Dear Doug,

...YEEAAAHH BABYYY! WHOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!
It so totally worked.

Okay, are you ready?

So it's time for our monthly board meeting and I have been contemplating and percolating on PDYM and the board members start talking about why we do church and how nothing ever seems to change even when we talk about it, it never seems to stick. So I say, "Well, do you mind if I give my report because I think what God has revealed to me as a youth pastor and to our youth staff could really help our church." The senior pastor gave me a funny look because he has heard me talk about PDYM...A LOT...and he says, "Sure."

...God moved...

I gave my report. I talked about discovering the purposes, had the scriptures right there. I broke it down for them saying the whole time that none of this was new or even my great idea, but that my "friend" Doug Fields said it was cool to use this stuff. I explained the different target audiences and had the graphic for them to see. Then I took them through each of our ministries and showed them what our biblical purpose was with each program and who the target audience was--basically, the whole salami! I read them your purpose statement because, I explain, we are still crafting ours we will have one in February. I read the first part about reaching students and ask (I thought rhetorically) what purpose is that? AND THE ENTIRE BOARD ANSWERED SIMULTANEOUSLY! I kind of looked at them funny and read the second part and paused and...THEY DID IT AGAIN! We went all the way through the purpose statement like that!

So, then I started telling them about how we evaluated our ministry after my being here a year and discovered that we were heavy on the fellowship side and zero on evangelism and how we modified what we were doing and made future plans for creating a HEALTHY, balanced youth ministry.

...God moved...

The lights came on! They started asking me questions. By the end of the meeting, my pastor said that he would have all of the ministries broken down into purpose and target audience.

We are small church of about 200-250 and this was a turning point for us. A really big deal.

Thanks so much for allowing God to use you and for making this model available.

*****************************

I love it! Don't give up friends... you can help your church change. Model the biblical purposes. Teach your students evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and worship. It's called upward influence when a youth ministry impacts the entire church culture. Don't expect recognition for it... just praise the Lord that God is using you to strengthen His church.

http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/community-articles-doug-s-thoughts.html