Youth Ministry by James Fransz

ministry

YOUTH MINISTRY james

ministry

fransz

leadership

curriculum

Dear student, This workbook is designed to help you see the youth of today differently and equip you with new tools to reach them. Times have changed and so have the youth; the digital natives known as Gen Z are unlike any youth generation that has come before. In these pages, I hope you will discover the keys to the hearts of a new generation.

Don’t be afraid to ditch old school thoughts and practices and tap into new principles that I have found to be effective, encouraging, and engaging in my years as a youth leader and pastor. I’ve spent the last ten years working in youth ministry and I want you to be the beneficiary of what I’ve learned through experience, trial and error, and a lengthy history with the Lord.

I wrote this book to equip anyone wanting to become a better youth leader. My prayer is that as you read this book and work through the reflective questions, you will develop a great foundation for leadership in the current and complex landscape of youth ministry. If you want to know what it takes to be a youth leader today, I invite you to take full advantage of everything on these pages.

Serving with joy, Pastor James Fransz

To the future generation, We can’t stop you, and we can’t ignore you. This is what I see… what I believe we should expect from Generation Z: • You are the result and byproduct of prayers prayed by your ancestors.

• You are trailblazers. A force to be reckoned with.

• You are innovative and creative.

• You welcome diversity.

• You are not afraid of individuality.

• You see that authenticity is not an excuse for sinful behavior.

• You see social media through the lens of entertainment and information, not as a tool for the authentic connection you hunger for.

• You will not settle for a work environment that doesn’t have a clear cause — a vision — a mission. You desire to be understood more than known.

• You do not fear change; you welcome it.

• The hand of the Lord is upon you.

• Do not despise your small beginnings and youthful age. Your age is a gift to hide you, so that the Father can develop you.

• In three short years, you will make up one-fifth of the working world.

• Internships excite you.

• Information is a necessity.

• You are loyal, passionate, and prophetic.

Gen Z, you have a special place in the Father’s heart.

Pastor James Fransz

YOUTH MINISTRY Chapter 1: THE TOPOGRAPHY OF GEN Z ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 Chapter 2: BLUEPRINTS TO MASTER BUILDER ������������������������������������������������������������� 15 Chapter 3: TEACHING IN YOUTH ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������25 Chapter 4: SMALL GROUPS �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 33 Chapter 5: PARTNER WITH PARENTS ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 43 Chapter 6: EPILOGUE OF CHANGE ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51 Chapter 7: SAMPLE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ���������������������������������������������������������59 Chapter 8: SAMPLE MESSAGE AND Q&A NOTES ������������������������������������������������������������� 79

KEY LANGUAGE YOUTH LEADER A caring adult willing to come alongside someone during their adolescent years to support, guide, counsel, befriend and point them toward Jesus on their journey.1 GEN Z The current youth of today, born between 1996 and 2015. In this book I will use the words youth, student, and Gen Z interchangeably.

SCREENAGER 2 A teenager who is fully conversant with and skilled in the use of computers and other electronic devices.

HOLISTIC GENERATIONAL OUTLINE 3 GEN Z (born 1996-2015) • Nearly 84 million in the US MILLENNIAL (born 1984-1995) • Nearly 71 million in the US GEN Y.1 (born 1995-1991) • Approximately 31 million in the US GEN Y.2 (born 1984-1991) • Approximately 42 million people in the US GEN-X (born 1965-1983) • Approximately 82 million in the US BABY BOOMER (born 1946-1964) • Approximately 76 million in the US

1

THE TOPOGRAPHY OF GEN Z

For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have — Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:9-11

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

VANTAGE POINT Topography means “a schema of a structural entity, as of the mind, a field of study, or society, reflecting a division into distinct areas having a specific relation or a specific position relative to one another.” In essence, it’s the study of a (typically geographical) area in detail — its defining features, landscape, high points and depths.

The landscape of youth has changed. In order to lay a foundation like an expert builder, we must first look at the topography of Gen Z from a holistic vantage point. In this chapter we will look at the peaks and valleys of youth today. Who are they? Where do they come from? What has changed in the next generation? How do we meet the needs of our youth?

A RULE OF LIFE Recently, I had lunch with one of my friends; her name is Heather, and we did youth ministry together for a few years. We sat down for lunch at our favorite restaurant, Buffalo Wild Wings.

I had my usual: medium Asian Zing bone-in wings. She had a salad, dressing on the side. We reminisced about being youth pastors together.

Throughout our conversation, I couldn’t help but think about how different my experience of high school was compared to the experience teenagers have now. With computers in our pockets and the infinite knowledge of the internet at our fingertips, I notice teenagers are growing up faster and being exposed to things younger.

For example, while we were at lunch, Heather told me she had recently had “the talk” with her seven-year-old. This didn’t happen by choice, but because her daughter came home asking what “sax” was? Middle schoolers are thinking about college. High schoolers are thinking about marriage. The youth today are not the same as the youth of yesterday. I think Bob Dylan was on to something when he wrote the song, “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” (Never heard of it? You must be a Gen Z.)

My early teen years were filled with outside activities like skateboarding, playing soccer, rockclimbing, and searching for dinosaur fossils in the fields behind my house. One important note: I did these activities with other people. No VR, no Netflix, no mindless scrolling on Instagram, no Disney+ — I would play with friends until the street lights came on when it was time for dinner.

Once I got home, my family would sit together at the table and we would all talk about our days.

This was obviously before iPhones were available and we had access to YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or whatever social media outlet is the current cultural favorite.

Here’s my point: the daily social norm of today is Netflix, Youtube, Amazon, latte art, Oreo’s, Target, Bang energy drinks, rainbow unicorn (my personal favorite), and the simultaneously nostalgic and utterly modern Nintendo switch. I mean who doesn’t like a little Super Smash Bros? But you’ll notice that none of these things necessarily involve real connection with another human being — someone present in the same space as you. This is just one example of how radically things have changed since I was a teenager, and this one element creates a ripple effect in the culture: everything from our language to our entertainment choices is changing, and rapidly. ~10~

CHAPTER 1 — The topography of gen z

Therefore, when it comes to youth ministry I have a rule of life, or a code, that I live by. Here it is: just like every person is wired differently, every generation has its own idiosyncrasies. No matter who I’m interacting with, I choose to love them. I apply this way of thinking about individuals to a broader generational view as well.

Someone much wiser than me once said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” If you’re wondering who said that, you won’t find it on his Twitter account. It was Jesus, and he said it a few thousand years ago. Today that principle is taught by Muslims, atheists, agnostics, postChristians, exiles, nomads, and prodigals. Love is a rule of life.

LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT GEN Z 4 a. Today, 1 in every 5 Americans are Gen Z.

b. 57% of Gen Z use their screen devices up to 4+ hours per day.

c. In 2012, 34% of Gen Z checked their social media multiple times a day. This number has increased to 70% as of 2018.

d. 80% of Gen Z experience anxiety when separated from their phones.

e. Girls more commonly experienced symptoms of major depression than boys.

i. According to the Advisory Board from 2012 to 2017 - 200,000 teenagers between 12-17 were interviewed. The researchers found that 1-5 adolescent girls had experienced symptoms of major depression over the past year.

f. 13% of Gen Z are clinically diagnosed with mental health issues.

~11~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

ADDITIONAL STATISTICS • 12% describe their own sexuality as something other than heterosexual.

• 37% identify gender as central to their sense of self.

• 43% view professional and educational achievements as important to their sense of self.

• 33% say gender is how a person feels, not their birth sex.

• 29% know someone who has changed their gender identity.

• 51% say happiness is their ultimate goal in life.

• 39% regularly interact with people who are different from themselves.

• 34% claim to be an atheist, agnostic, or no religion.

• 4% have a biblical worldview

The statistics I listed are helpful, but not anecdotal. They’re simply measurable indicators to a new generation. Keys perhaps? They help identify what the needs are of the youth and how we as youth leaders might meet those needs and minister to the world He so loves. Depending on your location, religious upbringing, exposure to technology, parental proximity, and your love for tacos — you’ll find that every teenager has a unique story to tell. The topography of youth is vast and complex. We must be present, prayerful, and practitioners of The Way if we want to love the next generation well.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Ask a Gen-X what being a teenager was like for them. What were the social and cultural fads?

What do they remember being the defining element of their teenage experience? What did their parents and grandparents worry about when it came to their lives?

~12~

CHAPTER 1 — The topography of gen z

Ask a Millenial what being a teenager was like for them. What were the social and cultural fads?

What do they remember being the defining element of their teenage experience? What did their parents and grandparents worry about when it came to their lives?

Ask a Baby Boomer what being a teenager was like for them. What were the social and cultural fads? What do they remember being the defining element of their teenage experience? What did their parents and grandparents worry about when it came to their lives?

~13~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

Review the statistics found in chapter 1. Which ones do you identify with? Write them down here.

NOTES

~14~

2

BLUEPRINTS TO MASTER BUILDER

For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have — Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:9-11

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

MEETING THE NEED Recently I read an article by Julie Wojtowicz, Senior Director of HelloWorld, Inc.5

In short, she explained that businesses, brands, and global marketing are still trying to figure out communication strategies for reaching Gen Z. One of the things she said was, “Millennial strategies will likely miss the mark with the emerging Gen Z cohort. These digital natives are constantly connected to their mobile device and use it for almost all brand interactions. This generation prefers to research products online, but shop in-store.”

After reading the article, my mind wandered to the idea of how this applies to youth ministry today? Have I been using millennial strategies as a cookie-cutter method for the emerging Gen Z? SIGNS OF INEFFECTIVE STRATEGY 1. Your leaders are getting more out of the message than the students.

a. Youth pastor, take it as a compliment if your leaders say your message was “just okay”, or “not for them”. Give them a classic emoji smile and say, “Good, the message wasn’t for you.” Remember your target.

b. The best selling books when Millennials were teenagers were in the genre of fantasy: think Game of Thrones, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, or Percy Jackson. The best selling books for Gen-Z are post-apocalyptic: Hunger Games, Maze Runner, etc. Gen Z is not afraid of brokenness. They live in a generation of school shootings, police brutality, and have been raised by parents who experienced 9/11.

c. This goes back to the point of speaking to your audience. Millennials want you to play a role, to hide your imperfections. Gen Z wants you to show them who you are.

Be honest, be real, be authentic.

d. If you’re going for a polished, perfect ministry then you’re missing the mark.

Don’t get me wrong, excellence is great. But Gen Z connects more with YouTube influencers than movie celebrities.

e. This generation prefers the selfie over the glamour shot, chopped up low-budget videos over the flawless production films. Remember, they are not after fantasy; they want real, raw, and authentic.

2. You’re trying too hard to be relevant and not authentic.

a. Being relevant is a huge turn off to Gen Z if it doesn’t come from an authentic place.

b. 69% of teenagers today are using ad blocking apps. If you’re trying to sell them the gospel, you’re simply another advertisement. It’s just a matter of time before you’re blocked.

c. 69% of teenagers have Snapchat. That doesn’t mean you should use Snapchat filters to draw in a Gen Z crowd.

