YACMU

You will find information, resources, ideas and stories on the following pages. Make sure you regularly check this section for updates. YACMU is committed to helping your congregation implement Growing Apostles.

Growing Apostles Manual – Now available for download
This GA planning tool has been so well received as a way to get into Growing Aposltes that we thought we should make it available for download. Youth Leaders from around Queensland have used it as a way of planning out the year and thinking carefully through purposes and priorities. Download and distribute as many copies as you like.

WHAT IS GROWING APOSTLES??

‘Growing Apostles’ is about intentional longterm discipleship for young people. It is recognising that our core business and call is not entertaining young people. Rather it is about helping young people meet the risen Christ, be grounded in Christ, grow in their relationship with Him and reach their friends for Christ.

The last thing Jesus said to His disciples was:

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. GO, then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

If we are to take the Great Commission seriously, we need to be intentional in what we do and what we don’t do with young people.

SOUL FOOD GROUPS

The staff at YACMU asked the question, “After young people have spent up to five years being involved in our youth ministry program, what do we want the young people to look like? What do we want to see them doing, hear them saying. How do we want them to be living out their faith?” Below is a list of what we believe constitutes mature faith and that of a growing apostle:

*GOD AND I: enjoying an intimate relationship with God
*HANGING OUT: cultivating healthy and authentic relationships
*SERVING OTHERS: using gifts and abilities in a life of sacrificial service
*DOING CHURCH: belonging to and participating in a community of faith
*LIVING LIFE: being sustained, recharged and empowered by the Holy Spirit
*ON A MISSION: actively engaging in mission
*WHO AM I: developing a Christ-like character

While we are helping young people grow as disciples of Christ, we need to ensure that they are being fed from each soul-food group. Just like we need to eat a balanced diet from the five food groups to maintain a healthy physical life, we need to ensure that we are eating from the seven soul-food groups so we can grow and keep healthy spiritually. It is very easy to focus on one or two of the soul-food groups and forget the other five.

So while you are selecting resources and thinking of experiences for your young people, make sure that you are helping them eat from each soul-food group over a year. Remember that ‘Growing Apostles’ is a longterm approach to youth ministry.

Finally, as a leader, make sure that you are having a well-balanced diet as you grow as a disciple of Christ. You will find ideas on the following pages to how you can help your young people grow as disciples of Christ.

WHY WOULD YOUR CHURCH LOOK AT GROWING APOSTLES AS AN OPTION??

*Well, because it is a long-term strategy for developing mature Christian young people.
*It is an approach to youth ministry, which enables you to feed your young people spiritually in a holistic sense.
*Growing Apostles opens up opportunities for churches to see their young people develop into mature Christian adults, equipped to use their gifts in ministry and life, and passing this on to others.
*Regardless of whether your church has one or one hundred young people, it needs to be intentional and strategic in how it helps all people grow and develop in faith.
*This is an approach which can be implemented in a variety of contexts, and when you have so little time to spend in the ministry context, why not focus on that which really matters rather than organising night after night of games for young people, when the Church Council has entrusted you to lead them in the way of Christ. (From the Growing Apostles Workbook. Click here to download the full version.)

Check out the following pages for more information, resources, readings and more….

RESOURCES AND WEBLINKS

YOUTH SURGE

Ken Moser who spoke at our 2006 ‘Qld State Youth Ministry Conference’ helped establish ‘Youth Surge’ while living in Australia. Steve Jeffrey is the Director of Youth Surge and Ministers at Northwest Anglican Parish in Sydney. Youthsurge focuses on intentional discipleship.

What is Youthsurge?

Youthsurge is a ministry that seeks to model and resource biblical church based youth ministry around Australia. Youthsurge has a four-fold strategy:

Model effective youth ministry through Surges

Train youth leaders in the theory and practice of discipleship youth ministry

Support church based youth ministries by providing easy to use and biblical resources

Send out youth ministers with the same vision for youth ministry into the Australian church

Click on this link to visit their webpage.

