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3 Things You Need to Immediately Eliminate From Your Youth Ministry! · Ministry Coach: Youth Ministry Tips & Resources

0:00
SPEAKER_00: And that's why it's sneaky, because you wouldn't be doing it if there weren't some positives drawing you to it.
0:07
SPEAKER_00: If it was awful from start to finish, that would be a no-brainer.
0:12
SPEAKER_00: This is more high-level leadership strategic thinking that we're talking about of yeah, we can, but should we?
0:20
SPEAKER_00: We have the time, but is this the best use of it?
0:24
SPEAKER_00: Do you feel like you're doing too much in youth ministry?
0:26
SPEAKER_00: Today we're gonna give you three things to eliminate and never look back.
0:42
SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Ministry Coach Podcast, where every week we give you actionable and practical tips to help you grow the size and health of your youth ministry.
0:50
SPEAKER_01: My name is Jeff Lascola, and this is Krista Lascola.
0:54
SPEAKER_00: The way you said that one part was weird.
0:59
SPEAKER_00: You sound like Winnie the Pooh.
1:00
SPEAKER_01: You're so predictable.
1:02
SPEAKER_01: Winnie the Pooh.
1:05
SPEAKER_00: I don't know when you said that.
1:11
SPEAKER_01: I don't know about that.
1:12
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
1:12
SPEAKER_00: Made me think of Winnie the Pooh.
1:14
SPEAKER_00: So today we're gonna talk about three things to eliminate from your youth ministry routine and the reasons why.
1:21
SPEAKER_00: And so, number one, anything that is super high effort and super low impact.
1:30
SPEAKER_00: And I think we accidentally find ourselves in these types of events or programs that it takes a lot of time and energy and money and resources.
1:44
SPEAKER_00: And if we were to step back and measure the fruit or the impact, it's not a net positive.
1:52
SPEAKER_00: So a lot of times people in ministry do things because we like it or it's tradition or everyone loves it or it has some great memories, but it's actually not doing the job we set out to accomplish.
2:07
SPEAKER_00: And then we just end up being really busy.
2:10
SPEAKER_00: Because I think sometimes when we talk about stewardship, the only category we think about is financial.
2:17
SPEAKER_00: Be a good steward.
2:19
SPEAKER_00: That always ends up being like with your money and make sure you know you're not wasteful and you're giving and generous and all of that.
2:27
SPEAKER_00: But I would say the stewardship question is a lot broader than that.
2:32
SPEAKER_00: Meaning, are you a good steward of your team and their energy and their margin?
2:37
SPEAKER_00: Are you a good steward of just resources in general?
2:41
SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's not money specifically, but our time and the resources we have available to us.
2:48
SPEAKER_00: And just like I said, people's willingness and energy runs out at some point.
2:54
SPEAKER_00: So we want to make sure we're choosing events and programs that it doesn't matter if it's hard work, that's not what I'm saying, but is the juice worth the squeeze?
3:06
SPEAKER_00: Right.
3:06
SPEAKER_00: So, for example, we for years and years and years did a float for our town's Christmas parade.
3:14
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, long time ago.
3:15
SPEAKER_00: A long time ago.
3:17
SPEAKER_00: And was it fun?
3:18
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
3:19
SPEAKER_00: Was it festive?
3:20
SPEAKER_00: Totally.
3:21
SPEAKER_00: Was it a little sense of togetherness?
3:24
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
3:25
SPEAKER_01: Did a student get his foot run over by the float itself?
3:29
SPEAKER_01: 100%.
3:31
SPEAKER_01: Did a girl barf because she was allergic to hay?
3:35
SPEAKER_01: Oh, the memories.
3:37
SPEAKER_00: Did I have a panic attack because I rode in the trailer on the way back to the church and I couldn't get out?
3:43
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
3:44
SPEAKER_00: Freaked out.
3:46
SPEAKER_00: Um, so there we go.
3:48
SPEAKER_00: Three reasons to talk yourself out of there.
3:52
SPEAKER_01: Or into it, depending on what kind of youth bastard you are.
3:57
SPEAKER_00: I'm up for a good time.
3:58
SPEAKER_00: Let's have an adventure.
