+ Bagged Lunch Morsel 1; Morsel 2; Morsel 3; Morsel 4; Morsel 5; Morsel 6, Morsel 7

This is the final post in an eight-part series based on the curriculum I wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”. Read the entire series here.

____________________

Creative Brainstorming

So where’s the cold hard cash going to come from? With the lights turned on, the horizon cast, evaluation methodologies in place, and assets mapped, it’s time to rearrange the resources to create sustainable environments. Sometimes, good old fashioned brainstorming is the best way to see how the pieces fit together and to empower your youth to help generate resources from within (along with those solicited from without). Here are some ideas to get you started.

+ Fundraising Ideas:

1) Letter Writing Campaign
A tried and proven method for taking students on service-learning trips and other discrete projects: mail letters to family, parents’ co-workers, friends’ parents and other adults who have played a significant role in the students’ lives. Be prepared to help write the letter for the students and help them brainstorm those names. You should help in this way and then set a deadline for all of the letters to be mailed out. Put a response card and a pre-addressed return envelope in with the letter to make it easier for the people to follow their good intentions.

2) Yard Sale
Besides raising funds, yard/street/basement sales also build community within your group. Solicit donations from youth, their families, community and church members, etc, with sale proceeds going directly to “camp scholarships,” etc. Over the next few weeks, pick up items or get them dropped off to sale location, which may or may not be the same location as the ministry or youth agency.

3) Sports Tickets
Most athletic teams have a fundraising program to help local youth organizations. Call your local sports teams and ask for the person who handles group sales/fundraisers. They will send you a packet explaining the details; complete the paperwork and you’re on your way. The team will sell you tickets for a discounted price; the markup you charge the community you get to keep for your program. An added benefit: time to get to know members and new recruits and their families.

4) Bake/Tamale/Candy/Pasteles Sale
Food sale are great ongoing fundraisers during holidays or community events, where families and neighbors donate the food and proceeds benefit your project.

5) Rent-a-Kid
Students help earn money for the project by signing up to be “rented” to the community. They identify their skills (ie. gardening, cleaning houses, babysitting, painting, etc.) and the days they are available. Match available kids with congregation members who request help with specific projects, and the rest is history.

6) Local restaurant discount cards
Many restaurants (including national chains and local establishments) allow you to sell discount cards, at significant margins. Examples include: Krispy Kreme, Carl’s Jr’s, El Pollo Loco, and Dominos.

7) Car Wash
Even classics can be improved upon. Upgrade the annual car wash by pre-selling tickets to family and friends weeks before the actual fundraiser. This way you are assured on making money rain or shine, and even if people forget to show up.

Spaghetti / Rice & Beans / BBQ Feed
Enlist parents to prepare food that you can sell after church: $5 per person is a no-brainer and a fool-proof way to make a quick buck. The key is to get as much of the food donated as possible, so that all proceeds go towards your project.

9) Community Discount Books
Create and sell community discount cards to the congregation and neighborhood. Recruit local businesses to participate by casting vision for your project. Each business can decide on an appropriate discount, such as a free soda with the purchase of a meal, 10% off any purchase, or whatever else is appropriate. Design, print, and laminate the cards or books with all of the businesses and your organization’s name. Sell them for $5 – $10.

+ Conclusion

Youth leaders are called to bring life and light to their students’ environments that are all too often dark, formless and empty.

Yes, we are under-resourced, but let’s be creative about identifying the resources (beyond just money) that are “hovering in our midst”.

Our leadership starts with… the words we speak with authority, and then the actions we take.

Aligning our words and actions with His Spirit, allows room for God’s provision and the multiplication of resources for sustainable growth and effectiveness. As you return to your ministry, apply God’s Creativity Model to your context. Don’t always think you only need to look for cash resources. Allow provision to come in whatever form it takes.

“Thy Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.”

+ Bagged Lunch Morsel 1; Morsel 2; Morsel 3; Morsel 4; Morsel 5; Morsel 6, Morsel 7; Morsel 8

This is post 7 of 8 in a series based on the curriculum I wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”. Read the entire series here.

____________________

A Framework for Developing Assets

+ Asset Mapping in a youth development context:
Based on research involving over 2 million young people since 1989, the Search Institute has identified “40 Developmental Assets” as a framework for mapping assets for youth development.

The 40 assets framework is not meant to be exhaustive, but helps shine a light on the resources “in your hand” and assess how best to utilize them. The 40 Developmental Assets are:

“concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people in our culture.”

They have been validated with research and both faith-based and secular youth agencies serving in the community.

+ Asset Categories

Youth development assets fall within two basic categories: those external to individual young people and those internal to them.

