Quit and begin. That’s just about always what a New Year’s Resolution is all about. We resolve to quit something that’s destructive. In it’s place, we aim to begin a habit that promotes our flourishing in constructive ways. Typically, our resolutions have to do with our physical health. This year, like last, a bunch of my friends over at Download Youth Ministry are in engaging a weight-loss challenge. Hundreds of youth workers have hopped on board! Truth be told, I should be joining up with that group! The accountability that comes with community is strong, and I’m sure it will be helpful for so many.
In addition to resolving to care for our physical selves, we need to be tending to our spiritual selves. Good habits that feed our souls will yield huge dividends in our ministry planning and effectiveness. The best ministry flows out of our gospel-fueled-and-fed passions that are fanned into flame as we engage in a little less youth-ministry-doing, and engage in a little more youth-ministry-feeding.
In an effort to make that happen in the context of a strong and supportive community, we’ve begun a CPYU Reading/Discussion Group that will be serving to feed souls in the context of community over the course of 2019. As of this moment, 284 youth workers and parents have joined our Facebook CPYU Reading/Discussion Group which launches tomorrow!
Here’s what you can expect. Together, we will be reading books that matter. Over the course of 2019 we will be reading six books together. . . one every two months. Our first book will be Nancy Pearcey’s award winning Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions About Life And Sexuality. I read this book when it first came out in early 2018, and it’s a game-changer! It’s a book every youth worker and parent must read. . . so let’s do it together.
I’ve asked six sharp youth workers to moderate our online discussion. One of them will take the lead responsibility for each book. If you join our CPYU Reading/Discussion Group you’ll have access to a reading plan for Love Thy Body that’s been set-up by my good friend and moderator, John Perritt.
I can’t wait to get started. Reading with my youth ministry peers is going to be fun and encouraging. Come and join us! Resolve to feed your soul. . . and in turn, feed kids.