Transcript
NextGen Matters: At the time of this recording, it is August, and that means school is a right around the corner. Matter of fact, a lot of students I know literally are starting today. I'm recording this. on a Monday.
NextGen Matters: Episodes 28 and 29 focused on mission trips and how we bridge those students we took on those mission trips. back home into real life right Well, then last episode, episode 30 of this last week, I introduced a new series, a four part series.
NextGen Matters: called building a missional culture. Yes, within our student ministries. How can we take what we... had them experiencing over the summer. back now into our world, right where we live in your Jerusalem.
NextGen Matters: So here it is. Next Gen Leader, we are looking today at preparing your students for the greatest opportunity. they will ever, ever have, and that is their local school. and their generation.
NextGen Matters: Well, to help me with this conversation today is a dear friend of mine, a great brother in Jesus. you Many of you may know him already, Travis Deans. from the Pittsburgh.
NextGen Matters: Pennsylvania area. working with National Network of Youth Ministries. Travis is an experienced student ministry leader who has spent, you ready? 30 years. working with students as he is bringing Jesus to adolescents, and then also with NNYM, connecting leaders with... the same mission. So I got my coffee, pull up a chair. I hope you got your coffee and let's have this incredible conversation with Travis. Oh, Travis, by the way, here's my cup.
NextGen Matters: Here's my cup. And I usually do the Pice Market Blend.
Travis Deans: Nice.
NextGen Matters: I'm actually going Black Rifle today. little shot at the black rifle okay a little strong but i like it so here we go
Travis Deans: o dear Yeah.
NextGen Matters: So, Travis.
NextGen Matters: you are You are known for so many. Yes, in the Northeast as you're the director of the Northeast for NNYM, but also for your nine -month mission trip. When did you start that?
Travis Deans: So... Probably around 20 years ago. I don't know, 20, 25 years ago, we we started using that phrase with students. in in my area here just hey we want to challenge you think of your school as a nine -month mission trip
NextGen Matters: Hmm?
Travis Deans: And so we've been using that. phrase for a while and I... I'm sure I stole it from somebody. I don't know where or who, but... But then a friend of mine made a made it into a logo.
Travis Deans: They made a nine -month mission trip logo. And I thought to myself.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: Oh! This could be something.
NextGen Matters: Exactly.
Travis Deans: And so we we made a prayer card. And the prayer card was it was, you know, just a postcard size. Which we still do. But a postcard size that had the the logo on it, and on the back side it had a place to write down the names of some friends from school.
Travis Deans: that you wanted to pray for. that school year and that you would invite to you know come to your church, that you would want to share the gospel with if you had the opportunity.
NextGen Matters: Mm.
Travis Deans: and And so we made the prayer card. And then shortly after that, a website, we developed a website and we were like, you know what? There's so many great resources.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: to help students. impact their schools. Let's put all that stuff on a website.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: just everything that we can that we can find.
NextGen Matters: Good.
Travis Deans: And so we did that. and and Then when I started with National Network of Youth Ministries in 2020, I brought... the all of that with me and just like hey guys this is
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: Share it with anyone that you want. It's it's all free.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: It's all... It's all shareable. and it so It's gone. going around the country from there. Ha ha.
NextGen Matters: So cool. That's so cool. And with this series, we'll be doing Travis.
Travis Deans: nope
NextGen Matters: I want to be taking a look into how do we help? our student ministries beyond what I'm going to call. One team and one mission. So with you representing, let's say, the public school environment, because your heartbeat is taking the gospel into the public schools.
NextGen Matters: through our students in public schools. So you're this week's episode. And then the following episode is a dear friend of mine. Andy. Lawrenson here from Lynchburg, Virginia, and he is the campus pastor of Liberty Christian Academy, which is probably the biggest.
NextGen Matters: Christian school in the state of Virginia, and I think even the East Coast. And he's a... OG of youth ministry when it comes to being a youth pastor and just the last couple of years.
NextGen Matters: He pivoted into the Christian school space. And I thought, how cool to get from his perspective on how do we help engage Christian school students. with the sense of being missional.
Travis Deans: Absolutely. Right.
NextGen Matters: And then I have a husband and wife. team, dear friends of mine, who he's the youth pastor, Matt McClay. He's already been on one of our episodes. If you go back to the color wars, he was the one that did that. and he and his wife homeschool their child so he's all for homeschooling but he's also all for outreach so what i love travis is like your kids go to public school And he's...
