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#29: Making the Mission Last (Interview with Tim Wadsworth)
33 Plays5 days ago
Episode Summary
Every mission trip ends with students returning home inspired and full of stories about what God has done. But what happens when everyday life begins again? School starts, schedules fill up, and the excitement fades.
In this follow-up episode, Rich Brown sits down with veteran student pastor Tim Wadsworth to discuss how ministry leaders can intentionally help students carry the spiritual momentum of a mission trip into everyday life. Using the Five Pillars of Mission Trip Follow-Up as the framework, they explore practical ways to partner with parents, engage the local church, disciple individual students, strengthen the student ministry, and maintain relationships with the host ministry.
The conversation reminds leaders that success isn't measured by what happens during the mission trip but by how students live on mission long after they return home.
Resources Mentioned:
Next Gen Matters: https://www.nextgenmatters.com/
Email for Rich Brown (NGM): rich@nextgenmatters.com
Subscribe for NGM Thursday Tools email
Watch this episode on YouTube
The Bible (Scripture references in the order of their mention): James 1:23; Ephesians 4:12; 1 Timothy 4:12; Luke 10:17–20; Philippians 1:27; Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 20:32; Matthew 9:37–38; Luke 12:48; Matthew 25:21; Isaiah 14:12–15
Recommended
Transcript
Post-Mission Trip Challenges
00:00:01
NextGen Matters
Hey, think back to the last mission trip you led. The students came home fired up. They couldn't stop talking about what God had done in them and through them. They were sharing their stories, obviously sharing and posting pictures on the gram and promising things like this trip just changed my life. And even better, like I'm going share Jesus with my entire campus.
00:00:23
NextGen Matters
But then life happened. They got home, they started school, sports resumed, homework began to pile up. Your ministry meetings kind of settled back into the basic Wednesday or Sunday evenings.
00:00:37
NextGen Matters
Before long, the spiritual momentum, that great summer trip began to fade. So here's the question. How do you keep a mission trip from becoming just another memory?
00:00:50
NextGen Matters
I mean, how do you help students move from a week of serving to a lifetime of living on mission? Last episode, we explored a practical framework I called the Five Pillars of Mission Trip Follow-Up as we talked about building the bridge from the mission site back home.
00:01:06
Tim Wadsworth
Thank you.
00:01:08
NextGen Matters
But today I wanna take that conversation even a step further.
Interview with Tim Wadsworth
00:01:12
NextGen Matters
To do that, joining me is my dear friend, Tim Wadsworth from Taylors, South Carolina, just north of Greenville. Tim is a seasoned student pastor who has led countless mission trips and has spent years helping students translate mountaintop experiences into everyday life.
00:01:28
NextGen Matters
So I got my coffee. You got yours. I got my Pike's Market as usual. And we're going to be taking this time to have this conversation with Tim. Now, Tim and I have already been having some full disclosure here.
00:01:42
NextGen Matters
I got some gentlemen out here doing some yard work. You may or may not hear a massive weed whacker or bushwhacker or some kind of, you know, something going on. You may not. I don't know. But it's everyday life. Yeah.
00:01:53
NextGen Matters
We've also been having internet struggles. It's everyday life. So we'll see how it goes, Tim. Tim, welcome aboard, man.
00:02:01
Tim Wadsworth
Oh man, I'm so happy to be with you, Doc. Thank you for for having me. I'm humbled.
00:02:06
NextGen Matters
You're welcome. You're welcome. Before we get started, remember, if you're watching on YouTube and you're not become a sub, if you haven't subscribed yet, please make sure to subscribe to this so you do not miss an episode, as well as on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Make sure you're subscribing to those. And the Thursday Tools email.
00:02:25
NextGen Matters
Please make sure you're getting those emails. And on Tim reads them. He'll respond to me. Even gives me some nice comps sometimes. I really appreciate it Tim. Trying to create these resources to get into your hands to help you realize I am not alone in ministry.
00:02:40
NextGen Matters
I'm part of a big team for the kingdom of Jesus. So, Tim, here we go. Let's jump right into it. Of those five minutes, yeah, let's really, let's go.
00:02:46
Tim Wadsworth
Let's do it.
00:02:48
NextGen Matters
Five ministry pillars.
Integrating Mission Experiences at Home
00:02:50
NextGen Matters
Pillar number one has to do with the home. And I don't mean just home generic. I mean, specifically their home they live in. You know, mom, dad, their home environment. How do we best translate the mission trip and partner with those back home? Yes, their parents, but even their siblings. So, you know, and in the last episode, I gave a number of suggestions. You've looked through them. You've listened to this previous podcast.
00:03:14
NextGen Matters
What are some of your thoughts and what I shared? And or do you have, I'll be honest, even better ideas than what I'm doing?
00:03:21
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah, i don't I don't know if they're better. i was super encouraged listening to it and and considering everything that you covered. so much of it is so brilliant. It's got so much of Rich Brown just woven in it.
00:03:38
Tim Wadsworth
It was humbling for me and my team to process together. i agree. I think what you do pre-mission trip, post-mission trip are just as important on what happens.
00:03:48
NextGen Matters
no
00:03:50
Tim Wadsworth
on on the trip. And so normally what tends to happen is pre-mission trip, it's what to pack, what to prepare for, have you paid your remaining balance?
00:03:55
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:04:01
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:04:01
Tim Wadsworth
I feel like it's a lot of the nuts and bolts that aren't as fun per se.
00:04:06
NextGen Matters
Logistics. Yeah. Yeah.
00:04:08
Tim Wadsworth
And you go on the trip, God moves.
00:04:08
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:04:12
Tim Wadsworth
I always say the good, the bad, the ugly, right?
00:04:12
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:04:14
Tim Wadsworth
Like so many incredible things can happen, so many hard things
00:04:15
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:04:19
Tim Wadsworth
unexpected things. You're just kind of open-handed saying, okay, God, like we're going to be faithful.
00:04:22
NextGen Matters
Right. Yeah.
00:04:24
Tim Wadsworth
You do what you want to prune us and to flesh this out. But I'm trying to get better with the post-mission trip. what We've been doing some things that I think have been effective, but what I love that you talked about was the idea of personally touching base with each parent.
00:04:44
Tim Wadsworth
I'm not very good.
00:04:44
NextGen Matters
yeah
00:04:46
Tim Wadsworth
I'm not good with that. I'm good with getting all the parents together to kill multiple birds with one stone. And I can share a little bit more about how we do that if you think that's helpful.
00:04:53
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:04:56
Tim Wadsworth
But I could definitely tell one of the ways that I need to get stronger as a student pastor is that personally touching base with each parent.
00:04:56
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:05:04
Tim Wadsworth
I think that's brilliant.
00:05:09
NextGen Matters
I really, I'm not going to say it again, Rich. Matter of fact, even yesterday at church, and yeah I'm not the student pastor anymore. I'm i'm an 11th, 12th grade guys leader.
00:05:20
NextGen Matters
But I spent Wednesday night, we went out for ice cream. 40, 50 high schoolers at a local Monkey Joe's ice cream. Yes, they just got a shot out there in Forest, Virginia. We overwhelmed them in a good way.
