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"Get Plugged In" Youth Leader Weekend April 18 and 19 in Rexford

Teaching teens to own their faith will be the focus of a weekend youth leader conference April 18 and 19 at The Shepherd's Staff, Inc. in Rexford. Shepherd's Staff, Inc. is a nonprofit Christian Conference center dedicated to offering excellence in rental facilities, caring staff, and programs that foster Christian growth.

Pastor Brant Rice of Celebration Community Church in Hays will facilitate the Friday evening and Saturday conference designed to help parents, youth leaders and pastors "get plugged into teens" and teach them how to own their Christian faith.

Rice, a native of Norton, Kan., is a graduate of Fort Hays State University, Hays, and Taber College in Hillsboro, Kan. In late April, he will graduate from Rockbridge Seminary, Springfield, Mo. Rice has been the youth pastor at Celebration Community Church since 2001, following a five year tenure as an elementary school teacher in the Hays school district.

"I think it's an essential topic of youth ministry," Rice said. "If we don't come to a realization that we need to own our faith as adults, how can we expect teens to own their faith?"

"The bottom line is that we need to teach students to own their faith and to make it their own. We need to constantly reflect on teens' culture and provide discipleship resources for them, while providing them with unconditional, nonjudgmental love."

Starting with a meet-and-greet training session at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 18, the conference will continue at 9 a.m. Saturday and conclude at 3 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be served. Cost of the conference is $26. Overnight, dorm style lodging is available for $43, and hotel-like accommodations are available for $76.

Rice said linking life skills with faith will also be part of the training.

"We need to help teens have balance in their lives," Rice said. "We'll look at why teens may not be growing in their faith and lack accountability. We'll also look at how to ignite a student leadership so the teens can grow in their faith."

Assisting Rice will be Oakley native Kael Bloom, Director of Ministries at Celebration Community Church. Bloom's responsibilities at the church include serving as worship director, as well as band leader and lead singer of the contemporary praise and worship band called Ignite. Bloom will serve as praise and worship leader during the Spirit-filled weekend.

For more information call (785) 687-2565. A complete schedule of times and a registration form is available online at www.shepherdstaff.org. Deadline to register is April 4.

Youth Leader Weekend
Shepherd's Staff, Inc.
240 Main Street
Rexford, Kan. 67753
(785) 687-2565
April 18 and 19

Friday Night: Begins at 7 p.m.

1. Meet and Greet

• Introductions
• My story, Pastor Brant Rice, youth pastor of Celebration Community Church,
  Hays, Kansas
• Others share stories

2. Youth ministry is about balance

• In our lives
• In our ministries: 5 purposes. To own their faith, they have to understand
  these purposes and the balance needed in them.

3. Music in the lives of students

• We can reach them through music
• Tessa: music constantly. Immeasurable number of bands out there…this is to
  our benefit. Christian music has come a long way.
• There is good music out there, don't be a tee-totaler with music, but know
  their bands, and make recommendations.
• I-Tune cards and CD's as gifts.
• I-Worship for groups without musicians. Better to have mass produced music
  than poor live music. A CD can be awesome worship. No pressure.
• Share great worship music

9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Worship with Kael Bloom, Director of Ministries at
Celebration Community Church. Bloom is responsibilities at the church
include serving as worship director, as well as band leader and lead singer of
the contemporary praise and worship band called Ignite:

___________________________

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

9 a.m. "Wake Up, Wake Up" song, youth conference promotion and information session.

9:20 a.m. Worship.

9:40 a.m.

4. The Life of the Student: Why they don't grow in or own their faith:
What keeps teens from growing in their faith or from plugging into our
ministries? What can we do about these things?

• It's not cool. Make it cool: image, fun.
  "I will do anything to get them in the door,
  because I know they'll hear God's truth if
  they enter!" Pastor Brant Rice.
  Not always the popular method. Again, it's about balance!
• Acceptance concerns Teens are afraid of being a Jesus freak. That's because
  they haven't found their identity in Christ. They don't own their faith. Need
  to teach them to ask questions!
• Busyness Students give time to what is the most important to them. We can
  all say "Busy" when asked how we are. Do they have time to listen to music?
  To watch TV?
• Not knowing how to grow (resources to be presented) Teens past comes
  from not understanding God's grace. Personal stories can help with this.
  Illustrations are great! Personal stories of struggles and redemption are better!
• Distractions A constant battle. We all have distractions, so the solution is
  constant…(resources to be presented)
• Accountability It's so overused. Erwin McManus said "If you can lie to your
  wife about fidelity, you can lie to your buddy who asks you a question!"
  Learn the five steps to accountability.
• Discipleship Resources
• Student Leadership

"The bottom line: we need to teach students to own their faith, to make it their own,"
Pastor Rice. "We need to constantly reflect on their culture, and constantly provide
discipleship resources for them, while providing them with unconditional, nonjudgmental
love."

3 p.m. Closing Prayer.