NextGen Matters: teenage kids go to his Christian school. And then Matt and April, their daughter goes to private school, pardon me, to a homeschool. but all of them are focusing on in their ministry frameworks of how do we become One team on one mission.
NextGen Matters: Now, you and I last week were chatting about some numbers and I did some digging and I found this out, Travis. There's actually close to about... 34 million.
NextGen Matters: Students in America. And the in the breakdown of all three, so as all three of those different, let's say academic. environments come together, there's about 34 million between 6th to 12th grade.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: And then it I kind of kept digging around.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: It's like, okay, this is what I found out. Public school has 27 million. So that's 84%. And I'm giving round ball numbers. they They had the exact like point XX, you know.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: But 27 mil at 84 % of our students. go to public school. And you and I know that used to be like well over 90%.
Travis Deans: Sure, right?
NextGen Matters: That number has dropped over the years. Private school is 10%. They're at 2 .5, somewhere between there and 3 million. And then it's almost... 2 million, it's 1 .8, almost 2 million are homeschooling at 6%.
NextGen Matters: Now, what's interesting in our... church environments. I see a lot of ministries that actually have flipped that or it's like one -third, one -third, one -third. It depends where you live.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: When I was youth pastor in Seattle, we had 90 plus percent. public school students. When I moved to the East Coast, more Bible Belt. it's a lot opposite here in the east coast than the west coast i don't know about pittsburgh area But the point is, we all have to learn to work together, not just play well in the sandbox of life.
NextGen Matters: but be missional together. Ha ha!
Travis Deans: Right. Absolutely.
NextGen Matters: you So what are your thoughts on those numbers? Did those surprise you? or do you Do you kind of see that?
Travis Deans: Oh, yes I mean. Yeah, since COVID. you know, COVID kind of uh accelerated the the drop in public school numbers.
NextGen Matters: It did.
Travis Deans: uh for sure and uh you know uh you know for sure boosted homeschool and private school
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: But you know, if if you were in business, if you were, if you If you own a business, And 84 % of your clientele were in one.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: area one space.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: you would dedicate a large portion of resources
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: to do that to that area, right? So 84 % is still... You know, we i agree I know youth pastors, I have more homeschool students than public school, and and that's... i get I get it.
Travis Deans: I get it. and those are those families that are at your church.
NextGen Matters: Yeah. mm -hmm
Travis Deans: and and you want to serve them, you want to equip those students. In fact,
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: it might be more it might you might have to be you have to work a little harder to actually really engage them and and get them. to become missional. It's crucial.
NextGen Matters: Yes.
Travis Deans: It's crucial they have that. part in their lives, and their discipleship is incomplete. without without a missional focus. and so Uh,
NextGen Matters: Well said by the way, well said.
Travis Deans: Okay.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: Yeah, so you uh So we don't mean to say... to youth pastors you know ignore those that don't go to public school of course not but On the other hand, while you are ministering to your group of students, however whatever the makeup is, remember...
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: that in your community where you live, There's still all the vast majority of students in the public schools.
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: I like to encourage youth pastors to don't just think of yourself as the youth pastor of your church. all I mean, you you are and you should. but
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: Think of yourself as a youth pastor. to the community Right.
NextGen Matters: That's good. That's good.
Travis Deans: the the The community needs you. They need they need your church. they need your whole They need the whole church, but they need you to have that mindset of I'm here.
NextGen Matters: right
Travis Deans: for the whole community. so
NextGen Matters: Yeah. yeah i love how you frame that it's so good So we hear this phrase a lot, your school is your mission field. And that is yours and my passion. Okay. My kids. Full disclosure, went through public school. And again, we weren't anti -Christian or anti -home. That was our choice for our family at that season in our life.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: But I would tell them every morning, and'm and I'm going to quote. one of my old my one of my almost little testament that's that's odd one of my I'm one of my OG heroes in youth ministry, a name you know.
NextGen Matters: Ron Hutchraft
Travis Deans: Oh yeah.
NextGen Matters: And back from the 1980s. I picked up what Ron would say on his radio broadcast and even the books I would get that I would read from him. And. I began doing this as my kids where my oldest became a kindergartner. And yes, even in kindergarten, my oldest son, Rich, would hear his daddy say, we pray over our kids at the door as they get on the bus.