00:05:32
NextGen Matters
We took care of them economically. We benefited. They beneficiaries. But I spent almost an hour with, and won't say his name, but one of our dudes.
00:05:37
Tim Wadsworth
Yes. Yeah.
00:05:40
NextGen Matters
you He's a senior, rising senior. And saw his mom yesterday in between services. I spent 15 minutes just chatting with her, just connecting with her son. She's so appreciated. Now, that's the principle.
00:05:52
NextGen Matters
It's just, again, I'm now one of your volunteers, basically. you know I'd be running, you know helping with your high school senior guys you to role play this, right? even though it's not coming off a mission trip, it's the principle.
00:06:04
NextGen Matters
Looking parents in the eye, hey, this is what I'm seeing in your son. And I did give him significant shout outs. And she's like thanks for being part of my team. I think that's exactly what we want to be. I'm talking now as a dad for a minute, back when my kids were in student men.
00:06:17
NextGen Matters
I knew I was big enough that I'm not big enough. I need a team. So if that's where we can come in as school ministry leaders to really partner with them.
00:06:22
Tim Wadsworth
Yes.
00:06:26
NextGen Matters
And I'm really, Tim, my real heart goes out to those parents who... aren't yet followers of jesus they're not yet apprentices disciples of jesus they're not been born again yet they also need to know not the same spiritual level that we would talk about with you know some of the other christian parents but at least to know wow your kid rocks you know and thank you so much for letting them go so anyway i'm a huge fan of that following up with mom and dad mom or dad whatever their condition is
00:06:47
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:06:56
NextGen Matters
thanking them again for letting them go and at least think one thing that was significant.
00:07:03
Tim Wadsworth
No, i I love that. And I even really appreciate what you shared about if, let's say, mom and dad don't know Christ. Well, that's low-hanging fruit to be the hands and feet of Jesus and encourage them.
00:07:13
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:07:16
NextGen Matters
Absolutely. not be intimidated by that. Let's move in. Mm-hmm.
00:07:20
Tim Wadsworth
Right. And i think it's it's if you can win the kid, i think you can easily win mom and dad. So I love that you're thinking about capitalizing on that.
00:07:32
Tim Wadsworth
But that personal touch with each parent is huge.
00:07:34
NextGen Matters
What
00:07:35
Tim Wadsworth
I mean, Rich, you're a gift to your student pastor. i've I've always joked, if I can have 50 Rich Browns, I could take over the world.
00:07:41
NextGen Matters
happens to be my son? Yeah. Yeah. Sorry.
00:07:47
NextGen Matters
Go ahead. I'm sorry.
00:07:47
Tim Wadsworth
I'm telling you.
00:07:49
Tim Wadsworth
Well, no, it's a gift to your student pastor, right? Like he's not having to do it. You're doing that on behalf of the ministry. Right. And what what a key role you're playing on that leadership team.
00:07:58
NextGen Matters
Hmm.
00:08:01
Tim Wadsworth
And I think any student pastor listening to this needs to start thinking, how do I equip my leaders to do what Rich has done with this parent? I think there's a lot of wisdom there.
00:08:11
NextGen Matters
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:08:20
NextGen Matters
Thanks. So I mentioned in the last podcast, you know, building a home rhythm, the idea of like getting our students to think even before they left the mission site, mission site what can you do to serve a sibling, serve mom, serve dad?
00:08:35
NextGen Matters
do you do anything like that? or did that kind of resonate with you? Because that's something I don't think we're doing. You know, the parent will say, hey, they were serving, you know, in our case it was a Hispanic church, they were serving that Hispanic church in that community, but they don't help around the house.
00:08:51
NextGen Matters
And you're kind of like, touche. They're right.
00:08:54
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah. Yeah. i I think thinking through ways that this can grow legs and arms once they get home is so smart.
00:09:07
Tim Wadsworth
I mean, one of the ways we try and do it, I shared this with you Doc, about we think the most effective way to help that happen in the home is, you know, once you're home,
00:09:21
Tim Wadsworth
A week or so has gone by. we We try and have them over to our house for dinner and not just student, mom and dad to come.
00:09:24
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:09:31
Tim Wadsworth
I think there's something about hearing the shared stories, hearing the laughter, hearing the memories. And like I said, the good, the bad, the ugly, you're you're wel like you're welcoming them in to what happened. And I think there's a type of accountability that then goes to the students.
00:09:50
Tim Wadsworth
Once mom and dad know how kiddo was acting on mission trip or what God did, i think it's easier for them to know it holds their feet to the fire about not just being one way on mission trip and then being a complete fraud at home.
00:10:07
Tim Wadsworth
i mean, we know God's word says it when a man goes to a mirror, then turns from the mirror and and forgets his own reflection, we We don't want them to forget their reflection. So welcoming mom and dad into that, then as the primary disciple maker, if it doesn't line up or add up, well, they can then intentionally speak into that with the student.
00:10:35
NextGen Matters
Right. And you lean into this a little bit. You have a gathering point at your house. grill out, it's just not for the students on the team. you actually intentionally are bringing mom and dad. Is that correct?
00:10:49
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah, we we do two.
00:10:50
NextGen Matters
For off like a follow-up meeting with follow-up conversation.
00:10:53
Tim Wadsworth
Yep, we do two different touch points. So we try and get the team together twice.
00:10:58
NextGen Matters
Okay.
00:10:59
Tim Wadsworth
The first one is welcoming mom and dad into it. And then there's very intentional things we're trying to do to win in family ministry.
00:11:05
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:11:08
Tim Wadsworth
The second one we do is we want those students to be bringers. So we encourage those students, think of students in our youth group, since we're one youth group, you're really good at talking about not making sure that division happens.
00:11:25
Tim Wadsworth
As one youth group, who do you want to personally invite into this for next year?
00:11:27
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:11:31
Tim Wadsworth
And then instead of bringing mom and dad with you for hamburgers and hot dogs, bring that junior, bring that sophomore, bring that freshman.
00:11:33
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:11:39
Tim Wadsworth
And now we want to welcome them into why this is important for their summer.
00:11:41
NextGen Matters
right
00:11:48
NextGen Matters
So that that works out well when we get into the category of the student ministry, but it's the same principle, same principle.
00:11:53
Tim Wadsworth
Yes.
00:11:56
NextGen Matters
All right, cool.
Connecting to the Local Church
00:11:57
NextGen Matters
Now our second pillar was local church. And I think Tim, in our conversations previous to this podcast, I think many times we do well with this pillar, maybe not always number one, which is the home, but what are you doing or do something you saw or you listened to last episode that kind of resonate with you and or something you're doing well, you could encourage our listener to when it comes to connecting our student minist ministry team to the mission team, to the local church, to us, our home church.
00:12:27
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:12:30
Tim Wadsworth
I'm so happy you covered that. I do think it's a very important responsibility and role of the student pastor to be the greatest ambassador for the sake of your ministry.
