For those of you on Twitter read closely…for those of you not on Twitter read even closer, oh and get on twitter!

The official “Hashtag” of the Simply Youth Ministry Conference is = #SYMC

To many of you this makes perfect sense for others it means absolutely nothing!

**HURRY #SYMC is ALMOST SOLD-OUT!**

As defined by Twitter a hashtag is…
The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages.

Thus while you are sitting in your workshop, listening to Francis Chan, or watching LIVE via SimplyYouthMinistry.tv (starting at 4:30pm est on Friday-3.2.12), use the “hashtag” #SYMC and you will be able to chat live with 3000 plus youth workers from around the world!

**Registration Discounts Still Available!**

Some of you are saying, “Well…I know how to use a hashtag, but how do i view what everyone else using #SYMC is saying, doing, eating, etc?” We have the answer! Go to http://hashtags.org/SYMC and you can see exactly what @joshuagriffin is eating or what @kurtjohnston left at the airport! If you have any questions follow @youthministry or @simplyinisder and we would love to touch base with you so you don’t miss a thing!

Thanks for loving students!
TEAM SYM and random blog writing person!

Everyday Youth Ministry is a new line of books written by in-the-trenches youth workers…just like you!

Want to write an Everyday Youth Ministry book!?

If you have a great idea for a book and want to write, we want to hear from you. Whether you are a youth pastor, a youth volunteer, or you just have a heart rooted in your experience working with teenagers, we want to hear from you.

Click Here to Learn How!

Why do I serve in The Shelter at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference? It’s a pretty simple answer, actually.

I serve because you matter.

Yep, that’s the simple answer, but the back-story is important.

**HURRY #SYMC is ALMOST SOLD-OUT!**

• I’ve been an over-burdened youth worker.
• I’ve been hurt by interactions with “the sheep” (sometimes, sheep bite).
• I’ve had times during which I’ve felt isolated and like no one around me “gets” ME, much less why I love teenagers so much.
• I’ve had days — lots of them — where I just ache to share what’s on my heart with another person who does what I do.
• I’ve sat in my office wondering if this programming I was designing would actually work, wishing I had another youth worker with whom to talk it over.
• I’ve been the volunteer who worked a full-time job to support my ministry habit.
• I’ve struggled with how many nights each week I too often spent away from my spouse and children, wondering if they felt like other people were more important to me than they.
• I’ve gone through burn out and lived to minister another day, thanks to people who believed that I mattered to the Kingdom.

**Registration Discounts Still Available!**

I believe in the ministry of The Shelter — that place at SYMC where you can find an ear eager to confidentially listen, love, advise, and pray — so much that I’ve been involved with it for three years. I’ve listened to the stories of people like me, and people like you, so that I could try to make sure you left on your way to stronger and healthier in ministry. The Kingdom needs you, so The Shelter exists for you.

You matter. It really is as simple as that.

Patti Gibbons
Co-leader of The Shelter
patti@verbitude.com

Hi my name is Matt Murphy and along with Brad Widstrom, wrote 99 Thoughts for Caring for Your Youth Group. Below are insights into our book writing process and how everything came about. Our hope in this is that you would be able to see our hearts behind our NEW Book 99 Thoughts on Caring for Your Youth Group. If you have questions my contact info is at the bottom. I will also be at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference in Louisville, KY this year, probably around the books, so if you see me stop by and say hi!

*click the above image for a FREE Sample Chapter

Why 99 Thoughts for Caring?

- I chose to write a book about helping youth workers care about their youth group from A to Z because it is a huge part of my passion and calling. Coming from the Social Work field, my perspectives on caring, not only in the technical aspects of caring, but how to do certain types of caring, such as hospital visits, jail visits or coffee shop counseling helped me choose to put together this book. My suggestion to anyone wanting to write anything is to do it from a place where they are both passionate about and have some form of experience of doing it, that way you can talk about both angles… as in Head and Heart knowledge (or wisdom).

How did this become a collaborative project?

- When hatching this idea and coming to the proposal phase, I decided to talk to one of my youth professors at Seminary who gave great advice. Another huge aspect of teaming up with Brad was that his strengths complimented my weaknesses and vice versa. This partnership was great because we both brought all we had to the table and recognized where we weren’t the best and could lay off. My suggestion is that if you have another person you can work well with and they add things to the equation that you don’t bring, then see about collaborating, if not, still seek advisors along the way to help you form your ideas.

