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The word “fruitfulness” keeps surfacing in church conversations these days. Scripture is ripe with references to fields and harvests, vines and branches, stumps and shoots, trees and figs. Indeed, the image of fruitfulness gives us a powerful language for understanding effective ministry. What is the fruitfulness God expects of us and of our churches? Fruitfulness can take many forms. But we must be clear about the fundamental change we seek to make in human life through our ministry. The most important fruits are growing, vibrant congregations that are changing lives through Jesus Christ. |
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“There is no one way to do youth ministry,” says youth minister Amy E. Jacober in The Pastor’s Guide to Youth Ministry (Abingdon Press, 2006). And this realization can free you to approach the task authentically, prayerfully, and successfully. This book offers encouraging, practical advice to those trapped by rigid notions of what youth ministry should be and to those who are apprehensive about today’s youth culture. What does Jacober recommend? Be yourself. Take time to get to know young people and the things they care about. Keep youth connected to the broader faith community. |
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| The Right Question | |||||||||||||||
Tim Stevens and Tony Morgan in their Simply Strategic Growth (Group, 2005) provide questions to ask in planning and promoting any church event. They call this the “Who Cares Check List.” Some of their questions are:
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Editors: Lovett H. Weems, Jr. and Ann A. Michel Copyright © 2006 by the G. Douglass Lewis Center for Church Leadership. Leading Ideas material may be freely distributed with attribution (exclusive of material protected by separate copyright). |
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