THE FRIDGE
The Fridge is a fantastic resource for young people and adults. It can be used in different ways, but is essentially a personal growth journal. A part of ‘Growing Apostles’ is ensuring that our young people are fed a holistic diet. Seven soul-food groups have been identified. They are:

*God and I – enjoying an intimate relationship with God
*Hanging Out – cultivating healthy and authentic relationships
*Serving Others – using gifts and abilities in a life of sacrificial service
*Doing Church – belonging and participating in a community of faith
*Living Life – being sustained, recharged and empowered by the Holy Spirit
*On a mission – actively engaging in mission
*Who Am I – developing Christ-like character

The journal has seven sections which covers each soul food group. There are things to think about, space for drawing, painting and practical ideas. At the back of the Fridge you can map out your journey over five years to ensure that you are maintaining a well balanced spiritual diet.

This great resource can be purchased from YACMU. The journal is $35. However if you purchase 10 or more copies, each journal costs $30. Contact Colleen on (07) 3377 9782 or collenc@yacmu.com.au to order a copy.

The Fridge is a resource that helps people experience God in some fresh ways. It’s an aid to people’s personal spiritual disciplines.

Spiritual disciplines do require discipline. We’ve found people often need follow up and encouragement to keep going with their personal quiet times / disciplines. Buying a book and having it on your shelf doesn’t do a real lot for your spiritual life. Using it just might!

We suggest people read the first section of The Fridge to decide which strategy for using it will work best for them.

From there, they dip into any of the 7 soul food groups and start having experiences with God. At the end of the day they may decide to pray about the experiment they tried that day or they might journal about it.

In the last section of the book they can keep track of which exercises they have done. This will help make sure that all the 7 soul food areas are getting due attention. In this section, people can track their progress over a number of years which will really drive home the habit of being determined and disciplined about their spiritual lives.

Some people are using The Fridge on their own, some use it in their small groups as the homework and sharing component of a Bible Study night and some use it as their curriculum for the life of their small group. These groups are formed as sharing groups who are together for the purpose of encouraging each other in growing their relationships with God. Churches can also put exercises from the book in their notices and invite people to try them during the week.

There are lots of other possible uses too.

So give it a go. Try a few of the suggestions yourself. (The 10 Second Top Up at the end of the God and I section is an interesting concept for example). If you reckon it would be good to recommend to any of the young people or leaders you minister to, please let them know that they can get it from YACMU by giving Colleen a call on 3377 9782.

Below is an endorsement of The Fridge from Carrie Anderson:

Hi Tom,
Just wanted to say hello and thanks for the support on the YACMU camp, (Young Adults Retreat). I found that weekend to be a real boost for me. I am so much more at peace and trusting GOD!!
I am loving working here in my new job and because I have the Fridge and a refreshed faith in myself to relate with Him, I am so much more contented with life and facing what ever may come. The peace I feel is wonderful and I find that things that in the past might have made be feel blue, don’t rock my internal stability.
I have enjoyed many aspects of the Fridge – trying things that both challenge and comfort me. The best thing was talking with some non church friends about my faith. I would not have felt confident to do this when the opportunity presented itself, if I had not spent the time to reflect on it using The Fridge. God sure works with us!
Thanks again ..
Carrie Anderson
UC Insurance

RESOURCE REVIEW
NOOMA

‘Nooma’ is a DVD series which explores real life issues. The company has currently produced 13 individual DVD’s. Each one contains a short film (10-13mins) and contains a discussion guide. The discussion book includes questions, reference information and Bible passages.

The DVD titled, ‘Rain’ asks the question, “Where is God during the storms of life?” At times we all feel pain, a sense of helplessness and desperation. These times can really challenge our faith. The presenter suggests that maybe God is closer to us than we think during the storms of life.

The discussion booklet is set-out well and makes it easy for the leader to repeat key statements made during the presentation. The questions examine both statements made in the film and key Bible verses. Young people connect well with Nooma DVDs as it is a multi-media resource. The topics are very relevant. Each DVD and discussion can last up to two hours. Nooma is for 13 year olds and above. Check out their website at http://www.nooma.com You can view a sample of each DVD. Each one costs around $16.95.

My young people give them 10 out of 10. They often raise points from ones we viewed last year. Recently the boys have been asking if they can take them home!!

Review by Steve Kersnovske – stevek@yacmu.com.au

RESOURCE REVIEW
YOUTH ALPHA

Youth Alpha is a ten week course which explores the meaning of life from a Christian perspective. It is a great tool to help young people grapple with life and faith and build relationships with caring adults. Topics covered include:
*Who is Jesus?
*Why did Jesus die?
*How can I be sure of my faith?
*Why and how should I read the Bible?
*Why and how do I pray?
*Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
*How can I resist evil?
*Why and how should we tell others?
*Does God heal people today?
*What about church?

