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The Help: Part Two
This is Part 2 of a series by Lee Wilson on recruiting a great ministry leadership team. You can read Part 1 here. In the movie, The Help, one of the main characters, Skeeter decides to write a book from the perspective of the African-American maids in her community. In order to do this,…
Read MoreThe Help: Part One
Recently, I went to minister in Kenya, Africa. While taking the longest, most grueling flight from Syracuse, NY to Bungoma, Kenya, I decided to do something I rarely get to do – watch a movie. And I am so glad that I did. I ended up watching the award winning film, “The Help.” This movie…
Read MoreNatalie Warne: Being Young and Making a Difference
Veteran UYWI speakers like Harvey Carey challenge urban youth workers that, “youth ministry is not about ministering to youth but about empowering youth to minister.” (Download, for example, Harvey’s “Legacy People” general session talk at UYWI 2008). UYWI has attempted to model this idea by integrating “Plus-1” proteges at various Reload events (watch “Homegrown: The…
Read MoreHope Help Heaven
Every youth leader knows that the summer is one of the busiest times of the year. Your students are out of school, free for activities and expecting you to provide some amazing programming for them to take part in. How you share the vision for your summer events will determine how involved your students become,…
Read More“Protest and Invest” and Other Marketplace Lessons for Youth Workers
d UYWI friend and frequent co-conspirator Rudy Carrasco has championed market-oriented solutions to youth poverty and joblessness for years. He summarizes his call for holistic economic justice as “Protest and Invest,” where we broaden our call for justice beyond assigning blame about the causes of poverty to asset creation and control. He’s been writing and…
Read MoreFirst Things First
by Pastor Lee Wilson I thought I would take a break from the norm and blog about one of the most important things in youth ministry. It has nothing to do with programs or budgets. It doesn’t involve camps or big events. I’m talking about marriage. And here’s why. As I reflect on the success…
Read MoreCries in the Wilderness: When Generations Emerge
“Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.” – Isaiah 43:19, The Message A generation of prophets cries out. They are, in appearance, humble; in sustenance, meager; in approach, gruff. Do you…
Read MoreHouse of Second Chances: Fast Company Profiles Homeboy Industries
Love it when unlikely sources celebrate unconventional urban youth ministries. I bought the May 2012 issue of Fast Company magazine because Steve Jobs was on the cover. I’m keeping it because of the 4,000+ word article celebrating the life and legacy of Father Gregory Boyle’s redemptive work with former Los Angeles gang members. (The cover…
Read More31 Flavors
Ice cream is by far one of my favorite desserts. There are such a wide variety of toppings and flavors, that each person can literally create their own confectionary masterpiece. Years ago when I discovered Baskin Robbins, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Here was a store that specialized in inventing dozens…
Read MorePlay Ball: Pitching your Best Ideas
Pitch Like a Closer With the start of baseball season I was reminded of a youth worker who was preparing to pitch her most impassioned ministry idea to her pastor. She asked for help organizing her thoughts and anticipating the pastor’s questions and concerns. We framed the presentation as a story, and like every good…
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