00:12:45
Tim Wadsworth
In any way that you can let God's people know what is going on, whether locally in your city or in America, obviously great platforms are social media.
00:12:45
NextGen Matters
Hmm.
00:12:57
Tim Wadsworth
Letting people know. i think people need to be encouraged. with what's going on. There's a lot of people who think this next generation is just doomed. No, we need to let them know all of the great things that are happening.
00:13:08
NextGen Matters
Right, right.
00:13:12
Tim Wadsworth
So I love some of the things that you touched on. I really like the sharing the testimony and what I like to call big church. And any way you can partner with your lead pastor or whoever has a say in what gets a microphone on Sunday morning,
00:13:22
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:13:28
NextGen Matters
yes Yes.
00:13:31
Tim Wadsworth
and me To me, that's the most effective thing is you can make highlight videos, you can make social media posts, but you're not going to reach the whole demographic of your church.
00:13:41
NextGen Matters
Right. Right.
00:13:41
Tim Wadsworth
But whoever has the mic has the power.
00:13:44
Tim Wadsworth
So I think you walk into an, el like I just became an elder.
00:13:44
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:13:49
Tim Wadsworth
So I have a little more say now at the actual table of representing student ministry, which I wish I would have had a long time ago.
00:13:50
NextGen Matters
Okay.
00:13:55
NextGen Matters
Great.
00:13:59
Tim Wadsworth
but Standing before the church, I like to do two things. Thank you for giving. Your sacrificial tithes and offerings went to this student to help financially for him to go, and this is what God did.
00:14:08
NextGen Matters
Yes. Yes.
00:14:16
Tim Wadsworth
and then we talk about how many people came to know Jesus, what was done. Your giving was not done in vain. And now the ramifications of that in our youth group.
00:14:25
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:14:27
Tim Wadsworth
Thank you for giving. Look at what God did.
00:14:28
NextGen Matters
right
00:14:29
Tim Wadsworth
Now, this is what we are inheriting as a student ministry, and we're going to benefit as a whole, as a church, not just in our youth group. So I think any student pastor listening, whatever you have to do to convince, manipulate, cheat, and lie your way to the microphone on Sunday, you got to make it happen.
00:14:38
NextGen Matters
good That's Tim's words, not mine.
00:14:54
Tim Wadsworth
I'm just kidding. No cheating, no lying, but you got figure out a way to get that mic.
00:14:57
NextGen Matters
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:15:01
NextGen Matters
Yeah, I hear you. I hear you. And I think even before, again, so much of the heavy lifting is on the front side of a trip, right? But even having a lot of this done, the post, especially connecting with your home church,
00:15:17
NextGen Matters
Have the game plan already in place before you leave. In other words, already have those conversations, your lead pastor, whomever, like you said, whomever. What can we do to not highlight us, but highlight kingdom advancement through the lives of our students?
00:15:33
NextGen Matters
And already have that set in, you know, not just the permission givers, yes, but... Deeper than that, sharing, like you said, the mission, the vision of what did happen. That those adults, especially, come on, especially the older folks who are typically the most heavy giving of a church.
00:15:51
Tim Wadsworth
Yes.
00:15:53
NextGen Matters
And we're the ones who say they need to get on our page, start listening to our music. In reality, they've been faithfully attending that church for 30, 40 or more years. i'm I'm concerned that we kind of push them off to the side, marginalize them.
00:16:08
NextGen Matters
They need to hear the good things that God is doing.
00:16:08
Tim Wadsworth
yes
00:16:11
NextGen Matters
Because do know, bro, God is doing some amazing things. I'm seeing hunger. I'm watching some of my dudes yesterday, my small group, sitting right near me. always see second row. like, bring me the foul balls. I want the spit.
00:16:22
NextGen Matters
I want to be right in the front during service. And I looked over and bunch of my guys, instead of being back this week, were in the front lifting hands in worship. Some friends went behind them, walked right up to them afterward, adult couple my age. They walked right up and said, wow, thank you guys for worshiping.
00:16:39
NextGen Matters
And I told those guys later, I went them gave a big hug and squeezed and said, dudes, thanks for sitting up front. And they Rich, that has nothing missions. Yeah, but it's the same principle. They're now highly engaged.
00:16:48
Tim Wadsworth
Agreed.
00:16:49
NextGen Matters
they were They were encouraging other parts of the body just by 2 Timothy, 1 Timothy 4.12, being an example to the believer. Anyway, hey, we talk about prayer requests before we go. And I mentioned last episode, what about creating post-trip prayer cards? And I have like a 30-day challenge. Let's go.
00:17:10
NextGen Matters
How do we now take what God did and get our community, our believers, the church, to now continue praying for? And now we can actually give names and faces and You know, that to me really resonates with people. So there's a lot. If you didn't listen the last episode, go back and listen to it.
00:17:28
NextGen Matters
Yes. Let's connect with our local church. Tim, especially you hit on something financially. If there were people that provided resources, whether it was actual you know money or other types of resources, let's send our students out to their traditional church, right?
00:17:35
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:17:45
NextGen Matters
Sunday school class or their small group or do something to get just not us as the adult, but get the students out in front of sharing the good things that God did.
00:17:57
Tim Wadsworth
No, I love it. So we we, for many years, we, in the last year or so, we haven't pushed something called habits as hard.
00:18:07
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:18:07
Tim Wadsworth
But I feel like there was a decade in our ministry where we lived by the word habits, but it was more of an acronym.
00:18:14
NextGen Matters
Yep.
00:18:16
Tim Wadsworth
And the the I,
00:18:16
NextGen Matters
Oh yeah. Go back to, go back to a purpose-driven youth ministry, the old orange book.
00:18:23
Tim Wadsworth
that's it. And I is involvement in the church.
00:18:24
NextGen Matters
Exactly. Yep.
00:18:27
Tim Wadsworth
I stands for involvement in the church.
00:18:27
NextGen Matters
Yep. Yep.
00:18:28
Tim Wadsworth
So I think too, I think it's not talked about enough about how the student pastor needs to not silo the student ministry, build relationships with these other pastors up and down this hall right here and go, Hey, we just got back from a mission trip.
00:18:40
NextGen Matters
Exactly. Yep. yeah
00:18:48
Tim Wadsworth
I saw that you're having a men's breakfast in two weeks. Okay, that has nothing to do with student ministry.
00:18:53
NextGen Matters
yep
00:18:55
Tim Wadsworth
But hey, how about we open up men's breakfast with three of my senior guys sharing about what God did or asking them to continue praying in these ways. You're you're hitting more of the outside, the the bubble of student ministry.
00:19:11
Tim Wadsworth
and And I think that's hitting the bullseye with the local church.
00:19:15
NextGen Matters
Absolutely. I love it. I love it. So yeah, we've got to connect well upon the return with their homes, with their local church, our local church, then also the student ministry itself.
00:19:26
Tim Wadsworth
yeah
00:19:30
NextGen Matters
And when I say student ministry, I'm thinking in two levels. I'm thinking the initial team that went, the student ministry team, you've already mentioned it, but also the entire student ministry, because you could have potentially half that didn't go.