1. External to individual youth
… A) Support
… B) Empowerment
… C) Boundaries & Expectations
… D) Constructive use of Time (opportunities)

2. Internal to individual youth
… E) Commitment to Learning
… F) Positive Values
… G) Social Competencies
… H) Positive Identity

+ External Assets

The 40 assets align within those categories as follows:

A) Support
… 1) Positive family support
… 2) Positive family communication
… 3) Other adult relationships
… 4) Caring neighborhood
… 5) Caring school climate
… 6) Parent involvement in schooling

B) Empowerment
… 7) Community values youth
… Youth as resources
… 9) Service to others
… 10) Safety

C) Boundaries & Expectations
… 11) Family boundaries
… 12) School boundaries
… 13) Neighborhood boundaries
… 14) Adult role models
… 15) Positive peer influences
… 16) High expectations

D) Constructive Use of Time
… 17) Creative activities
… 18) Youth programs
… 19) Religious community
… 20) Time at home

+ Internal Assets

E) Commitment to Learning
… 21) Achievement motivation
… 22) School Engagement
… 23) Homework
… 24) Bonding to school
… 25) Reading for pleasure

F) Positive Values
… 26) Caring/compassion
… 27) Equality and social justice
… 28) Integrity
… 29) Honesty
… 30) Responsibility
… 31) Restraint

G) Social Competencies
… 32) Planning and decision making
… 33) Interpersonal competence
… 34) Cultural competence
… 35) Resistance skills
… 36) Peaceful conflict resolution

H) Positive Identity
… 37) Personal power
… 38) Self-esteem
… 39) Sense of purpose
… 40) Positive view of personal future

+ Ideas for building developmental assets.

+ Bagged Lunch Morsel 1; Morsel 2; Morsel 3; Morsel 4; Morsel 5; Morsel 6, Morsel 7; Morsel 8

This is post 6 of 8 in a series based on the curriculum I wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”. Read the entire series here.

____________________

Turn the Lights on

Turning the lights on means educating oneself about the realities of a community, beyond the obvious.

• A tool for the process: Asset Mapping, a process that helps you to identify existing resources/services rather than merely looking at the negative aspects of your community.

“Just imagine how communities feel when at the end of their needs assessment project, they find themselves confronted with a laundry list of all the things that are wrong with their local area. Rather, it suggests that community development should begin with a systematic assessment of the assets that exist in the community.”

• Contrasting the “Needs” vs. “Assets” approach to Community Development
+ Needs: Focuses on deficiencies; makes people consumers of services, builds dependence; Residents have little voice in deciding how to address local concerns
+ Assets: Focuses on effectiveness; identifies ways that people can give of their talents; seeks to empower people

• What are the Assets/Resources in Your Community? The following are examples of community assets.

1. Your Church. If you are doing ministry in the context of a local church, this should be your first assessment as you determine what is available to you. Your church’s community assets include its people, talent, facilities, and programs. Download “The Quick and Simple Congregational Asset-Mapping Experience” for a step-by-step guide.

2. Local Community Organizations and Businesses. Does your neighborhood have a Boys & Girls Club? A YMCA? A Salvation Army? A housing project community room? A public school gym? A public library? How can you utilize the resources or the facilities of these community organizations? Many organizations with great facilities lack the staff or ability to attract students. Collaborate.

3. Your Network. Who do you or your organization know? Don’t prequalify someone’s interest level before you speak with them. We all have friends who may enjoy supporting different programs financially. Start out with a small database of names of friends who may attend your church, grow it to include family, co-workers, business leaders and other friends who may appreciate the work you do with kids. Put together a regular newsletter that updates people on the programs/events and shares the stories of impact that your ministry is accomplishing. This list can be a great resource to call or mail a support letter, asking them to invest/donate toward a scholarship fund for camp or buy something for the youth room. This may start out small, but over time will grow. Consistent communication with your donor family is key, receipt and thank your donors each time they invest. Include a response card and ministry addressed envelope in each mailing, to make it easier for the person to respond.

4. Positive Youth Development. Your students are your greatest, and most often untapped, resource. More on this in Morsel 7.

5. Community Associations. Local business associations, neighborhood watches, tenants associations, unions, rotary clubs, advocacy organizations etc.

6. Local Government. Your city council, school board and other elected officials can be a great resource and a gatekeeper to local funds/donors. Create a profile of each of your elected officials; meet with their staff; and explore what discretionary grants and resources they influence. Also, recognize the influence of less obvious government officials, like school custodians who control access to the gymnasium, librarians, and police community affairs officers.