How did you choose your topics?

- Brad and I held several brainstorming sessions and kept throwing things at the wall and created a huge master list of topics that could be covered. From there we broke it into several categories (person of a caregiver, skills of care-giving and then basic intermediate and advanced care-giving scenarios). We organized our thoughts and consolidated them to the best thoughts. We ended up writing about 50% more than what you see in the book. Only the best and strongest points made it in there, and sometimes we consolidated points to help with our word economy.

- I also used tools like Evernote to write quick notes about topics, themes or what I should include in my thoughts so I wouldn’t lose any ideas. My suggestion is to dream big and then hone down your message considerably. Make it concise and clear before you submit your proposal. That way your idea will go further.

How did you break up your work?

- We organized our thoughts by topics and then broke those up to who could do the best job writing them. I normally selected a section and sat down at Panera or somewhere quiet and write ideas down. And write chapters. I aimed at a few hundred words per thought. If a thought grew past that limit I would look to build a series of thoughts on a theme. Later on in the process we both sat down and combined thoughts that were redundant. We both used deadlines to hold ourselves accountable to each other and ourselves. My suggestion is: don’t be satisfied. Go through your drafts multiple times and ask trusted advisers to help with challenging topics to help you gain clarity. Take breaks long enough to forget what you have written, this will help you pick out your mistakes and ambiguity better.

*click the above image to learn more about 99 Thoughts on Caring for Your Youth Group

Matt Murphy
Blog: EngagingtheShadowsofYouthMinistry.com
Twitter: @MattMurphyMSWYM
*FYI I will be at Simply Youth Ministry Conference this year, probably around the books, so if you see me stop by and say hi!

Serving in Christian ministry should be a life-building, life-giving, life-inspiring experience for leaders, spouses, and families. So why isn’t that always the case?

In this book, youth pastor Brian Berry pours out his thoughts on why it’s so tough to build a healthy life, a healthy marriage, and a healthy family in the midst of ministry craziness. He focuses on the three best gifts you as a youth worker can bestow:

• The best gift you can give your marriage is a healthy self
• The best gift you can give your family is a healthy marriage
• The best gift you can give your community and ministry is a healthy family

**A Message from author Brian Berry**

Just reading this book won’t transform you into a youth worker with a healthy self, marriage, and family. But reading this book will guide you, challenge you, and inspire you as you ponder the stuff that we all wrestle with as followers of Jesus, the stuff we strive for as spouses, and the stuff we yearn for as parents.

Brian Berry serves as the generation ministries pastor at Journey Community Church near San Diego, California, where he works directly with high school ministry and oversees a staff that is responsible for infants through 20-somethings. Brian is also a frequent blogger, writes and teaches for youth workers, and speaks at various conferences, camps, and retreats for a variety of audiences. He and his wife Shannon have five kids.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.

FREE “Breathe” Devotional JUST RELEASED!

Click Here to DOWNLOAD NOW!

2012 “Breathe” Devotional Author
Lenita Fix
Urban Youth Worker
BlueSkyGreenSky.com
leneitafix@gmail.com

When I first embarked on youth ministry I thought there wasn’t one student who didn’t have my heart. I saw the way that Jesus modeled ministry, so I was going to have his approach.

**SYMC is ALMOST SOLD-OUT!**

He preached to the crowds, and out of great compassion he touched and healed the masses. However, those he was closest to were his disciples. It made sense to me to have this highly relational approach to ministry. After all, our “great commission” is to go and “make disciples,” like he did. It never dawned on me that there would be students that would be a “challenge.” I started to question if “everyone” was really capable of being a “disciple.” I thought some were too awkward, too difficult, too closed minded, or too broken.

Then one day the Lord showed me I was the “problem.” The Lord has a purpose and a plan for each one of us. He sees us with love and hope. It is the “world” that identifies as “too much,” not the Lord. I needed to change my perspective moving my focus from what kids are “not” to who they are meant to be. When I started to see these students through the Lord’s eyes, they truly changed.