Reintegrating Non-Participants
00:19:43
NextGen Matters
And I mentioned last episode, I do want to lean in on this as well. You will have students that actually wanted to go. Maybe their parents, for example, we had a lot of students from Unsaved Homeless back when I was serving on Seattle.
00:19:56
NextGen Matters
They thought we were a cult. We believed in the infallibility of scripture. You know, you're one of those extremists, right? Seriously. And so a lot of times those students weren't allowed to go because what were we doing? Advancing the gospel. And that parent's like, you ain't doing that.
00:20:12
NextGen Matters
You also have parents that tell their student, their child, no, because we're going to grandma's house that week or we're going, that's our big trip. We've, we paid for this months ago.
00:20:21
NextGen Matters
You're like, can't go.
00:20:22
Tim Wadsworth
Right.
00:20:24
NextGen Matters
i don't want to make this punitive on them. Also realize there are some students that just aren't spiritually there and that's okay.
00:20:31
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:20:32
NextGen Matters
I'd rather have them not go than go and try to fake it to make it. That's not what we're talking about.
00:20:38
Tim Wadsworth
yep
00:20:39
NextGen Matters
I'll have to say, Tim, you may have half your group that didn't go. So we have to really do some things to recreate oneness and not create, oh, we're the alpha team, you know, we're the beta team.
00:20:52
Tim Wadsworth
No.
00:20:52
NextGen Matters
What are some things you think about when it comes to reconnecting the students?
00:20:57
Tim Wadsworth
Well, I think you're, you're again, i think you're hitting the bullseye. the The kids that are going are actually the minority Versus the majority of students that just come every Sunday night for youth group.
00:21:08
NextGen Matters
Hmm.
00:21:12
Tim Wadsworth
So I think you you've got to think of a way to not make them feel like the outsiders. Or even if they don't feel like an outsider, you've got to figure out a way to let them know what God did and make them feel a part of it. Because God's word even says, when one rejoices, we all rejoice.
00:21:30
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:21:30
Tim Wadsworth
When one's hurting, we all hurt. So we we try and do it in in two ways.
00:21:34
NextGen Matters
Right. Good.
00:21:36
Tim Wadsworth
We don't do this well. And so this is where I was humbled listening to the podcast going, I've been in student ministry in this two decades. Why have I never tried this? So I really appreciate your insight and wisdom. But the I think I alluded to it a couple minutes ago about them being a bringer into that second dinner.
00:21:57
NextGen Matters
I love it.
00:21:58
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:21:58
Tim Wadsworth
But then...
00:21:59
Tim Wadsworth
We also have a summer celebration night where it's open mic testimony. So like we don't have teaching per se. We we allow them to come.
00:22:10
Tim Wadsworth
And so we we we make it a really big point to let them know that even if you didn't go on these trips, we want to hear from you.
00:22:20
Tim Wadsworth
But even if you didn't go on these trips, we want you to really tune in and listen to these students. Because we want you to be praying and considering now about coming with us in 12 months.
00:22:30
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:22:32
Tim Wadsworth
And I think if you want to get these kids to be involved next summer, it starts in August.
00:22:32
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:22:37
Tim Wadsworth
It starts 12 months out from the trip to make that a reality for for the kiddo.
00:22:39
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:22:43
Tim Wadsworth
And honestly, the only way I can win the student in going is if I have mom and dad being owners in the vision of the trip. So I think it it really starts there. But those are those are the two things we're doing. They're probably not the best. As I'm going through your notes of everything you talked about, I think, man, we could really beef this up.
00:23:03
NextGen Matters
I already received some input. Kyle Hoffsmith, he has his own podcast as well, a friend mutual friend of ours through Walt Mueller. He reached out to me last week and said, wow, you know, response to the last week's episode, the last episode, he goes, wow, that was a really good idea.
00:23:19
NextGen Matters
The one of, let's develop a student ministry-wide service project, you know, maybe one to two months out from the mission trip. Because now that's a way that, you know, like a one-off, if you will, a Saturday morning or whatever.
00:23:30
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:34
NextGen Matters
i really think our schools, what could we do to even serve? You know, the traditional, let's clean the garden beds or let's clean out lockers or whatever, you know, getting permission from the middle school, high school. Because actually that's also their listening field.
00:23:44
Tim Wadsworth
yeah
00:23:46
NextGen Matters
And that really helps them resonate of this. these are our These are our schools in the area. Just a thought. But doing something to create a ministry project. And it may not be...
00:23:57
NextGen Matters
what I call missional meaning gospel centered, but it's more ministry driven where it's just more serving centered, but gets them all together.
00:24:05
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:24:06
NextGen Matters
And I'm a fan of get those leadership students that you've already entrusted with to do other projects or other leadership roles from your trip, get them to plan it out.
00:24:16
NextGen Matters
And Tim, in your situation, my brain goes here. Okay, dude, I'm already thinking the time you have your celebration time, students together, bring the others, say, hey guys, maybe you couldn't go on that trip that we just did, but here's what we have coming up.
00:24:28
NextGen Matters
And your students just unload with the rest of their team. Hey, we got this coming up, guys. Let's all jump on the wagon. Let's do this together. Thoughts, bro.
00:24:39
Tim Wadsworth
I don't know. I feel like you just...
00:24:39
NextGen Matters
I'm a dreamer.
00:24:40
NextGen Matters
I'm sorry. I'm a dreamer. Sorry, not sorry.
00:24:40
Tim Wadsworth
don
00:24:43
Tim Wadsworth
you No, you you know what? You are. you i would call you a mountain climber. I'm more of a maintainer. So a maintainer really needs to rub shoulders with mountain climbers because you're good at getting us out of the consistent... I wouldn't call it a rut. That's too strong of a word, but I'm very consistent.
00:25:03
Tim Wadsworth
And if I've done it one way, that's the way I'm going to do it next year.
00:25:05
NextGen Matters
Sure.
00:25:06
NextGen Matters
understand.
00:25:06
Tim Wadsworth
But to infuse some of these ideas, man I think any time you can make a student go from a renter to an owner, you're winning.
00:25:10
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:25:13
NextGen Matters
Great.
00:25:15
Tim Wadsworth
And so thinking through those ideas on how to help it grow those arms and legs, what do what do you have to lose, right? Like the way I'm wired is once I get home, I've got 10 other things coming in the pipeline that I've got to think about and get done.
00:25:24
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:25:27
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:25:31
Tim Wadsworth
But being really intentional with how do we keep that momentum
00:25:33
NextGen Matters
I know. I know.
Scheduling and Planning Mission Trips
00:25:36
Tim Wadsworth
going?
00:25:36
Tim Wadsworth
I've got i've got to grow there.
00:25:39
NextGen Matters
Yeah. Well, I step back 20 steps. It's not just the student that gets overwhelmed when they get back home. Yeah. They got, you know, a school year coming up, everything else. So do we, you know, we go to the very next thing.
00:25:51
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:25:52
NextGen Matters
Right. So, and that's where I think even doing something highly intentional before the school year starts with the whole middle school, the whole high school or combo, depending on the size of your ministry together.
