This guide has pictures that are worth 10,000 words and is written by  people who ooze seeking justice for the least of these.

It provides insights on various issues such as clean water, the oppression of women, modern slavery, and more.  It provides ways to get involved and learn more through book recommendations and websites to visit.

Well, you do not have to buy it, but you will want to if you want your students to have a better chance of developing a compassionate heart that takes action. You know, having a biblical worldview that spurs them to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.

Actions to take:

1. Visit the Steps of Justice website.

2. Buy the 30 Day Action Guide You can download a copy or have it delivered to you.

3. Follow Steps of Justice on Twitter and like Steps of Justice on Facebook

Disclaimer: The book was given to me and the co-author, Phil Cunningham, is a friend of mine, but I would not lie for him.

After reviewing a ton of resumes, a gaggle of interviews, countless hours of discussion, prayer and anticipation, you have a new youth worker/director/pastor for your church.

In case you did not realize this, the real work has just begun.  That is, if you want there to be a long tenure, lasting impact and the agreed upon goals to be reached.

I have said before that expectations that hurt are those that are unspoken, unclear and unrealistic.

In other words, what does success look like in your setting, down the road?

If this is not clearly defined, you are setting your youth worker/director/pastor up for failure and probably pain for your students.

Values determine what success is in your church context.

Values differ among individuals so the corporate values have to be known and proclaimed so everyone knows what success means in your church.

Focus on the the process more that the product.

If you are true to your values and follow a process that is agreed upon, the results will happen.  Perhaps not on your desired timetable, but they will happen.

What does success look like in a year?  2 years? 5 years?

When grumblings happen, and they will (both real and perceived), what will you point to as your guidelines for success or faithfulness?

Doug Fields shares the story of when he was hired by Rick Warren. Doug told Rick that it would take at least five years for the youth ministry to begin looking like he wanted it to.

Doug is a veteran youth worker, trainer of thousands of youth workers, author of youth ministry books in multiple languages, and recognized practitioner. So, if you would, at least give your new youth worker (that you prayed for and invited to be part of your church family) four years to see the changes you want God to bring about.

Or is that sort of patience, an unfair expectation?

Len is the author of Creative Bible Lessons in 1 and 2 Timothy & Titus and wrote a chapter for The Youth Workers Book of Hope. He has been on panels and presented a seminar at the National Youth Workers Convention & workshops for the Simply Youth Ministry Conference.

He has written for Youth Worker Journal, The Journal of Student Ministries, Group, Youth Leaders Only and the UK’s Youthwork magazine.

I did not realize what a special church it was until I was gone.  I have shared over the years that Frazer & DTS ruined me for life, in good ways.

I get to listen to , care for, pray with, cry with,  learn from and encourage youth workers. It is a great honor to have the opportunity to care for so many of God’s favorite servants.

If you are going to be there, I would love to talk with you.  Feel free to contact me before the convention, friend me on facebook and you will have all of my information.

I shared with a few friends that being part of the group that was invited made me feel like I was the last kid chosen for an All-Star team.  The interaction over youth ministry with new friends and old friends for two days was great and refreshing.  The highlight and eternal moment though, happened at the very start of our time together.

We arrived in to the Group offices and we had lunch. I sat down and Rick Lawrence, editor for Group magazine, sat down next to me. I have written various things for Rick over the years but we did not meet until the Simply Youth Ministry Conference in February of this year.

We caught up for a few minutes and after sharing a bit about our journey, Rick shared that our story reminded him of the book he is writing based on Jesus’ interaction with Peter in Luke 22. Part of it says: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

As Rick shared the theme of the book it was if God opened my eyes and I said, “Rick, that is my story that your telling.”

He said something along the lines of, “Len, it is the story of a lot of us.”

Jesus did not deliver Peter out of the ordeal but he prayed for his faith to not fail and after the ordeal was over, he would be able to strenthen fellow believers.

It is no secret that we are enduring a season of stress and ordeals as we continue to work towards where God is taking us.  Please begin praying that my faith will endure and then I will be able to strengthen youth workers and churches so they can reach more students for Jesus.

