1. I am flying to CO in a few hours to be with a pack of wild youth workers for two days to chat and dream about the 2011 Simply Youth Ministry Conference. It is an honor to be invited to contribute to this discussion. Pray for wisdom as we cover the agenda but also pray for connections with friends and not yet friends to be formed during this 2 day dash.

2. Tonja is a Texas Tech Graduate and looking for a job. Pray for discernment and speed as she begins the job search. On a bright note, Lubbock has around a 4.3% unemployment rate, which was the lowest in Texas, last I heard. If you know of anything, let us know.

3. Around 30 people or churches currently support us and we are around 40% of our needs. The good news is there are at least 20 others who have said they want to support us regularly. There are others who are considering supporting us but 20 have said yes to regular support but have not been able to start, yet. Pray that those people would know what the right amount is and start giving to support this ministry.

4. Watch this video on Youth Ministry Awesomeness and you can begin praying for me as I prepare to serve as a convention pastor for both of the National Youth Workers Conventions.

Keep Lovin’ Jesus,

Len

Check out SouthCentralYouth.org for the new website about what you are praying for.

I hope the second job is a season rather than a lifestyle, but if it is a lifestyle, so be it. I am committed to this ministry because the needs are so huge in every aspect of my job

Here are some encouraging things that have happened this past month..

• I consoled a youth worker who was fired and helped him form a game plan for his next steps.
• I co-led three seminars at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference and served on their Ministry in the Valley care team.
• I am going to be a regular contributor to Group Magazine. I will write about networking, being better together, in their Tools section.
• I was also asked to be a convention pastor at both of the 2010 National Youth Worker Conventions by Youth Specialties.

Pray for:

1.???????? $1,500 more per monthly supporters.

2.???????? A second job that will allow me to provide for my family.

3.???????? A job for Tonja after graduation.

Therefore we do not lose heart.. . So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Len oversees Texas and New Mexico for the National Network of Youth Ministries. He’s a youth ministry activist and relational broker who connects churches, ministries and people with each other to reach more students for Jesus. One of his greatest joys is offering hope and help to hurting youth workers out of the comfort God has given him. Feel free to contact him through?http://lenevans.net before or after the convention.

One thing was definitely confirmed while I was part of the Ministry in the Valley care team at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference I was prepared for this sort of ministry.

Father God,

I know Len has a heart to minister to youth workers. Be with him this weekend as he ministers to hurting youth workers. Give him the right words of encouragement as he ministers in this special way. May he be amazed at all You accomplish through him.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Prayer is the foundation for this ministry. Pray for monthly supporters to join us in our ministry.

2. Give a special gift

Many people have decided to give special gifts rather than or in addition to monthly support.

3. Give a portion of bonuses

A couple of my friends who are in sales have done or are planning on doing this.

4. Give a portion of unexpected financial gifts you get.

Occasionally unexpected money comes our way because unexpected money came to friends and prayer supporters.

5. Give from your tax refund

One friend has shared that monthly giving isn?t possible but they are going to give a gift once they receive their tax refund.

6. Garage sale

Give a portion of your sales or go crazy and give all the money you get by selling your old stuff to others.

7. Sell items on ebay

Okay, I don?t expect you to sell a Ted Williams rookie card on Ebay but you may have something that you could sell and then give that money.

8. Don?t Sell something, give it as donation through iDonate

Use your non-cash resources to support National Network of Youth Ministries through our partnership with idonate. Boats, jewelry, stocks, rusty farm equipment, old cars, tools (even industrial tools), almost anything can be given.

9. Talk to your friends

My greatest ?resource? is people and friendships. The first step is for people to be aware of the NNYM?s work and to affirm it. You can talk about what God is doing through this ministry.

10. Invite your friends to give

Once people are aware of our mission and hear of our work, they may want to support it themselves. You are my best pamphlet, but if you need information to share with them, I can send you some.

11. Host a dinner/dessert & have me share

This is the AP version of telling your friends.

12. Invite your Sunday school to support this ministry.

I know one person did this and their class couldn?t yet, but it doesn?t hurt to ask. Another class is supporting us monthly.

13. Missions budget

Talk to your church and see if this ministry fits their values for giving. It might and if they are open to the concept I can give you more information and am able to travel and present to them, if you think it?d be best.

14. Give up the price you’d spend on a dinner out to eat once a quarter

15. Collect used cell phones in your town

One or two don?t add up to much but if people or companies collect them for you, it can make a big difference.

16. Car Wash

It?s an old school fundraiser but they still work.

17. Form a group with 1 or 2 others & work together to raise money in your local area

Some friends in Alabama are doing this and trying to figure out how to work together to bring in more financial support for this ministry.

18. Gas Cards

These would be used for my road trips and would be very helpful.

19. Transfer your frequent flyer miles.

A few friends have already offered this and it has been utilized.