4:00
SPEAKER_00: Um dang, I forgot about a couple of those.
4:05
SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
4:06
SPEAKER_01: That's like all I remember.
4:09
SPEAKER_00: So Jeff was having fun.
4:11
SPEAKER_00: Um, and Matthew, I hope your foot's okay.
4:14
SPEAKER_00: I'm very sorry about that.
4:15
SPEAKER_00: I wasn't driving, but you know.
4:17
SPEAKER_00: So, for example, the Christmas parade float.
4:21
SPEAKER_00: It was fun, it was dangerous, it was a wild time.
4:25
SPEAKER_00: But it was so much work to get that thing built.
4:29
SPEAKER_00: And you could argue, oh, like no, but it was like a project and a sense of togetherness.
4:34
SPEAKER_00: And sure, I'm not saying it was 100% there is nothing good here.
4:40
SPEAKER_00: Right.
4:40
SPEAKER_00: And that's why it's sneaky because you wouldn't be doing it if there weren't some positives drawing you to it.
4:48
SPEAKER_00: If it was awful from start to finish, that would be a no-brainer.
4:54
SPEAKER_00: This is more high-level leadership strategic thinking that we're talking about of yeah, we can, but should we?
5:03
SPEAKER_00: We have the time, but is this the best use of it?
5:07
SPEAKER_00: And so we did it for years and it was fun and people liked it, and it was a little sense of togetherness, a good memory, a good tradition.
5:14
SPEAKER_00: But what we started finding over time was it really didn't draw anyone new to our church.
5:21
SPEAKER_00: Just because we had a float and a parade, it wasn't like, oh, look at that float.
5:25
SPEAKER_00: I think I'll go to that church.
5:26
SPEAKER_00: It's like, you know, we exist.
5:28
SPEAKER_00: Either you want to come or you don't.
5:31
SPEAKER_00: The float is not gonna bend you one way or another.
5:33
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so then what about the motivation of the congregants having fun and working on something together?
5:39
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, let's do that in a different way that doesn't require a lot of money and labor because to build this thing to make it look halfway decent so that you actually weren't in a net negative and embarrassed in front of your whole town, it took a lot.
5:55
SPEAKER_00: I mean, we had like builders drilling a frame and hanging decorations and generators so we could have the electricity.
6:03
SPEAKER_00: Right.
6:04
SPEAKER_00: And then people having to sign up and like organize like where do we meet and where's our staging place?
6:09
SPEAKER_00: Like it was resources.
6:11
SPEAKER_00: So, like, do a float, they say.
6:13
SPEAKER_00: It'll be fun, they say.
6:14
SPEAKER_00: But then in actuality, is this accomplishing enough of what we want it to do to make it worth all of this?
6:21
SPEAKER_00: And you may answer yes to that.
6:24
SPEAKER_00: We eventually answered no to that.
6:26
SPEAKER_00: I would rather put my time, money, and resources toward a cool Christmas service and you know, have people help out there and people come to the church and we are great hosts or something.
6:38
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
6:39
SPEAKER_00: But something that's a ton of work that ends up being a net positive for us is the battle.
6:45
SPEAKER_00: We've talked about that before.
6:46
SPEAKER_00: The battle is definitely the most expensive thing I do all year long.
6:50
SPEAKER_00: Um, by the time you buy costumes and tickets to the theme park and supplies, and you know, I give gifts to people who help, like my referees and stuff like that.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: It's expensive.
7:03
SPEAKER_00: The fruit is undeniable, though.
7:06
SPEAKER_00: So it is a lot of work, a lot of energy, a lot of time, a lot of resources.
7:11
SPEAKER_00: We film videos, we go all out with costumes, we do a whole storyboard and like to connect like all the teams and what are we actually fighting for?
7:24
SPEAKER_00: I have to hire speakers to do different things each week to make it exciting and order banners for every team.
7:30
SPEAKER_00: Like, there's so much that goes into the battle.
7:32
SPEAKER_00: We have a module on it in our course, but when you get the results and how many students are inviting their friends, making first-time decisions, making a rededication to Jesus, you know, which students love to do, um, which is valid.