~16~

CHAPTER 2 — Blueprints to master builder

d. In a podcast called “Rethinking Youth Ministry” 6, Crystal Chiang and Ashley Bohinc discuss the differences between Gen Z and Millenials. One of them said, “Remember when public schools started using student email? Teachers thought this would reach the Millennial generation. But students could care less. To them, it was something they did every day. Relevant, yes; motivating and captivating, no.” e. Youth are drawn to authenticity. I’ll talk about this more in the next chapter.

3. You’re thinking bigger is better.

a. If your room is packed full of students there are obvious pros and cons. i. PROS:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Good for social media You can feel the energy in the room Creates excitement for events Students are statistically more likely to come to something their friends are attending 5. The pastor is probably happy

ii. CONS:

1. The larger the crowd gets, the harder it will be for you to individually connect with each student.

2. Choosing an effective opening game becomes challenging. The bigger the group, the harder it is to find a game.

3. When you go wide you can’t go deep. You might learn a few dozen names but you won’t be able to build long-lasting relationships.

4. More distractions

4. You’re not playing games in your service.

a. Remember your target audience. You’re spending up to two hours with students between the ages of ten and eighteen-years-olds. Do they really want to listen to a 40-minute sermon? Most adults can’t even do this. i. Don’t underestimate the value of playtime.

ii. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) did a study on the power of playtime. They found that since 1950 “play” has decreased significantly.

At the same time, there has been an 85% increase in teenagers dealing with anxiety and depression.7 Although this correlation does not prove causation, there is a strong case that depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and narcissism are increasing as a result of play decreasing.8 1. Playing games statistically increases the ability to make decisions, problemsolve, exert self-control, and follow the rules.

2. If they’re not having fun they’ll likely stop coming. ~17~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

A LASTING MARK “364 shots”.

That’s what a man named Sonny Holland said to me years ago. I sat across from him with a blank stare on my face. “What do you mean, Sonny?” I replied. He said, “You don’t have seven years, James. You have 364 shots to make a lasting mark on your students.” Suddenly, I understood what he was saying.

In California, “youth ministry” spans the time between 6th and 12th grade. That time period is seven years total, but we don’t see our students every day. Assuming our students attend once per week, let’s do the math: one day every week for 52 weeks a year, multiplied by seven years leaves us with… 364 days. That feels like a much smaller window of opportunity than seven years.

Then, take into account the days that students miss because they have sports, theater, finals, family vacations, and stay at home sick — and we’re left with an even smaller number. As I sat across from Sonny that day I felt a sense of urgency rise up in me. I can’t afford an off week planning our youth services. I had to hone in on every minute of our service. As a result, here is how CP Youth is currently doing its youth services: TYPICAL MIDWEEK SERVICES 10 MINUTES: WELCOME AND FUN ELEMENT

a. Large group game

b. Everyone is on the same level. This helps the boy who just moved here bond with his peers. It also allows space for leaders to be on the same level as the students. It reinforces trust, relatability, and safety before the message.

16 MINUTES: WORSHIP

a. We’ve found that having a set time works better for us than a standard of three songs. We might play four quick songs or we might plan for three and only get to two. If the students are connecting with God in a song, our worship leaders will stay in the moment.

b. We typically open with a faster song. I like to call them “clappers”.

i. We start with a fast song because we are coming straight out of a game and want to transition the moment well. Clappers are also easy starting points for everyone in the room.

c. Deep isn’t the goal. Proximity is the goal. We have 16 minutes to lead everyone in the room into the presence of God.

~18~

CHAPTER 2 — Blueprints to master builder

30 SECONDS: MEET AND GREET

a. This is when students are encouraged to say “hi” to someone. We want to create moments for face-to-face interaction and connection.

b. Don’t underestimate what a smile, handshake, high-five or a hug can do.

i. Worship might have tilled the ground of the heart, but the hug cracked it open.

3 MINUTES: ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OFFERING

a. The person giving announcements should be personable, friendly, and informative.

b. This is a good place to ask students or leaders to lead.

c. Offering moment involves the reading of scripture and a quick explanation of the value of giving and the importance of giving. This is followed by prayer over the people giving their tithes and offering.

d. Buckets are passed throughout the rows.

30 SECONDS: BUMPER VIDEO

a. A bumper video is a quick hook or plug for the current series or topic.

b. While students watch the video, leaders help set the platform for the message.

25 MINUTES: MESSAGE // 3 MINUTES: ALTAR CALL

a. Anything longer than 25 minutes tends to be a stretch for youth.

b. Every service we give an opportunity for anyone to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

2 MINUTES: CLOSING SONG

a. We want students to have an opportunity to respond to the message and worship Jesus.

b. These moments are imperative to their spiritual formation.

SERVICE DISMISSED:

a. Service is over and small groups are about to begin.

b. During small groups, a few of us will meet to debrief the night using an app called Planning Center Live. Usually, four or five of us will circle up and talk about the night.

~19~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

DEBRIEF MEASUR ABLES 1. Did we start and end on time?

a. It’s very important that we are consistent and honoring people’s time.

2. Did we miss anything?

a. I.e. slides, pictures, videos, transitions, props.

3. Issues and solutions

a. Anyone can talk about what didn’t work. As a leadership team, we have to talk about solutions when we identify issues.

4. Good and better

a. We always want to reach for improvement and growth.

5. Prayer

1 HOUR SERVICE // 3O MINUTES OF SMALL GROUPS

a. We’ll go into small groups in-depth in chapter 4.

15 MINUTES: LEADER HUDDLE

a. 45 minutes after small groups get out, all of our leaders meet back in the youth room for a quick meeting. i. God Stories

1. What did God do tonight?

a. I.e. first-time decision, powerful conversation in small groups, a breakthrough in service, healing, that one student finally opened up.

ii. Issues and Solutions

1. We want our whole team to have ownership. An issue is not the pastor’s problem — it’s our problem. This helps eliminate the “them vs us” culture.

2. Unspoken issues lead to frustration and short term volunteers.

3. This is a great time to go over expectations and reinforce culture.

iii. Props

1. What did a teammate do that deserves recognition?

2. We want to celebrate, thank, and honor our volunteers.

3. After every prop, we clap and cheer that volunteer. Andy Stanley once said, “What we clap to we add value to.”

iv. Pray as a group

~20~

CHAPTER 2 — Blueprints to master builder

Would you add or take away anything from CP Youth’s current service layout?

~21~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

You’re in charge! Create a plan for your service layout. Explain the value and importance of each moment in service.

~22~

CHAPTER 2 — Blueprints to master builder

What stood out to you in this chapter? Jot down your thoughts here.

~23~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

NOTES

~24~

3

TEACHING IN YOUTH

It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

Isaiah 55:11

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

HOW I STARTED TEACHING IN YOUTH Nine years ago I started attending a program called Celebrate Recovery at a local church in Temecula. When I’d sit in, I mostly just listened to older guys talk about how drinking, drugs, and stealing got them locked up. I felt the Holy Spirit’s nudge telling me that this was where I would end up five years from now if I didn’t fully surrender my life. So I decided I would need to be there every week. I eventually got involved with the worship. My dad was leading it, so it wasn’t like I had much of a choice. After one year of sobriety and much improvement to my character in my journey with Jesus, I helped launch a program for teenagers called “Teen Landing”. The landing program was designed to help teens who were hurting, struggling with habits and hangups they weren’t ready to deal with. I led the substance abuse group.

During this same time, I was working part-time at Chili’s and also part-time at the church. It was a beautiful, restoring season in my life. I met the girl who would become my wife in youth group at that time. I was leading ministries, and so was she. We were high school sweethearts. God was so good to me in giving me her. We planned to get married at 18; we had it all figured out.

One day, the executive pastor of the church called me into his office and told me that the youth pastor was leaving. They had been looking for his replacement for weeks but couldn’t find anyone and were running out of time. So he asked me to fill in until they could find someone. He also said he would pay me for filling the position. I was young and hurting for money, and to be honest I didn’t think I’d be there long-term. I was expecting to only be there a few weeks! I figured eventually the church would politely replace me with the right guy.

The very first time I spoke from the platform, there were nine students in the room. Five of them were middle schoolers and the other four were my friends who were in high school. They were my “youth leaders.” I talked about how God had a plan for 13-year-old Jeremiah. When I told them that Jeremiah was their age, and that he questioned God, I caught their interest, slightly. After a few months, the youth ministry started to grow, and soon it doubled and then tripled in size. My girlfriend was now my wife and I started to get other leaders involved. Long story short, I never left youth ministry.

To be honest, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I wasn’t confident that I could teach, and so I made up for it with scripture, personal stories, and humor. Not much has really changed in my approach. While the grown-ups met in the main room of this old church, the students and I played hide-and-go-seek outside and then came into the entry hall, sat on the floor and I gave the message. I loved God and was serving Him with all I had. He was using me and the youth ministry was growing. There were salvations, breakthroughs, and even a few healings. Isaiah 55:11 says that His word does not return void. It will accomplish whatever He wants and will prosper wherever it is sent.

In other words, it doesn’t matter where you’re doing youth ministry. As long as you are boldly declaring the Word, it will prosper.

~26~

CHAPTER 3 — Teaching in youth

WHAT WORKS I could give you ten points to help you become more relevant in your youth teachings. At least, I think I could come up with ten. But that’s not my approach. I truly believe you don’t have to try to be relevant. If you spend time with your students, what they care about is what you will begin to care about. You’ll begin to pick up on whatever they’re going through. When we try too hard to be relevant with Gen-Z it’s often perceived as disingenuous.

I don’t want to oversimplify something that is complicated, so please hear me: when you focus on being relevant, teaching becomes harder. You have to come up with something fresh; you have to pull from somewhere. There is an immense amount of pressure to perform. But, when you store up God’s word, you will see God in everything. Everything becomes usable. The lilies of the field, the traffic on the freeway, the morning fog — every bit of it becomes relevant to your walk, and to your teaching.

SEEING GOD IN EVERYTHING I started playing drums when I was twelve years old. My dad bought me a Pacific drum set and I was immediately hooked. Every day after school I spent time on that drum kit. After a while, I would hear a song playing and I instantly would hear the drums. I would pick up on the bass drum, the tempo, the accents. The same thing happens when you spend time in God’s word. If we get the word in us, no matter what the song of life is, we hear the word in it. Proverbs 4:20-22 says, “My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words.

Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.”

FIND YOURSELF IN THE STORY When you read God’s word, find yourself in the story. I think we often see Jesus and skip right over Peter, or the lame man, or the Martha. If I want to flesh out the word that became flesh, I have to start with the person who has the most to learn. For example: 1. Luke 10:38-42 — Mary and Martha

a. I first search for my humanity in Martha, the one who was distracted by the business of life. i. What happened when she came to Jesus?

ii. What was Jesus’ response to her?

iii. What can I take away from this?

2. John 5:1-15 — The Pool of Bethesda

a. Next, look at the sick man. And later on, his friends.

i. I pull out words that give insight into his condition: “stuck”, “blind”, “I can’t”. ~27~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

ii. Then observe what happened when Jesus came to him.

1. What did Jesus say?

2. How did he respond?

3. What can I take away from this?

SHOW THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES IN THE STORY If you find yourself in the story, you can find your students there too. If I was preaching on the man in John 5 here’s how I would connect the Word with the students.

