How can you partner with schools?

Are you struggling to work with your local schools?

It could be easy to see schools as the adversary to healthy youth ministry. There are so many extracurricular activities and it seems that everything except the Bible is being taught. However, maybe our perspective needs to change to see schools as an ally as we care for students and share Jesus.

Let me introduce you to Orlando Hale. He is a powerhouse in collaboration as the Cincinnati metro coordinator for National Network of Youth Ministries. Rather than bemoan the percieved threat he engaged his network in prayer for their local public school. Here is a quote from Orlando in our newly revised Network Leaders Guide.

"We put the power of prayer into a very worthy place: our local school. We
launched a new network in the inner city of Cincinnati revolving around one of the
local high schools. We partnered with the new principal to get church
volunteers to pray with faculty and staff weekly. As a result, the principal
visited a church on Sunday morning. Later, she expressed that school
discipline improved 64% and asked us to pray every school day! Our
prayers opened the school's doors for solid relationships with more local
churches, parachurch ministries and community organizations just because
we prayed 30 minutes a week."

What could happen if you were able to partner with your local schools?

Orlando is going to share with us proven strategies for youth leader networks at our next Network Conversations: School Partnerships on Tuesday August 9 starting at Noon Pacific Time. I invite you to listen and share your best practices as we discuss in large group and breakouts effective ways to work together.