focused, innovative, creative, flexible, thoughtful, and curious. You might be a youth worker if … you resonate with this post. Youth workers are open to change and are so flexible to do something different if it'll promote growth and a better result. Youth workers are living into the future of the church now, which can be super messy and complex.

For a little over 20 years I've been a youth worker in some way, shape, or form. I love us. We run deep together. We're all about 2 degrees of separation from each other, which makes it so very fun.

Over the last several years, I've been über committed to raise the water level of potency and effectiveness of youth workers. It's challenging to be a youth worker. We are on the cutting edge of the culture changes that affect teenagers before adults even know what's up. Youth workers need to be able to dance between leading 3 very different groups of people: parents, volunteers, and teenagers. Add in the layer of being a great team member and often youth workers (even the college and seminary trained ones!) struggle to navigate the waters of the job. I get it. I've been there.

If you want to be a healthy and effective youth worker, you need to know this…

What got you here, won't get you there.

To get from here to there, you need new skills, practices, resources, and relationships. Doing what you've always done won't create the environment for transformation. Those changes - both internally and externally - are vital to be identified and led through well. Being future forward in your work with young people requires new thinking and innovation. Youth workers who live with great intentionality and discipline experience breakthroughs throughout their life on a regular basis.

Who you are determines what you do.

You can only fake it for so long. You can only live off of fumes and charisma for a short period of time. You can only sprint for short distances. Yet all too often, youth workers do those things as a way of life and expect it to work long-term. Proverbs is clear, out of the overflow of what's within comes out in our words and behaviors. Our bodies often reveal the state of our souls. Everything we do - on purpose or on accident - is a reflection of who we are. I believe we are created good and are designed to do so much good, yet it requires reflective, thoughtful self-leadership to live into our potential.

Leaders are learners, especially listeners + readers.

A wise mentor told me years ago, "Leadership begins with listening." Leadership probably ends with listening, as well, and all the way in between. Leaders must be the most rabid learners of anyone!! If we are going to attempt to influence others' lives and souls, we need to constantly be reading, listening, and learning from voices who will take us to those new places. This element of self-leadership is imperative for healthy, forward moving leadership.

Leaders take responsibility for their life + leadership.

We are not victims to our circumstances or present realities. Your reality today doesn't dictate your reality for tomorrow. Your present doesn't have to be your future. You and only you are responsible for your life. Responsibility is really about your response meeting your abilities. How you connect those two elements together either creates an engaged, active life or a passive, reactive one.

Culture + context is everything.

What works in Northern Indiana may not work in Southern California or in Chicagoland...trust me, I've lived in all those places. But learning how to discern your culture and context enables you to lead and adapt youth ministry wherever you go. Growing in your ability to decode culture, adapt to your surroundings, and lead well within your strengths and commitments significantly increases your effectiveness as a youth worker.

Does this resonate with you? Are you ready to dig deep and experience a transformational 6 months of coaching? If so, you need....

Youth Worker's Coaching Group:

leadership development with a youth ministry twist
+ spiked with spiritual formation

• Launching early 2019

• 10 youth workers from coast to coast

• 6 month catalytic journey: two 48-hour in-person meetings in Orange County, CA, four 3-hour webinars, and six 1on1 coaching calls with April (see more details below)

• Personalized and specific action steps so you can break through barriers and achieve your goals

• Private online community for additional learning, interaction, support, and idea sharing between webinars

• Investment: $1000 plus travel, 6 books, and a couple assessments

You are worth the investment because you have one life to live to its fullest. Imagine what your life and leadership could look like with this kind of new skills, accountability, care, and resources. Take responsibility for your life, courageous youth worker. What can you gain by saying YES? You are loved.

Questions? Email me and let’s figure it out.

---

THE RHYTHM TOWARD TRANSFORMATION.

