Team Mini Retreat

Goal is to fill all our seats this year

I have been at Nags Head Church since 2001.  I have to say, that I believe, we have the best team of volunteers on the planet.  They love students and want to see them come to know Christ and grow in their faith.  Each week a team of 8 join me in ministering to students.  Here's the kicker, almost all of them also serve somewhere in the church on Sunday morning.  They are a group of people who love Jesus Christ and his church here at NHC.

Our YM team met a few weeks ago for a mini retreat.  We met at 9am on a Saturday morning and worked together until noon.  That sounds like a meeting but when you start with Dunkin Donuts and end with Mexican food those are what made it a retreat.  In the past we have spent a weekend together in a beach house.  This year we tried something different.  It worked!  (but I miss the fun of all of us living together in a beach house for the weekend)

Here is how the meeting went:
We started with a time of prayer.  Praying for each other, for the students and for our church.
1.   Investment
Investing into the lives of our students.
Putting people before the program
They remember our love more than any sermon
Look for opportunities to invest
                     -The Loft is a great space for conversations to happen
                     -What's going on in your life?
                     -How can I pray for you?
                     -Show up for extracurricular events
                     -Involve them in your life
If we are known as a Caring youth group we will be a magnet  (when you're a magnet you attract hurting kids with baggage so be ready)

2.  Encouragment
Encourage them to grow
                   - Discipleship
                   - Outreach
                   -Adding some deeper Bible study times

3.  Grow in #'s (if we are doing 1 and 2 then number 3 should happen naturally)
Healthy things grow.
It's not about numbers but each number represents a student who is being impacted with the gospel.
Ideas we are trying:
-Break from the routine.  Mix up what our weekly youth group gathering looks like.
-The "New Cycle" - 4 weeks of Bible study/small groups
                                 Week 5 focused on outreach, encouraging students to bring friends to hear the                                   gospel

                                 Week 6 - the Next Level -  a night focused on worship using music and a       message more like a youth church worship service
-More activities and events - we have lessened those over the past couple of years.
-High School Only and Middle School Only nights in The Loft on Saturdays.
-Use theloftobx.net as a tool for our students to invite friends.
Aim to his our goal # for growth this year.

4.  TEAM Goals
-Dependability
-Flexibility
-Ideas to spring forth and team members to run with their ideas
-Accountability
-Add 2 new team members
-Hang out together more outside of youth group building our relationships as a team
-Own our ministry
-Focus on our personal walk with Christ