00:26:03
NextGen Matters
By the way, Tim.
00:26:04
Tim Wadsworth
Hey, Rich, that makes me that makes me wonder.
00:26:05
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:26:07
Tim Wadsworth
what And and i don't I don't know how safe it is to verbally process out loud, but with what you just said, i wonder if having the mission trip yeah i wonder if having the mission trip in early June...
00:26:07
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:26:14
NextGen Matters
That's how you learn.
00:26:21
Tim Wadsworth
is smart because then you don't have that rat race of the school year.
00:26:23
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:26:26
Tim Wadsworth
So close breathing down your neck.
00:26:26
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:26:29
NextGen Matters
Well, and i when I say this, this is program. Programs come and go. Structures come and go. Base it on purpose.
00:26:34
Tim Wadsworth
Yep.
00:26:34
NextGen Matters
or We all know that. I hope we know that. But for us, tangibly speaking or practically speaking, you know, think there's usually nine. We usually had nine weeks in the summer.
00:26:45
NextGen Matters
You know, last day of school, first day of school is usually nine weeks. Right. So this is in the weeds a little bit, but it answers that question or answers that thought. Week five, we rented out of camp, ran our own camp.
00:26:56
NextGen Matters
rented out a camp. That was the only week they allowed us to rent because they did their own camps, weeks one through four, you know, and the others. Week five was the one week they rent out.
00:27:04
Tim Wadsworth
Oh, wow.
00:27:05
NextGen Matters
So therefore, we're landlocked in the calendar week five. So my first few years, this is out in Seattle, my first few years, couple years, we did post camp, you know, two weeks out, we did our mission.
00:27:20
NextGen Matters
dude that was horrible here's why they're only two weeks out of school a lot of my students couldn't go two-a-day football band you know band practice already they're already involved in the school rhythm right i mean we're shooting this the beginning of august they're already right now i got students yesterday morning at sunny church talking about yeah i got two days i'm so tired you know some are already in band local christian school so i'm just saying right so what we did the next year we pivoted to week three
00:27:43
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:27:48
NextGen Matters
Two weeks before camp, it almost appears opposite. Doing ministry should come after becoming spiritual at camp, right? Bro, it was a game changer because all of a sudden, the three months of mission training that we did, which was highly, highly discipleship driven, all of a sudden, those students came out of the mission experience.
00:27:56
Tim Wadsworth
yeah
00:28:10
NextGen Matters
Half of our high school went. That's 25 out of 50. Here's the quick number. 25 students out of 50 went. They then, when it came to camp, had a much more mature view on... There was no more there was no more you know pranks. There was no more of the drama. It literally killed the drama.
00:28:32
NextGen Matters
There was such a depth that took place. And we did a combo middle and high school for summer camp, teaching together. All the other programs were split. But 100 some students would go and that top 25 literally literally Literally trickled down economics, right? Literally trickled down to the rest of the camp. I saw such depth and maturity and the the fields are way into harvest, if you will, of what God would do during camp because of the mission trip two weeks earlier.
00:29:04
NextGen Matters
I just took a little bit and unpacked that. But I'm so glad we did it that way. And then the last few weeks, yeah, a lot of us took our vacations. But we also did that service project during that time.
00:29:16
NextGen Matters
Gave us that four or five week window. Now we can do something just before school.
00:29:23
Tim Wadsworth
Ooh. I like that.
00:29:24
NextGen Matters
Yeah, we hit it toward the beginning of the summer.
00:29:25
Tim Wadsworth
I like that.
00:29:27
NextGen Matters
You're right. We hit it toward the beginning of the summer of break.
00:29:31
Tim Wadsworth
That's so good. I hope anyone that's listening, there's some things we can't be open handed with, but I do like what you said about the way we program, the way we execute that, that can shift and mold all the time.
00:29:41
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:29:44
Tim Wadsworth
And so to even think through our calendars, I mean, if we're going to make those pivots, August and September is the time to do it.
00:29:52
NextGen Matters
yeah And it's not just what we do. I'm a huge fan. I do coaching on this with like my engaged cohort and stuff on how to do events. I'm leading a guy through that right now, him and his intern. And it's like, not just what we do, but when, when we do it,
00:30:08
NextGen Matters
a you know, so anyway.
00:30:11
Tim Wadsworth
That's huge. No, I love that.
00:30:12
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:30:13
Tim Wadsworth
that You've got my wheels spinning.
00:30:13
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:30:15
Tim Wadsworth
I'm i'm thinking.
00:30:15
NextGen Matters
and I think they're this too. You lead into your team as you're coming back, letting them know we are one. I mentioned that as well last time. We are one ministry. Let us not become arrogant or proud. Luke 10, you know, Satan fell as lightning from the sky.
00:30:30
NextGen Matters
Jesus points that story out. Now this story is an event, took place, it happened. His pride, I will be like the most high. I will be not better than, I'll be even to Jehovah. No, you're not.
00:30:41
NextGen Matters
Bye. So then when when they came back from their mission trip to 72 and they're all like, wow, this is amazing.
00:30:43
Tim Wadsworth
Yep.
00:30:49
NextGen Matters
Demons are hopping out of windows. I mean, this is crazy stuff. And he's like, just rejoice. Your names are in the book of life. And I love that. And I shared that again last episode. But hitting that story.
00:30:59
NextGen Matters
that Luke 10 narrative with our students at last night, even how that translates back home. Yes, God used you. Rejoice that you are born again. And so are your friends back home.
00:31:11
NextGen Matters
Let's keep a posture of humility while we're having posture of graciousness and gratitude. Also a posture of humility and not arrogance.
00:31:23
NextGen Matters
Let no one despise your youth, but be an example.
00:31:23
Tim Wadsworth
Nope.
00:31:26
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah. Nope. It's it's huge. and And as you were talking, i'm I'm trying to think, how can I reiterate? We are one student ministry. We're one youth group. And I think actions speak louder than words.
00:31:38
Tim Wadsworth
And the best way to do it is to get other students to invite in. Right? This isn't dodgeball.
00:31:42
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:31:44
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:31:44
Tim Wadsworth
This isn't dodgeball.
00:31:45
Tim Wadsworth
I want you. i don't want you. If someone comes to me who's a peer and goes, Wadsworth, you've got to be there. It hits different than a student pastor doing it or a leader.
00:31:55
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:31:56
Tim Wadsworth
So i think I think that's the the secret sauce.
00:31:59
NextGen Matters
you're You're a drummer. You give drum lessons and you are you've been a drummer since you were in high school. So I'm beating this drum right now, bro. It's like leaning into your student leadership team. Hey, like you already said, we got this coming up in a week or two.
00:32:12
NextGen Matters
When we get home, we're going to have our, you know, grilling out the Wadsworth house, house, and, and you're going to bring somebody who is your, who's your one, who's the person in our ministry right now that did not come already thinking, hey what will we do?
00:32:23
Tim Wadsworth
Bingo.