**DISCOUNTED REGISTRATIONS are still AVAILABLE**

When I was asked to serve at SYMC this year I took a look at my own life in ministry. I am ecstatic to be serving in so many ways this year, co-leading a pre-con, engaging in peer-panels, co-leading a connect group and of course teaching. However, the workshop that is probably closest to my heart is one I am teaching on Saturday morning called, “Ministry on the Fringe: Loving and Engaging with THAT Kid You Want To Strangle.” You see I don’t think we are called to “endure” any of our students. The goal is to move this generation to take their place understanding who they are in Christ. This workshop will discuss practical ways to touch these students, overcome our own “issues” with them and include them successfully into our programming.

Lenita Fix
Urban Youth Worker
BlueSkyGreenSky.com
leneitafix@gmail.com

I used to believe that, and unfortunately it wasn’t all in my head. I’ve experienced an inordinate amount of church leaders who became something other than a representative of Jesus Christ to me behind closed doors. Something tells me I’m not alone in wanting to point fingers at churches or senior leaders for this kind of hurt, for I’ve heard other youth workers commiserate about congregations they once believed the best in but no longer could. It was as if something toxic had given us all a kind of spiritual pneumonia.

**You’re Invited to Join 3,000 Fellow Youth Workers!**

The problem is that I don’t believe that original summation anymore. Although I’ve gone through harsh situations that stole the very breath out of my walk with God, I now realize that I irresponsibly missed some things during those years that could’ve created game changing alternatives. At times it involved things happening inside of me, such as my own insecurities or blind spots. There were other situations where I simply didn’t recognize the perspectives of others and approached situations with a small perception of reality.

**Hurry Seats Are Almost Sold Out!**

I’m a lead pastor now, and I still don’t know everything. It’s humbling to consider that what I’ve learned in hindsight could be the foresight someone else is looking for, which is why I’m thrilled to serve youth workers at SYMC through a track entitled “Wisdom from the Other Side: What I Learned About Youth Ministry After Becoming A Lead Pastor.” Instead of faking our authority, we’ll talk about true credibility; instead of pointing out what we see in others, we’ll realize what’s happening inside of our own hearts; instead of feeling overwhelmed by teenagers, we’ll understand how to help them become overwhelmed by God; and instead of competing for the spotlight on what we’re doing we’ll put it on Jesus.

**DISCOUNTED REGISTRATIONS are still AVAILABLE**

It may feel like churches suffocate youth workers, but the greater reality is usually larger than that. Even when things are legitimately difficult it’s still possible to experience the Breath of Life in a vacuum. We don’t have to wrestle against flesh and blood but can instead reclaim what God intended ministry to be like. The bad news is that it will involve the difficult task of exhaling our na

I know what you must be thinking. The terms “excitement” and “strategic planning” have likely never existed in the same sentence in the history of man. You would probably be right. The idea of spending days and weeks in meetings and discussions to create a 50 page document that will likely serve a a prop for that crooked fourth leg of your desk in the annex probably fills you with dread. Most of us have come to view strategic planning as a necessary evil to keep the senior pastor and elders happy.

**We are ALMOST Sold Out!**

But what if I told you that with a little effort you could create a one-to-two page document that will clarify your vision, identify easy to track objectives that are in line with that vision, help you avoid wasting time and resources on programs that won’t accomplish anything, and create buy-in with your staff, church leadership, and volunteers? Wouldn’t that be worth investing some time in?

In my years of working with urban youth ministries, I have far too often seen lack of a strategic vision lead to new “plans” that last 6 months before they are scrapped and everyone returns to business as usual. This constant trial and error with new ideas and programs that don’t last or even work can create a team culture that will not believe effective change is possible. Once this culture is entrenched, true impact and change becomes extremely difficult. Progress is almost nonexistent. And without change and progress, creating excitement is next to impossible.

**DISCOUNTED REGISTRATIONS are still AVAILABLE**

I am excited to teach this workshop because I believe that prayerfully setting simple goals and objectives around one powerful and exciting vision is the answer to stagnant ministry. It brings energy to your team, and creates a context for all of your programming. It helps to separate the good ideas from the ideas that will actually help you accomplish the calling God has given you. And the best part is that it will be in the form of a two-page plan that is clear enough to give direction while also being dynamic enough to allow God to work. To me, that is an exciting strategic plan!

John Fix
Director of Programs for Urban Youth Impact
UrbanYouthImpact.com