Editor's Note: This blog first showed up in Brian Seidal's blog: My End of the Deal
Yesterday I met with my local NNYM network group. I have been "helping" coordinate this group of youth workers for several years. Helping is in quotations because I have not always been convinced that my influence in the group has always been helpful; it has struggled to gain any kind of traction or momentum for a long time.
Yesterday was one of the best network meetings I have ever been to.
As I have pondered on this, I have realized some reasons why it has struggled, and why it seems to be working now.
Why it has struggled:
- Inconsistent leadership. When I was first hired in the Treasure Valley there was a very strong network in place with very consistent leadership. Those people either moved out of the area or out of youth ministry positions within my first year serving in Boise, and it has struggled since. The leaders that have been involved have not been bad leaders, but other factors have not lead to consistency.
- Lack of clear vision and purpose. People are usually pretty clear about what they don't want in a network, but are not able to clearly convey what will bring them back month after month. We have not had a clear purpose for our meetings, so they become pretty easy to blow off.
- Personal Agendas. I remember a few times the network started to rise above the first two things, and then it would completely implode because of someone's personal agenda. Someone would see the network meeting as a great opportunity to push their product or ministry or cause or event and the next month no one would show up.
Why it is working now:
- A clear purpose. At a prior meeting we made a list of discussion topics that would be beneficial for our lives to talk about. Yesterday we talked about how to find and maintain proper balance in your life as a youth worker. No article or book, we just shared stories and struggles and victories from our lives. We talked about our marriages, our families, our own faith, our church responsibilities, and how to actually balance them all and find health. We say up front, we are having lunch and talking about this, that's it.
- Mutual respect. Those who attended represented large and small churches, single and married, veterans and rookies and everything in between. Comparison is checked at the door and we just enjoy being together and talking shop with people that get what it is like to minister in our valley.
- A comfortable and neutral place. One of the youth workers hosted us at his home. Our plan is to rotate around our valley to different homes as we take turns hosting. Restaurants are loud and hard to have good honest discussions at. Going to other churches makes the mutual respect value harder because we all by default compare facilities. Our valley is pretty spread out and people won't always drive far to meet. This way it will be close to everyone at some point.
- We all want the same thing. Seems it should go without saying, but it needs to be said. We started the discussion by reiterating the fact we all want the same thing: every teenager in the Treasure Valley to fall deeply in love with Jesus Christ. We are all on the same team and understand the unique challenges of our community, so lets help each other.
If you do not have a local network in your area, I encourage you to step up and start one. Visit www.nnym.org to get started.
There have been times in my life and ministry that networking has been a tremendous blessing as well as a few struggles–but overall all the effort to make it happen has been worth it. One thing that is always true about networking with other youth workers is that if you don't pursue it then it will NEVER happen, so whether that means starting your own or just showing up at the next meeting please do it!