The Test of Transition

by Adam Kolosik

Life is full of transition from one thing to the next. These transitions could be childhood to adolescence, adolescence to adulthood, student to working, nonbeliever to believer, one job to another, one city to another and much more. We, as leaders in student ministry, know transition better than most. Our role is a continual transition as students transition from Children’s Ministry and we graduate students to college each year.

The idea isn’t to look at transition as a bad thing, but to look at it as an opportunity for something new. Change is always hard, but it is also an opportunity for unexpected growth. We never know how we’ll do after a transition. We never know how our students will do after a transition. But we cannot avoid a transition because of the unknown. We must embrace the fact that transition is going to happen. We should do our best to prepare for it, and do our best to turn the scary transition into something incredible and new.

Last year we transitioned a lot of amazing students out of our youth ministry due to high school graduation. It was tough to see such an incredible group of students go, but it was also a great opportunity to start investing in new students. Our youth ministry looks completely different today than it did a year ago because we had to transition from some older students to focus on building up new leaders. I will admit I made a lot of mistakes over the year and transition, but I’m still excited for what is to come next and I’m more prepared for it this year because of the mistakes I made last year. In youth ministry we live in a state of continual transition and we must get used to it, or we won’t be able to continually and effectively reach students for Jesus.

Transitions in Leadership

by Heath Adamson

Transitions in leadership and life allude to a fundamental fact: what we experience is not all there is and where we find ourselves is not the end. Preparing for transition requires knowledge, wisdom and understanding in creating an insight-feeding foresight. Failure in successful preparation is often rooted in a concept we call “tunnel vision.” Recently, I was reading a book entitled “I Blew It” by Brian Dollar. In it, he writes about tunnel vision and its dangers. Mixing Dollar’s observations with my own, together we can remain aware that we are not alone and part of a greater story. The way we leave one situation is the way we enter another. Successful transitions beckon us all to lift up our eyes and see beyond. Dollar writes, “The term “tunnel vision” is borrowed from the physical condition, which occurs when an individual loses peripheral vision (the ability to see objects on the top, bottom, and sides). The result is a very constricted field of vision.” Focus is good, but not at the expense of transitional failure.

Some dangers with tunnel vision are:

• We develop a territorial attitude.
• We develop a “poor me” mentality.
• We infect the rest of our team.
• We fail to support and may even compete with another’s vision.
• We fail to communicate key information to parents and team members.
• We make it difficult for individuals to transition to other ministries (kids to youth, etc.).
• We miss the joy of serving someone else’s dream and being a part of something greater than ourselves.

For all of our heroes who work alongside children, adolescents, and young adults, thank you for preparing them to step forward. When a children’s pastor/leader connects with the youth pastor/leader and discusses how collaboration can create a discipleship process, families and churches win. As a youth pastor builds off of what his/her pastor is preaching on Sunday, students can graduate from the youth ministry and never experience an exilic feeling. When we complement parents as the primary disciplers in the lives of a child, we overcome tunnel vision and serve the mission of Christ. The local church is filled with wonderful and creative leaders like you. Remaining aware of what is occurring throughout the church ministries is vital to overcoming tunnel vision and being a team player. There is an indescribable joy when we can contribute to a fulfilled dream without receiving the credit!

Ask yourself this question as you seek to apply this to your life: in my organization/church, what am I doing to serve another that no one is aware of?

Creativity

by Chris Bobblett

The first revelation we have of God in Scripture is that of Creator.  All it takes is a glance in any given direction and this is evident. If God is infinitely creative and we were created and called to be conformed to His image, then creativity isn’t optional for us.

In reality, creativity is one dimension of spiritual maturity. To become more like the Creator is to operate in wisdom. Creativity is a manifestation of wisdom in the context of excellence and integrity. Wisdom is personified in Proverbs 8, and is the companion of God in the creation of all things. Therefore wisdom and creativity cannot be separated.

While most Christians place a high value on wisdom, most do not hold an equal value for creativity. Yet it is creativity that illustrates the presence of wisdom: “wisdom is vindicated by all her children” Luke 7:35 NASB.  The first mention of a person filled with the Spirit in scripture was Bezalel  and he was called upon to head up a building project for Moses. Wisdom has a creative release.