NextGen Matters: And I'd let them know. to make a difference. in their schools You are the missionary. And now they had to come to their own personal faith in Christ, and my kids did. But.
NextGen Matters: As they got older. You know, i every morning. We would send them off. Pray over them in the doorway. is they go off to the bus. And I say, remember today. Go make a difference.
NextGen Matters: Represent Jesus well.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: and It's so fun to look back because my oldest is now, he'll be almost 38 in a couple of months. And two years ago he told me, dad, I remember you doing that with us.
Travis Deans: Wow.
NextGen Matters: And he Dude, you ready? He thanked me.
Travis Deans: Wow.
NextGen Matters: for having him have that missional mindset.
Travis Deans: Wow
NextGen Matters: Yeah, cool.
Travis Deans: Awesome. Yeah. That reminds me.
NextGen Matters: And also... Yeah, also what we would do is... That. The day before school would start,
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: And when our kids were at three different schools, you know high school than middle school than elementary we Or just when it's two over our one school, whichever, you know, how how the numbers all played out over here. But we would take them each in our car, your family van, right? We'd go to each of the schools. and did our own little see what the pole but it was in our car
Travis Deans: Oh nice!
NextGen Matters: And we would just pray as a family over that particular child, Rich or then Jen in her school, then Ron in his school. their school year. So mom and dad laying hands on them and just praying over them for their school.
NextGen Matters: and And for them to be, again, missional in their school, for them to be strong in Jesus Christ.
Travis Deans: That's awesome.
NextGen Matters: so I am a fan of wherever wherever you go to school. to have that as a parent, had that missional heart. So yes.
Travis Deans: yeah Yeah.
NextGen Matters: Dude. So when we use that phrase school is your mission field. What does that mean to you personally? And why is that so important for students to begin to really rally around that and embrace. My campus is my mission field.
Travis Deans: Yeah. Well, I'll give you two two things. up from my personal experience, that that was my high school story. I, you know, when I was a freshman in high school, i was I was actually, I did homeschool for a year.
Travis Deans: because our teachers went on strike. And... just i Just want to shout out. my high school, I went to Turkey Foot. Valley Area High School.
Travis Deans: That's my claim to fame.
NextGen Matters: And tell them where you're from.
Travis Deans: but Yep. It's a real school. It's right in the corner of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland. Western Maryland.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: and
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: So. i was I was speaking to some students yesterday, and I always tell them. When I say the name of my school, do not laugh because it hurts my feelings when you laugh. And they always do. Because it's funny.
NextGen Matters: That's great.
Travis Deans: Oh, cool.
Travis Deans: So the teachers went on strike, and so my freshman year of high school, I was in homeschool, and I was reading these missionary biographies.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: I was reading.
NextGen Matters: Hmm.
Travis Deans: you know William Carey and Hudson Taylor and Amy Carmichael, people like that.
NextGen Matters: Love it. Yep. Yeah.
Travis Deans: I just... You know, it's just one of those like I felt God calling me to be a missionary. to my high school because I knew I was going back. right i was going back to turkey foot and uh I knew I was going back, and i and and God put it on my heart to go back as a missionary. And I had never heard of that. I didn't know that was a thing. i didn't I'd never heard anyone say that before. but just reading those biographies you know God just laid that on my heart.
Travis Deans: So we started a prayer group.
NextGen Matters: You were never you never challenged with that from like your youth ministry or anything?
Travis Deans: at and
Travis Deans: Nope. No, never. cause I mean, Turkey Foot, as you can imagine, is out in the middle of nowhere. So.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: Uh... Yeah, I just never had any exposure to, I mean, today that challenge.
NextGen Matters: well
Travis Deans: which is quite widespread. there's
NextGen Matters: yeah Yeah, exactly.
Travis Deans: There's 30 different ministries out there that help students to... launch you know Christian clubs in their schools.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: and
NextGen Matters: Great.
Travis Deans: But... But, you know, the gospel is the gospel, regardless of. when and where you are and so you know god just He put it on my heart. and So we started a Bible club. Bible clubs were relatively new back then.
Travis Deans: And. Started a prayer group. And so it's that was part of my own story. Right. That, you know, thinking of my school in that way. And when I when I got out of college, I majored in youth ministry at Moody Bible Institute. And when I got out of college.
Travis Deans: It's like that's what I want to do. I want to help students.
