Last week I listened to this message by Mark Driscoll from the 2011 Newspring Leadership Conference. It is one of the most important messages I have ever listened to. I will be listening to this over and over again.

If you’re married or plan to be one day, if you’re in ministry, or if you find yourself chasing success and idolizing people, you need to watch this message!

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The March addition of the Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast was awesome! It was called “Do For One”. This lesson is helping shape the way I do ministry and work with people. I highly recommend clicking the link above and listening to it. Here is the summary of the lesson.

At a conference Andy was doing a Question and Answer and a woman asked this question: “Andy, with everything you have going on, all these goals, all these changes, creating churches, etc. How do you keep your heart from growing cold toward people? Because there are so many people, you can’t pastor all of them, how do you keep your heart soft?”

Andy’s Response:

“Do For One, What You Wish You Could Do For Everyone”

I don’t know about you, but I love people. I want to make a difference in everybody’s life! However, as I get older and gain more responsibility, I am recognizing that I can’t make a difference (the way I’d like to) in everybody’s life. I don’t have the time, energy, or resources.

When I heard that phrase from Andy, it set me free. I wish I could do for everyone what I can do for a few, but I can’t. But I realized that I can do for a few what I wish I could do for everyone.

So from now on, I’m going to do for a few, what I wish I could do for everyone. Then I am going to train my leaders and people around me to do the same. If we all do for one what we wish we could do for everyone, we will change the world.

Who is going to be your one today? This week? This month?

Go do for them today, what you wish you could do for everyone!

Thoughts?

This past Saturday, I left my position as a youth associate to take my first official youth pastor position at a church plant.

As I reflect on my last 9 years of youth ministry, I started asking myself, “What were the most important lessons I have learned about youth ministry?” I’ve found that one of the most important lessons we can learn is learning how to earn influence with students so we can make a lasting impact in their lives.

So how do we do this?

You Earn Influencing by Caring – John Maxwell has taught us all, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” That’s a fact. Students know whether or not we genuinely care through our words, eye contact, and the time we spend with them. Be intentional when it comes to caring for your students. Encourage them, pray for them, be there when they need you, and point them to Jesus every chance you get.

You Earn Influence Through Creating Memories – Every time I am with students, I ask the question, “What could we do right now that would create a memory that we will never forget?” The more memories you make, the more influence you’ll have!

You Earn Influence Through Leading by Example – It’s true that students will do what you do, not what you say. You can preach the greatest sermon ever, but if your life doesn’t back it up, you will not earn any influence with students. If you teach it, make sure you are living it.

You Earn Influence by Being Vulnerable – I’m extremely vulnerable with our students. I am myself around them, I share my weaknesses, and I share my hurts with them. I remember asking some of our core students this summer if my vulnerability made my influence with them more credible or less credible. Without hesitation, they all said, “more credible.” Be vulnerable. Be Real. Be You.

Thoughts?