King Solomon, the wisest man next to Jesus, was honored by dignitaries and led Gods people into the greatest time of peace and prosperity they had ever known. Wisdom, through one man, changed a nation. This wisdom made manifest not only in decisions but in creative release actually took the breath away from the Queen of Sheba (2 Chronicles 9:3-4). I look forward to the day when the sons and daughters of God embrace this reality and the church in wisdom with creative release takes the breathe away from the world that surrounds her.  

Although there is no 4-step program to creativity or guaranteed formulas which will ensure that we get that God idea that we need. However, these are some practical things I have put into place in my life that have and do help me.

1. Prayer. The Aramaic word for “prayer” means “to set a trap.” We often think of prayer as words we speak to God and sometimes we forget He really does want to talk back.  Prayer is the place where God ideas are conceived and captured. This would also be a great place to add, praying in the Spirit, since it is the Spirit that desires to tell and show us those things “eyes haven’t seen and ears havn’t heard” (1 Corinthians  2:9-11).
2. Mental stretching. Of course I start with reading my bible because I want to be into His mindset. But I also read about things I know nothing about to get out of my mental routine and do some cerebral stretching.
3. Location. I often struggle to be productive behind my desk. I love the people I work with and my desk is ok (chair could use some work) but often for me to think out of the box I need to be out of the box.  Sometimes change of place equals change of perceptive.

The creativity of the creator is in you, release that wisdom!

Living Creatively

by Adam Kolosik

As leaders in ministry we must create. We create systems, services, programs, curriculum, moments and many other things. We are all creative in our own unique ways and we have access to the ultimate Creator of the universe. But what is the most important thing we will create? Will it be a large youth ministry? An amazing outreach? The perfect small group curriculum? I challenge that none of these things are anywhere near the importance of the creative act of living the life God is calling us to live. The most important creative act we will ever do is living a life on mission for the cause of Christ. The creative act of it is how we live our life and the story it tells those around us.

Our life and how we live will tell so much more to the students we lead than any sermon or illustration ever will. We can tell a story of authentic and genuine Love for Christ and His mission or we can tell one that says we care enough about it to make a few Facebook posts and tell a good sermon each week. Living a life after Christ is what got us all into this thing called leadership, so let us continue to create a life for ourselves that is falling more and more in love with Christ and inspiring others to do so from our position of leadership.

Creating Moments for Students

by Heath Adamson

Summer camp will be upon us in a few short weeks! Something eternal occurs when students are afforded the opportunity to hear the Word of God consistently, interact with peers in spiritual conversation, laugh and make memories on the sports field, and share meals with leaders who pray year round for God encounters and open doors to share Truth.

Camp can be viewed in terms of a process compared to an event. As is the case with most leadership opportunities, what we invest weeks and months in advance can be the difference between ordinary and extraordinary (the difference between the two is “extra”). In the weeks to come, we will be uploading promotional materials, videos, and ideas for you to use at your leisure. Listed below are some “extra” ideas on how to create a moment in the near future for your students to experience a spiritual catalyst at camp:

• Develop a list of emphases for parents and grandparents to pray with you about pertaining to the spiritual development of your students.
• Create and establish a camp scholarship program to make available a week of camp for students who simply cannot afford it.
• Make plans now to write a card or send mail to your campers when they are with us for the week.
• Prepare to teach/preach on spiritual growth, Spirit baptism, and the call of God after students come home.
• Show a camp promo video on a Sunday morning.
• Pray during service for the summer camps.
• Utilize the camp promo package and bulletin inserts to draw attention to the importance camp plays in a child’s life.
• Meet with your counselors in advance and coach them on what matters most to you as a leader.
• Create a “wrap sheet” for parents to use in order to engage their child (ren) and converse of what God did in their lives upon returning home.
• Meet your students at the church before they leave and pray with them.
• Ask some volunteers to put together “care packages” for students to enjoy in the vehicle on the way to Sunstream.
• Visit on Tuesday night and have dinner with your campers.
• Bring students together who were unable to attend camp this summer and pray with them for their friends who are away to have a wonderful time in God’s Presence.
• Meet with parents beforehand and share their vital role in discipling their children once they arrive back home after the week is over. Some parents are unaware of how to have a family worship time. Share, from your experience, what you do and how it can be simple and effective.

