If a student attends three times in a row and then fills out the information sheet that gives us all the basic info for contact, parents etc... The back of the page gives us an idea of where they stand in their relationship with God, which comes in handy, it helps to know their testimony or what they believe salvation is. We also give them the option to check a box that says "I haven't made that decision yet." No pressure but it is helpful.
Once we get the white sheet the student gets a magnet with their name and their contact info on it. When they walk into the building for youth group they move their magnet from the "I'm not here" magnetic dry erase board to the "I'm Here" magnetic dry erase board. This helps us to quickly identify who is absent from youth group. Their "family group" then sends someone to write down the name of whoever is missing from their group and their phone number or e-mail and then the group contacts them to let them know they are missed.
The magnet is also a quick way to grab a students number should there be medical emergency. The emergency contact info is on their as well.
Finally, at the beginning of the youth group meeting we crank some hip hop or rap music super loud so the sub woofers are vibrating our hearts (great feeling). Then we intro the new group member, they then are given their magnet to take out to the magnet board. There is some dancing and lots of applause.
Last night was fuuuuun! We introduced one new member and three that had taken a "break" from youth group (if a student misses 3 weeks in a row we attempt to contact them and then after a period of time the magnet goes away to a little box). We also gave the new young lady and the friend that invited her the choice of a new Bible or the One Minute a Day Bible (it's a devo book by Doug Fields).
Generate excitement about the newbies and watch more newbies arrive on the scene. Next week we intro 3 newbies!!!
You can listen to some great Intro music on the music player here on this blog. Pettidee is our favorite for intro music.
7 comments:
Are you absolutely SURE you don't want to live in the frozen tundra of the upper midwest where our nose hairs freeze, cost of living is sky high, and pay is pretty low? I'm SURE we could find a job for you with some attitude havin teens who think they are too cool for "God stuff". WE NEED A YOUTH PASTOR LIKE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Anonymous - Sorry, but you just can't have him.
Yeah, he's ours! And he's even gonna have glasses soon too!
Besides that, we already have the sky high cost of living and low pay, so you would have to do a lot better than that! Right Andy?
How many students do you usually have each week now?
I don't want to live in the frozen Tundra. I love the beach!!!!
How many are in our youth group? No enough :) there are still hundreds here in our area not reached.
PS
I love NHC! It is refreshing to be in a church with both vision and purpose.
That is such a neat idea with the magnets. A great way to easily see who is missing and contact them. I am a high school youth group leader (not the youth pastor) and I like reading your ideas.
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