00:32:25
NextGen Matters
Cause you know, students reach students, not just evangelistically, but through nerd, but by nurturing as well, relational connections,
00:32:32
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:32:34
Tim Wadsworth
But dare I say, Rich, and I can be corrected, you can rebuke me. Dare I say that type of mission field might be more important than what they did on the mission site?
00:32:48
NextGen Matters
100% agree. 10 exit.
00:32:49
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:32:50
NextGen Matters
I would tell our students that, and I meant this, absolutely meant this. I go, when people ask me, do we have a successful trip? I go, I don't know yet. Success will be defined how they translate the gospel back into the local schools.
00:33:05
NextGen Matters
Success would be defined. Where are they at three and six months down the road? Did they truly learn the spiritual habits of I am a, I'm missional in my lifestyle or just I go do missions. Let's, I'm going to preach. Let's stop doing missions. Let's become missional.
00:33:20
NextGen Matters
And if the heavy lifting is not sharing the gospel with someone, there's no there's no relational collateral damage, if you will, like sharing with somebody that you never see again and they reject you.
00:33:31
NextGen Matters
That doesn't cost you.
00:33:31
Tim Wadsworth
Right.
00:33:32
NextGen Matters
cost you is the guys on your basketball team or your football team or in marching band who like, really? You're Jesus freak? And now you've got to live through that drama for the next eight months because you identified as a follower of Jesus Christ.
00:33:48
Tim Wadsworth
Oh, that's good.
00:33:50
NextGen Matters
And that's why, if you're watching on YouTube, i'm doing this with my hands. That's how the team must be one. Philippians 127, the verse we memorized. Striving as one person for the faith of the gospel. A Roman army lined up shield to shield like a massive bulldozer that couldn't be stopped for 500 years.
00:34:08
Tim Wadsworth
Come on.
00:34:08
NextGen Matters
Because they locked arms, they locked shields together, and they marched. And we are like one. So, I mean, like I could go off off on that, but I'll chill in.
00:34:18
Tim Wadsworth
I love it. You get on that soapbox, brother.
00:34:19
NextGen Matters
Well, let's put it into our...
00:34:22
NextGen Matters
I love how you know what you mean. Number four, the actual student, the individual student. As adults, as student to student, what can we do to help those that went on our trip continue forth?
00:34:36
Tim Wadsworth
Yep. So the ice cream shop that you overwhelmed, i I think the greatest thing I can do is once we get home, depending on the student,
00:34:41
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:34:47
NextGen Matters
By the way, they knew we were coming. They knew we were coming. Heads up.
00:34:51
Tim Wadsworth
you should, if they knew you were coming, you should have even tried to bargain for a couple scoops of free ice cream.
00:34:51
NextGen Matters
but
00:34:56
NextGen Matters
It was cool.
00:34:57
Tim Wadsworth
Like if I'm bringing,
00:34:57
NextGen Matters
They said, hey, and they actually said you can clear out these tables and play and then play Mafia and stuff like that. yeah So they they're cool about it.
00:35:05
Tim Wadsworth
that's so cool. Well, I think, you know, is it Ephesians 2 that the job of the church is to equip the saints for the work of the church?
00:35:17
NextGen Matters
Four, yeah.
00:35:17
Tim Wadsworth
So I think what what what I need to do is when I get home to get into the ears of that student's small group leader that's been walking with them for so many years and say, hey,
00:35:25
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:35:27
NextGen Matters
Yep. Yes. Right.
00:35:29
Tim Wadsworth
Take this kid out for ice cream. Take him out for coffee. Do what you can to be a separate set of eyes and ears for me. But will you pursue?
00:35:39
Tim Wadsworth
Will you keep the foot on the gas with this student?
00:35:41
NextGen Matters
yes
00:35:43
Tim Wadsworth
Because there's 9,000 of them. There's one of me. But I've got a huge leadership team. And how do I delegate some of that discipleship, follow-up responsibility with the student?
00:35:54
Tim Wadsworth
That's where I think you're're you're winning in both your leadership team and your students because you're delegating that fragile, beautiful responsibility to the leader that may might have a little bit more bandwidth to do it.
00:36:05
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:36:08
NextGen Matters
Well, and I, again, keep saying last episode, but leaning into this, because we had camp two weeks later, that was the time I did my one-on-ones to follow up and to circle back with each one of our 25 that went.
00:36:22
NextGen Matters
And I would, and I did, and I loved it. And I said three months before the trip in our initial one-on-one with me, Pastor Rich, you know, in the interview, when we finished the interview, I said, what is one goal for you personally?
00:36:34
NextGen Matters
What is one goal for your team?
00:36:37
NextGen Matters
And I said, after the trip, we go to when we go to summer camp, after the trip, we're going circle back and talk through this. Tim, I shared with you off offline, but I'm gonna share it now with every one of us. What was so cool was overwhelmingly, year after year, the number one theme of the number one goal these individual students wanted to see God do it in their lives was this.
00:36:37
Tim Wadsworth
Oh, I love that.
00:37:00
NextGen Matters
They say, Rich, I've never led someone to Jesus before. I want to lead someone to faith in Jesus.
00:37:07
Tim Wadsworth
I love it.
00:37:07
NextGen Matters
Come on. So this is where, talk about low hanging fruit. So this is where, you know, circling back and saying, hey, I saw you got to share the gospel. And maybe someone did not respond yes.
00:37:21
NextGen Matters
But that's that's where the beauty of God's hand comes in. We're to present the gospel. He brings them into repentance. But we are not to abdicate our responsibility of go therefore and make disciples. So you were faithful in presenting the the word of his grace and word of the word of the Lord.
00:37:41
NextGen Matters
Now, how do we set you up to do that when you go back to school?
00:37:45
NextGen Matters
So I just love the one-on-one. So as a student pastor, I, to me, it's know your sheep, bro. Know your sheep. No, I can do 25. Come on. Then you also...
00:37:45
Tim Wadsworth
Yep.
00:37:56
NextGen Matters
to exit with, then they have their small group leader doing similar. And if they have a good and godly parent, same thing there. They're getting all these multiple touches, which we know that we know the four or five, six adult, you know, touch points they're going to stay in church.
00:38:14
NextGen Matters
So I'm just, we got to follow with them one-on-one, not just how'd you like the trip?
00:38:15
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:38:18
NextGen Matters
What was your favorite part? Go deeper. What did God do in you? So again, I get jacked up on these.
00:38:23
Tim Wadsworth
Man, I got to, you know what, as you were talking, I got to figure out how to get you hired at my church and just let you be like the OG student pastor of my ministry, dude. I got to figure out how to get you to Greenville.
00:38:37
NextGen Matters
It was funny. When I was speaking last week at a place about an hour and a half from here, their youth pastor just resigned this Sunday. Good dude. Very good dude. He resigned that Sunday before their stay camp. There's like a commission camp out of their church, like right in the area, which is cool. Then I spoke in the evenings.
00:38:52
NextGen Matters
Thursday night, these girls woke up. Hey, man, would you come be your youth pastor? I said, well, so you don't have to commute each way.
00:38:57
Tim Wadsworth
Come on. I don't blame them.