7:49
SPEAKER_00: It's just funny because it's always such a high number, you know.
7:53
SPEAKER_00: But it's a good reminder.
7:54
SPEAKER_00: It kind of snaps them back into like, all right, lock in.
7:57
SPEAKER_00: Like, I'm following Jesus, right?
7:59
SPEAKER_00: Yes, I am.
8:00
SPEAKER_00: So I like the recommitment.
8:02
SPEAKER_00: People talk about that sometimes.
8:04
SPEAKER_00: But anyways, yeah, I'll spend the money and I'll spend the time, I'll spend the energy because you can't deny we have kids not only come but stay.
8:13
SPEAKER_00: Right now they're getting plugged into small groups, now they're getting discipled, now they're a part of the church.
8:18
SPEAKER_00: It's not like, well, remember that one kid made a decision, we never saw them again.
8:22
SPEAKER_00: That usually doesn't happen to us.
8:23
SPEAKER_00: We retain the kids that we attract through the battle.
8:26
SPEAKER_00: So I'm willing to do it.
8:28
SPEAKER_01: The just to interject here for a second, the retaining though has to do with your program in general.
8:33
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
8:34
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, that you can throw the greatest event in the world.
8:36
SPEAKER_01: If you're not, if your youth group program is not um up to par, those kids are gonna eventually fall off.
8:44
SPEAKER_00: They're like, well, the battle is really fun, but every other week sucks, so I'm out of here.
8:49
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, for sure.
8:49
SPEAKER_01: So And that doesn't mean, oh, but then you have to throw an event every single week, you know, because some people say, like, well, what you attract them with is what you keep them with, or whatever that cliche is.
9:00
SPEAKER_01: But this is getting kids in the door, but you're also keeping them with small groups, with worship, with good messages, with your program.
9:08
SPEAKER_00: It's still fun.
9:09
SPEAKER_00: It's like the battle is like fun.
9:11
SPEAKER_01: Fun has ended back to boring, you know, youth group.
9:14
SPEAKER_00: Like the the battle culminates in this frenzy of fun.
9:19
SPEAKER_00: However, every week is fun.
9:21
SPEAKER_00: So, but now you get worship and small groups and community, and it's like, ah, okay, next step.
9:28
SPEAKER_00: It's kind of like we're funneling you through a little bit.
9:31
SPEAKER_00: And then some of those kids end up joining my leadership team the following year.
9:35
SPEAKER_00: So now we've really funneled them to the core because they're like, this is my home now for a year.
9:40
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to be more involved.
9:41
SPEAKER_00: I see it all the time.
9:42
SPEAKER_00: They get baptized the next summer.
9:44
SPEAKER_00: So, like I said, it's working.
9:46
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna keep doing it.
9:47
SPEAKER_00: Hey, quick question for you.
9:49
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever felt like you are working really hard in your youth ministry every week, but you don't know what the next step is or how to grow your youth ministry?
9:58
SPEAKER_00: Well, you are not alone.
10:00
SPEAKER_00: And that is exactly why we created our course and coaching program called Youth Ministry Growth Accelerator.
10:07
SPEAKER_00: Inside the program, we're gonna walk you step by step through strategies, systems, leadership principles that help ministries grow, both in size and in health.
10:18
SPEAKER_00: This isn't just theory, it's the exact framework we've used and taught to youth pastors all over the country and even globally.
10:26
SPEAKER_00: In addition to the course and coaching, you will also have the opportunity to join a cohort community where you can meet with other youth leaders who are on the same journey to encourage each other, share ideas, and stay accountable as you put things into practice.
10:40
SPEAKER_00: So if you're looking for a clearer path to grow your ministry, head over to grow your youth ministry.com to see everything that's included.
10:48
SPEAKER_00: Once again, that's growyour youth ministry.com.
10:51
SPEAKER_00: All right, let's get back to the episode.
10:53
SPEAKER_00: So I guess the question for you to ask on this one is what are you still doing just because?
11:00
SPEAKER_00: But instead say everything I do is gonna be intentional and purposeful and has a clear result, clear fruit, a clear impact.
