Had lunch today with Daryl Watts and Paul Turner ended up joining us. Daryl is the student ministry specialist with my denomination's state convention and Paul is a key student ministry guy at Lifeway. We had a good time (except for the fact that my voice is crapping out today and I sound like either a really manly man or a kid going through puberty.) Daryl and I were talking some initial date stuff for next year's PK Retreat. I took the leadership this year of a retreat for pastor's kids in our state. It's a pretty cool event and has special meaning for me because I attended this retreat as a teenager and really renewed a commitment to Christ there. We had a small group of students there this year, but are hoping to grow it next year.

Other thoughts/observations:

• Daryl has ADD
• Are there any models of churches out there doing both Sunday School AND small groups in homes....that are functioning as the same deal, not a different program?
• Simple Church by Rainer.....good book, how do we apply it? Paul thinks giving models to apply wouldn't help because people then just copy the model (I think I agree).
• Lifeway has a new curriculum for students coming out next year called "Known" partially based on some research that we participated in last year. I'm interested to take a look. My BIG thing I'm always looking for in curriculum is "does it get students TALKING?"
  
• Paul totally lives in the South and is deeply involved in Southern Baptist work, but has a real fresh take on things. Sometimes I get frustrated with my denomination, but he gives me hope.
• I asked Paul which churches in the SBC are doing a killer job of Sunday morning Bible Study right now. Both churches he named don't have a youth pastor right now. That's definitely doing a killer job - when your ministry thrives PAST your leadership, something's working.
  

Labels: youth ministry

This entry was posted by Mike Lovato, on Thursday, July 26, 2007. You can leave your response.