00:38:59
NextGen Matters
I know...
00:39:00
Tim Wadsworth
I don't blame them. I'm 41. I'm not a little girl. i want you to come be my youth pastor.
00:39:04
NextGen Matters
no No secret. I will die saying, where's more teenagers? I need to share Jesus.
00:39:12
NextGen Matters
I love it.
00:39:12
Tim Wadsworth
Come on.
00:39:14
Tim Wadsworth
So good, Doc.
00:39:16
NextGen Matters
One thing i I think we can do, too, is like equipping that student to share their story, you know not just in front of their students, their peers, but even before we leave.
Teaching Articulation and Leadership Skills
00:39:27
NextGen Matters
If they can learn to craft a five minute or we use that phrase, elevator talk, elevator pitch, you know, what is, other words, already ready to share, Tim.
00:39:32
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah, yeah. Yep.
00:39:35
NextGen Matters
So when an adult at their church or their grandparent, whoever says, hey, what did God do? They're all ready to go. They're not like tongue tied. Right. So again, really as part of Ephesians for equipping.
00:39:42
Tim Wadsworth
ye
00:39:45
NextGen Matters
But I just want that student to know you are loved, you are valued and you are seen. That's the phrases we use. But we've got you. We're not we're we're not going to just drop you off. We are with you, walking with you to as seasoned adults in your life to mature you in the faith.
00:40:04
NextGen Matters
Huge.
00:40:04
Tim Wadsworth
That's good because i mean you're covering all that that confidence building, gospel fluency, all those things.
00:40:09
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:40:11
Tim Wadsworth
I even thought of one other way we can equip them.
00:40:13
NextGen Matters
Yeah, what's that? what's it
00:40:15
Tim Wadsworth
so We do a domestic mission trip. We also do a foreign mission trip.
00:40:19
NextGen Matters
Right, right.
00:40:19
Tim Wadsworth
and You have to go on domestic first before you can do foreign.
00:40:20
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:40:24
NextGen Matters
Zero slim before ends of the earth.
00:40:24
Tim Wadsworth
and yeah because Here's the deal.
00:40:25
NextGen Matters
Yep.
00:40:28
Tim Wadsworth
If I can't trust you in North Carolina...
00:40:29
NextGen Matters
I
00:40:32
Tim Wadsworth
I know I can't trust you in South America. Like if you can't be on time in North Carolina, like, so what I like about that, you know, I think I remember you talking about inviting students into leadership roles.
00:40:35
NextGen Matters
agree. I
00:40:40
NextGen Matters
agree.
00:40:47
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:40:48
Tim Wadsworth
I think that's big to say, look, when you're faithful with a little, You can be, you know, God's going to trust you with a lot. And so even thinking through some of those ways of equipping them, yes, to share their story, but also to continue to grow and mature in the faith, but also trickling in those leadership roles.
00:41:06
Tim Wadsworth
i Man, I think that's, that's special.
00:41:07
NextGen Matters
Yep.
00:41:12
NextGen Matters
For me, the highlight of my so my year wasn't certain events. It was the three months of training those students every Sunday for three months, equipping them And then when we get on site, watching those juniors and seniors that were the senior leadership team peers, right?
00:41:35
NextGen Matters
Me taking my hands off and kind of truly coaching from the sideline.
00:41:38
Tim Wadsworth
Yep. Yep.
00:41:41
NextGen Matters
I'm not even sure in the gospel on the stage, our senior leadership guys and gals were doing this. They were the ones actually running the VBS, running the different outreaches we did. And my wife and I, and some other the leaders, we just kind of stepped back.
00:41:54
NextGen Matters
We were there to kind of prop them up, encourage them, Answer the questions because our heavy lifting was pre. It was their time. Tim Tebow, right? Their night to shine. It was their night to shine.
00:42:05
NextGen Matters
Okay. And yeah, it was building leadership. But now the host site, I think Tim, we forget about... Unfortunately, can forget and leave them hanging until we need them again.
00:42:17
NextGen Matters
It's like, are we going to go next year? You know, so I think we need to do much better.
00:42:20
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah, yeah.
00:42:21
NextGen Matters
And I gave a lot of examples last episode, but and I'm going to wrap this up soon here. But is there anything that you picked up or you are doing how to stay connected?
00:42:31
NextGen Matters
Because I loved going back to the same site for next that consistency factor.
00:42:37
Tim Wadsworth
yeah
00:42:38
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:42:39
Tim Wadsworth
I got to admit, I'm not good at this.
Sustaining Host Site Relationships
00:42:43
NextGen Matters
Yeah.
00:42:44
Tim Wadsworth
Like when I was listening to it and processing it, I thought, oh my goodness, this is all really, really smart. I have relationships with these guys in my personal lives and there's a lot of good follow-up between me and them.
00:42:59
Tim Wadsworth
I've not welcomed our students into that. So I got to start thinking through how do I welcome in those key students, those key pieces into maintaining the healthy relationship, the encouragement part, the gratitude part.
00:43:03
NextGen Matters
yeah
00:43:15
Tim Wadsworth
I don't do that well. And I got to start thinking through welcoming my students into that so we can do it together because we know discipleship is caught, not taught.
00:43:20
NextGen Matters
Yeah, good.
00:43:27
NextGen Matters
Yes. Well, let's go there. It's what we're doing right now. Meaning we're using the tools that we now have in 21st century, as much as our internet today has been wonky.
00:43:34
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:43:38
NextGen Matters
The fact is we can FaceTime, Zoom, whatever social platform you want to use. We can actually connect in our student ministry, for example, in your home base, your room. I've been there. Awesome room with actually them in their room, whether it's a state or two away or even a nation away.
00:43:56
NextGen Matters
We all there.
00:43:57
Tim Wadsworth
Yep.
00:43:57
NextGen Matters
People in Africa, different nations in Africa have Internet access. It's truly global.
00:44:02
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:44:03
NextGen Matters
there we Think about that.
00:44:03
Tim Wadsworth
Yep.
00:44:04
NextGen Matters
Just not leader to leader. Yes. And amen. But also the students to those students. You could set up specific times to almost have like youth group together. Bro, seriously, you could do corporate worship together. There's so many things you could do.
00:44:18
NextGen Matters
Prayer times together.
00:44:21
Tim Wadsworth
Yep.
00:44:21
NextGen Matters
When you're staying connected with them and they with you.
00:44:26
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah, that that's so key. And I think, too, keeping the story alive, you really nailed it with that. I do think there's intentional things we can do as communicators of God's Word to trickle it into the semester.
00:44:40
Tim Wadsworth
So let's say you're teaching on a passage.
00:44:41
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:44:43
Tim Wadsworth
It's really, really helpful right to go, hey, guys, remember? Remember back in June? Remember back in July?
00:44:49
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:44:51
Tim Wadsworth
This is what Paul in Romans is talking about.
00:44:51
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:44:54
Tim Wadsworth
These are the things that
00:44:54
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:44:56
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:44:56
Tim Wadsworth
Don't forget what God did and how that ties into our passage tonight.