11:11
SPEAKER_00: Because again, churches and youth groups waste a lot of time doing they're busy, like people be like, I'm so busy, I'm so busy, I'm so busy, but like literally doing nothing of importance, you know?
11:23
SPEAKER_00: So if we're gonna be busy and tired, let's at least let this stuff be highly impactful and making a difference instead of just like, well, everyone wants a float, we gotta do it.
11:35
SPEAKER_00: It's like, do we?
11:37
SPEAKER_00: Because we don't, and nothing bad happened.
11:41
SPEAKER_00: Right.
11:42
SPEAKER_01: Like more bad things happened when we didn't do it.
11:45
SPEAKER_00: As Jeff pointed out.
11:46
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
11:47
SPEAKER_00: Okay, number two, something to eliminate.
11:50
SPEAKER_00: This is from your youth group, or maybe your church overall.
11:53
SPEAKER_00: If you have a voice in the planning, I would suggest getting rid of extravagant holiday programs.
12:01
SPEAKER_00: So some churches like get, okay, it's Christmas, it's Easter, it's like the Super Bowl.
12:10
SPEAKER_00: We've gotta have helicopters and cranes and like Easter eggs pouring out of like a helicopter.
12:18
SPEAKER_01: Or a plane.
12:20
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's why the helicopters and planes are there.
12:24
SPEAKER_01: Plane.
12:25
SPEAKER_01: That's on the list.
12:26
unknown: Plane.
12:27
SPEAKER_00: Haven't done that before.
12:28
SPEAKER_01: Blue Angels, are you available on Easter?
12:32
SPEAKER_00: Very important.
12:32
SPEAKER_01: And what is your load capacity for Easter eggs?
12:37
SPEAKER_00: Just put stickers in them.
12:39
SPEAKER_00: I here's the thing.
12:41
SPEAKER_00: Holidays are special fun.
12:44
SPEAKER_00: Let's not ignore that.
12:46
SPEAKER_00: I don't, I'm not saying don't decorate for Christmas or, you know, Easter.
12:50
SPEAKER_00: Do something a little special, like have a special.
12:53
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we'll do like breakfast burritos, like or a big fruit charcuterie, like something kind of a little special and different.
13:01
SPEAKER_00: But here's what I would say be careful of going over the top.
13:06
SPEAKER_00: Couple of reasons.
13:07
SPEAKER_00: You, as the youth worker, should be able to enjoy holidays, not dread them.
13:13
SPEAKER_00: Keep in mind you are also a Christian and you are also part of the church, and like you should also be enjoying a holiday as well.
13:21
SPEAKER_00: Like I said, acknowledge it, do something fun, but don't kill yourself trying to make things over the top elaborate.
13:28
SPEAKER_00: And here's why.
13:29
SPEAKER_00: It's how do I say this?
13:34
SPEAKER_00: So a lot of people who come, like your numbers will swell a little bit, or maybe a lot.
13:41
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
13:41
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever noticed those numbers go straight back down the next week?
13:46
SPEAKER_01: Meaning that's the classic VBS.
13:48
SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
13:49
SPEAKER_00: And it's the statistically, like it shows that people who go to church on Christmas and Easter only, those churches retain less than 5% of those people.
14:02
SPEAKER_00: So they'll see you again next year.
14:03
SPEAKER_00: So you do all this hoopla because you want them to have a good experience because you're like, maybe if they really love it or you know, whatever, they'll keep coming and they'll come back.
14:12
SPEAKER_00: They're either gonna come or they're not.
14:14
SPEAKER_00: You know, if they want to come to church, they know where you are.
14:17
SPEAKER_00: Again, I'm not saying so coal in your stocking on Christmas, but at the same time, it makes no sense for you to exhaust yourself, exhaust your team, exhaust your budget, exhaust your resources for people who are just looking for a family tradition.
14:36
SPEAKER_00: They're not looking for a church to be a part of, and maybe a few are, and those few will stay, and they'll be not, it's like kind of where I said the battle.
14:46
SPEAKER_00: It's like, oh, now we're going back to normal church.
14:49
SPEAKER_00: Where's the charcuterie?
14:51
SPEAKER_00: You know, it's like, well, we did something special, but we didn't go so all out that we are now a different church the next week.