1. Talk first about how he had been stuck for 38 years with something he couldn’t change.

a. After processing this within my own heart I would ask the students, “Have you

ever felt like if you could just change one thing in your life you could change the trajectory of your entire life?”

b. Then, because I’ve spent time with the students, I would pull out things they’ve mentioned: anxiety, fear, rejection, addiction.

i. Notice, I’m not working hard to be relevant. I have spent enough time with my students so that I know what the Spirit is prompting me to pull on.

2. When Jesus asked if he’d like to be made well, the man responded, “I can’t. a. He says, “I can’t, someone else always gets in before me.” b. Ask the students, “How often do we blame our current condition on someone else?” i. “If my dad was around…”, “If I hadn’t gotten in that car…”, “I wouldn’t be so angry if she hadn’t…”

3. Then Jesus said to the man, “It’s time to get up.” This is my favorite part. a. Tell them to touch their neighbor and say, “I hear the Lord saying it’s time to get up.” i. When you involve the students in the story, it increases their attention.

1. Get up out of depression 2. Get up out of addiction 3. Get up out of that funk 4. Get up out of that destructive relationship 5. Somebody shout, “Get up!” ~28~

CHAPTER 3 — Teaching in youth

SUBJECTS TO TEACH ON IN YOUTH MINISTRY You have a lot of ground to cover in those 364 shots. Here are a few subjects I believe are important to teach on in youth ministry today: 1. JESUS

a. The Gospel

b. How to be with Jesus

c. How to become like Jesus

d. How to do what Jesus did

e. Jesus is and will always be the only way to Heaven

2. IDENTITY

a. The reality of sin

b. The reality of saint

c. As a son and daughter of God

d. As a friend of God

e. As the light of the world

3. THE GREAT COMMISSION

a. We have to show students what to give their lives to. If we don’t, the world will.

b. Teach them to love people.

4. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHURCH a. Church is fun!

b. Show them everyone can belong before they believe.

c. Give them permission to build the church rather than attend it.

d. They are the church.

5. THE GODHEAD (TRINITY) a. Access to the Father

b. The fully Divine and fully human Jesus.

i. This is huge because it gives them a model for living life without being in sin.

c. The role and person of the Holy Spirit

6. SACRAMENTS a. Communion

b. Baptism in water

c. Baptism in the Holy Spirit ~29~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

7. HOW TO FOLLOW JESUS a. Silence and solitude

b. Scripture c. Prayer

d. Fasting

e. Simplicity

f. Living in community

g. Sabbath

8. TOPICAL SUBJECTS TO ADDRESS a. Joy

b. Self-worth, self-harm

c. Relationships, dating, sex, marriage

d. Mental health, anxiety, depression, medication e. Same-sex attraction

f. Screens, gaming, technology

g. Friendships

h. Taming the tongue Read John 11:1-44. Find yourself in the story and explain what you observe in a minimum of four sentences.

~30~

Find the students in the story and explain what you observe at least four sentences.

How would you preach this passage to a dozen Gen-Z students? Please provide at least four sentences.

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

Find a verse that you can store in your heart for these subjects: a. The Great Commission

b. Anxiety

c. Fear not

d. God is with you

e. Healing

f. Prophecy

g. In Christ

h. The Word of God

i. Anointed

j. Injustice

k. A promise from God

~32~

4

SMALL GROUPS

Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’ brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

Matthew 10:2-4

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

A PLACE FOR THEIR FAITH When I was 13-years-old, I was trying to figure out how Christianity fit into my everyday life. It wasn’t until my small group leader, Brandon, started picking me up before youth and occasionally taking me to Taco Bell after service that I began to understand. He was different than the other male role models I’d had in my life. He liked comedy, he was into cars, he was okay with listening to different types of music other than worship. I don’t think I ever told him this, but he seemed “normal” to me and still had his faith. He wasn’t awkward, over spiritual, or judgmental. He had a way of just going with the flow, being light-hearted and present, and he clearly cared about his students. He made a big impression on my life. He showed me that following Jesus was just as much human as it was spiritual.

My faith didn’t come alive because of a message that a pastor preached on the platform. My faith came alive because I had a leader who believed in me.

A PLACE TO MEET Whether you’re meeting in an apartment, garage, classroom, backyard, or church building, there needs to be a consistent place where everyone meets.

1. There is power in having a place where you are known and feel safe.

2. Kristen Ivy said it this way: “Seinfield had a diner, Friends had a coffee house, Cheers had a bar.”

3. Jesus often met at friends’ houses, sharing a meal around the table.

4. Find a place that you can call “ours.”

A PLACE TO BE HEARD

Some of the most life-changing moments I’ve ever had with students were when I listened as they shared. God gave us two ears and one mouth. We should practice listening more.

Your job is not to be an answer expert — it’s to be a question responder.

• If a student opens up about real doubts, recognize this as a huge moment. Don’t screw it up.

• Don’t worry about the perfect response; listen to the heart of the student and then respond.

• If you respond too quickly, you risk the possibility of shutting them down.

1. Affirm them: A student will know within the first 90 seconds if they’ll open up to you again. Affirming their decision to share is powerful. a. “First I just want to say, thank you for sharing this with me. You’re very brave.”

b. “Wow, I can totally relate. You’re not alone.”

c. “I’m sure that wasn’t easy to share; you’re so much stronger than you think.”

Affirming a student reinforces that they are accepted. Subconsciously they begin to believe that they are loved for who they are, not what they do or say.

~34~

CHAPTER 4 — Small groups

2. Ask questions

a. “Tell me more about that?”

b. “How did that make you feel?”

c. “What would you like to do about this?”

d. “Do you have any ideas about what your next steps should be?” e. “In a perfect scenario, what would you have done differently?”

f. Students might say the right words but lack the ability to process what they are saying. As a small group leader, it’s your job to help them discover the answer rather than give them the answer. i. “If you give someone a fish they’ll eat for a day. If you teach someone to fish, they’ll eat for a lifetime.”

g. By asking questions you’re helping them process their emotions, fears, doubts.

You’re also teaching them that they are a powerful person fully capable of making the right choice.

h. Research suggests that only 79% of Gen Z feel comfortable sharing honest questions, struggles, and doubts with the parents. If a student is willing to share with you, take this as a huge compliment.

3. Affirm their decision.

a. Your face says a lot. Remember to keep your composure. Smile now, cry in the car later.

b. Thank them for sharing with you. c. Remind them that they’re loved.

d. Follow up a few days later with a simple text. This will remind them that they didn’t make a mistake telling you. e. Make an effort to greet them first the next time you see them.

A PLACE THAT’S SAFE Let the students create the rules. If they don’t like the word “rules”, you can call them “boundaries” or “strong suggestions”. Research has proven that students are more likely to open up if they feel like they have autonomy in the group.

Establish boundaries within your small group. Here are some suggested boundaries that I’ve found to be effective: 1. No sidebar conversations.

4. You don’t have to share to belong here.

3. You can only share your story.

6. Everyone’s journey looks different.

Refrain from putting down others.

2. What’s said in this group stays in this group.

5. You don’t have to believe in Jesus to be here.

~35~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

THE 3 H’S Creating a place that’s safe means knowing what stays in the group and what needs to be reported to authorities. Youth ministry deals primarily with students who are minors (under 18). As a result, certain subjects shared must be evaluated and reported.

If a student is:

1. Hurting themselves

2. Hurting someone else

3. Being hurt by someone else

You are required in the state of California to report these situations.9

If a student asks you to “promise you won’t say anything”, you cannot make that promise. Instead, continue the conversation this way: 1. “Thank you for sharing with me; you’re so brave.”

2. Ask questions to get a full understanding of the situation.

3. Affirm them for telling you.

4. “If you trust me enough to know, then please trust me enough to do the right thing with the information you’ve given me.”

5. Let them know that the last thing you want to do is break their trust. But it can’t stay between just the two of you. It’s not that you’re telling on them or that they are in trouble.

6. Ask the question that gives them the power to decide: “Would you like me to say something or do you want to come with me and we can do it together?”

7. Affirm them, and remind them how much you care.

8. If you didn’t say anything, it would prove that you didn’t care.

It’s very important that you explain that the student is loved, and safety is your number one concern.

• If you’re not the pastor, report the incident to the pastor and let him or her decide the appropriate next steps.

• If you are the pastor, it’s best to inform the guardian, unless the harm is coming from the parent. Then a full report should be documented and possibly even notify the local PD.

• It’s best to put what you heard or saw in writing as soon as possible.

• This document should be submitted as an incident report.

Incident reports should include: • A full, detailed report

• Who was present (staff, volunteer, other students)

• Full name of the student

• Phone numbers

• What steps were taken

• Where you were ~36~

CHAPTER 4 — Small groups

JESUS WAS A GREAT SMALL GROUP LEADER When we look at the way Jesus did ministry in the synoptic Gospels, we see: 1. There were the great multitudes: 5,000+ people a. Feeding of the thousands

2. The crowds: ~120 people

a. Sermon on the mount

3. The disciples: 12 people a. His small group

4. The few: 3 people

a. Peter, James, John

5. The one: 1 person a. John

Jesus “did life” with his few. Peter, James, and John got to see Jesus behind closed doors. They got to hike mountains and travel with their leader. I think my favorite story in the Bible is when Peter decides to go back to his old ways and fish. Jesus takes Peter aside and they sit on the shore listening to the crackling of the fire behind them and the laughter of the disciples and the crashing of the waves. In the distance, Jesus sits with Peter and reminds him of his identity.

1. Jesus created a place to meet.

a. They met on the white sandy beach overlooking the waves.

2. Jesus created a place to be heard.

a. Jesus listened to Peter affirm that he does love him. Jesus didn’t argue with him. He continued to ask questions.

3. Jesus created a place that was safe.

a. Jesus knew this moment was personal and required privacy. He didn’t remind Peter of who he was - and who he wasn’t - in front of everyone. He pulled him aside. He was completely present with Peter. He believed in Peter. When Peter was shaky and unstable and trying to cut off people’s heads, Jesus countered his instability and told him, “Your name means rock.”

4. Jesus created a place for faith

a. When Peter wanted to throw in the towel and walk away from following Jesus, Jesus told him three times to take care of his people. I sometimes wonder if Jesus purposely sat with Peter on the beach so Peter could look at other people fishing in the distance. As if to say, “This isn’t who you are. You’re not a fisherman… you’re a fisher of men. Feed my sheep, Peter.” ~37~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

SEND THEM OUT Your seven years with your small group will end before you know it. Graduation is not the finish line. It’s the start of a new marathon. Your seven years of listening and prompting questions will pay off. After graduation, some of your students will stay home, while some of them will go off to college. When life gets difficult they will reach for whoever or whatever was consistent.

Which means they’re going to reach for you. You will have your “Peter on the beach” moments over Skype, at the coffee shop, around the dinner table. They are going to ask you questions; they are going to want your opinion. If you stick with your students after they graduate you’ll likely grow even closer in that one year than you did in all seven years of small group leadership.

Why are small groups important?

~38~

CHAPTER 4 — Small groups

It’s the beginning of the school year and your small group is brand new. What boundaries will you put in place and why?