NextGen Matters: Hmm.
Travis Deans: reach their schools. And so I started working with with a local ministry called Teens for Christ.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: and
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: and we we would just Every year we'd have a beginning of the school year training for students to reach share the gospel. launch clubs in their schools, how to lead those clubs, which I still do. I have one of those coming up this Sunday.
Travis Deans: and
NextGen Matters: Hmm.
Travis Deans: but But it also comes from a scriptural place too because...
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: Uh... one of the One of my favorite... uh part portions of the Gospels is Luke chapter 9 and 10. Jesus.
Travis Deans: You know, he's he's got he's called these disciples to come and follow him, right? And they're they're spending time with him.
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: They're watching him. They're seeing what he does. And then... Jesus says, I want you. to go and do the things that I've been doing. I'm going to send you, it's the first mission trip.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: I'll let you count. It's Jesus. First mission trip, he sends them out to go to the towns and villages where where he's going to go.
NextGen Matters: mm -hmm Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: And then you go out to. preach the gospel. They go out to pray for people. They go out to heal people, right?
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: they they're They're praying for people.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm. Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: They're caring about people. They're sharing the gospel.
NextGen Matters: Yep, absolutely
Travis Deans: and Yeah. And so and I love I love when. They come back and they're like. Jesus! you know All these things happened. you know Demons listened to us, and and they came back and shared how God had used them.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: and so The thing about that is, wow, I love that. A crucial part. an absolutely crucial part of discipleship. is sending students out. to do ministry giving them a place to go and do ministry and wouldn't it be great Wouldn't it be amazing?
Travis Deans: If there was a place... we could send students week after week where they could go and do ministry. and come back the next week and tell us all how it went, right?
NextGen Matters: Yes.
Travis Deans: yeah That'd be amazing.
NextGen Matters: Yes.
Travis Deans: Well, of course, such a place exists and they're already there every day.
NextGen Matters: Exactly.
Travis Deans: Let's go.
NextGen Matters: And you have a great post you just put up on Instagram and Facebook. The other day I saw it. Liked it, shared it as well on the NGM page.
Travis Deans: Yes.
NextGen Matters: where you talk about sending your students off on a mission trip. And the transportation is already provided. I thought, what dude, that was good. That was really good.
Travis Deans: I always tell kids the it's already paid for. The taxpayers of your state, have they've taken care of that.
NextGen Matters: Exactly.
Travis Deans: check Yes. transportation provided. you know ernie You already know the language.
NextGen Matters: I love it.
Travis Deans: You know the culture. But the food is still strange.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: The food is interesting, yeah.
Travis Deans: yeah
NextGen Matters: So when many students will Think of the school as a place for you know academics or just hanging out social, you know seeing friends, or sports, you know various activities.
NextGen Matters: But we want to get them. Our Christian students, we want to get them that 4 % I've been talking about reaching the 96%. We want to get them to begin to see their school. through that missional. mindset, that missional lens.
NextGen Matters: What are some things that you can do? Your seat, you know, being one who speaks to students and your influence, you have. with students to help them. Kind of own the vision.
Travis Deans: Yeah, yeah, yeah So when I talk about nine month mission trip with students, I use a framework that's. uh that's fairly common a lot you know a lot of ministries use it dare to share uses this a lot in other ministries but it's very simple
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: Number one. Write down in the list of names of friends that you want to pray for. through the school year.
NextGen Matters: Hmm.
Travis Deans: It could be three friends, five friends, nine friends, 12 friends.
NextGen Matters: Good.
Travis Deans: I don't know. But start there. Start with a list of people. I want to pray for them.
NextGen Matters: m
Travis Deans: I'm going to... care about them. I'm going to be a good friend to those people. and And as soon as possible, as soon as God gives the opportunity, I want to share. the gospel message with them and here's the thing when you pray for people you can't help but care about them.
Travis Deans: Right. I mean, if you're really.
NextGen Matters: You're absolutely right.
Travis Deans: If you're really praying, intently and seriously for someone, you care about what's going on in their lives, right?
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: And so I was i was telling some students yesterday, you know, you as you pray for friends, however however many it is, Ask them things like, hey, what's going on in your life? What's happening? how you know I just want to let you know, I pray for you. How can I pray for you?