15:01
SPEAKER_00: And like I said, the people who are genuinely seeking and are like, you know, starting Christmas 2026, we're going to church.
15:11
SPEAKER_00: And it's like, great, capture that family.
15:14
SPEAKER_00: But I remember seeing this huge long line for our Easter charcuterie thing.
15:20
SPEAKER_00: We had this beautiful spread.
15:22
SPEAKER_00: I've I vividly remember a family or two that I'm like, I'm never gonna see you ever again.
15:27
SPEAKER_00: And I haven't like because I was like, oh, I think I know them, never saw them again.
15:32
SPEAKER_00: You know, it's like, yeah, because people want a family tradition.
15:35
SPEAKER_00: They're not necessarily looking for like a church home.
15:39
SPEAKER_00: It's just what they do.
15:40
SPEAKER_00: A lot of non-Christians go to any church on Easter and Christmas as a tradition.
15:46
SPEAKER_00: Again, they're gonna hear the gospel, they're gonna have a great experience, but I just don't think it's like worth like a crane operator sending baby Jesus down to a live nativity.
15:59
SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
16:01
SPEAKER_01: That's in Luke.
16:03
SPEAKER_00: Okay, side note I saw a news story about a live performance of I I don't know if it was a Christmas story or Easter or whatever, but it was in Korea, and the crane operator misread the instructions and it said, raise Jesus 10 feet off the ground.
16:23
SPEAKER_00: He added a zero to that and raised Jesus a hundred feet off the ground, unless it's AI.
16:30
SPEAKER_00: But this guy, I've seen it from a few different angles, so it looks like it's filmed from someone's cell phone.
16:35
SPEAKER_00: Who knows?
16:35
SPEAKER_00: I've been fooled before, and the guy passed out, like he was up so high, and he's in this white, and he's like teeny tiny, and then he he's fine, so we can laugh, but he passed out of there.
16:49
SPEAKER_00: That's so scary.
16:51
SPEAKER_00: He just kept going and going.
16:53
SPEAKER_00: Ten feet's a lot higher than going and going.
16:56
SPEAKER_00: And how do you communicate?
16:57
SPEAKER_00: Let me down.
16:58
SPEAKER_00: I mean, he was probably trying to stay in character, you know, but it was more realistic because it really did look like he was ascending because it was at night, so you couldn't see any cords, and you just see his white robe so bright, and he's just like this little tiny thing up there.
17:14
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, that'd be so scary.
17:16
SPEAKER_00: It was so scary.
17:17
SPEAKER_01: I say AI.
17:18
SPEAKER_01: I say everything is AI.
17:20
SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
17:20
SPEAKER_00: Do some investigating, let me know in the comments because I really hope it's AI.
17:24
SPEAKER_00: That's terrifying.
17:26
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, like I said, you don't need to go over the top to impress people.
17:30
SPEAKER_00: And I think we have to be really honest.
17:32
SPEAKER_00: If that's our motivation, just to impress people, and you're killing yourself for it and neglecting time with your family on the holidays, and you're dreading holidays, and you're not looking forward to it, and you're taxing your team and your budget just to impress people that may or may never come back, they don't need to be impressed.
17:51
SPEAKER_00: Like, we can never be so impressive that deliver a great message, tell them who Jesus is, and have a beautiful Christmas tree in there.
18:00
SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, it's not like I'm the Grinch.
18:03
SPEAKER_00: I love a good Christmas themed something.
18:06
SPEAKER_00: I do it all the time, but I've just seen churches just do too much.
18:10
SPEAKER_00: And it just feels like, why?
18:11
SPEAKER_00: Why are we doing this?
18:13
SPEAKER_00: It feels just like we've stepped over a line from reasonable to over the top for no particular reason.
18:22
SPEAKER_00: Going back to number one, I think we end up in a net negative on time, money, resources, energy, all of that.
18:29
SPEAKER_00: But I think holidays tend to be a big temptation for churches for that.
18:33
SPEAKER_01: So what if because I understand the reasoning, you know, you might just think like, well, we kind of just want to get people in the doors, like be here, see kind of what we're about, even though this might not be the usual thing.
