youthgrouptshirts|Christian tshirts, news and opinions

Anyone who’s not been an only child knows brothers and sisters can fight—a lot—but scientists believe too much sibling squabbling can lead to problems when the kids become teens. Researchers from the University of Missouri studied 145 pairs of pubescent siblings during the course of a full year. These researchers found that youth who had the highest levels of self-esteem typically fought less with their brothers or sisters. Those who argued more were more likely to develop problems during the study’s 12 months, including anxiety and depression. (Time)

Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and two children. Follow him on Twitter.

via Youth Culture Update: Mom! Billy’s Damaging My Psyche! | YouthWorker.com.

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I know a lot of youth groups slow down a little or take the next couple of weeks off (during Christmas break) and small group leaders get a little break. That’s a good thing! During this time, it’s great to make sure they know they’re loved and valued and essential to the health of your youth ministry. Drop them a short note or a quick text or a Merry Christmas … anything that communicates value.

As you prepare your care structure for next year, consider these 10 simple ideas to show small group leaders how important they are:

1. Call them the day of their small group. Take notes on the conversation, and follow up with them the next day or week about something they said they were going to try in their small group.

2. Whenever you send something to your own small group students, make extra copies and send them to your small group leaders as examples.

3. Email them as a group and let them know about a lesson you taught or something that “worked” with your own small group.

4. Send them articles you read about teenagers, culture, family or youth ministry in general.

5. Mail an actual note letting them know how much you appreciate them and couldn’t do ministry with out them. EVERYONE loves getting mail!

6. Ask them how you can pray for them personally … not just for their ministry to teenagers.

7. If they use the words, “If I only had …” or, “I need to find a …” try to get it to them! How nice is it when someone else makes your job easier for you?

8. When you come across a teenager who is in a small group, ask him/her if they’d write his/her small group leader a note of affirmation (offer to mail it for the student).

9. Schedule a short, face-to-face meeting before or after youth group/church/etc. … Get in the habit of regular “just wanted to connect and see how you’re doing” meetings. Let them know they’re not alone.

10. Send a short email reminding them you’re available to answer any questions they might have about their small group. Do this often … ministry to teenagers can sometimes be lonely!

I realize these are very basic (and doable) ideas, but there’s a lot of power in the simple, basic ideas that communicate concern for your leaders. Leaders typically don’t leave a ministry, they leave leaders. Be the type of leader your volunteers don’t want to leave.

 

Doug Fields has been in youth ministry since 1979 and former pastor to students at Saddleback Church in Southern California. He’s the author of 50+ books, including the best-selling Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry & Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry. He’s also the founder of Simply Youth Ministry, an instructor at Azusa Pacific University/HomeWord, and on the leadership team with Youth Specialties. More from Doug Fields or visit/subscribe to Doug’s blog at www.dougfields.com

More from Doug Fields or visit Doug at www.dougfields.com

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As Christmas is winding down and we prepare to celebrate the New Year, we’re continuing with a year-end tradition here at the ym360 Blog.

We’re taking a few days between now and New Year’s Day to re-post the Top 5 Most Read Blog Posts from 2012.

We’ll start with #5 and move all the way to #1 on New Year’s Day. Our hope is that you find these posts informative and entertaining, and that ultimately, they help jump start you to a purposeful new year of ministry.

So, let’s get on with it! Click on the title of the Blog Post below to check it out!

The 3rd Most Read ym360 Blog Post of 2012 is . . . 

When Is A Youth Minister Too Old To Be Effective? 

Here is a group photo of a youth group who went on a mission trip to Brazil. Everyone loved their simple one color design. Christian tshirt designs come in all shapes, sizes and colors. It’s only limited to the budget and the imagination. Youth groups world wide use screen printed tshirts as a ministry staple. Themes for Christian tshirts can range from anything from a simple bible verse to a full color, 4 color process custom design. Most youth groups gain their budget for their tshirts by passing along the cost to the individual, others use their church youth budgets to offset the price of the tshirt.
 

Wonderful words and thoughts from this article below. I have heard this phrase most of my adult life and ministry. I remember the first youth worker who first mentioned it to me when I was feeling like I was very unimportant in the grand scheme of churchdom. It has stuck with me for years. Click the links to read all the article.

via Bloom Where You’re Planted | More Than Dodgeball.

