LeaderTreks plays Whirley Ball

We kicked off the new ministry year like we always do by going to play Whirley Ball. It has been our tradition for many years to get out and play on the first work day in September. Peter was the star of the day – scoring at will from anywhere on the court.

What Peter reads…

Peter is the Dirictor of Youth Pastor Resources at LeaderTreks.   If you ever have a question…he’s the one you call.

Favorite book of all time:
(Non-Fiction) Desiring God: John Piper
The premise: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.  It really transformed the way I read the Bible and thought about God.

(Fiction) Lord of the Rings: J.R.R. Tolkien
Dressed as a hobbit, opening night…all 3 movies. 
We still like him.

Reading now:
7 habits of highly effective people: Stephen Covey
When I asked him if he recommended it, he went…”ummmm”
Its a pretty intellectual read, but the whole concept behind it is that good performance flows out of right principles.

What a JR. Higher can do…hoops of hope

This video is challenging because it paints a different picture of the potential of a Jr. Higher. We’re always looking for stories and movie clips for our Student Training Events, that give students a different perspective on their potential. The world doesn’t think that a Jr. higher can do much, but God seems to think a whole lot differently. This Jr. Higher believed the latter.

one jr. higher. one burden. $100,000. And one church given hope.

Knot in your stomach…last day.

The last day of knot-in-your-stomach stats that we studied for the Leadership and the Least curriculum, has to do with clean water…

According to UNICEF, about 4,500 children die from lack of clean water and sanitation facilities each day. That’s 3 children per minute.

Deuteronomy 10:18 NIV
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

Click here for more info from Unicef
Children and water: global statistics

© UNICEF/ HQ00-0958/Roger LeMoyne

Afghanistan: Girls fill jerrycans with water at a handpump.

knot in your stomach stats…day 2

Continuing with the theme of knot-in-your-stomach stats that I researched for the Leadership and the Least series…here’s number 2.

Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary estimates that there will be 175,000 Christian martyrs in 2008.

Hebrews 11: 37-40 NIV
They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword.  They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-the world was not worthy of them…these were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.  God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Here’s a book of 21 martyr’s stories from Moody Bible Institute.

A knot in your stomach…

As I was researching different stats for the Leaders and the Least curriculum, I would constantly go home with a knot in my stomach.  Horrified, wanting change, and being reminded of the hole that this world is in.  And while I don’t have advice or action steps, throughout this week, I just wanted to share some of the stats that I found and some of the really great verses I found as well.  At the very least, its just worth knowing and wrestling with.  Here goes…

A UNICEF survey of the genocide in Rwanda revealed that over 95% of the children witnessed massacres, over one-third had seen the murders of family members, and nearly two-thirds were threatened with death.

Psalm 10:17,18
You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

of interest…from Hotel Rwanda

angie

Paul Potts…Living Beyond Expectations

Here’s a Youtube video (that I love) that really exemplifies the idea of living beyond what people expect of you, and living with passion.  Its makes for a great illustration, and here’s some debrief questions you could use with your students…

What does the world expect of you?  What does God think your potential is?  What kind of risks would you have to take, to live beyond what the world expects of you?  How can you start living that way today?

We know how to eat…

The end of a trip

4 LeaderTreks Staff

100 Chicken Wings

One good night.

What Steve’s reading…

Steve Gerber has been at LeaderTreks for 6 years.  He’s in charge of Youth Worker Training, and the Operations deparment.  Here’s what he’s reading these days.

All time favorite book (or at least one of them):
Disappointment With God: Philip Yancey

Deals with the 3 big quesitons that everybody asks about God.  And provides valuable insight for helping hurting people.

Reading right now…
Christian Reflections on the Leadership Challenge:Kouses and Posner

It talks about the 5 things that great leaders have to do.  It breaks it down into easy to understand patterns.

Using Dodgeball to Train Your Volunteer Staff

From youth worker to youth worker…

Here’s a tip we learned from a youth worker in Texas, who uses dodgeball to get some staff training time.  Every wednesday, for 20 minutes before youth group starts, the students arrive and join into a huge game of dodgeball.  The gym is open and ready with the balls, and all the volunteer staff meet just outside of the gym for training.  Its almost impossible to get every staff together even once a month sometimes, but to show up 20 minutes early for youth group is no big deal.  It allows you to train your staff, encourage them, sell the mission, and get a bearing on where your students are at as you talk to their small group leaders.