The printed manual contains a cd with all the information in PDF format. The manual enables you to prepare and run the right course for your group of young people. The material also contains a lot of helpful ideas and resources. You can also download other ideas for each session at http://www.youthalpha.org.au

You can run Youth Alpha in various places. However there is nothing like meeting in someone’s home. This gives an unspoken message to young people that they are welcome and it is also more intimate and comfortable. Someone from your church may offer their place. It is a great way for people from the wider church to contribute to youth ministry. Food is always important. Other people from church may be able to help with the food.

Youth Alpha is a great way to refocus on discipleship and is a fantastic tool for change management. Once young people experience a strong sense of community and discover that exploring life and faith is fun, they normally want to continue with similar studies.

Review by Steve Kersnovske, stevek@yacmu.com.au

RESOURCE REVIEW
‘Experiencing Christ Together’ Series

There is a lot to like about the ‘Experiencing Christ Together’ series. Don’t be put off by the ‘dodgy’ title. The ’small group’ books for each young person look groovy, feel substantial and are packed full of ideas and Bible stories.

Here’s what I like about them:

*A great introduction to small groups at the start of each book. You get an outline of the process for each week and it has a small group covenant you can use.

*The leaders material is built into the same book the group members get. This way when your young people step up to being leaders, they will have the notes from their own experiences. Those young people looking at leadership over the long term will also read the leaders notes, watch you closely to see how you do it and wonder, think about and imagine themselves leading a group.

*It’s more than just comprehension. The application process is pretty good. The format and flow for each study is:
‘Fellowship: Connecting your heart to others’. ’Discipleship: Growing to be like Jesus’, the Bible study part. Ministry: ‘Seeing others in love’, focuses on application. Evangelism: ‘Sharing your story and God’s story’ helps group members get used to talking about their growing faith. Worship: ‘Surrendering Your life to Honour God’ is a wrap up and a prayer time.

What you will need to add:

There may be a percentage of your young people who won’t connect with the process used in this set of small group resources. They authors haven’t got the concept that different people learn in different ways. You will need to consider that young people in each group have a different learning style and come up with some more creative ways to engage the solid content.

Price: You can get each book from Koorong for $13.95. There are six sessions per book and five series available. That means that you can use the series for the year and it will cost approximately $70 all up per person.

Things I didn’t like:

*It’s very American in content, language and examples. You will have to adapt it for Australian concepts.
*You can not come unprepared for small group and just read it five minutes before you start. There are materials to collect and thought needs to be put into what bits you will do and when.
*There are no ‘at home’ activities.

Review by Michael Jeffrey, mikej@yacmu.com.au

RESOURCE
IDEAS FOR THE SEVEN SOUL FOOD GROUPS

Tom Kerr, one of the authors of ‘The Fridge’ has created a sample of activities that you will find in The Fridge.
Click here to load the sample. Jump into the Fridge today!

SMALL GROUP IDEAS FROM STEVE’S FILING CABINET

I run a small group on a Monday night which meets at my place for six teenage boys. Three boys attend church and the other three don’t at this stage. One boy is in year 8, three in year 10, one in year 11 and one in year 12. My co-leader is a very young 71 year old lady. The format of the night is:

6:00 Boys arrive, play cards, board games, chat, drink coke etc..

6:15 Have dinner together

6:40 Begin small group session

8:00 Finish

Obviously each night is different. On this page I will share my experiences and ideas with you. Our focus is on intentional discipleship, growing in Christ in a caring and safe environment. As I choose material and plan experiences for each night, I take note to see what soul-food groups we are covering. Each boys has a copy of the ‘Fridge’ and I encourage them to do one activity a week at home. I ask them to bring their fridge along each week and share what they did. If the boys want to talk about a particular topic etc., we divert from the material that I had planned to use.

Click on the links below to see the sort of things I do.

Small Group Program 05.02.07

Group Deal

Small Group Program 12.02.07

ARTICLES & MORE

Below you will find a variety of links to different articles and resources.

In Touch with Jesus – Time Magazine

Why we must reject American models of youth ministry – Ken Moser