You’re a small group leader and one of your small group girls jokingly says, “My dad sometimes touches me and it makes me uncomfortable.” What do you do?

~39~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

A student texts you an inappropriate picture of themselves and you accidentally open it.

What do you do?

A student tells you, “George plans on fighting Mike after church.� George is one of your small group boys. What do you do?

~40~

CHAPTER 4 — Small groups

NOTES

~41~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

NOTES

~42~

5

PARTNER WITH PARENTS

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

ARE PARENTS OUT OF TOUCH WITH GEN Z? According to recent research by GenerationZ.com.au10, the top concerns parents have for raising Gen Z today are: • Alcohol

• Sexual relationships • Drugs

• Peer pressure

Are these concerns current struggles for Gen Z or projected concerns from Millenial and Gen X teen years?

• Gen Z teenagers are spending more time on screen devices and less time in social settings outside of school and work. As a result, they don’t have time to drink and do drugs.

• “Gen Z prefers juice bars over pubs. They also rank quality time with family before sex.

And prioritize good grades before friendships.” - The British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Gen Z teens are drinking less than the previous generation • 21% of Gen Z drink once a week

• 27% of Millennials drink once a week

Gen Z teen pregnancy has fallen by 55%

• 34% between the ages of 16-18 have had sex

• 85% of Millennial teens were sexually active

Gen Z peer pressure looks different today

• 70% of Gen Z talk to their friends via social media or a device

• 24% speak to their friends face-to-face at least four times per week

Research shows that one in every five teens who socialize face-to-face (more than on their phones) have an increased chance of being sexually active.

GEN Z AND DRUGS

Despite marijuana becoming legalized at the same time that Gen Z started middle school, research from the NIH (National Association of Health) states: • 44% of 12th graders have tried marijuana • 31% of 10th graders have tried marijuana

• 15.5% of 8th graders have tried marijuana

That’s nearly a 15% decrease over a two year span of age. With the legalization of marijuana, 81% of high schoolers say it’s easy to get marijuana but chose not to smoke.

Could parents be concerned about the wrong things when raising Gen Z teens?

~44~

CHAPTER 5 — Partner with parents

WHAT CHRISTIAN PARENTS MIGHT NOT BE SAYING BUT ARE LOOKING FOR:

• • • • • • •

How to develop a lasting faith in their children Clarity on how to disciple their children Guidance in how to lead their children in a post-Christian school environment A safe environment where healthy friendships can flourish Awareness of current teen trends Support from the church Language to address difficult issues

WHY PARTNER WITH PARENTS Parents are the primary influencers of a student’s life, for better or worse. If we want to transform the lives of a student we have to build the bridge to the parent. Despite full-time working moms and dads, parents still spend prodigiously more time with their children than the church.

Typical day for a Gen Z

The Average Gen Z sleeps 6-8 hours per night. With 18 hours awake, their attention is divided.

54% technology: 6.5 hours alone and 4 hours overlapping school, family, and face-to-face time with friends.

25% school: 7 hours, ~2.5 hours on devices.

14% family: 3 hours, ~1 hour on device.

7% face-to-face with friends: 1.5 hours ~0.5 hour on device

PARENTS AREN’T THE ONLY ONES INFLUENCING GEN Z 1. Teachers were most positively influential in “academic” categories.

a. Study habits, careers, favorite subjects, and goal setting/time management.

2. Parents were most positively influential in “value” categories.

a. Money habits, spirituality, anti-smoking/drinking/drugs, civic engagement, and academics (tied with teachers).

3. Friends were most positively influential in “recreational” categories.

a. Creativity, social and emotional well-being, sports and afterschool clubs/activities. ~45~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

PUT THE EFFORT WHERE IT COUNTS Research shows that if a student has at least five adults tell them the same thing, the odds of them conforming to this belief increases astronomically. The youth’s faith is developing largely from school, family, and the church. In order to make a bigger impact on Gen Z’s faith today, we have to find ways to bridge the separation between family, education, and religion.

No matter how great a Christian leader might be, that leader is not the primary influencer of a child’s spiritual formation. On average, small group leaders spend 30 minutes to one hour a week with their students. The average parent spends 21 hours a week with their child. Let’s just say a phenomenal leader spends three hours a week with one student.

SMALL GROUP LEADER

PARENT

3 hours per week with student 52 weeks in a year = 156 hours x 7 years = 1,092 hours together

21 hours per week with their child 52 weeks in a year = 1,092 hours x 18 years = 19,656 hours together

In one year, a parent will spend 1,092 hours with their child.

In seven years, a small group leader will spend 1,092 hours with their student.

WAYS THE CHURCH CAN BRIDGE THE GAP BET WEEN FAMILY AND EDUCATION 1. Email

a. Once a week parent newsletters

i. Include what the message will be on

ii. Include small group questions

iii. Include upcoming events iv. Include Teen Tips

2. Social Media

a. Facebook live videos encouraging parents i. Once a month

3. Face-to-Face

a. Walk student to pick up zone to meet parents after service i. Friendly hello

ii. Handshake

iii. Introduce yourself as a small group leader

iv. Say the student’s name and one thing you admire about their child v. Take the initiative to exchange contact information ~46~

CHAPTER 5 — Partner with parents

4. Set up parent night twice a year

a. Once in Spring and once in Fall

b. Set up a circle of chairs and treat it like a small group c. Recap the year

d. Talk about F.A.Q.

e. Touch on the calendar of things coming up

f. Hit on dates for Summer and Winter Camp

g. Live Q&A

h. Stick around for parents who want to talk in private

5. Let the parent know if you plan on coming to an event outside of youth a. Sports game

b. Theater performance c. Beach day

d. Dinner

6. Education

a. Start flagpole morning prayer

b. Get involved with student faith clubs c. Ask to be the sports chaplain

d. If the school offers banner marketing, participate

e. Request a one-on-one meeting with the vice principal

i. Call the secretary before showing up and learn the VP’s Starbucks drink. Show up with their favorite drink every time.

ii. Let the VP know you’re the youth pastor or youth director in the area.

iii. Mention as many students as you can think of that attend that school. This helps build credibility. iv. Let them know you’re available if any tragedies or incidences come up. v. Leave a few church cards with your information.

vi. Ask if there is anything you can do to help support their role.

A few years ago a high school boy committed suicide at the local high school just five miles from my church. When the news hit the school, our church was the first place they called.

We dropped everything and for two days the other youth pastor (Heather) and I stayed in the cafeteria and processed the fatal news with the student body. We cried, we laughed, we listened, and we spoke into the tragedy. The sudden loss affected staff, teachers, students, and parents.

Heather and I listened to their stories, grieved with them, and prayed with a few of them.

~47~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

That week at the student faith club, the room was packed full of students. After two days of making ourselves available, the students came to hear what we had to say. Heather talked about the story of Lazarus and then she gave an invitation for students to respond to the message and accept Jesus. A half a dozen hands went up and a large group of them even started attending the youth group. The principal ultimately invited us to the after-school faculty meeting. Since then we’ve continued to build the bridge with the school and offer our assistance wherever it’s needed.

The more ways we can partner with parents and other key leaders in a student’s life the more we amplify the impact of our ministry.

INTERVIEW YOUR PARENTS Mom and/or Dad: what are your biggest concerns for the youth of today? Please explain why.

What were some of the biggest struggles for you in middle school and high school?

~48~

CHAPTER 5 — Partner with parents

Brainstorm ways the church can bridge the gap with local families and the local schools.

Families

School

Do you think the increase in technology has anything to do with the decrease in the teen consumption of alcohol, drugs, peer pressure, sexual activity?

~49~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

NOTES

~50~

6

EPILOGUE OF CHANGE

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

Okay, I’m going to go ahead and just say it. I like change. I like it when the seasons change and Starbucks puts out the holiday drinks. Personally, I like the pumpkin spice latte. Granted, before I get ahead of myself, I should probably say now that I like leading change. I don’t like unexpected changes to happen to me, if you catch my drift.

The truth is that as much as I like change, 99% of the time I’m a creature of habit. I hate it, but love it at the same time. My soul craves spontaneous adventure. Like the one time my wife and I and a few friends did a 24-hour San Francisco trip. In case you’re wondering what the big deal is, that’s a 7+ hour drive from Murrieta, California. It was wild. Every once in a while I can feel that change is coming. It’s like an internal sail in my soul that begins to feel the wind of the Holy Spirit. One of those big changes for me was back in early 2016.

I had been on staff at Centerpoint church for six months as an assistant youth director when I was given the news: Surprise! You’re the new middle school pastor! It wasn’t a planned transition.

Unfortunately, the reason I was stepping in was because of a moral failure. I was still the new guy to a lot of people and also 23 years old. My potential far outweighed my experience. At the time, our youth group was averaging about 150 students a week with 30 small group leaders. I stepped into the role only to find out six months later that another big change was coming. This time I sat down with my lead pastor and we started a dialogue about me taking over the whole youth ministry. The way he approached the conversation was by asking, “ Do you think you can do it?”

We laugh about it now because I gave him a very long rambling answer with a sort of slightly confident, “Yes, I think I can do this.” That’s when everything changed for me.

I went from barely getting my feet wet with 150 students and 30 leaders to nearly 300 students and closer to 75 leaders. I inherited the goals, the plans, the leaders, the students, the vision, and the culture from my predecessor, and that first year was one of the toughest years I’ve ever had in ministry. Not because the ministry was unhealthy, but because I had to learn so much in that season of change. Here is an overview of some things I learned in the first few years of transition.

1. 360 honor

a. Honor the past

b. Honor the present

c. Proverbs 18:12 — Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.

d. When people leave positions, trust is broken. People think their leaders are staying forever. That’s not always the case.

e. When you’re taking over a position, honor the previous leader even when others don’t. Every slip will cost you.

~52~

CHAPTER 6 — Epilogue of change

2. It’s going to get uglier before it gets better.

a. The people you are leading have unmet and unspoken expectations of you.

b. You’re the new leader. You don’t have the history the previous leader had with the people your leading. c. When things begin to slightly change for better or worse, people take notice.

3. It might be tempting, but don’t try to be the previous leader.

a. David chose to not wear Saul’s armor. Even though it “made sense”, it wasn’t David.

b. At the end of the day, you said yes to God and took on the position. It’s important that you show up and not become former leader 2.0.

4. People are going to leave. Don’t take it personally.

a. Even If nothing changed at all in the ministry, they may still leave. You’re the new leader and that’s enough change for many people.

b. How you communicate, lead and love is a contrast to the former leader.

5. Everyone may love you. Not everyone will love you leading them.

a. This was challenging for me because I had to step into leading my friends and people significantly older than me.

b. In the first year, I lost some close friends and gained a few others. c. As humans, our natural tendency is to fixate on: i. Correction not praise

ii. Flaws rather than strengths

iii. Negative events rather than positive events

~53~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

d. When big changes happen, people look at the bigger picture. It’s important to celebrate small and big wins constantly.