Iowa’s leaders prioritize camp. Our support and attendance is reflective of this fact every year. Thank you for partnering with us to impact students yet again. I am believing with you that the “extras” will make all the difference in the world!

Balance to Flourish

by Adam Kolosik

A healthy plant is a growing plant, but plants don’t just grow on their own. They need the proper mix of sunlight, moisture,  soil and other nutrients. Not only do they need these, but they need the right mixture for each particular plant.

In the same way in order for us to be healthy and flourish, we need to be growing. We may not need the same things as a plant, but we do need to be intentional as we invest in ourselves as well. We need the right mix of discipline and fun in order for us to continue to grow and flourish.

We need the proper amount of discipline in our lives to help us stay focused on the goals and dreams Christ has placed in our hearts. We must spend focused time on our spiritual disciplines. We need to first be filled if we are going to fill others. In the same way a tree must get its nutrients before it can bear fruit of its own, we must do the same. We must be disciplined to grow.

There are many examples in scripture of celebrations. Solomon celebrated after the completion of the temple. I think we, as followers of Christ, need a good amount of fun and adventure in our lives. This helps us to not take ourselves too seriously and connect with others on a different level. We are created for community and part of community is having fun together. We can’t just be serious people or we will get burnt out. We need a good dose of fun from time to time to help us flourish.

We need a mix of discipline and fun in order to continue to grow. We can’t get too much of one or the other, or we won’t be in our sweet spot for growth. Some people are hard wired for more discipline and serious work, just like some plants require very little water. While others need more fun and connection, just like the plants that need to be in more water. We all require different amounts of things, but we do all need both fun and discipline to really flourish in our ministry.

Dreaming to Connect Past and Present

by Chris Bobblett

Through the Genesis accounts, we can see the purpose and power of the tree of life is to provide the first family with life to fulfill purpose.  It shows us where we have been.  However, in Revelation 22:2, we again see the tree of life not as where we have been but where we are going.

Here, we see the tree of life providing healing for the nations.  The source of nourishment for the tree is the river that proceeds out from the temple.  Jesus teaches us that we are now the temple of God and the river of God is to flow through us. From the Genesis account of the tree of life to the Revelation account of the tree of life, we can see where we have been and where we are going; but where are we now and how can we bridge the two? How can we connect the past and present in the here and now.

Today’s Tree of Life

Proverbs 13:12 – “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”

Religion has robbed us from the liberty of co-laboring with Him.  Most Christians have a very small, boxed-in vision when it comes to working with Christ.  They have been programmed to think robotically.  What I mean by this is simply that many Christians see themselves as remote-control beings in which their personal desires and will is flawed and faulty at best and only God’s is good.  This has caused many to view Christianity as a mindless religion where one is to be puppet-like and God will move the strings.   This is far from the heart of the Father and from what Jesus died to give us.  He desires an intimate relationship, which involves communication, the sharing of ideas and thoughts.

For so long we have taught and believed that desires are bad.  This is not true.  God is after your desires; He is after intimacy with you.  The major mix up about desires comes because we do not know which of our desires come from God and which come from the carnal.  The very word “desire” means “of the father.”

Desire, dreams come from the Father. Before we come to Christ, our  dreams and desires are corrupted because they spring up from whatever we are in communion with.  If we are in communion with greed, our desires will be greedy.   If we are in communion with anger, our desires are bent toward revenge and hurt.  The good news is that when we truly put Him first and we truly commune with Him our desires, our dreams  will be pure.  Some people struggle when it comes to prayer.  They begin to pray and their mind begins to fill with business ideas or ventures, schoolteachers begin to get witty ways in which to teach and they feel less spiritual than others do because they feel distracted.  This is a lie of the enemy.  God is using your desires, your dreams that have been purified through Him to make you a more effective co-laborer to release the kingdom wherever you are in life! The bridge between where we were to where we are heading is connected to your desire, your dreams, so dream big!

Nothing is Impossible

by Adam Kolosik

Luke 1:37 “Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

This verse comes in a timely place, at the heels of an angel of the Lord telling Mary that she, a virgin, and her barren cousin are about to have babies. Ironic enough these same children born to unlikely women go on to be game changers in their culture and change the entirety of history. If that isn’t ‘impossible’ by man’s efforts, then I don’t know what is.