• PRIOR TO MONTH 1: Take an assessment and read assigned book

• MONTH 1: 48 hour coaching retreat in Orange County, CA with 1on1 Coaching

• MONTH 2: Webinar + 1on1 Coaching

• MONTH 3: Webinar + 1on1 Coaching + Guided Half-Day Personal Retreat

• MONTH 4: Webinar + 1on1 Coaching

• MONTH 5: Webinar + 1on1 Coaching + Guided Half-Day Personal Retreat

• MONTH 6: 48-hour coaching retreat in Orange County, CA with 1on1 Coaching

The specific dates will be chosen by the participants. All webinars are 9am-12pm PST.

You Might Be a Youth Worker

You might be a youth worker if Mondays are hard. I mean, come on! Sunday happens every.single.week ... it's every 7 days without exception (Wednesdays too for that matter). You've hardly recovered from the ministry year and it's summer. The pace can be relentless.

This summer your bed is basically a sleeping bag somewhere in the world on any given week which isn't terrible when you have air conditioning. You hope your spouse and kids remember what you look like come August. For real. But summer is what we live for - intensive experiences where we see God move in crazy big ways and the heaviness that can be ministry is lightened when decisions and breakthroughs happen. You get to be creative, have meaningful conversations, call out gifts, empower leaders, and use your adaptability muscle when flights get cancelled or they run out of s'more ingredients for the campfire. Summer is something special and it may very well renew your vision.

Summer captures your fun factor but it also brings up your insecurities - communicating with anxious parents, delegating responsibilities to other leaders, and keeping track of all the details (especially the dollars and cents). Oh, and the school year kickoff is looming. But summer also raises the warning flag about your own relationship with God. Your soul's health is tested and exposed in intense seasons like this. Sometimes it feels like you're teaching about an intimate faith you haven't lived in a while. (Can I get an amen? Just me?)

But you believe in this Jesus stuff. It's the vision of it all. You might be a youth worker if you truly believe in this stuff although the church frustrates you so much at times you could scream. Privately you share on Facebook groups and with your buddies that you feel like you're more on the outside of your church's theology and cultural temperature than you wish. But you love these students and you believe in what you're building. So you suck it up and wish for change. There's an inner angst that won't go away. It's one of the reasons you connect best to teenagers.

You might be a youth worker if you check Instagram every hour and Facebook on the daily. You use it for connection to other youth workers, parents, and college friends but it can also foster a more loneliness and the sense that you're not doing enough. It's a gift until it's a curse.

You might be a youth worker if your smart phone is a couple versions older than the newest version, drive a car that's way past the extended warranty, and your jeans are tighter than is comfortable anymore. You're barely making it some months and your savings account can't really be saving for anything. You're stretched in every way. You're settling for some things in your body and relationships that you know aren't the best for you. There's a low burn in your soul that you can't ignore because you've ignored it for too long already. You're not in youth ministry as a stepping stone, but you also know you can't do this forever. What's your vision, friend? 

Now what? You need...

leadership development with a youth ministry twist
and spiked with spiritual formation

That's a cocktail for life! You hope for change. You long for transformation but it's scary what that may require. You want to be an influential voice that leads change within your church, but you're not there yet. You get that you might be a seasoned youth worker when you realize that being cool isn't nearly as important as being a warm presence for teenagers to be with. As you swing home from work tonight and pick up a quick dinner along the way, you thank God for work that matters with people you love. And you ask God for more - more wellness, more connection, more rest, more effectiveness. Lift your heads above the clouds.

You might be (some version) of this youth worker. There is more. This fall, 10 youth workers from all over the country will walk with each other so they can become better versions of themselves and in turn better leaders for their ministries. They'll get you because they are you. Can you sense this is the right next step for you? Then, check out more of the details HERE or just jump in and ...

Don't allow this opportunity to pass you up.

Youth Workers' Mastermind Group

Youth workers are just some of my favorite people on the planet.

They are fun, future focused, innovative, creative, adaptable, and curious. Youth workers are open to change and are so flexible to do something different if it'll promote growth and a better result. I mean, just this week I saw youth workers posting about a pineapple mayhem event, teenage self-harm, blacklight dodgeball, and talking with teenagers about suffering and political issues. UGH. The range of silly to serious is about as vast as you can imagine.