I had the privilege of posting a couple of guest posts on some other great youth ministry blogs this past week. The first was on Josh Evans’ blog called Bloom Where You’re Planted:

These were some of the most powerful words ever said to me. It came at a time when I was looking around in frustration at my ministry, my eyes were wandering for more and I was always wishing for a bigger crowd in a sexier ministry. How selfish, naive and sad. God had called me to my church, but my brokenness inside was already thinking about next and more and bigger.

The second was on Brooklyn Lindsey’s blog called The Best Kept Secret in Your Church:

I recently realized that our youth ministry was one of the best kept secrets in the church. I walked around the adult services last week and read every word in the church bulletin – and found hardly a mention of our high school ministry. Now certainly in a megachuch with so much cooking you could explain away this news, but I know from my 7 years in a smaller church this happens everywhere.

Click the links above to read the whole articles – thanks for the opportunities to share, too!

JG

last one picked

Originally uploaded by christian tshirts

This was a very fun tshirt we did several years ago. Colors popped and it really struck a chord with a lot of people. The message is funny, but also thought provoking. In this day of bully awareness, we all need to be sensitive especially in youth ministry. Kids come in all shapes and sizes. The opportunity we have as ministers is to see everyone equally. You never know what kind of lasting impression you will have on a young person. Accepting them can build tremendous confidence and self worth. Rejecting or ignoring them can result in a lifelong hatred for the church and the gospel.

I know this is just a funny christian tshirt, but it reminds me that I should always be aware of the power of my words and actions. Remember the business of church as a youth professional is no excuse for being so self absorbed that you can not see the invisible kids in your group.

I know. I was a shy skinny kid with a really bad self esteem. My youth minister saw potential in me and poured a lot of love, care and training into me. I would not be where I am today without his care and ministry.

peace christian tshirt

Originally uploaded by redroofventures

We have always loved the colors of this Christian tshirt. Printed on an olive green or army green colored tshirt with bright athletic gold and white, really makes this design pop. If you want this design with different text, we can make it happen.

We have over a thousand different designs on our flickr photostream. If you need ideas or you just see something that you can not live without. Plus we have over 500 template designs that can be customized with your church or youth ministry name. The cost is so much less than producing a custom design. Why? Because it saves so much time than the constant tweaking of a custom design.

No cost for a name drop or text change. Color of tshirt change or color of ink, may result in an increase. But we will do our best to keep your Christian tshirt design below your budget.

It is not a far stretch to say that Christian tshirts are a staple in today’s youth ministry arsenal. Promotional Christian tshirts have been around since the late 60′s. Made very popular in the 70′s by Christian artist touring the country as their rock counter parts. It did not take long before youth ministers began to see the validity of adding Christian tshirts to their promotional budgets for camp, mission trips, weekend bible studies, ski trips, vacation bible school and a myriad of other church related activities. Like it or not, the event tshirt is a planning point of nearly every major activity within youth ministry today. Adding at least another 10 bucks to the event budget for every kid to have a matching Christian tshirt.

It’s fun to have a tshirt that coincides with a memorable event. We have one client that produces the exact same graphic every year and just changes the date. His students pride themselves in have that little canoe on their tshirt symbolizing participation for every year they were in youth group. Frankly, some of these students keep these tshirt for years and a great souvenir of sorts for the great times they had in youth group.

That’s the reason a lot of screen printer and Christian tshirt designers insist on developing a relevant design that their students will want to keep for years to come. Of course the ever present Christian tshirt parodies are still ever present before us, but those youth ministers that take their time and create or have someone else create a great design seem to be a little more proud of their creation than the person who rips off a world brand to create buzz.

Man, there are a bunch of Christian tshirt sites these days. When we started there were only a few and we were one of few that focussed on youth group tshirts. Now, there are pages and pages of websites that produce every type and style of tshirt available. From the promotional Gildan brand to the ever growing popularity of American Apparel tshirts. A lot of youth guys would rather spend a few more dollars to get a quality tshirt than just an afforadable one.

I never grow tired of producing great Christian tshirt designs, even though I have slowed down a little in the last 5 years. The competition of designing tshirts is getting to be a buyers market, which is a good thing. I encourage youth ministers to keep buying those tshirts. It helps us all out.

Make an awesome new logo in under 10 minutes!

Just found this site today. Pretty cool. A place to find the latest and greatest apps for the Christian market.

Welcome to ChristianiPhoneApps.com, the largest online directory dedicated exclusively to Christian Applications for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Keep watching the site for the latest information, news and app reviews on Christian iPhone and iPad Apps.

via Christian Religious iPhone Applications | iPhone Apps | iPod Touch, iPad App.

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