This same God with whom nothing is impossible, changed your life as well. You know who you were before Him. I pray you never forget that, because when we forget where we come from, we lose sight of a hope and dream in others still far from Him. God has placed people in your life that you need to dream for. Dream of what God could do in their life. Dream of bondages and addictions broken, relationships mended, marriages restored, and deep pains healed.

As we dream of what could be, we must realize we cannot do anything on our own power. This drives us back to Him who nothing is impossible with. To Him who placed children in what seemed to be the impossible wombs of two unlikely women. These dreams we have for others force us to a humble place with our Creator. Big dreams force us to pray big prayers, because without big prayers, we are attempting to do the impossible without God. Which in turn counteracts Luke 1:37 that says, nothing is impossible with God.

Dream and pray big for those around you. You won’t be disappointed, for nothing is impossible with Him.

Dreaming Together

by Heath Adamson

The privilege we share when we work alongside of others in ministry enables us to become privy to the dreams residing deep within everyone regardless of their age. I have never met someone who didn’t have a dream! One of the conversation starters I use frequently as I meet new friends is to discover what those dreams are.

Leaders are vision-driven. There is a focus in our training, development and execution of how to strategize to bring vision to fruition. Leaders are also given the privilege of coming alongside others to see their goals come to pass as well. I absolutely love it when I am able to dream with others to see them reach their greatest potential! Something invigorating to many of us isn’t reaching one of our goals alone but doing whatever we can to come alongside of someone else and become a catalyst for them to reach their dreams! Someone once said that “as a leader, our fruit is intended to grow on the branches of others in ministry.”

There is a subtle shift that occurs when we walk into a room with the focus off our goals and agenda and we look for someone to serve. Creating a culture of honor is vital to enabling this occurrence. For many of us, the younger generation simply needs encouragement from those of us who have already traversed the road they are about to walk on. Acts reminds us that “your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.” Ministry is seldom without someone who is visioneering or dreaming. Remember to focus as much on serving the dreams of others as much as you are on realizing your own!

Change Your Mind

by Chris Bobblett

Matthew 9: 14-17 says “¹⁴Then John’s disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ ¹⁵ Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. ¹⁶ No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. ¹⁷ Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.’”

This passage contextually is dealing with fasting but beyond the surface I believe there is so much more. Part of the more I believe is in there is a teaching on paradigms.

Jesus says, “You can’t put new wine in an old bottle”. New wine is going to go through changes, it is going to aerate, ferment, within the skin it will develop pressure and because the old wine skin is no longer malleable, it is no longer flexible the pressure causes a problems, it will bust and both are wasted. New wine has to be placed in something flexible, malleable, something that can handle the changes and pressures that will take place through the stages, something that has the ability to make adjustments.

Jesus is telling them that the problem they were having with Him is that He came to bring new wine but their religious framework of thinking is so antiquated and outdated that it would burst them to receive what He was getting ready to say and do. There is no pouring without a new paradigm. The only way to experience new wine and not burst is to change the wineskin, or to change the way you think.

Every year during this time there are always lots of decrees and proclamations made. I remember that I was supposed to “Get more in 04”, “Come alive in 05”, “Get it fixed in 06”, “Manifest heaven in 07”, “Go through the gate in 08”, etc…

What happens is that many people gather together, they talk, they even pray the new things being said, they are hungry, ready to receive a new slogan in hopes that this year will truly be different than the one they just went through yet 1 month, 2 months into the new year they discover that they still needed more in 04, nothing came alive in 05, it didn’t get fixed in 06 and we look bewildered and disappointed that these things did not come to pass as we had thought.

For many it is because they have faith in the wrong thing. Faith cannot be in a watch night service, stroke of the clock, or the latest slogan. It has to be in the Lord whom the bible says, “daily loadeth us with benefits”, every day is an opportunity from the Lord if we would sieze it, if we would maximize the moment and stop waiting for a certain day, time always placing in our future that which God has for us today by the renewing of our mind!

There is no need of us having a new year, with a new slogan if were going to go into it with an old mindset. If it is going to change its not because of a calendar day or a clock, if your going to come out from where you have been and experience something new, you have to come out head first! True Resolve will come from true repentance which is a change of mind. If He can get our heads out everything else will follow!