Another reason I love Youth Specialties: they understand youth ministry but more importantly, they truly love youth workers. This is why I am so excited about getting serve as a convention pastor for them, my job will be is to listen to, encourage, love on and pray for youth workers.

If you have any influence on helping your youth worker attend a conference, do all you can for it to happen. It is an investment into your church and students.

I asked you to pray and you guys must have prayed mighty prayers because in three days we received more regular donations but also a little over $700 in unexpected donations!

I have joked with friends that it is fun to see how God provides but also it will be just fine when we have greater stability.

2. Tonja graduated today and this week she was invited to be a Teachers Assistant for the fall semester. Pray for her as she considers her options.

3. The Census assignment that I have been a part of is almost over so I interviewed for another job and I will start working at Chik-Fil-A once the census job is over. I am very grateful to have another job as we continue to raise support for the NNYM position.

4. Another thing has happened that I consider to be continued affirmation of my role with the NNYM. As you may remember, I was able to serve on the Ministry in the Valley Care Team during the Simply Youth Ministry Convention in Chicago, back in February.

Simply Youth Ministry has invited me to join a pack of other youth workers, from around the country, and to talk about their 2011 Conference. I will be traveling to their headquarters in Loveland, Colorado June 9 and 10.

Thanks for all of the prayer support you provide. I suspect we will not know until we are in heaven, the affect that you had on this ministry through your prayers.

One of the foundational convictions for the National Network of Youth Ministries is having a strong and healthy youth worker increases the chances for a strong and healthy youth ministry.

So if you want your church to have a strong and healthy youth ministry, you must do your part to strengthen it and that goes beyond making a good hire. Making a good hire is at  least a seperate 7 part series in and of itself, but that is where it starts.

1.  Provide resources and time for professional skill training and personal development.

Even the sharpest youth workers needs to be regularly sharpened or else they will become dull.

If you want your youth ministry to become stagnate,  do not budget for growth and do not provide days  during the year for your youth worker to get away for training.

Each church needs to budget for training events for your youth worker (paid and volunteer youth workers) and for training resources.

Personal Training

You partner with your youth worker in their professional and spiritual growth. You  provide accountability, finances for books and time that nurtures their actions.  Each youth worker needs to better understand the art and science of ministry but they also need to read other fields so they can have a holistic approach to life and ministry.

Local Training

No Cost to Low Cost Option: If there are youth workers in your area who have been in ministry for more than five years, they can each lead a workshop, according to their passion, that can help other local youth workers (paid and volunteer). Get three of these and either bring a lunch or have participants buy lunch off site and the cost is minimum.

Low Cost Option: By working together, churches can bring in one speaker at a very reasonable cost. A few years ago, while in Connecticut, I brought in Tony Jones to lead a discussion on Post-Modern Youth Ministry.

Tony was living in Princeton, NJ  so the cost was a 2 hour train ride, plus an honorarium.  About twenty-five people paid $20 each and the cost was about covered.

If you would like to do something like this let me know.  I have a training day set up with 2 sessions that I do and the third one is customized to your area or, even better a series of workshops provided by local youth workers.

Though I do not run a youth ministry speakers bureau, I bet I can connect you with a youth ministry speaker in your area or one who has an expertise in the topic you want covered.

Regional Training

If you look around. you can find quality training in your region. Different denominations host training events and so do as regional ministries and camps. A two to four hour drive is cheaper than a flight and if you ask around you might be surprised by the options you can provide for your youth worker.

National Training

Almost all churches can afford to send their youth worker to a major convention at least every other year.

The major ones include the National Youth Worker Convention by Youth Specialties, The Simply Youth Ministry Conference, and  LifeWay’s National Youth Workers Conference.

Each sponsoring group loves and understands youth workers and sets out to equip them to better understand and minister to students.

Though these have a higher financial cost, they each provide a learning experience that can not be duplicated locally.

Very few people understand the drive and calling youth workers have to serve students and families. There is nothing like being with  one to four thousand other youth workers.  I have heard countless accounts of these national events being a time of renewed calling and recharging of personal batteries that keeps youth workers going.

Strengthening your youth worker is an investment that benefits your student ministry and your church.  You need to start somewhere and for your own sake, it should be a goal that your church will be leading the way in caring for your youth workers training and development.