The aim of YL is to reach out to young people and disciple them. To simplify it: we are to disciple. This is the second person plural active imperative from the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19). Translation: Do it! Disciple!
With camp around the corner, I’ve been praying and encouraging others to pray for people by name as potential Mt. 9:38 leaders. In a recent post, I suggested continuing your one-on-ones when you get home from camp. Then, a strange thing happened. I was working on a one-on-one continued plan for my area, and then separately my regional director Chris Eaton shared his vision for continued one-on-ones in our entire region. God must be up to something!
In our area, our leaders commit to doing a one-on-one at camp with every kid we bring. You probably do the same thing. We get back from camp on June 11. Our plan is to follow up and to keep doing one-on-ones when we get home. Our committee might even help supply some gift cards to leaders to treat kids to coffee or burger to help out a little (thanks, committee!)
Many leaders already know exactly what they like to do in these one-on-ones, but I am working to draft some ideas to help those who could use some direction. This is where I need some help… from you!
I think there are roughly three essential elements of a good one-on-one:
Connecting: This could be as simple as asking “how are you” or sharing your high/low since the last time you were together.
Bible: Open the Bible together and/or share a verse with them in one way or another (maybe even if you just text them a verse after you meet with them).
Prayer: Ask them how you could be praying for them. Pray for them during your one-on-one or pray for them over the course of the next few days and then check in with them for an update.
One important note: I have become more and more aware that I need to pay attention to where “they” are in the moment and not just to plow ahead with my own plan for our time. I’m a bit out-of-touch sometimes and am just learning this… most of you are so far ahead of me in this area!
With all this in mind, I’m trying to create 30 ideas for one-on-ones continued to use in my area. I’d love for you to scan it and let me know 1) your feedback and 2) ideas to add. Thanks!
One-on-ones Continued – 30 ideas
Simpler |
Moderate |
More Challenging |
Ask about the 5 “F’s”: Family, Fun, Faith, Friends, Future |
Memorize the first 12 TMS verses |
Discuss being baptized at a church (if you haven’t yet) |
Go back through the Bible passages from the talks at camp |
For 20 days in-a-row read at least one page of the Bible and journal about it |
Make a list of everything in the last year that God has forgiven you |
Bring them with you to do an errand or task with you, before spend focused time in prayer to ask God to bring something up that needs to be addressed |
Fast from something together for a short amount of time to focus on our dependence on Christ (ex: 24 food fast, 7 day TV fast) |
Doorbell ditch these "blessings" (yummy gifts) on other people’s front doors that were in their cabin. |
Make a list together of 50 things to thank God for in your life |
Go on a hike together and pray at the top for the city and anything else |
Read through a Gospel and write down everything Jesus says to do or not to do |
Go serve at the Phoenix Rescue Mission together (or other local missions) |
Discuss a foundational topic (such as those found in the Sermon on the Mount for help see Live Like This) |
For “thinker” kids: read Mere Christianity together |
Watch the Passion of the Christ together |
Make a list of 5 friends to pray for every day for one week (send text to remind) |
Learn one-verse evangelism and share it with one person |
Go through Mark in a Month (Reading the Gospel of Mark in 30 days) |
Go to church together for 3 weeks in a row – debrief each week together |
|
Go to the Prayer Garden (40th St and Shea) or the Dream City Prayer Pavilion together – pray for the person |
Listen and look at the words to 5 worship songs together and then talk about what you experienced and thought about |
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Write out your testimony and share it with a friend |
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Read a Proverb or Psalm each day and text each other one thing you learned |
Please get back to me (social media, email – smcgever [at] pv dotttt younglife dotttt org, snail mail, phone call, homing pigeon) with your feedback. We need it!
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2 thoughts on “Feedback Needed… One-on-Ones Continued: Follow-up from Camp”
I really like seeing all these ideas for one on ones, especially late out in a grid like this!
I think I would add also in the “more challenging” column to have a conversation about where they could get plugged into serving at a church (beyond attending youth group and/or worship), kind of the next step after they’ve been baptized.
I really like these! The 938 List is a really cool concept as well that I’d never heard of until today. It’s like a whole new perspective on leadership!
In terms of my thoughts on the list itself, I really like the 5 F’s one. That seems like a good launching point into different topics. I think that the Hike + Prayer, Doorbell Ditch Yummies, Discussing Sermon on the Mount Topics, and Praying for 5 Friends are all things that the kids in my area would be totally into. Thanks for all of these wonderful ideas!