6. Don’t make big changes without communicating first with your lead pastor or direct report. a. If nothing is broken, don’t change it.

b. Unless your pastor says to change something, keep things the same. This builds consistency and trust within the organization. c. Be straightforward, organized, and listen well.

d. Proverbs 21:5 - Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

7. The bigger the role, the heavier the weight.

a. Leaders have the weight of final responsibility.

i. It’s easy to take responsibility for things that are going well. It’s difficult to take responsibility when goals and results aren’t met.

ii. Leaders have to take responsibility for the necessary changes to move an organization toward catalytic change.

b. The demand on a leader’s shoulders varies.

i. Personal investment in yourself to lead others well.

ii. Quality time with others

iii. Living by example in every environment iv. Constantly producing results

~54~

CHAPTER 6 — Epilogue of change

8. The first 100 days in a leadership position are the most crucial. Make sure you have a plan and stick to it. a. 6 important steps to take in the first 100 days i. Listen and learn everything

ii. Over-communicate expectations

iii. Shape your team

iv. Develop a strategy

v. Maintain communication with your pastor to strengthen the relationship.

vi. Stick to the plan

9. It’s easy to critique the main leader when you’re not in their position. Don’t do it. a. If you’ve never sat in the seat of your leader, don’t assume you understand.

b. Every position comes with its own set of challenges.

10. The culture will become an extension of who you are as a leader.

a. When I first took over the youth ministry I asked all my leaders what we wanted the culture to be. Some of their responses were: safe, loving, accepting, faith-filled, fun.

I jotted these down in my notebook and then asked them the follow-up questions: Are we these things? Are we accepting, loving, faith-filled, fun? The room was quiet as people processed. The response back was yes and no. The truth is a church will never be full of faith if we as leaders aren’t. That next year we pushed to be those things ourselves. The result was an overwhelming win!

11. Don’t expect the culture to be healthy if you’re not a healthy leader. a. You simply can’t lead people to a place you’re not at.

b. Before you can lead others you have to lead yourself.

12. The bigger the ship the slower the turn.

a. Ministries are like ships in the ocean. The smaller the carrier, the quicker the turn.

The larger the ship gets the more time it will take to make the turn. If you move too quickly through change people will get sick and eventually leave.

13. People might honor you as a leader, but respect takes years to build.

a. “Respect and leadership go hand in hand. It’s a fundamental principle: To lead others, you first have to earn their respect. But it goes much deeper. Great leadership creates a climate of respect, an environment that sets high standards and supports everyone in doing their best.” - Lolly Daskal 11

~55~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

i. Four ways to build a climate of respect 1. Lead by example

2. Let go of your ego

3. Align your words and actions

4. Chose authenticity

14. Don’t pretend to have it all figured out a. It’s okay to say, “I don’t know.”

b. Being honest about your limitations is healthy.

c. Saying you don’t know is the door to collaboration.

d. Being in charge does not mean you’re the smartest one in the room.

15. Ways to improve the relationship between youth and lead pastor. a. Pursue check-ins

b. Tell them the bad news as well as the good news c. Show professionalism

d. Partner with parents

e. Don’t be a silo ministry

f. Keep the values and mission the same as the heart of the house

g. Create ways for students to serve the church

h. Delete “us and them” language from your vocabulary i. Show your support and solidarity for others j. Take notes when you get one-on-one time

Imagine the community in which you live and work. How does it look when it is genuinely thriving? What signs or images do you see that reflect a genuinely healthy community?

~56~

CHAPTER 6 — Epilogue of change

You decide you want to change the night that the youth group has their service. How do you lead through this change?

It’s your official first day as the youth pastor. Explain what each step means and why it’s important.

1. Listen and learn everything

2. Over-communicate expectations

3. Shape your team

4. Develop a strategy

5. Maintain communication with your pastor to strengthen the relationship.

6. Stick to the plan

~57~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

NOTES

~58~

7

SAMPLE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

CONTENTS CP Mission and Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Partnering with Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Parent visitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Notifying a parent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Discipline Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Reporting a violation of policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Enforcement of policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 New Leader Assimilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Team member commitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Newly graduated team members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Team member and staff personal appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Statement of Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Safety in CP Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Safety committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Building safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Safeguarding students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Adult vehicle parking in student parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Suspicious car activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Team member to student ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Intoxication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Drug and alcohol use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Student searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Nudity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Sexual harassment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Proper changing of clothes environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 One-on-one meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Team member physical contact with student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Sexual conversations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Sexual material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Sleeping arrangement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Tobacco use and smoking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Verbal interaction with students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Swearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Pastoral contact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 ~60~

CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

CP YOUTH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 12 CP Youth Mission Statement

To love and lead students to a life-changing connection with Christ.

CP Values:

• Fun: We believe that having a good time together matters!

• Impactful: We’re committed to making a positive difference together in Jesus’ name!

• Growing: We are always moving toward God’s best!

• Creativity: We want to be imaginative, original, innovative, and artistic for God’s glory!

• Accepting: We understand that we’re all a work in progress, so all are welcome here!

• Passionate: We insist on expressing enthusiasm and lively excitement about life in Christ!

• Supernatural: We desire to encounter the presence of God and engage our spiritual gifts!

PARTNERING WITH PARENTS We care about the students God entrusts us with. Here at CP Youth, we want to build trust with families. We desire to support, encourage, and champion parents. We send weekly parent emails and host parent nights biannually. We have parent Facebook support pages. We recognize that raising teenagers can be difficult and we want to help. We have a saying we use: “Team Parent.”

We want parents to know that we are here to support them not compete with them.

Parent Visitation

Parents are welcome to visit any weekly service. Here is our process.

1. Check-in at the W.U.B (What’s Up Booth)

a. We want to know that you’re here and plan on staying. Parents will be given a green name tag that helps staff and team members know that they have been properly checked in.

2. Escorted by an inside greeter or WUB team member to seating in the back.

a. This provides safety for students and creates a space where the child of the parent is able to immerse herself/himself with the rest of her/his peers.

b. Because the adult is not background checked in our system we politely ask them to please refrain from interacting with other students. This protects Centerpoint from accusations and children from possible abuse.

c. Under no circumstances will parents be allowed to go into other rooms besides the venue 2 (Youth Room) without adult supervision.

d. If a parent needs to use the restroom during service hours they will be asked to use the restroom attached to venue 1. This bathroom is unused by students during service hours. This helps protect students from abuse, and it protects our Youth ministry team from accusation.

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3. We do not allow parents to attend small groups including their own children.

a. This protects student/leader confidentiality and maintains a safe familiar environment for other students. It can be difficult for students to open up if an unknown adult is present during small group time. It is our responsibility to create a safe place for all students.

b. Parents will be encouraged to wait in Venue 2 during small groups. If a small group is meeting in venue 2 a parent will be asked politely to wait outside for the duration of small groups.

4. If a child needs to be picked up and can not be reached by phone, a pastor or director will need to be notified. a. Identification will need to be seen by a pastor or director.

b. The church database will need to be checked to confirm the parent.

c. A staff person (preferably of the same gender) will go to the small group to escort the student.

d. To maintain safety, we do not allow any adult or parents to entire small group.

This is because adults are not background checked, and to protect student/leader confidentiality. For more detail see 3.a

5. If someone besides a parent is picking up a student, or if a student is leaving with another student, the student is required to call or text parent contact to release Centerpoint from all accusations and liability. a. If possible it is best for a pastor or director to speak to parents on the phone to verify parental consent for their son/daughter leaving Centerpoint grounds.

Notify a parent when:

1. A student becomes sick

2. A student is injured

3. Disciplinary problem occurs

4. A change of plans with who’s transporting a student 5. A student is planning to leave early

6. A student is planning to drive another student home

7. A student will not consent to search due to suspicious activity

8. Murrieta PD are contacted because of student behavior

9. A student shows up for youth on the wrong night (High school student shows up on Middle school night)

10. An incident report is filed regarding their student

11. An investigation is opened that involved directly/indirectly student

12. A fire, active shooting on campus, lockdown, etc ~62~

CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

13. A student leaves or disappears

14. A student is hurting themselves, or being hurt by others.

a. If the parent is the person hurting them, the pastor should contact Child Protective Services and Murrieta PD and let them take it from there.

b. M.A pastor should be notified as well

15. A sermon or series will include dating, sex, gender, same-sex attraction

a. Contact of parents, in this case, should include email, parent Facebook page, church-wide announcement, website.

DISCIPLINE POLICY Team members are prohibited from using physical discipline in any manner for behavioral management of children. No form of physical discipline is acceptable. Also, talking poorly to a student or fellow team member will not be tolerated.

If a student is making some bad choices and creating disruptions for the whole group, the team should first do what they can to correct and redirect the student so that the student has the opportunity to make better choices and continue to stay in the room. If a student refuses to make good choices after being given opportunities to course correct, please ask the pastor/director to notify the student’s parents/guardian for pick up.

Reporting Violation of Policy

In the event that a staff or team member observes inappropriate behavior (violation of policies, neglectful supervision, physical correction of any kind) it’s their responsibility to file an incident report and to notify a pastor/director immediately.

Enforcement

This policy describes the policy for administering fair and consistent discipline for unsatisfactory conduct at Centerpoint Church for staff and team members. We believe it is important that disciplinary actions are prompt, consistent and impartial. The major purpose of disciplinary action is to correct the problem, prevent it from happening again and prepare the employee for satisfactory performance in the future.

Although your employment/assignment is based on mutual consent and both you and Centerpoint Church have the right to terminate employment at will, with or without cause or advance notice, we may use progressive discipline at our discretion.

Disciplinary action may be any of the following four steps: 1) verbal warning; 2) written warning; 3) suspension with or without pay; or 4) termination of employment. We will look at how severe the problem is and how often it has happened when deciding which step to take. There may be circumstances when one or more steps are bypassed.

In most cases, progressive discipline means that we will normally take these steps in the following order: 1) a first offense may call for a verbal warning; 2) a next offense may be followed by a

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written warning; 3) another offense may lead to a suspension, and 4) still another offense may then lead to termination of employment.

In very serious situations, some types of employee problems may justify either a suspension or, in extreme situations, termination of employment, without going through the usual progressive discipline steps.

By using progressive discipline, we hope that most employee problems can be corrected at an early stage, benefiting both the employee and Centerpoint Church.

Whistleblower Policy

If any person knows of or has a suspicion about misconduct, dishonesty or fraud at Centerpoint, the Senior Leadership Team should be contacted. If the alleged wrongdoing concerns the Senior Leadership Team, then the President of the Board of Administration should be notified. If the Senior Leadership Team or President of the Board of Administration receives information about misconduct, dishonesty or fraud, they shall inform the Board of Administration, which shall determine the procedure for investigating all credible allegations. At all times, the privacy and reputation of individuals involved will be respected. There will be no punishment or other retaliation for the reporting of conduct under this policy. If the person providing the information requests anonymity, this request will be respected to the extent that doing so does not impede any investigation.

Enforcement of Policies

All team members are asked to ensure that all policies are carefully followed. If there has been any violation of the policies or any concerns regarding the safety of our students, please notify Pastor/Director. And secondly, file an incident report. The M.A pastor will follow up on the incident.

Any team member accused of committing an act that violates the safety of a student in the ministry will be investigated and, as a result, may be prohibited from participating in CP Youth or any ministry involving minors.