18:44
SPEAKER_01: We don't always have Jesus ascending 100 feet in the air, but kind of like, oh, I've never been here before, like this is actually nice or whatever.
18:52
SPEAKER_01: What would you say to maybe a church doing it if it was like, all right, we're not gonna do it every year, but every few years, maybe we'll throw a big, you know, putting more energy into something like that.
19:02
SPEAKER_01: Or does that not even seem worth it?
19:04
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, and if there's something that you feel like is working really well, like go ahead.
19:10
SPEAKER_00: Like we do a wonderful Christmas Eve candlelight service.
19:14
SPEAKER_00: I don't think, I mean, they hand us candles, we do worship and a message outside.
19:20
SPEAKER_00: Like it's not that grandiose, but it's festive, it's meaningful, it's beautiful, and it didn't kill anybody, right?
19:29
SPEAKER_00: Like it wasn't like so exhausting.
19:31
SPEAKER_00: So I think it's like finding that match of like what was so festive, meaningful, and beautiful for this time of year, but was also reasonable use of resources.
19:43
SPEAKER_00: So I think you could do something every year as long as it's reasonable.
19:47
SPEAKER_00: You know, I just don't think it my fear is it just doesn't really accomplish what we're hoping it does.
19:54
SPEAKER_00: Like it just doesn't make anyone who was on the fence about going to church be like, you had a live nativity, okay, I'll give you a chance.
20:03
SPEAKER_00: It's like, no, that would just be something cool.
20:05
SPEAKER_00: They'd be like, Well, they had a live nativity.
20:07
SPEAKER_00: Well, I could go to a petting zoo anytime.
20:08
SPEAKER_00: Like, I don't know.
20:10
SPEAKER_00: Like, I just can't think of one thing that would be so impressive other than the gospel that somebody would just be like, okay, now that was all I needed, you know.
20:21
SPEAKER_00: But like you said, it does get them in the door, and you will retain some.
20:25
SPEAKER_00: And those some were ready.
20:27
SPEAKER_00: You know, they were like the fertile ground and the seed and all that.
20:31
SPEAKER_00: It's like they were ready for it.
20:33
SPEAKER_00: But someone who's not ready for it, they're just like, oh, what a beautiful service.
20:37
SPEAKER_00: I've heard non-Christians say that all the time.
20:40
SPEAKER_00: They go to church just because it was beautiful, and then they go on with their lives.
20:44
SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, but did you hear what they were saying and seeing?
20:47
SPEAKER_00: They just say, Oh, the music.
20:48
SPEAKER_00: They'll say something like, Oh, the music was beautiful, or oh, I loved the stained glass.
20:53
SPEAKER_00: It was beautiful.
20:53
SPEAKER_00: Like they just see it as almost like a museum or something.
20:58
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, sightseeing.
20:59
SPEAKER_00: That's what I'm saying.
21:00
SPEAKER_00: That's what you're saying.
21:01
SPEAKER_00: That was good.
21:02
SPEAKER_00: All right, and lastly, this is number three.
21:08
SPEAKER_00: And I'm guilty as charge because I just did one a month ago.
21:13
SPEAKER_00: Why are we doing lock-in still?
21:15
SPEAKER_01: Kids love it.
21:17
SPEAKER_01: Well, they don't love it, they think they love it.
21:20
SPEAKER_00: They think they love it.
21:21
SPEAKER_00: No one's having a good time past a certain point.
21:24
SPEAKER_00: I had kids begging every year, begging to go to bed.
21:29
SPEAKER_00: Like, or we turn on the movie, they just fall asleep.
21:32
SPEAKER_00: So here's my thing.
21:34
SPEAKER_00: Do we need them?
21:36
SPEAKER_00: I wonder very often, a couple times a year, if we could do just as much like relational equity with like a super fun three-hour event.
21:49
SPEAKER_00: Like, does it do we have to sleep here?
21:52
SPEAKER_00: Do or not, you know, like this is the room for the sleepers, this is the room for the loud kids, we're gonna hate each other.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: In about 45 minutes because you're gonna be so obnoxious and destructive.
