Spreading the word about our family and ministry in Mexico is a priority. We appreciate all of you who subscribe to our newsletters, our blog feed, our email newsletter (sign up here), joined our Facebook group (or our cause on Facebook), etc.
I do my best to inform our donors and inspire others to be actively involved in global youth ministry, and I want you to help me get the word out about what we’re doing.
So, for a limited time (until we run out), I want to send you five free postcards for you to use to spread the word about our family and ministry.
All you have to do is send me your mailing address by email at drpoulette(at)gmail(dot)com or comment here and I’ll send you postcards.
When you get your postcards, you can send them to your friends and people you think might be interested in knowing about us. You’ll get to get in touch with old friends, and you’ll spread the word about God is doing in Latin America through our family and ministry. It’s a win-win situation for all of us.
What are you waiting for? Comment here or send me an email!
Click the picture to see a larger version of the front side of the postcard.
Being back in the United States for us as missionaries is sometimes an awkward time.
For example, when people ask us where we’re from, we don’t have a great answer because we’re from more than one place. Even in our own hometown in Florida, we have trouble explaining where we’re from. “Home” is two different places. Going “home” depends on where we’re currently located.
People automatically assume you’re on vacation. They don’t realize that you are connecting with donors, speaking at churches, trying to find new donors, and continuing to work on your other job in your field (for me, I’m still preparing for classes at the Seminary and making plans for our programs there).
It’s also pretty funny when we get excited about some new product that’s been out on the market for a while but is new to us because we’ve been away. It’s especially funny when the product is food in the grocery store.
The good news is we finally bought our tickets to go back to Mexico! We leave from Miami on September 18. The awkward time of being in the States is coming to a close. Now comes the awkward time of transitioning back into our life in Mexico.
(Image: Welcome to the USA – taken at the border)
I got this Facebook message the other day. It reminded me of why I do youth ministry, and it helped me understand more about success in any kind of ministry.
It’s from a former student, talking about what God is doing in his life.
Hey Dennis,
It has been a very long time I know. I wanted to let you know that after a little cooling period God has become top priority in my life, more than even before during the NDBC Youth Group years. I just wanted to let you know this.
I am experiencing things that have never happened before. The Holy Spirit has definitely come upon me. Words cannot describe the joy that I have knowing that I am near God right now. He is definitely speaking to me.
Adam and I are having a Bible Study session / prayer session now, praying for God to give us direction in everything we do. We both are feeling called to be more active in this church and in future churches (whether thru considering the thought of being youth pastors, pastors, or group leaders).
Something very new and exciting is now Bible verses are becoming clear to me, explaining how to live everyday life and accounting for every possible situation that will come up in my life and what I need to do in that situation to glorify God.
I just want to say thank you to you for all those times that you continued to preach the message to a bunch of kids who really needed it and sometimes took it for granted. You’re one of the ones who got helped me realized that life with out God is no life. You put the building blocks into me that are now growing and reaching higher levels.
I do not tell you all this to boast a bunch of praise on you. I tell you this because you should know, by being a man of God you changed someone’s life and did what the Bible and God said to do which is to teach the works of Jesus Christ and live a life like him.
I hope this message finds you well. Just know the message God gave you to give to me all those years ago will not end with me, because I am going to do what you did and speak the truth so that someone else may have the same joy that I have.
I know you are only here a short while and many things have changed in your life. They have with me as well. I know Adam and I both would like to get together with you and tell you what’s been going on. Anyways, I felt God telling me to tell you these things.
Talk to you later.
As I thought more about successful youth ministries, and I put together a list of characteristics of a successful youth ministry. Here’s my list.
What are your thoughts? What would you add?
25 Characteristics of a Successful Youth Ministry
A successful youth ministry…
- Involves parents and meaningful adults.
- Provides a safe place for spiritual questioning and discussion.
- Challenges students and their faith.
- Helps students discover their gifts.
- Allows opportunities for students to use their gifts and talents.
- Always places people ahead of programs.
- Helps hurting young people.
- Helps hurting families.
- Comes alongside parents in their responsibility to spiritually nurture their children.
- Accepts all kinds of students.
- Provides opportunities for students to serve the community.
- Creates a support structure that is there long after graduation.
- Has leaders who are held accountable for their own spiritual growth.
- Connects young people to the larger church body.
- Teaches Biblical Truth.
- Encourages students to study the Bible on their own.
- Helps students develop their personal prayer life.
- Teaches students how to discern right from wrong.
- Communicates Biblical truth clearly.
- Encourages and equips students to share their faith with those around them.
- Relies on the gifts and talents of more than one person.
- Seeks to honor Jesus in all it does.
- Persists even when people turn away (without being pushy).
- Gives students opportunities to lead and equips them to do so.
- Brings students into true worship.
Add your characteristics of successful youth ministry in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
See the other posts in the series on Successful Youth Ministry here: Part 1, Part 2 (Sara), Part 3 (Mike).
View the entire photo album on Facebook
“Hello, friend. I just finished a mission trip with 60 students that was stupendous, thank God. It was explosive, dynamic, and was very cool. Thank you for teaching us. I’m sending you the link so you can see the photos and download them if you want so you can have them. A hug…your brother.”..Giancarlos.
I received that email from one of the students in Cuba. He’s the middle school pastor of a local church who has seen incredible things happen in the last three years.
His group went on a summer mission trip that he planned using the principles we taught in Contemporary Youth Missions.
I’m extremely proud of him and the work he’s doing.
You can see a video interview with Giancarlos here.
Spreading the word about our family and ministry in Mexico is a priority. We appreciate all of you who subscribe to our newsletters, our blog feed, our email newsletter (sign up here), joined our Facebook group (or our cause on Facebook), etc. 