Any person found to have committed a prohibited act should be prohibited from future participation as a staff member or team member in all activities and programming that involves children, youth or vulnerable populations at our church. If the person is a staff member or employee, such conduct may also result in termination of employment from our church.

Failure to report a prohibited act to the designated person is a violation of this policy and grounds for termination of employment of a staff member or employee. Team members who fail to report a prohibited act may be restricted from participation in any activities involving children, youth or vulnerable populations at our church.

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CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

NEW LEADER ASSIMILATION PROCESS We believe that although everyone is called to serve, not everyone is called to serve in youth ministry as a small group leader. We have a four-week process in place to protect the safety of our students.

Step 1: CP101

1. New Leader (NL) attends CP101 and expresses interest in serving in CPYouth a. Completes CP101

b. NL is placed (by Volunteer Coordinator) into CCB process queue

c. CPY Admin receives a notification and sends form letter email of interest to NL

d. CPY Admin follows up with phone call within 48 hours e. CPY Admin forwards info to Youth Pastor

f. First connection meeting is set with Youth Pastor

Step 2: Background Check and Interview

2. One-on-one with Youth Pastor, 1-hour meeting scheduled

a. Get to know them, their story: Who is Jesus to them? Why do they feel called to serve youth?

b. Communicate the expectations and commitment, different areas to serve, vision & values c. At the end of the conversation if they still feel led, have them take home an NL packet

d. Online Application is sent via email link from CPY Admin e. Review their New Leader Packet f. Background Check completed

g. Check for red flags

h. Invite NL to come to next midweek youth experience they are interested in serving in (i.e., MS/HS/WKND) i. Hear from them, let them hear from you, consider their placement

Step 3: First Shadow - Four Week Shadow Begins

3. One on one shadowing with a current SGL

a. CPY Staff greets NL at WUB for check-in at 6 pm on midweek, 8:30 am WKND

b. Collect signed paperwork

c. Establish clear policies and expectations, remind them of ministry vision

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YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

d. Basic training to get started, CPY Admin sends a link via email of NL Training Video e. Half-page response from the training video is submitted to Youth Pastor

f. NL attends youth experience with visitor badge, is given a tour, stays for service

g. Begin to meet students and interact in worship and service

h. Follow up text/call or email (from CPY Staff) to see how their first experience went Step 4: Second Shadow - Introduction

4. A veteran leader introduces the new SGL to their small group

a. Connects with the veteran leader and get to know each other better

b. The veteran leader Introduces them to the SG as a potential new leader

c. The veteran leads and lets the new leader watch (only observation, no contribution)

Step 5: Third Shadow - Apprenticeship

5. CPY Staff will follow up with the veteran leader and new SGL after SG

a. NL continues to shadow with the veteran leader, assists leading small group -1 or 2 questions

b. New Leader will make an effort to connect with students from SG

c. CPY Staff follows up with the veteran leader and gets their opinion/perspective of NL

d. Check-in with NL and see how things are going

e. CPY Admin arranges a one-on-one final meeting with Youth Pastor

Step 6: Fourth and Final Shadow - Review

6. Youth Pastor will meet with New Leader

a. NL continues to shadow, leads a small group on their own, veteran observes them

b. Youth Pastor follows up with the veteran leader for assessment

c. Final Interview: Youth Pastor will assess how the last month has gone

d. Discussion, suggestions or observations for improvement they have seen

e. If they commit as an NL and it is mutual with veteran small group leader, they are given NL Swag Bag. f. Swag Bag includes: CPY Journal, Lead Small book, CPY bag, CPY booklet

g. A decision is made for placement by Youth Pastor

h. The NL attends Leader Central and is introduced to the entire team as a New Leader! Commission and prayer over NL! ~66~

CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

Team Member Commitment

We encourage all of our small group leaders to commit two years serving. We understand that changes happen in life and that sometimes we can longer fulfill our commitment. We ask for a mandatory one-year minimum.

CP Youth team members and Centerpoint can end their partnership at any time with or without notice.

Newly Graduated Team Members

Small group leaders must be at least five years older than the age they’re leading. For example, a 19-year-old may be allowed to lead a small group of 14-year-old freshman. But an 18-year-old newly graduated will be asked to serve in middle school and must be at least one year out of high school to serve as a small group leader on high school nights.

Team Member and Staff Personal Appearance

Unlike stuffy places like banks or accounting firms, the dress here is tastefully relaxed. Your appearance in the office and at services should be neat and mature (i.e. don’t wear the sweatpants your wife has been trying to get rid of for years). Dress in relation to the people you interact with; sometimes this will dictate professional dress, sometimes casual, always sharp. For men, this includes long pants, no sandals and normally a shirt with a collar. Women should wear attire that is modest, not exposing cleavage or midriff. We are all leaders leading other leaders, and the way we dress should reflect that. We want you to be comfortable but we also want the people around you to be comfortable, too. If you step over the bounds of good taste, your supervisor will alert you. They’re on your side and looking out for you as well as the church.

Statement of Ethics

CP Youth leaders will be “above reproach” in all areas of interaction with the opposite sex.

a. Never meeting alone with someone of the opposite sex behind a closed door without a window (that is why our offices were designed with windows in each office).

b. The married staff does not meet (or ride in a car) alone with someone of the opposite sex who is not their spouse in public. c. The single staff does not meet (or ride in a car) with a married person of the opposite sex alone in public.

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YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

SAFETY IN CPYOUTH Safety Committee

Meeting of the Youth Safety Committee will be held on a quarterly basis to review incident reports, discuss existing concerns, and maintain appropriate policies and procedures of safety for youth ministry. The purpose of the Youth Safety Committee is to enable CP Youth to have a safe, positive, and fun environment. The Youth Safety Committee is a subcommittee of the Centerpoint Safety Team.

The Safety Committee will include the following members:

1. The lead pastor or other clergy staff assigned by the lead pastor

2. The NextGen pastor 3. The Children’s ministry pastor/director (staff or volunteer) 4. The Youth ministry pastor/director (Staff or volunteer) 5. The School of Ministry Director (Staff or volunteer) The Responsibilities of the Safety Committee

The Safety Committee will be charged with the following duties:

1. Reviewing and discussing incident reports related to youth ministry

2. Determining appropriate next steps when needed to ensure safety 3. Monitoring Youth Ministry programs for ongoing compliance with safety policies 4. Providing a quarterly report to NextGen Pastor and Executive Pastor Monitoring Youth Ministry Program

Announced and unannounced visits in any youth service to provide supervisors the appropriate observations needed.

1. Each person on the Safety Committee will be required to visit a youth service every 5-6 weeks.

2. Each person on the Safety Committee must meet quarterly 3. The Youth Pastor/Director provides performance reviews every six months to each Youth staff person.

4. After each quarterly meeting, the Youth Pastor/Director is required to communicate expectations to youth staff and follow through on necessary changes.

5. The Next Gen Pastor will follow up on expectations given to the Youth Pastor/Director at the Youth Safety Committee meeting.

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CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

Building Safety

The Youth Pastor/Director is responsible for ensuring our youth building is monitored during all hours of programming. It is also the Youth Pastor’s/Director’s responsibility to observe other youth staff interactions with students.

At the end of every youth night, a staff person is required to check the lockdown of the building and all bathrooms.

Safeguarding Students

Under no circumstance should a student be left unattended or unsupervised with a team member or staff person of the opposite sex. If a student wants to talk in private with a team member or staff person, either redirect them to their small group leader or move the conversation into an open area that is visible by others. If a student is waiting to get picked up and everyone has left, another team member or staff person will need to wait before leaving no matter how inconvenient or private the matter may be.

The safeguarding policy protects CP Youth from:

1. People’s perception outside of the church looking in.

2. People inside the church making presumptions that will eventually hinder the ministry.

3. Parents who could hold a leader liable for any inappropriate action that is misunderstood.

4. Protects staff from any accusations.

5. Protects Centerpoint from any accusations.

This policy is designed as a two-fold “safeguard” so that no temptation can become a reality and so that no appearances of foul play can be involved in our ministry at large.

1. No team member or staff will meet alone with any student of the opposite gender. This includes any situation which could occur at our church campus or off-campus.

2. No leader will ever be allowed to drive alone anywhere with a student of the opposite gender no matter how inconvenient it is.

3. Team members are encouraged to not have elongated private conversations with students of the opposite gender. This includes all phone calls, texting, private social media conversations, etc.

4. No team member will be allowed to have a romantic relationship on any level with a student, regardless of how close in age. The student must graduate high school and be outside the youth ministry.

5. In all situations, lead with integrity, wisdom, and honor to Christ.

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YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

Adult Vehicles Parking in the Student Parking

There is designated student parking adjacent to venue 2. High school students are asked to park here and exit vehicles to the supervised area. We do not allow students to hang out in their cars before/during/after service. This protects Centerpoint from unsupervised activities happening and ensures the safety of students.

If an adult is parked in a student parking area, they will be asked why they are here because Centerpoint campus is multi-use during midweek evenings. Security should be aware of other activities happening on campus and help direct adults to appropriate parking areas. *The exception to this policy is during Seek Night or other church-wide services. This exception is merited due to the higher demand for parking space.

Suspicious Activity in Car

• Security and pastor/director should be immediately notified.

• If it is an emergency please call 911.

• Incident reports should be documented by witnesses. The pastor/director will determine the appropriate following steps needed.

Team Member to Student Ratio

There should be 1 team member for every 15 students. It is required that at least 1 staff person is present for any CP Youth events or program. If the team member to student ratio is not off the youth pastor/director of the ministry should be notified. The youth pastor/director will make a diligent effort to comply with team members to student ratio policy.

Intoxication

Staff and team members are prohibited from the use, possession, or being under the influence of alcohol or other illegal drugs while in any of our church facilities while traveling with youth, or while supervising youth.

If suspicious activity is happening please file an incident report and notify the youth pastor/ director. If the incident involves the youth pastor please notify M.A Pastor.

Drug and Alcohol Use

Centerpoint Church is committed to being a drug-free, healthy and safe workplace. You are required to come to work in a mental and physical condition that will allow you to perform your job satisfactorily. That means no employee can use, possess, distribute, sell or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while on the church campus or while conducting business related to the church off-campus. Of course, you can use legally prescribed drugs on the job if they don’t impair your ability to do your job effectively and safely without endangering yourself or others.

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CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

Violation will be grounds for dismissal. More than that, we just want you to take care of yourself.

If you have questions about this policy, you can raise your concerns with your supervisor or the Senior Executive Leadership without fear of punishment. Twizzlers, chocolate or caffeine are not to be considered illegal substances and their presence is not discouraged.

If a student comes to church intoxicated:

1. If a student comes to church campus and is suspected to be under the influence, the team member should notify the pastor/director. a. The pastor/director should talk with students to determine appropriate next steps.

b. An incident report should be made.

c. If the student’s life is in danger due to overconsumption of known or unknown substances, the student’s parent should be notified as well as Murrieta PD; the student’s safety is the primary concern.

d. If it is unclear whether the student is under the influence, the pastor/director will notify the safety team to keep a close watch on the student for the service. A parent should be notified of suspicious behavior.

