Youth Pastor Summit Recap

I just got back from my first youth ministry conference and got to hear some amazing speakers talk about ministry. Speakers included Ed Stetzer, David Ferguson, Darren Whitehead, Brent Crowe, & Eric Geiger. The event was two days held in Orlando, FL. I also was able to connect with other youth pastors from all over the place. I just want to share with you some of the things that I learned and recap the two days for you!

The thing that I really enjoyed about this conference is that everything was focused on Christ. Ed Stetzer said that, "if you are the face of your ministry then you need to repent or resign! Christ should be the face of your ministry." David Ferguson encouraged us to stop telling our students what they can and cannot do (a list of do's and don'ts), and to instead teach Jesus and see them make the right choices. Whether it was our personal life or our ministry life we were encouraged to love and focus on Christ.

Other things I learned:

1. The dropout rate of students after high school is not as high if they are deeply rooted in the Bible. This means that we have to teach the Bible and think about what we want our students to look like when they leave our ministry. Ed Stetzer gave three components of depth - The pastor / preaching - small groups - and personal devotion & Bible study. We need to connect students to Christ, the Bible, and godly leaders.
2. We were challenged to rethink our view of Christ. In John 14:15 Jesus declares, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. " What do you think Jesus' demeanor was when He said that. Do you see Him with an inspecting / disappointed attitude? David Ferguson showed us that this statement was a promise from a loving Savior who is excited to have a relationship with us. He also explained that Jesus characteristics include sensitive, approachable, patient, gentile, & kind. He showed us that Jesus comforts those who are hurting, He pursues those who are falling, He prays for us, He provides for us, He welcomes us, and that all our hope can be found in Him. This is important because, as a Christian, our identity is found in Christ.
3. We learned that a disciple of Christ is more than someone who just knows more or does more than someone else. A true disciple has those qualities but also lovingly relates to God and others. We have to make students disciples of Christ by showing them that they belong in God's plan (they are a part of His big picture) and by encouraging them that they can change the world (Darren Whitehead). We were also taught to stay away from complexity and stay on mission so we don't drift away (Eric Geiger). We must have a clear process to simplify, deepen, expect, and multiply (Ed Stetzer).

It was an encouraging time that has made me rethink why we do the things we do for our students at Petra and what do we need to add so that students catch Christ's vision for their lives.

I'll close with a great question Brent Crowe asked. "When was the last time you rested your head in the chest of your Father (Christ) and knew you were at home?