00:45:01
Tim Wadsworth
I love keeping the story alive. that That's a brilliant concept to consider.
00:45:04
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:45:06
Tim Wadsworth
Get
00:45:07
NextGen Matters
And I might, i again, I'm getting cranked up on this and not just living in the past.
00:45:11
NextGen Matters
we We celebrate the past, but that should make us better moving forward. and And this is where you guys have got the history now with that group. And your students actually pretty much like fell in love with those other you know students in that ministry site, those people there.
00:45:12
Tim Wadsworth
cranked, Rachael!
00:45:28
NextGen Matters
And then now they know each other's stories continuing on. And hopefully if you can go back that same site the next year, that's where I loved going back to the same Hispanic church we were serving. we're They're not our project.
00:45:43
NextGen Matters
Dude, they are not our project.
00:45:45
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:45:46
NextGen Matters
We're not here to bail them out. They're not our project. We are co-laborers together. Come on, tweet that to him.
00:45:53
Tim Wadsworth
Yes.
00:45:54
NextGen Matters
X that, whatever you want to say. We are co-laborers with them and we should be Barnabas's sons of encouragement to them.
00:46:02
NextGen Matters
So there's so much we can do.
00:46:02
Tim Wadsworth
Oh, man.
00:46:04
Tim Wadsworth
That's so good.
00:46:05
NextGen Matters
So listen or think what, what amazing things could you do to stay connected and keep serving and loving it on praying for, et cetera, those people. We're gonna be going to draw this to a close Tim. Cause we, you and I could talk all day.
00:46:16
NextGen Matters
Cause we just love each other hanging out, all that good stuff. Take us home, call to action.
00:46:23
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah. So the call to action that I feel the Holy Spirit is encouraging my own heart, that I would really implore any listener that's tuning in to process this with us.
00:46:37
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:46:37
Tim Wadsworth
I love to harp on what we're great at.
00:46:40
Tim Wadsworth
I don't like poking the bear of what we stink at. and and And God has been really kind to put resources and tools and people in my life to say, hey, I know it looks like we're killing it, but a lot of people aren't really focusing on these ways that we can grow and mature and tweak.
00:47:00
Tim Wadsworth
So I would encourage anyone that's listening to go, okay, I'm good at this. And instead of harping on what I'm good at, maybe start thinking through what's one baby step that we can do to alter what this time next year looks like.
00:47:11
NextGen Matters
Right.
00:47:16
Tim Wadsworth
I mean, for me, it's that fifth pillar. I'm not good at that.
00:47:18
NextGen Matters
Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
00:47:21
Tim Wadsworth
i think I think call to action is just identify what you're currently doing really, really well, and then praise God for that.
00:47:27
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:47:28
Tim Wadsworth
And then Get some safe people in a room that you trust and say, okay, first off, I want you guys to listen to Doc Brown's podcast. I believe in NextGen Matters.
00:47:39
Tim Wadsworth
I want you guys to read the notes, the email, the the podcast. let's Let's get some pizza later. And I want you guys to evaluate where we know where we stink, but what do we need to do?
00:47:51
Tim Wadsworth
to maybe tweak that and grow and mature.
00:47:52
NextGen Matters
Yeah. That's so good.
00:47:53
Tim Wadsworth
And so I think that's really important. I think anyone listening, your inner circle, we all have an inner circle.
00:47:56
NextGen Matters
That's so good.
00:48:00
NextGen Matters
Yes.
00:48:00
Tim Wadsworth
They need to know what we're growing in and what we're listening to and what we're processing.
00:48:05
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm.
00:48:06
Tim Wadsworth
I think a beautiful call to action is let your leadership team in on it. Maybe some key parents that are safe and you trust and they and they have wisdom and welcome them in to to that.
00:48:13
NextGen Matters
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:48:19
Tim Wadsworth
and And I think,
00:48:19
NextGen Matters
That's good.
00:48:20
Tim Wadsworth
There's a lot of wisdom to be born from that.
00:48:23
NextGen Matters
That's so good, man. Man, as we land the plane here, when you follow up intentionally at home in the local church, through your student ministry, the actual student, the host site, you're not just celebrating what God did.
00:48:37
NextGen Matters
I love this, Tim. You're multiplying it.
00:48:40
NextGen Matters
You're multiplying it. So, listener, thank you so much for listening to or watching the Next Gen Matters podcast. Remember, if today is really ministered to you, Get plugged in with us.
00:48:40
Tim Wadsworth
Hmm.
00:48:51
NextGen Matters
Send me that text. Send me that. to Many of you have my my my number. If you don't, at least drop a comment in there and and I'll reach out to you personally. I want to connect with these listeners. That's what, you know, me yeah, yeah.
00:49:01
Tim Wadsworth
And can I interrupt you?
00:49:04
Tim Wadsworth
If you're listening and you just heard what Doc Brown said, he really will do that. that That's not just lip service. He's the real deal, man. He's in the trenches. He loves student pastors. So if you're listening, take him up on that.
00:49:18
NextGen Matters
yeah I do. i God has called me in this next and probably last season of my life to how can I help be that bigger, not bigger, but older brother to those that are women and men who are serving, whether you're just, I say just, that's even bad, whether you're a small group leader,
00:49:37
NextGen Matters
and you feel like my ministry is not big, I don't care. God has put you in a place of influence, whether it's three, go for it. I want to be that resource to say, carry on the work.
00:49:45
Tim Wadsworth
Oh, yeah.
00:49:48
NextGen Matters
i'm I'm reading Spurgeon right now, lectures to my students. Every day I get to hang out with Pastor Spurgeon. um'm I'm getting fired up, man, and going, gosh, it's so good. Lectures to my students right at 15 years ago, rereading it again. I want to keep learning. I want to keep growing.
00:50:03
NextGen Matters
And I mean that, right? We're in some Dallas world.
00:50:04
Tim Wadsworth
Man, I can't wait.
00:50:05
NextGen Matters
I'm reading some Dallas world right now.
00:50:06
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah, I can't.
00:50:07
NextGen Matters
i mean, this is awesome. I want to keep learning and growing and I want to be that resource for you guys as well.
00:50:11
Tim Wadsworth
Yeah.
00:50:12
NextGen Matters
So that's what we do next. Yeah.
00:50:14
Tim Wadsworth
Well, and I can't wait to have you to our winter retreat in February.
00:50:15
NextGen Matters
but been
00:50:18
NextGen Matters
yeah
00:50:18
Tim Wadsworth
We're we're having you come all the way down to South Carolina to be our winter retreat teacher slash preacher. And we, man, I can't wait. Take her.
00:50:29
NextGen Matters
Well, you got great students. I love it. So thanks, buddy. Hey, listen, to remember your leadership matters because your ministry matters because the gospel matters. Take Claire. Take care. No, no, take Claire. Claire who? Take care.
00:50:42
Tim Wadsworth
Take Claire.
00:50:42
NextGen Matters
Take Claire.
00:50:43
Tim Wadsworth
Take Claire.
00:50:44
NextGen Matters
Take care and Claire. And God bless you guys. Bye-bye.