7. Community Donors. Identify and network local business owners, corporate sponsors, and potential individual donors beyond your existing network who might support the cause.

8. Local Foundations. Local foundations exist to support work like yours. Do the research, and meet the program officers. The Foundation Center, the Grantsmanship Center and other resources can help determine which local foundations support projects in your area, and offer online classes in grant writing and non-profit leadership skills. Also visit the websites of nonprofits similar to yours to see who their donors are.

Additional Asset Mapping resources

+ The Asset-Based Community Development Institute
+ CTCNet Guide: Access to Action

+ Bagged Lunch Morsel 1; Morsel 2; Morsel 3; Morsel 4; Morsel 5; Morsel 6, Morsel 7; Morsel 8

This is post 5 of 8 in a series based on the curriculum I wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”. Read the entire series here.

____________________

What is your creative context?

+ What constraints make your situation formless, empty and dark?

• Formless: Building from scratch. Dysfunctional community, families, culture, churches. Broken lives.
• Empty: Insufficient funding, space, equipment, staff
• Dark: Confusion. No direction.

+ What evidence of the “Spirit’s hovering” do you see present in your situation? Share with your neighbor some of the assets that exist…

• In your youth & families
• In your neighborhood
• In your leaders
• In your own family

+ How have you responded to His Spirit? What words are you speaking?

• Look back at the assets/resources that you listed above. Are you encouraged by what you listed?
• Can your kids and other leaders sense how you’re feeling?
• Are your words bringing life or death?

Process Steps

• Turn the lights on.
Assess current realities. Educate; study; relate.

• Establish horizon; vision cast. The “sky” was/is God’s limit.
You need to lead with a vision. The workshop from Chaos to Clarity is perfect to help you build the vision to lead your ministry. A vision can make a dark situation look bright.

• Rearrange existing resources and prepare environment for sustainable growth. What’s already in your hand?
What leaders do you have? What does your facility look like? Who is in your community?

• Establish measurements and methods for evaluating milestones.
Set some goals to meet, so you know that you are moving forward.

• Allow for God’s provision
Pray and ask God to guide you, but also do not be afraid to ask people to help. Now is a great time for you to share some examples from your own ministry and life when God led you to find resources in some unlikely places.

• Reproduce leaders and multiply yourself
People are the greatest resources and young people are a great part of that! Relationships are what will allow your ministry to grow and reach the vision. How do you recruit more mentors? How do you find new students that will catch the vision?

• Rest
Take time out.

Next Morsel: Tools for the Process

+ Bagged Lunch Morsel 1; Morsel 2; Morsel 3; Morsel 4; Morsel 5; Morsel 6, Morsel 7; Morsel 8

This is post 4 of 8 in a series based on the curriculum I wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”. Read the entire series here.

____________________

The Model in Action 2: Jesus Receives an Offering

Few stories told in all 4 gospels. This is one of them.
Matt 14 / Mark 6 / Luke 9 / John 6

• 5,000 men, plus women and children.
• Jesus tells disciples: “Give them something to eat”
• The disciples didn’t get it. The masses were confused and hungry.
• But a boy with a bagged lunch understood, and his tuna fish sandwich fed them all.

A Boy Feeds 5,000 (John 6)

• Empty, formless, dark
“Eight months wages” wouldn’t buy enough food. (v.6)
• Yet the Spirit hovered
Jesus “already had in mind what he was going to do.” (v.5)
• Lights turned on
“Where shall we buy bread …?” (v.5)
• Horizon established
“…for these people to eat” (v.5)
• Rearranged resources
“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish.” (v.9)
• Prepared environment
“Have the people sit down” (v.10)
• Experienced God’s provision
“Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed…” (v.11)
• Reproduced and ruled
“…as much as they wanted.” (v.11)
• Rested
“When they had all had enough to eat” (v.12)

+ Bagged Lunch Morsel 1; Morsel 2; Morsel 3; Morsel 4; Morsel 5; Morsel 6, Morsel 7; Morsel 8

This is post 3 of 8 in a series based on the curriculum I wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”. Read the entire series here.

____________________

A Widow Creates

2 Kings 4:1-7

• A husband’s debts + a cranky creditor nearly cost a widow her sons’ freedom.
• The prophet’s response: What’s in your hand?
• A few drops of oil and a town full of jars later, she bought their freedom.
• It was only after she ran out of containers that the oil stopped flowing.