20. Something I didn’t think of but you did while reading this list

These are things that you shouldn?t do:
? Sell Girl Scout cookies in front of a Jenny Craig?s
? Give from your lottery winnings
Okay if you waste money on a lottery ticket despite my theology God blesses you despite the odds, I’ll take the devil’s money & use it for God’s glory! Can I get an amen?
? Mug an old lady crossing the street
? Take from money from a blind panhandler
? Selling nuclear weapons to Iraq
? Start a Ponzi Scheme

1. National Network of Youth Ministries to meet their financial needs by April, 15, for the national ministry.

2. For Len Evans to receive $1,500 more per month in new giving by the end of March for this work with the NNYM in Texas and New Mexico. This would put us at 66% of our budget.

3. Pray for us to reach 100% of our support by September, our 1st anniversary of working for the NNYM.

4. For 500 prayer supporters for NNYM in Texas and New Mexico by the end of 2010.

Join the Facebook 4x4x4x4 Prayer Group and if you’d like to get the regular prayer updates

and let me know.

Youth workers should have this approach when carrying out the biblical mandate of equipping the believers for ministry.

I believe in large group training sessions because there are general truths, knowledge and skills every youth worker needs. I’m even starting to think about creating a very affordable and customizable training event that will be offered in towns where no youth ministry training event is ever held. However, that sort of training is informational but not very relational.

One of the joys of being in a local church is youth workers get to invest in other believers and equip them for ministry. This context allows for a more relational coaching model, which is better.

What if you met with each of your volunteers (or other volunteers if you are the point person but also a volunteer) and asked them this question:

What would help you the most to improve your service to students?

Each answer is as unique as each individual and we should do our best to meet those needs in order to have a stronger and better youth worker on our team. One of the core values for me in my role with the National Network of Youth Ministries is “A stronger youth worker results in a stronger youth ministry.”

So if that is one of your core values or you would like that be be one of your core values, ask that question to your volunteers.

Once again, I’m a volunteer youth worker in a local church. My role is to coach some of the small group leaders. I sent them that question this morning and I concluded with “So give it some thought, reply with your answer and you will help me, help you.”

I will talk with them this week and I’ll meet in person, at some point this month, with each of them and finding the solution to their biggest need will be part of our agenda. I hope you take the time and do the same thing with your volunteers.

I?ll be spending a day with Chuck Harper, who works with the Native Youth and youth workers across America. Chuck is part of the field team for the NNYM so we spent some time together in San Diego. This will allow me to know more about his ministry and learn how to guide youth workers to him.

I?m meeting with the Albuquerque youth pastor network on Thursday. I?m also discussing/planning the NM youth worker retreat with some of them on Tuesday. I?m also supposed to meet with a denominational leader while I?m in town about potential partnerships.

Tic shared his own thoughts and many others (Tony Jones, Mike King, Marko, Wayne Rice, Walt Mueller, & Karla Yaconelli) have too, so I just wanted to share my experience with Tic and why I’m so thrilled that he’s back.

I’ve had interactions with Tic over the years and he’s always been “fully there” whenever we’ve connected.? What I love most about Tic is he’s 100% authentic.? Whether you see him on a goofy video, he’s on stage for the National Youth Worker Convention, you grab him in the hallway or if you talk with him on the phone, he’s the same guy.? He really is passionate about youth ministry but more passionate about youth workers.

I recently congratulated Tic but I also thanked him for something that I was sure he wasn’t aware of.

A couple of months ago I was thinking about the long path that brought me to my role with the National Network of Youth Ministries.? I believe the turning point was when I spoke at the 2002 National Youth Worker Convention. My seminar was an expanded version of Reality Bites and Some Churches Have Fangs.? That experience resulted in a new network of friendships that helped prepare me for my dream youth ministry position.

Over the years, that network of friendships expanded into a broad base of friendships around the country which helped ease the transition from local church ministry to having a broader platform for ministry. The joy of reflecting on the path that brought me here is not the friendships I have but seeing how God was at work in preparing me for my present role.

It isn’t just the good things that prepare us but the pain and hurt as well.? So though Tic’s decision to let someone like me fill the last open seminar in Pittsburgh was the preparational pivot point for me, it wasn’t the only experience that God used to bring me to my current role.

I tell people that I believe part of what qualifies me for this role (especially the aspect of encouraging and nurturing of youth workers)? is the ministry pain I’ve been through over the years but also my own dark night of the soul.? I’m learning to be a wounded healer.? Youth workers don’t need experts to give them advice, they need? someone who can empathize with the struggles. renew their love for the local church,? help them to not forget their own souls? and remind them serving students so they become stronger disciples is an amazing honor.

It’s a continual process of learning and I’m sure there are more learning curves around the corner but I’m grateful for the blessing Tic gave me and for how God used that to help me begin the next stage of my life.