For just over 20 years I've been a youth worker in some way, shape, or form. I'm so proud to be among this tribe. Our tribe runs deep together. We're all about 2 degrees of separation from each other, which makes it so very fun.

Over the last several years, I've also been über committed to raise the water level of potency and effectiveness of youth workers. It's challenging to be a youth worker. We are on the cutting edge of the culture changes that affect teenagers before adults even know what's up. Youth workers need to be able to dance between leading 3 very different groups of people: parents, volunteers, and teenagers. Add in the layer of being a great team member and often youth workers (even the college and seminary trained ones!) struggle to navigate the waters of the job. I get it. I've been there.

I've learned a few things about leading in youth ministry over the years...

What got you here, won't get you there.

To get from here to there, you need new skills, practices, resources, and relationships. Doing what you've always done won't create the environment for transformation. Those changes - both internally and externally - are vital to be identified and led through well. Youth workers who live with great intentionality and discipline experience breakthroughs and growth all throughout their life on a regular basis.

Who you are determines what you do.

You can only fake it for so long. You can only live off of fumes and charisma for a short period of time. You can only sprint for short distances, not the long haul. Yet all too often, youth workers do those things as a way of life and expect it to work long-term. Proverbs is clear, out of the overflow of what's within comes out in our words and behaviors. Our bodies often reveal the state of our souls. Everything we do - on purpose or on accident - is a reflection of who we are. I believe we are created good and are designed to do so much good, yet it requires reflective, thoughtful self-leadership to live into our potential.

Leaders are learners... especially listeners + readers.

A wise mentor told me years ago that "Leadership begins with listening." I would add that it probably ends with listening, as well...and all the way in between. Leaders should be the most rabid learners of anyone!! If we are going to attempt to influence others' lives and souls, we need to constantly be reading, listening, and learning from voices who will take us to those new places. This element of self-leadership is imperative for healthy, forward moving leadership.

Leaders take responsibility for their life + leadership.

We are not victims to our circumstances or present realities. Your reality today doesn't dictate your reality for tomorrow. Your present doesn't have to be your future. You and only you are responsible for your life. Responsibility is really about your response meeting your abilities. How you connect those two elements together either creates an engaged, active life or a passive, reactive one.

Culture + context is everything.

What works in Northern Indiana may not work in Southern California or in Chicagoland...trust me, I've lived in all those places. But learning how to discern your culture and context enables you to lead and adapt youth ministry wherever you go. Growing in your ability to decode culture, adapt to your surroundings, and lead well within your strengths and commitments significantly increases your effectiveness as a youth worker.

Does this resonate with you? Are you ready to dig deep and experience a transformational 6 months of coaching? If so, you need....

Youth Worker's Mastermind Group:

leadership development with a youth ministry twist
+ spiked with spiritual formation

• Groups launching in September 2018 + January 2019
• 10 youth workers from coast to coast (per group)
• 6 months with 2 in-person meetings, 4 webinars, and 6 1on1 coaching calls with April (see more details below)
• Customized, specific action steps so you can break through barriers and achieve your goals
• Private online community for additional learning, interaction, support, and idea sharing between webinars
• Investment: $1000 plus 6 books and a couple assessments

You are worth the investment because you have one life to live to its fullest. Imagine what your life and leadership could look like with this kind of new skills, accountability, care, and resources. Take responsibility for your life, courageous youth worker. What can you gain by saying YES? You are loved.

---

THE RHYTHM TOWARD TRANSFORMATION.

• PRIOR TO MONTH 1: Take an assessment and read assigned book 
• MONTH 1: 2-day working retreat in Orange County, CA with 1on1 Coaching 
• MONTH 2: Webinar + 1on1 Coaching 
• MONTH 3: Webinar + 1on1 Coaching + Guided Half-Day Personal Retreat 
• MONTH 4: Webinar + 1on1 Coaching 
• MONTH 5: Webinar + 1on1 Coaching + Guided Half-Day Personal Retreat 
• MONTH 6: 2-day working retreat in Orange County, CA with 1on1 Coaching 

The specific dates will be chosen by the participants. All webinars are 9am-12pm PST.