God’s Creativity Model in Action

• Empty, formless, and void
“His creditor is coming” to enslave sons (v.1)
• The Spirit hovered
“He revered the Lord.” (v.1)
• Lights turned on
“How can I help you?” (v.2)
• Established horizon
“What do you have in your hand?” (v.2)
• Rearranged resources
“Nothing, … except a little oil.” (v.2)
• Prepared environment
Find empty jars and, “Don’t ask for just a few.” (v.3)
• Experienced God’s provision
“Pour oil in the jars” (v.4)
• Reproduced and ruled
“She kept pouring” (v.5)
• Rested – When there were no jars left,
“the oil stopped flowing.” (v.5)

+ Bagged Lunch Morsel 1; Morsel 2; Morsel 3; Morsel 4; Morsel 5; Morsel 6, Morsel 7; Morsel 8

This is post 2 of 8 in a series based on the curriculum I wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”. Read the entire series here.

____________________

In the beginning God created…

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

In so doing, an inherently creative God fashioned a creativity model for the rest of us to follow. We serve and represent that God in the communities where He called us.

God’s Creative Context

He created within a context described as:

+ Formless
+ Empty
+ Dark

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Genesis 1:2)

BUT, God’s Spirit “hovered” in that place and was not constrained by limitations.

What is your creative context?

What constraints make your situation formless, empty and dark?

• Formless: Building from scratch. Dysfunctional community, families, culture, churches. Broken lives.
• Empty: Insufficient funding, space, equipment, staff
• Dark: Confusion. No direction.

What evidence do you see the Spirit hovering in your situation?

• In your youth & families
• In your neighborhood
• In your leaders

The Spirit’s Response

The Spirit’s response to formlessness, emtiness, and darkness was to speak … with authority (v.3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29)

“And God said … and there was”

There’s power in words that align with God’s Spirit. The corollary to Genesis 1 is John 1:1.

“In the beginning was the Word.”

The Power of Your Words

“The tongue has the power of life and death. Those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

Are your words aligned with His Spirit? What fruit do they produce?

DEATH ……………….. OR ………………….. LIFE
Negativity ………………………………………. Uplifting
Complaining ……………………………………. Gratitude
Jealousy ………………………………………… Affirmation

The Genesis Creativity Model

God’s Word produced action.

+ Day 1: He turned the lights on.

“Let there be light…. And He separated the light from the darkness.” (v.3-4)

+ Day 2: He established horizon/cast vision.

“God made the expanse” and “called it sky.” (v.7-8)

+ Day 3: He rearranged existing resources into sustainable environments.

“Let the water be gathered to one place … God called the dry ground ‘land’ and the gathered water ‘seas.’” (v.9-10)

“Let the land produce vegetation.” (v.11)

+ Day 4: He created time to measure and guide seasons of life.

“Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky … to mark seasons … and to give light … and to govern day and night.” (v.14-18)

+ Day 5: He filled diverse environments with sustainable life.

“God created the great creatures of the seas … and every winged bird … and wild animals, each according to its kind.” (v.20-25)

+ Day 6: He empowered leaders by reproducing Himself, commissioning them to rule and reproduce, and providing sustenance.

“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule … over all the earth. Be fruitful and increase in number…. I give you every seed bearing plant … for food.” (v.26-28)

+ Day 7: He finished what he started … and rested.

“He finished the work … so on the seventh day he rested.” (v.2:2)

+ Bagged Lunch Morsel 1; Morsel 2; Morsel 3; Morsel 4; Morsel 5; Morsel 6, Morsel 7; Morsel 8

This is post 1 of 8 in a series based on the curriculum I wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”. Read the entire series here.

____________________




I had the privilege of writing the “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry” workshop last year for Reload 2006-2007.

Workshop Description:

Called but underfunded. Impassioned and hungry for more. Broke and feeling alone. How do bi-vocational youth workers pay the bills and buy the stuff necessary to get the job done? Jesus received one recorded offering in his career. The disciples didn’t get it. The masses were confused. But a boy with a bagged lunch understood, and his tuna fish sandwich fed 5,000. A husband’s debts nearly cost a widow her son’s freedom. The prophet’s response: “What’s in your hand?” A few drops of oil and a town full of jars later, she bought their freedom. Let’s explore how to turn tuna fish and empty bottles into resources for urban ministry.

Workshop Objectives:

1. Examine God’s Creative Model.
2. Reflect on this model in the context of the story of the widow in 2 Kings and the Fish and Loaves in the Gospel.
3. Apply the model in youth ministry contexts.
4. Identify practical tools for finding resources in your community.
5. Introduce a framework for developing assets in young people.

The UYWI Store has the workshop CD available for purchase here, but you can download the powerpoint slides for free (PDF), along with the teaching notes (PDF).

Or you can check in periodically for Bagged Lunch morsels as a series of blogposts.