If a student gets intoxicated on church grounds: 1. An incident report should be filed

2. Pastor/director should be notified

3. Pastor/director should talk with the student

4. A pastor should notify the parent(s) as well as Murrieta PD

5. The student will be dismissed from the program for the night

6. If a student returns a second time and becomes intoxicated that student will be suspended from attending the program for one month.

7. Failure to comply will result in termination from the youth program

Student Searches

1. Centerpoint’s practice is to ask them to open their bags for us or ask to be able to look through their bag. a. If they refuse, we do not proceed.

b. When given consent to search, a team member should contact a staff person to conduct the search with another team member present. c. If a student does not give consent, but there is legitimate evidence of illegal paraphernalia, a parent may be notified for consent to search or to pick up their child.

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YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

Nudity

Students should never be exposed to explicit content such as nudity, sexual innuendos, PG-13 content by a staff person or team member. This includes but is not limited to phones, websites, movies, and shows.

Student Sharing Nudity with Another Student

In the event of a student sharing naked pictures consensually/non consensually with another student, as well as explicit texting known as “sexting” here are the appropriate next steps.

1. Obtain material for evidence a. Do not open file

2. Do not send content to another pastor’s phone or devices

a. Sharing of naked material is distribution of child pornography and can result in prison time.

3. A pastor will contact the parent/guardian of parties involved

4. An incident report will be filed

a. Proper documentation of sexually explicit content by students should be reviewed and guided by legal advice.

5. A follow-up meeting with students will be needed. Suggested passages to discuss are: 1 Thess. 4:3-5, 1 Cor 6:18, 2 Timothy 2:22 Team Member Sharing Nudity with a Student

All accusations and suspicions will be taken seriously. Steps to be taken: 1. Incident report filed and parent notified immediately

2. Pastor/Director notified as well as Safety Committee and Executive Pastor

3. Team members will be removed from all youth, children, and other similar activities until the investigation is completed and may not be allowed to return

4. Murrieta PD notified with contact information

5. Investigation of team member conducted by Murrieta PD

Staff Employee Sharing Nudity with a Student 1. SLT notified and legal advice obtained

2. Parent of student notified

3. Murrieta PD notified and investigation opened

4. Employee suspended until investigation complete 5. Accusation found true will result in termination

~72~

CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

HARASSMENT We believe every Staff/Team member should be able to work in an environment free from any form of unlawful discrimination. Sexual Harassment is constituted as discrimination and is prohibited by state and federal laws. Therefore, it is the position of Centerpoint Church that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. It is a violation of the Centerpoint policy for any supervisor or employee, male or female, to engage in sexual harassment as defined below. Such conduct will result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as follows: Quid Pro Quo - Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute quid pro quo; (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment and/ or (2) submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting an individual.

Hostile Environment - One which unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and verbal or other conduct of a physical nature occur and when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

Some examples of sexual harassment include but are not limited to: a. Unwanted sexual advances.

b. Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors.

c. Making threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances.

d. Visual conduct such as leering, making sexual gestures or displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons or posters. e. Verbal conduct such as making derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, sexually explicit jokes or comments about an employee’s body or dress. f. Verbal sexual advances or propositions.

g. Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentary about an individual’s body, sexually degrading words to describe an individual or suggestive or obscene letters, notes or invitations.

h. Physical conduct such as touching, assault or impeding or blocking movement and retaliation for reporting harassment or threatening to report harassment.

Any employee who believes he/she has experienced such conduct by anyone, including a supervisor, co-worker or by persons doing business with or for Centerpoint should tell the offender that such conduct is unwelcome and unacceptable. If the offensive behavior does not stop, or if the employee is uncomfortable confronting the offender, the employee must immediately report such conduct to their supervisor or to a member of the Directional Leadership Team. ~73~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

This church prohibits retaliation against any employee who complains of harassment or who participates in an investigation. All aspects of the complaint-handling procedure will be handled discreetly. However, it may be necessary to include others on a need to know basis.

All incidents of prohibited harassment that are reported will be investigated. The supervisor or Directional Leadership Team will immediately undertake or direct an effective, thorough, and objective investigation of the harassment allegations. The investigation will be completed as soon as practical and a determination regarding the reported harassment will be made and communicated to the employee who complained and to the accused harasser. If a complaint of prohibited harassment is substantiated, appropriate corrective action, up to and including discharge, will be taken. Appropriate action will also be taken to correct the effects of the harassment and to deter any future harassment. Bottom line: harassment won’t be tolerated.

Proper Changing of Clothes Environment

Changing clothes at youth does not happen often. In the event that there might be a possibility of clothes needing to change (pool party, baptism, weekend overnight retreat) staff and team members should submit a plan. Team members and students, boys and girls should be separate.

Movies

Movies shown to students should be rated PG. All movies/video-based content should be researched before showing and pre-approved by the overseeing pastor. Shows/movies that involve magic, sorcery, or contradict our statement of belief should not be watched.

One-on-one Meetings

Meeting a student’s emotional needs is important. Staff and team members are encouraged to meet with their students. Here are some important things to keep in mind when doing so: 1. Always meet with students in an environment that is above reproach. If you question whether this is okay, it’s probably not okay.

a. Do not invite students into your own home, car, unsupervised areas alone on campus.

b. If you’re planning to have a student over for dinner, invite parents over to join or other students. Notify a pastor when doing so. c. Suggested areas to meet would be a common open area in front of other staff or team members. Or a public coffee shop/ restaurant.

2. Never meet with a student in a closed room. This is why our staff offices have windows.

Never be alone on campus with students. This would include meeting in a staff office while everyone else is downstairs. Bottom line: unsupervised student interaction is not allowed.

3. Avoid physical contact of any kind

~74~

CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

Transportation

Giving a student of the same sex a ride home is bound to happen. Here are a few things to keep in mind while transporting minors.

1. Parent consent

2. Students should be transported directly to their destination. Avoid non-public stops.

3. Driver should not text or use any devices while driving

4. Abide by all driving laws (speed limit, complete stops, no texting, etc)

5. Drivers under 25 years old may not transport students. (personal cars, buses, rented vehicles)

6. Avoid physical contact of any kind in the vehicle

7. No driving with the opposite gender alone under any circumstance

Team Member Physical Contact with Student

Some moments are appropriate for physical contact with students such as side hug greetings, pats on the back, high fives, hand on the shoulder for prayer. Here are some guidelines to carefully follow with anyone under the age of 18.

1. If a student asks for prayer and requires the laying on of hands a. Ask permission b. Men should not touch the shoulders, hips, legs or back of any female. It is encouraged to ask someone of the same gender as the student to be present when praying for student and to allow the same gender to lay on of hands with permission first 2. If a student of the opposite gender wants to hug you provide a side hug. If a student hugs you full-on explain the nature of why that was inappropriate and politely ask them to not do that again.

3. Inappropriate touch and inappropriate displays of affection are unacceptable. Any inappropriate physical contact, rumors, display of affection should be immediately reported to a pastor and an incident report filed.

4. Do not hug a student that is reluctant to physical touch Student to Student Physical Contact

A big part of the teenage years is learning to interact with the opposite sex. CPYouth understands that teens are physical beings and enjoy physical contact with their friends and in romantic relationships. However, youth group, camp, and church outings are not the time or place for physical displays of affection. Any physical contact beyond holding hands will be noted and discussed with the couple in private. If further instances are noted, the couple will be asked to separate while at youth. At no time is intimate physical contact allowed at church or church events. If students are discovered in an intimate physical relationship at a church event, parents

~75~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

will be notified and the students will be immediately sent home. Further discussion and possible disciplinary action will follow.

Sexual Conversations

Team Members and staff are not allowed to engage in, facilitate, or permit sexually-oriented conversations. Nor are they allowed to share their own personal sexual activity with any youth in the program. If a team member or staff person is sharing parts of their testimony it is important to share on areas that Christ has given them victory in and not current struggles. Details should be left out, and appropriate disclosure and self-awareness are important. We don’t want to mislead students by giving them ideas.

When teaching messages that involve sexually-based subjects such as dating, sex, gender, or same-sex attraction, it is important to notify parents.

Sexual Material

Team members and staff are prohibited from possessing or looking at sexually-oriented material such as images, videos, magazines, cards, films, etc on church property and in the presence of students. Additionally, we want all of our team members and staff to be free of sexual immorality.

Sleeping Arrangements

Occasionally there are events where students stay overnight under the supervision of CP Staff (B.A.R.F All Night, Summer & Winter Camp, Conferences, Missions trips, etc.). In the event that CP is responsible for watching a student overnight the following rules are required.

1. No student should be allowed to leave their cabin or room once lights are out.

2. As long as students are awake the leader should be awake.

3. Students must have a leader in the room where they are sleeping.

4. All movies and shows watched must be rated PG or below (see movies policy for details).

5. Appropriate sleeping clothing should be worn.

6. Never physically lay in bed with a student.

7. Refrain from physically touching a student.

8. Boys and girls must sleep in separate rooms. In the event that this is not possible, such as the movie room at the B.A.R.F all nighter, there should be no blanket sharing and one sleeping bag per person.

9. Inappropriate physical touch of the same sex will result in relocating of student to separate him/her from the other student. An incident report must be filed and the pastor notified. The pastor may contact parent depending on the severity of the event.

~76~

CHAPTER 7 — Sample policies and procedures

Tobacco

All staff and team members are encouraged to abstain from the use and possession of tobacco products which includes but is not limited to cigars, vapes, cigarettes, vaping mods, pod systems, etc. Centerpoint is a smoking free campus. All team members and staff must abstain from using all types of tobacco and other smoking devices in the presence of teens. Team members and staff should refrain from posting pictures or social media material that promotes or shows tobacco usage. We want to set a good example for our students. Even if the legal age is 21, students will do what their leaders do.

Student Smoking

If a student is found using tobacco products (such as cigarettes, vapes, mods, pod systems) on church grounds or at a church event, a team member should notify a pastor. That pastor/director should request that the student give them the device. The pastor/director should not give the device back to students at the end of the night. The pastor/director should ask students to open their backpacks or empty pockets or for permission to see inside the backpack. If a student says no and you are certain that the student has a smoking device on them, a parent should be notified. We want to maintain a smoking-free campus. Failure to comply with this policy will result in a follow-up conversation with a pastor. For all questions please see the Youth pastor.

Alcohol

Staff and team members should not drink alcohol together. If a staff or team member has a drink of alcohol and is over the legal age of 21, that person should do so in the privacy of their own home and should not post pictures/ videos where students can see. This includes even their own social media accounts. The consumption of alcohol is a big pressure in middle school and high school. What a student sees their leader doing will send mixed ideas. As leaders, we represent Centerpoint and want to maintain a good representation.

Verbal Interactions with Students

Verbal interaction between team members, staff and students should always be loving. Team members and staff are prohibited from speaking harshly, threatening, intimidating, shaming, derogatory or demeaning language, or humiliating students and one another.

Swearing

Team members and staff should refrain from swearing in the presence of youth. Students swearing at staff or team members should politely be corrected and redirected. If a student continues to swear at staff or team members a parent should be notified.

~77~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

Contact Information: Youth Pastor/Director NextGen Pastor

Policies and Procedures I have read and received a copy of the Youth Ministry Policy and Procedures. I acknowledge that I fully understand the importance of each area stated. I will follow these policies and procedures while serving or working in the Youth ministry.

