A few months ago, I signed up for MTV Sticky, a newsletter about youth focused culture, trends and insight.
If you’re involved in youth ministry, it’s a great resource to understand global youth culture and trends. I like it because it isn’t just about U.S. culture. It has insights from all over the world and helps you understand global youth culture.
You have to sign up to get access, but I haven’t received any emails from them that haven’t been beneficial. So head over there and sign up today.
I came home last Saturday from a long day of training in downtown Mexico City, opened my email, and saw that one of my students had sent me a message.
It was from Kareny, a first year student in the Bachelor’s degree program at the Seminary. (Pictured in the middle with her fiance Josue and Huberto, the youth pastor of her church).
She had just come home from a youth event at her church, where she was able to see God impact the lives of various of the young people with whom she is working. She was writing us to tell us about it, and she said:
“Dennis, today I lived one of those things that make you feel that nothing else matters besides ministry. I thank God for calling me (into the ministry) and for having called you and Huberto…
Thanks, Dennis, for being here with us. Thank you for obeying your calling; God has brought many blessings to all of us because of it. Thanks to your wife for supporting you; she is an example. Thank you for being in Mexico. Thanks for having so much patience. Thanks for dedicating time to us. Thanks for understanding us. Thanks for praying praying for us. Thanks for sharing the knowledge that God has given you. Thank you for everything.
May God richly bless you, your wife, and your children.”
Receiving that message made me think of you. Without your prayer and support, we would not be here. We all play a part in what God is doing in the ministries of our students. He is doing great things both in their lives and the lives of the young people with whom they work. Thank you for praying and supporting this ministry.
For more information about how you can support our ministry and make a difference in the lives of young people in Latin America, click here.
I’m reading Walt Mueller’s book Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture, and in it he talks about the fact that young people are stressed and hurried.
It is true that all over the world young people are looking for ways to relieve stress in their lives. I thought this article over at YPulse was interesting about how young people relieve stress. According to the article that YPulse references, “stress is the invisible global constant afflicting youth of all ages in all markets.”
5 Ways Young People Relieve Stress
Listening to Music – 65% of all young people on the planet listen to music to relieve stress. I wonder what they’re listening to.
Watching TV – 48% watch TV to relieve stress (but not the news…it stresses them out)
Talking to Friends – the use of technology has made this even more available as a stress reducer
Sleeping
Praying – young people who pray more are less stressed. Ypulse says, “Stressed youth on average pray 3.7 times per week. Relaxed youth pray 8.8 times a week.”
Every once in a while, there are people who come along who have a great vision to reach the world. They are the people who begin movements. If you get a chance to work with people who have great vision, you shouldn’t let that opportunity slip away.
This week, we are visiting with Randy and Lynn Smith. Randy is the founder and president of Youth Ministry International. We’ve been hanging out, talking about current ministry, and also dreaming a little about the future. They are people with great vision.
Sunday, Randy was invited by Daniel Jimenez, the director of the Mexican Baptist Theological Seminary, to speak at AME Baptist Church, both in the service and in the Sunday School hour.
Wednesday, he’ll be speaking in my youth ministry class, inspiring this generation of Mexican youth workers to reach, disciple, and care for young people. Randy is a great guy with great vision, and Lynn has shared the vision during their 42 years of marriage.
Today we started a new group in our Youth Ministry diploma program at the Mexican Baptist Theological Seminary. There are 7 new students in the program, bringing our total to 13. Huberto is teaching them “Principles of Youth Ministry,” which is our basic philosophy class.
We’ve decided that one of the best ways to do some training is to make it semi-formal. Basically, these classes are close to the equivalent to a youth ministry conference. They are kind of a mix between a conference and a class, focused on practical concepts and principles that will help youth workers in their local church youth ministries.
Each course is 16 hours long, which we do over 4 weeks. It’s a fun way to train youth workers, and it helps reach out to those who may not yet be able to come to the Seminary full-time.
The diploma program helps us reach our goal of recruiting, networking, training, and supporting youth workers in Latin America.
Check out these other posts about the diploma program:
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A few months ago, I signed up for MTV Sticky, a newsletter about youth focused culture, trends and insight. 
I came home last Saturday from a long day of training in downtown Mexico City, opened my email, and saw that one of my students had sent me a message.
, and in it he talks about the fact that young people are stressed and hurried.
