Ministry Allies » starting a network http://ministryallies.com Empowering youth ministries to team up to change their communities Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:55:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 The First Step to Starting a Youth Ministry Network http://ministryallies.com/2009/07/the-first-step-to-starting-a-youth-ministry-network/ http://ministryallies.com/2009/07/the-first-step-to-starting-a-youth-ministry-network/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:56:15 +0000 Nick Arnold http://okaynick.com/networkingblog/?p=7 So you’re tired of the numbers game. You’re tired of comparing yourself to the church down the street. You understand that the competitive spirit in our churches is harmful and it would be better to work together rather than work against one another.

So what now? How do you start to team up with other youth ministries?

Pray for the other youth ministries – The first step is simply coming before God, our daddy, and asking for Him to guide us as we start to work together. By yourself, pray for their students (by name, if you can). Pray for their success and their ability to lead students into a deeper walk with Jesus. Pray for their leadership and for the rest of the church body.

Pray with the other youth ministries – Plan a time to pray with the other youth leaders. All the youth leaders will get on board with God’s will for the area, and even if we don’t do anything else together, at least the temptation to compare or compete will diminish as we pray for one another. Having many partners in prayer is one of many benefits of being part of a youth ministry network.

Pray for God to change hearts – Ask God to give churches of different denominations, traditions, leadership styles, ethnic and economic make-ups, and any other differences the desire to work together. Pray for your church leadership to see passed their own walls. Pray for the leadership of other churches for the same thing.

Many of us in the youth ministry profession are men and women of much action, but little prayer. From experience, I know how much more I’d rather be planning an event than praying for one. But in an area where the one who plants and the one who reaps is nothing (1 Cor 3:5-9), going to God first is key.

Let me ask you:  Do you pray for the other churches in your area? Do we need to ask God to forgive us of playing the petty numbers game?

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