Staff Member or Volunteer’s name (please print) Staff Member or Volunteer’s signature Date:

~78~

8

SAMPLE MESSAGE AND Q&A NOTES

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

JAMES FRANSZ DITCH THE DARKNESS AND LIVE OUT THE LIGHT WITH PART 7 EPHESIANS 5 – OUTLINE ITEMS

Intro Welcome to Centerpoint Church. My name is James Fransz. I am the Youth pastor of this church. It is such an honor to be in the presence of the Lord with you all and to present God’s word to his bride. Before we jump into Ephesians chapter 5 which is week 7 of with, I wanted to give you a quick recap. The first few chapters of Ephesians talk about being seated with God. Last week we talked about being intentional with our walk. And for “you do the new you.”

Today I want to jump straight in with the main point. Which is to Ditch the darkness and live out the light.

Paul writes to the people of Ephesus. In Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. This is my wife Brooke. (insert picture) Brooke and I have been dating since middle school.

Well, really it was since she was in middle school. I was the creepy high school student/leader who pursued her. Don’t worry I don’t share that story with our CP Students. I don’t want to give them false hope. So my wife is a hairstylist. She is on her feet a lot. One of the things I quickly started to pick up on when we were newlyweds was the consent need for a good old fashion foot massage. So I did what every good husband should do. (roll up sleeves) I bought her an electric foot massager! Oh did you think I was going to say I massage those feet? I do. It’s a spa and everything. It has multiple gears and the best part I thought by buying her a foot massager I wouldn’t have to be the massager. Because at the end of the day it’s not about what I’m willing to buy for her, but what I’m willing to sacrifice for her because I love her. Somebody say Love cost, Love is Sacrificial, & Love is Selfless.

Kinda like a foot massage. He starts out kinda soft and gentle but hold on tight because it’s about to get real rough.

Main Idea: Somebody say, “Ditch the darkness and live out the light”

~80~

CHAPTER 8 — Sample message and q&a notes

Ephesians 5:3-7 NLT Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes - these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. Growing up I had a very difficult time understanding the reason why my parents kept me from doing some of the things that the other kids did. I wasn’t allowed to just hang out at the mall.

I wasn’t allowed to watch whatever I wanted on the TV. In fact, we had parental codes that blocked certain channels. I wasn’t allowed to go to parties like the rest of my classmates. Instead, I spent my Fridays and weekend nights at church gatherings. I couldn’t understand why my parents would keep me from a thing. Unless they weren’t keeping me from a thing. They were keeping me for a thing. Raise a child up in the way they should go that they may not depart. My parents constantly reminded me this is not for you. You are different James. There is a calling on your life.

When you look at the text. Verse 3 is talking about the heart. Verse 4 is talking about the mouth.

When you Ditch the darkness and live out the light, you gotta also get it out of your heart. Because what we speak is a simple reflection of our heart.

What we speak from our mouths comes from the overflow of our hearts. How many of you remember what you were like before you were saved? When you were still living in darkness.

When you gave your life to Jesus. You were changed. But you are still being changed. And one day you will be forever changed. When we are in the full light of His everlasting glory. There is a shift that happens when our heart’s desire is Jesus.

Matthew 15:18 NLT 18 But the words you speak come from the heart — that’s what defiles you. So if we know their connection point between what we speak and our heart. I’m going somewhere. If we know that what comes from the heart can flow out of our mouths, then why don’t we start speaking from our mouths and let it flow back into our hearts? If you can get it out your mouth… if you lift up the name of Jesus with thanksgiving... if you can feast on his goodness, you can starve your flesh. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. For it is by the spirit that we are able to lift up Jesus as Lord. When you exalt Jesus with your words, it changes your heart. That’s why we should not entertain obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes.

Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. Your words have the ability to change not just your heart but others as well. Take a look at verse 4 again! Obscene stories... The word obscene or obscenity means beneath the cultural standard of morality and decency. We might as well throw that standard out. Because by today’s standards people use the word decency as permission to flaunt their bodies. And cultural standards are practically no standards. Nothing shocks people anymore and nothing seems to be off-limits. And we are not to live our lives based on cultural standards but kingdom standards. ~81~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

Ephesians 5:5-7 NIV 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a person is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, Empty sayings...

“Speak whatever is on your mind.” Ephesians 4:29 NIV Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

“Always follow your heart.” no!! always trust in the Lord with all our heart.

follow jesus.

(The heart is deceitful). Ins, ead let us

John 10 talks about how he is the good shepherd! His sheep know his voice and follow him!

“I’m going to make sure you get what you deserve.” (We don’t believe in karma we believe in grace) If we truly should get what we deserve, then none of us deserve the relationship, the acceptance, the forgiveness that we’ve found in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are never going to be good enough to earn salvation. Every inheritance, every word, every promise that has been spoken over your life was said before the foundations of the world. Before you breathed your first breath he loved you. Before you knew your name, he called you.

Romans 2:1-3 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

“Do whatever makes you happy” (Jesus said even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. We are not here to serve ourselves, we are here on a mission to proclaim the good news to the poor, and to set the captives free. There are going to be moments in life; we’re not of this world. This is not your home. You are not a citizen of earth. You are a citizen of heaven. And this is not you. This is not for you. God did not give up his life so that you would give your to whomever you feel like. You’re going to have to roll your sleeves up and give a foot massage. for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

In other words, do not be led astray by empty words. Let the word of God become your authority.

~82~

CHAPTER 8 — Sample message and q&a notes

Avoid Shameful Sins Ephesians 5:8-14 NLT For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Somebody say “Ditch the darkness and live out the light” Paul is making a direct correlation between sin being darkness. And light and the spirit. When you were a sinner you were living not just in darkness. You were darkness. And then he calls us to live as people of light! To live as people of the spirit. My question to you today is what kind of light are trying to live as?

People who live out religion are like a black light, that comes to only expose that you’re still not clean enough.

Instead, let us become like a lantern. And the Holy Spirit becomes our fuel. This vessel will always be dark unless you have the Holy Spirit to light you up. So we need to “Ditch the darkness and live out the light” Carefully determine what pleases the Lord 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. It’s important that we don’t shame people. Because many of us have done things in our days of darkness that we regret. And the last thing people need is someone to put them down by telling them how wrong they were. Instead of point the finger at people we need to point people to Jesus. Let us not shame our brothers and sisters. Let us love one another. Let our love become the light that leads people out of darkness and into the light.

10

But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible.

13

Have you ever been sleeping and woke up because the blinds were opened and the light shined on your face? My mom used to wake me up that way. Jesus refers to the dead as sleeping. Come with me, I’m going to wake up Lazarus. Rise my sleeping child. Before Jesus saved you, you were dead in your sin. But when the light shined in your eyes, you awakened!

~83~

YOUTH MINISTRY by James Fransz

This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, Rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Ditch the darkness and live out the light Be light and Do light (Live the light) True-Right-Good Black light-exposes cat pee I’m full spectrum Ditch the darkness and live out the light Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Live full of the Spirit Closing

~84~

Q &A NOTES

Q &A NOTES

Q &A NOTES

Q &A NOTES

Q &A NOTES

Q &A NOTES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Brooke Fransz: I’m a better father, husband, and Christ-follower because of you. “He that finds a wife finds a good thing.” Thank you for always believing in me.

Pastor John and Pastor Ann Hansen: I’m thankful to call you both my pastors. I’m grateful that you’ve challenged me, developed me, encouraged me, and always loved me. Brooke and I are extremely grateful for your pastoral guidance, friendship, and leadership. I am a better person because of your presence and proximity in my life.

Pastor Heather Sanford: I’m grateful that you and I got to do youth ministry together.

Although I did not write this book with her, I would like to honor her and acknowledge her fingerprints and influence in these pages. I would like to acknowledge that the leader assimilation process was developed by her as well as the working definition of a youth leader. Thank you, Pastor Heather.

Barna Group Research: Thank you for allowing me to use the statistics and research found on Gen Z in this book.

WORKS CITED 1

This working definition was developed by Pastor Heather Sanford.

2 Entry: “Screenager”. Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/screenager 3 This outline was created from information pulled from the barna research group, used with their permission.

4 All of the statistics in this section are pulled from research done by the barna research group and used with their permission.

5 Wojtowicz, Julie. “Capturing Gen Z’s Attention and Loyalty”. https://www.mytotalretail. com/article/capturing-gen-zs-attention-and-loyalty/ 6 “Rethinking Youth Ministry”, episode RYM 090: 2020 GenZ Trends - What You Need to Know About as a Youth Ministry Leader. http://rethinkingyouthministry.libsyn.com/rym-0902020-gen-z-trends-what-you-need-to-know-about-as-a-youth-ministry-leader-0 7 Gray, Peter. “The Decline of Play and Rise in Children’s Mental Disorders”. Psychology Today, 1/26/2010. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201001/the-declineplay-and-rise-in-childrens-mental-disorders 8

barna research group

9 The Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) pursuant to Penal Codes 11164 through 11174.3 is a body of California laws designed to protect children from suffering harm. California law requires people in positions of authority over children to report known or suspected abuse or neglect.

10

https://generationz.com.au/research-gen-z/

11 Daskal, Lolly. “6 Ways to Earn Respect as a Leader”. https://www.lollydaskal.com/ leadership/6-ways-to-earn-respect-as-a-leader/ 12 Various elements of these policies and procedures are pulled from the Centerpoint Church Employee Handbook and have been included with their permission.

YOUTH MINISTRY Th is eight week course has been designed for ministry students who have a heart to see today’s youth radically met and impacted by the love of Jesus. Pulled from years of experience leading

in youth ministry, this material is meant to catalyze a shift in your perception of youth culture and equip you to connect with and minister to the hearts of a new generation. In our time together, we will focus on the functions of youth ministry, highlighting specific topics like the

role of a youth worker, teaching in youth, small groups, parent relationships, leading through change, basic graphic design, and creating culture.

KEY OUTCOMES  Understand the role and responsibilities of

 Understand how to develop a culture that

 Evaluate the differences and connections

 Analyze and practice the fundamental

a youth worker

between the generations and what these distinctions mean for the youth leader

 Develop a basic understanding of effective graphic design for social media content

wins

aspects of teaching in youth ministry

 Understand, explain, and defend the importance of small groups

 Facilitating growth through parent relationships

JAMES FRANSZ James Fransz is the Next Generations Pastor at Centerpoint church in Murrieta, CA, where he is working to create a multi-generational ministry serving kids, youth, young adults, and their families as

they navigate their Christian walk. Before leading the Next Gen ministry, James studied at Antioch Bible College in Temecula, CA

and served as the youth pastor at Centerpoint for eight years. His work in youth ministry led to additional leadership opportunities

as an inspiring speaker and published author, capitalizing on his passion for leadership, shaping culture, and leading people to Jesus.

James is married to Brooke, whom he met in 2009. They have a son

together named Abel and their family lives in Murrieta, CA. When

James is not at church he can be found riding his motorcycle, running with his dogs, or spending quality time with his growing family.

C E N T E R P O I N T S C H O O L O F M I N I S T RY

PRICE: $20.00