UNLEASH09: Breakout Session #2

This post is part of a series from notes taken during NewSpring Church’s Unleash Conference.

Breakout Session #2 : Student Ministry
Brad Cooper

2 Questions:
“What’s business?”

• Go and make disciples. Period.
• Sometimes we have to move away from some good to make room for great.
• Staff energy and effort in three areas: Worship (music), Teaching, and Small Groups.

"How’s business?"

• Once you can answer "what’s business?" you can begin to evaluate and improve how you accomplish that.

Fuse Discipleship Strategy
Brad Cooper laid out their strategy. It’s not dissimilar to many other ministry models, but had a unique terminology. There are four categories / steps / stages connected by intentional bridges:

• 1. Consumer: Teens learning names of leading adults. It’s not the end goal, but it is important to produce a product the teens can be proud of. Bridges to next step: volunteer leaders, students’ peer invitation and influence, “JumpOff” – vip afterparty for first time guests and their inviter, quality production of events
• 2. Relater: leaders learning teen’s name. Bridges to next step: teaching, small groups
• Line of Faith: between "Relater" and "Disciple" the teen chooses to trust God in faith
• 3. Disciple: begins to live into their relationship with God Bridges to next step: teaching, small groups, creating opportunities to lead and serve
• 4. Producer: Teens taking up the responsibility to lead and serve. “You tell me / show me, and I’ll know. I do, and I’ll understand.”

Quick Hitters from the Q & A

• What is your succession plan? Who’s up next? Have a vision bigger than your lifespan.
• Use of texting to communicate (txtsignal.com, youth, parents, and volunteers channels)
• Recruiting volunteers in new members’ class; invited to observe, one month evaluation.
• Trips: 1 week camp in summer (feasibility of transporting huge number of people & equipment)
• Invest in staff: "How’s time with god?", staff knowing what the leader is reading.
• A question worth answering: What would you do if it was twice as large?

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