22:04
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
22:05
SPEAKER_00: I just feel like for me, with the lock-ins or any overnight thing aside from camp, but we hit this tipping point where it goes from fun, relational equity, chemistry, connectedness to oh my gosh, we are so tired, so annoyed, so irritated.
22:27
SPEAKER_00: You're gonna fail your baseball game tomorrow, and we're all gonna get sick.
22:32
SPEAKER_00: Like it just doesn't feel like bomb bug.
22:36
SPEAKER_00: I know, right?
22:36
SPEAKER_00: But it's how I just feel like it brings out the worst in everyone.
22:40
SPEAKER_00: Brings out the worst in me.
22:41
SPEAKER_01: But you'll never convince specifically a middle schooler that staying up the entire night is not a great idea.
22:47
SPEAKER_01: They think that is, and maybe it's just because they never get the opportunity, and so they think.
22:52
SPEAKER_00: But here's my question what fruit does this produce?
22:55
SPEAKER_00: Okay, that's it.
22:55
SPEAKER_00: I don't disagree.
22:57
SPEAKER_00: Like I've had people push back on that because they'll be like, but the students love it.
23:01
SPEAKER_00: It's like, okay, I could think of 800 events the students would love.
23:05
SPEAKER_01: That one they'll they will riot if you if you take it out.
23:08
SPEAKER_01: It's like the how can you take the one thing that we are dying for?
23:12
SPEAKER_01: And yeah, again, they do it, they regret it, they hate it, they're miserable.
23:17
SPEAKER_01: But like, if you a week later were like, we're gonna do it again, they'd be like, sign me up.
23:22
SPEAKER_01: I mean, this idea worth that's what I was thinking.
23:27
SPEAKER_01: It's like you're saving them from themselves, but they will never get it out of their little pre-pubescent or pubescent brains that staying up all night is the greatest.
23:40
SPEAKER_00: Okay, well, I'm just putting it on the table for discussion.
23:43
SPEAKER_00: I just don't think it is accomplishing what I'm setting out to accomplish.
23:49
SPEAKER_00: It's uh, and here's why I still do it because I give in to the pressure of my staff, my leaders, and my students.
23:57
SPEAKER_00: But then when you're there, you're like, no, this isn't good.
24:02
SPEAKER_00: And most of them would why can't I just not be a sucker and do it?
24:07
SPEAKER_01: You you have a sacrificial lock-in where you say, Here is here is the goal to prove how bad of an idea this is.
24:15
SPEAKER_01: So you'll go and at 3:30 in the morning when everybody is just tapped out and you'll film and interview each one.
24:21
SPEAKER_01: You say, Is this a wise idea?
24:23
SPEAKER_01: Do you want to be awake right now?
24:24
SPEAKER_01: And then show them that.
24:25
SPEAKER_01: Show them that will be your promo for next year.
24:28
SPEAKER_00: I was kidding.
24:29
SPEAKER_00: I didn't even, I loved it.
24:31
SPEAKER_00: Uh, but it's like, I just wish I was brave enough to be the leader I want to be and just say, we are done, and be mad at me.
24:40
SPEAKER_00: Go find, go find a youth group that does it.
24:43
SPEAKER_00: I'm I think this is a such a dumb idea.
24:46
SPEAKER_00: And it never most people would agree with you.
24:49
SPEAKER_01: So you need to take your own advice then.
24:50
SPEAKER_01: Be brave.
24:52
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
24:52
SPEAKER_00: This is just me publicly challenging myself.
24:56
SPEAKER_00: Um yeah, I just feel like it's it's just if I had to say name five good things that come out of a lock-in, I couldn't.
25:06
SPEAKER_00: If you could say name five bad things that come out of a lock-in, I could.
25:10
SPEAKER_01: It'd be hard to stop.
25:12
SPEAKER_00: So doesn't that answer our question?
25:14
SPEAKER_00: If you can think of five good things that come out of a lock-in, post it in the comments.
25:19
SPEAKER_00: Because maybe I can be convinced to the other side.
25:21
SPEAKER_00: But I just feel like it's one of those youth ministry staples that I feel like falls into the category of a net negative.
