Competencies
Below are samples of what I have done in ministry and areas over which I have held responsibility:
Relationships & Leadership
- Relationships are almost impossible to quantify and list out like events, programs, and responsibilities. Yet relationships are such a central part of youth ministry that it feels wrong to leave relationships out of this list. Relationships are best explained by stories, so feel free to ask me about mentoring I have done, students and families I have counseled, and time I have spent with students and adult youth ministry leaders.
- Leadership is also sometimes hard to nail down. Leadership permeates all of the areas below and helps to determine the efficacy of different responsibilities. Anyone can plan a trip or write a Bible study lesson. But leadership determines the quality of the trip when things go wrong and the ability to adapt to changing situations when teaching a Bible study. So, again, while leadership is not on this list, I would be glad to share stories of leadership or give you references who can vouch for my leadership abilities.
Teaching & Speaking
- Presentation to parents upon arrival at Hope Lutheran Church, August 2006
- See PowerPoint presentation for meeting (PDF file): Download Presentation
- Taught high school Sunday school. Selected topics include:
- Blue Like Jazz
- Colossians
- Ezekiel
- Habakkuk
- Malachi
- Psalms of Ascent
- Sexuality
- Preached at least once a quarter on Sunday mornings. See Sermon page for samples.
- Led youth small-group ministry See sample of curriculum developed, modified from Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline and Amy Simpson’s Diving Deep: Download Small Group Curriculum
Worship
- Led worship services and liturgy during pastor’s absence
- Planned and led monthly youth worship and prayer experience, 2006-2007
- Planned and coordinated annual youth-led service for Maundy Thursday
- Script for 2007 Maundy Thursday service, highly modified from How (Not) to Speak of God by Peter Rollins, Part 2, Service 6 : Download Script
- Script for 2009 Maundy Thursday service, loosely based off of “Burial of the Dead” liturgy in the Lutheran Book of Worship: Download Script.
Events
- Coordinated Vacation Bible School for 200 children from birth through high school, 2005; Download Master Schedule
- Coordinated multi-church citywide outreach events of over 200 high school students, 2005
- Coordinated and led family ski trip, 2006
- Planned monthly social events for junior high and high school
- Planned and led annual week-long junior high and high school mission trips through various missions organizations. I have experience working with DOOR, YouthWorks, The Center for Student Missions, and Camp Victor (Lutheran Disaster Response)
- Planned and led annual youth retreat. Topics:
- 2006: Communication
- 2007: Spiritual Disciplines; Download Workbook created for this retreat
- 2008: Reforming the Church
- 2009: Peer Ministry
- Coordinated annual confirmation retreat; teaching done by pastor
- See sample 2007 schedule: Download Schedule
Administration
- Built and maintained church website and youth ministry website (see my series on how to build a church website by clicking here)
- Supervised church secretary
- Communicated regularly through all available avenues: email, bulletin, newsletter, website, Facebook, text message, postcards, flyers, and calendars
- Planned and tracked youth ministry budget
- See Excel spreadsheet for budget tracking: Download Spreadsheet