Newsletter 46: October 2009

(New Zealand Edition)*

* if you are not from NZ click here for our Australian/International e-newsletter.

More on "YouthTRAIN on Facebook"

As mentioned last month, YouthTRAIN now has a Facebook "presence". You will notice the new Facebook box on our home page that keeps you updated on thelatest posts or you can check us out at facebook.com/youthtrain. Our page contains many of the things included in this months e-newsletter including links to interesting articles and job opportunities. So don't wait for these monthly newsletters - sign up as a fan and read them as they are posted in Facebook. And don't forget to send invites to your youth ministry friends.

YouthTRANZ

• Do you care enough about young people arriving in your town or city to study enough to call round and visit them, inviting them along to church and your youth programme?
• Do you care enough about the young people in your youth ministry leaving your town or city to make the effort to talk with them about the challenges they will face and help them find a new church home?

If you answered yes to either of those then check out the YouthTRANZ section of our website. Here you can either register to follow up newcomers to your area, or advise us of where your young people are headed and we will supply a list of churches and leaders willing to follow them up. We will also send you a copy of our free booklet "Prepare!" to pass on to them as well as links to three Bible studies for you to take young people through who are about to leave home. The first of these can be found here. Download it and check it out.

And sign up now!

The Pick of this Month's Articles

The following articles and links appear on our Facebook Page. Become a fan and be advised or articles like these as they are published.

• Can't Talk to your Teen? Try Texting A value of txting as a means of keeping communication lines open between parents and teens (stuff.co.nz).
• The Demons of Drink: The problem of alcoholism and its effects among our young people (NZ Listener)
• Peer Pressure and Teens: Teens Who Feel More Peer Pressure Turn Out Better, Not Worse (Newsweek)
• Growing Through Gripes: Dealing with Disapproval and Criticism (YouthWorker)
• Just Guys - Part 1: Understanding and Escaping Guyland (Fuller Youth Institute)
• Just Guys - Part 2: and Guys and Gaming (Fuller Youth Institute)
• One in Four Teens Cyber-bullied: The problem of cyber bullying and practical steps to deal with it (NZ Herald)
• Alcohol Blamed for Youth Crime: The effects of alcohol on our crime rate (The Dominion Post)
• Longevity: Staying in professional youth ministry for the long haul (simplyyouthministry.com)
• Adolescent Maturity: While adolescents may reason as well as adults, their emotional maturity lags (Science Daily)
• Rude Awakenings: Should schools start later to help sleep-deprived teens? (newsjournalonline.com)
• Coming Out in Middle School: How 13-year-old kids are dealing with their sexual identity and how others are dealing with them (NY Times)
• Half of Gay Students Self-harm: The stress of being gay and ways young people try to cope (NZ Herald)

Websites and Resources of the Month

The following articles and links appear on our Facebook Page. Become a fan and be advised or articles like these as they are published.

• YMToday.com: A large number of free resources including Bible studies, dramas and games. Highly recommended.
• Simply Youth Ministry: Live Curriculum: A 4 year plan. Link includes downloadable free samples.
• Energize: Articles, resource ideas and training for youth ministry from the UK. Includes downloadable samples.

Youth Ministry Books Needed

YouthMesh needs youth ministry books for Bible Colleges in the majority world. YouthMesh (www.youthmesh.org) is headed up by Sean Marston and is the youth ministry arm of the mission agency SIM (Serving in Mission). Most of the countries that YouthMesh is involved in have no structured youth ministry training while only a few even have youth ministry papers that can be taken at local Bible Colleges. YouthMesh is working with some of these Bible Colleges (in places like Zambia, Malawi and Ethiopia) in helping to develop more effective youth ministry papers but one key thing they lack is good quality youth ministry books. Therefore Sean is keen to get hold of some youth ministry books and send them over to these Bible Colleges. If you have some good youth ministry books (less than 20 years old) that you don’t need could you please mail them to Sean at:

5A Scotstoun Place
Glen Eden
Auckland

Or alternatively if you are in the Auckland area he could pick them up. For more info contact Sean at: sean@youthmesh.org

Latest Job Opportunities

Latest adverts posted during the past few months (more on our website):

• Under 40’s Ministry Development Officer - South and Mid Canterbury, New Zealand (October 16, 2009)
• Trust Manager - Christchurch, New Zealand (October 15, 2009)
• Youth Pastor (Full Time) - Palmerston North, New Zealand (October 2, 2009)
• Youth Pastor - Christchurch, New Zealand (September 17, 2009)
• Youth Pastor - Christchurch, New Zealand (September 1, 2009)

Sabbatical Leave

From 27 October to 26 November I will be on Sabbatical leave. I'll be attending a couple of conferences in the USA and taking time out for reflection and recharging. During this time I will be contactable by email or through Facebook.

Can you help?

Writing newsletters takes time and there is little tangible return. It is a blessing to do it but in the end the bills have to be paid. We are a faith venture and not underwritten by any organisation or denomination. If you have read this far it's a safe bet that these newsletters are helpful to you. If so why not give a one off donation from your personal or ministry budget - no amount is too small. If you are interested in offering some support - regularly or as a one off donation click here to find out more. We have a link to our automatic payment form plus a page that tells you how you can make contributions through internet banking.

- Murray