25:29
SPEAKER_00: Like, I just I'm a I'm all for a good time.
25:31
SPEAKER_00: Trust me.
25:32
SPEAKER_00: I am the queen of fun.
25:33
SPEAKER_00: That does not meet my criteria for fun.
25:36
SPEAKER_01: No, not at all.
25:37
SPEAKER_00: It means my criteria for something's going to happen.
25:42
SPEAKER_00: And it always does.
25:43
SPEAKER_00: Right.
25:44
SPEAKER_01: You know, to me, it's like the same thing when you go to the doctor and they're like, oh, you gotta fast for 24 hours.
25:48
SPEAKER_01: It's like, oh, that's a horrible idea.
25:50
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
25:51
SPEAKER_01: Oh, you have to stay awake for 24 hours.
25:53
SPEAKER_01: Oh, they said you meant to be a good idea.
25:56
SPEAKER_01: No, follow with me.
25:58
SPEAKER_01: It's the same thing.
25:58
SPEAKER_01: Although a doctor's not saying that for fun, but it's the same, my body gets the same reaction.
26:02
SPEAKER_01: Like, I get stressed out, anxiety.
26:04
SPEAKER_01: I do not want to stay up all night.
26:06
SPEAKER_01: It's like the last thing I want to do.
26:07
SPEAKER_01: Also, put in the comment section below.
26:09
SPEAKER_01: So we're kind of talking about events you guys do for, you know, holidays or things like that.
26:12
SPEAKER_01: Does your church do anything that's very unique, like a countywide chili cook-off or something?
26:19
SPEAKER_01: I would love to know just some of the things that people, you know, like the traditions.
26:22
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
26:23
SPEAKER_01: Because I'm I'm all about um, I always make fun of like the all the high schools that are, you know, new schools that get built around where we are, come up with the most boring mascots.
26:33
SPEAKER_01: The wildcats, the bears, like the tigers.
26:35
SPEAKER_01: Do we need another wildcat in this world?
26:38
SPEAKER_01: But when you go to some of those, like I don't even know what a wild cat is.
26:41
SPEAKER_01: Nobody does.
26:41
SPEAKER_01: It's a cat that's wild.
26:42
SPEAKER_01: But when you go to some of these like old schools from like, you know, were created back in the 1700s or whatever, some of the mascot names they have are hilarious.
26:54
SPEAKER_01: Syrup makers, you know, just like whoa, like a corn husker.
26:58
SPEAKER_01: Cornhusker, there you go.
27:00
SPEAKER_01: So I just loved it.
27:01
SPEAKER_01: Is there anything abnormal or like unique that your church does?
27:04
SPEAKER_01: I would just love to see if there's anything that you guys do that's kind of like not just the typical wild cats.
27:11
SPEAKER_01: Anyways, I'm trying to get my phone to turn back on.
27:13
SPEAKER_01: We're gonna do a community comment of the day.
27:15
SPEAKER_01: This comes from Seth Lewis, who says, I've been listening to Jeff and Kristen for years now, and they have always given so much relevant tips and tactics that is making a real world difference in my student ministry and the lives of students.
27:27
SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
27:28
SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Seth.
27:29
SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Seth.
27:29
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome to hear.
27:30
SPEAKER_00: Very sweet.
27:31
SPEAKER_01: Seth, does your church do anything that's unique?
27:34
SPEAKER_01: That's not just the typical wildcat holiday event party.
27:38
SPEAKER_01: That'd be a good idea, actually.
27:41
SPEAKER_01: Gosh, I'm full of all kinds of great ideas.
27:44
SPEAKER_01: So in the comment section below.
27:46
SPEAKER_01: And thank you guys so much for watching and listening.
27:48
SPEAKER_01: And we'll see you next time.
27:50
SPEAKER_01: Thank you to all of you who participated in the giveaway.
27:53
SPEAKER_01: And what?
27:56
SPEAKER_00: Hurry up, because we only have two seconds.
27:57
SPEAKER_01: So who but Alexa, what does time proof mean?
28:02
SPEAKER_00: That'd be a great brand name for a watch.
28:07
SPEAKER_00: Hurry up.
28:08
SPEAKER_00: Ugh.