Teen Life's Monday MAXimizer April 4, 2005   "He sat at the king's table as one of his sons"   Delivered, But Damaged If we're not careful, ministry can turn into a battle of the gifted. The youth leader with the most talent can often attract the biggest crowd. A gift for.. Humor. Music. Teaching. Creativity. ...can go a long way. Those are all wonderful and valuable, but there's more, right? Yes, you know there is. Back in Decembers I reprinted the following from earlier in my ministry... The Hike.   A few years ago I took a hike with a member of my group. I didn't want to. My attitude stunk. But what could I do, no one else would go with him.   We did a five mile down and back trek through a rock littered mount. The guy wasn't in great shape. We stopped a lot. I asked myself why I agreed – a lot. It was not one of those "get to know each other and have a breakthrough moment" type of times. But soon the hike was over and we joined the rest of the group.   I forgot all about the hike. Gladly.   Not long after that the guy moved away. He asked permission to thank the church and they let him. As he went to the podium with his 20 sheets of notebook paper I knew we were in for it. Then I heard my name…"and I especially want to thank Paul for the hike."   Whoa. He didn't thank me for my cool talks or profound insight?  Nope, a hike.   There's no need to worry about all the neat stuff you do, it will all be forgotten. It's those "insignificant" moments that count. Use all the gifts God has given you. Use them with all your might for His glory. And when the time comes when the humor isn't working the way it used to, or your creativity seems to wane, don't forget to hike. Your Partners in Youth Ministry, Paul & Al     1. Resource Spotlight 2. Ministry Tip of the Week 3. Updates for The Zone Members     There's No Better Time to Join Than Now Each week you get a BRAND NEW Bible study outline, handout for your class, and PowerPoint. 236+ files downloads wait for you in the form of lessons and PowerPoint. Including: The Passion of James (8 lesson series); Faith FULL Living (11 lesson series); Focused on a Mission (4 lesson series). 443+ youth ministry related articles to help you MAXimize your youth ministry. Multi-media videos such as "The Five Keys to Leadership," and "The Teaching Formula" that you can watch and apply. ALL available 24/7. Login whenever you want. Get the details here: http://www.teenlifeministries.com/thezone/     Identify your time stealers. Warren Wrint lists the following as major contributors: Interruptions - telephone Interruptions - personal visitors Meetings Tasks you should have delegated Procrastination and indecision Acting with incomplete information Dealing with team members Crisis management (fire fighting) Unclear communication Inadequate technical knowledge Unclear objectives and priorities Lack of planning Stress and fatigue Inability to say "No" Desk management and personal disorganization Do one or more of those match you? Highlight the one(s) that most impact your life and write out a resolution plan.     New Bible Lesson Outline with PowerPoint, Class handout, and discussion guide.   Delivered, But Damaged: Teach your group the story of one who was crippled, yet sat at the king's table. Help them discover their kingdom calling despite their damaged lives.   http://www.teenlifeministries.com/downloads.php?a=cat&cid=12 New Forum Question What has been an "unexpected" success moment in your ministry? I told the story of "The Hike" in this newsletter. When did you touch a teen's life and you weren't even trying to? What insignificant moment made a difference? Zone Members post your response here: http://www.teenlifeministries.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=7 New Articles: Click links How to break your program out of the lazy, hazy days of summer - Summertime. Summertime. Sum- Sum- Summertime! What are you going to do this summer to make ... more Using the Internet for Media in Ministry - Goodbye Fido. Forget Rover. See Spot run...away. When it comes to using media technology in ... more Thinking Outside the Pew - Unleashing Your Creative Potential - Ben Franklin once said, "Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. ... more Watching Joan of Arcadia:A mini study guide to discussing the show -   Introduction Series overview For the discussion leader Mini study guides for discussion About the author   Save Joan of Arcadia! The ... more Multimedia Training Eight videos to strengthen your ministry. For some reason the link has been hidden, but it's up now. http://www.teenlifeministries.com/content.php?cid=1000 April's Special Report Downloads Spiritual Growth Zone April 2005 - Dawn 2 Dusk one day personal retreat. Maximizing your teaching ability. And your daily bible reading schedule for the month. http://www.teenlifeministries.com/downloads.php?a=cat&cid=10 Combat Zone April 2005 - Practical counseling tips from our resident Ph.D. http://www.teenlifeministries.com/downloads.php?a=cat&cid=11 Twilight Zone April 2005 - What to do when you work with a work-a-holic. http://www.teenlifeministries.com/downloads.php?a=cat&cid=9 The Zone is a subscription to youth training tools available nowhere else. Membership is $9.95 a month or $97 for a full year... http://www.teenlifeministries.com/content.php?cid=1001 Teen Life Ministries Copyright, 2005 236 Foxdale Rd.   Montgomery, AL 36109 ALL CONTENTS OF THIS E-MAIL ARE COPYRIGHT 2005 BY Teen Life Ministries Protected by U.S. Copyright Law {Title 17 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq., Title 18 U.S.C. Section 2319} www.TeenLifeMinistries.com