Travis Deans: Well, my my parents are going through a divorce. or My grades are terrible or, you know, this is happening or that's happening, right? As we pray for people and we care about them. our prayers for them become more focused and intentional and and and more practical prayers we pray better prayers but of course
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: As we pray and care. We can't help but to care about where they're going to spend eternity and and their relationship with God because we know that whatever they're dealing with,
NextGen Matters: John.
Travis Deans: no matter what they're dealing with in their lives, a relationship with Christ. is what they need most.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: And so praying for the prayer. care share it's it's a simple framework and it works great not only for evangelism But it also works great for discipleship.
NextGen Matters: Hmm.
Travis Deans: And you know always you always hit there's always that tension between evangelism and discipleship. You know, we're more evangelism focused or we're more discipleship focused. well Prayer Care Share, I think, is an easy way to do both because
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: you You pray for someone you care about and share the gospel with them.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: They come to know Christ. You don't stop praying for them.
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: Right? You pray that they will grow.
NextGen Matters: You shouldn't, yeah.
Travis Deans: in their walk with christ you pray that they will overcome temptation you pray that they will
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: learn to use their spiritual gifts, right?
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: And you don't stop caring about them. you You continue to build that friendship. you continue In fact, you... help them to find community. You help them get involved in the life of the church, the life of your student ministry.
NextGen Matters: Yeah. Yeah.
Travis Deans: So, you know, you're still caring about them and you don't stop sharing, right?
NextGen Matters: Yep. Yeah.
Travis Deans: You still share. Here's how to, here's how to. Uh... Read the Bible. right Here's how to hear from God.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: Here's how to pray.
NextGen Matters: Thank you.
Travis Deans: Here's how to pi how to worship. Here's how to serve in the church and learn about your spiritual gifts.
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: Here's how to share the gospel. with another person.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: you You help them learn how to share. the christ with people and so and So that's my pitch to students is.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: It's as simple as prayer, care, and share. And then the last thing I...
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: tell them is Don't do it alone. Find a group of people in your church.
NextGen Matters: Yeah, that's good.
Travis Deans: or in your school and do this thing together. Right. And the cool thing is. you know if if you find a group of people in your school to do this with, it's 100 % legal.
Travis Deans: There's a law. that allows you to meet with other believers in your school.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm
Travis Deans: to worship.
NextGen Matters: Amen.
Travis Deans: pray, to read the word, to share the gospel, to reach people. and And so you have complete freedom. to to do this thing.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: together.
NextGen Matters: Well, and Not to get in the weeds on that, but. my first couple years in youth ministry back in the mid -80s. There was a president we had, Ronald Reagan, and he's the one that actually enacted it. It was called the Equal Access Law.
Travis Deans: That's right.
NextGen Matters: And that's when you began to see. Uh, really the beginnings of NNYM, you know, late 80s.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: Because now... you know, we can have resources to help our... so our students. own Uh, campus clubs, Bible clubs, et cetera. That goes right back to the mid to late 80s. It was the second term. of President Reagan's.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: i do remember that I do remember that. I'm that old.
Travis Deans: and
NextGen Matters: hey Hey, Colossians 4, I pulled it up on my phone. I love this passage, Colossians 4, 2 -6. To me, I call it... This is Paul's like template of evangelism.
NextGen Matters: He kind of breaks it all down. I'm not going to preach and teach it. but The first thing he says is in verse 2, devote yourselves to prayer.
NextGen Matters: Being watchful and thankful and I share that when I do talk some weekends I ask if I can put this one in How do we become missional as far as a whole team of our student ministry?
Travis Deans: Yeah
NextGen Matters: It starts with. evangelist starts with prayer. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And my language is like what you think about even when Jesus' words to the... 11.
NextGen Matters: when He is praying for them. You know, they're in Mount of Olives, right?
Travis Deans: Yep.
NextGen Matters: You know, Judas has gone to... they'll go get the arresting party Jesus, of course, he's Jesus. He knows they're coming. And he's saying, watch and pray. It's the same language from Paul. In other words, and I love what you said, because when you're praying for someone.
NextGen Matters: you begin to have a heart for them. i You and I had a conversation last week. i go to starbucks a couple two three times a Not a day, my wife. probably things that go every every day, you know.
NextGen Matters: But... but at least a week at my local one.
Travis Deans: ae
NextGen Matters: And that is my mission field. It sounds corny and I love coffee.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: Why not?
Travis Deans: Why not?
NextGen Matters: So I'm actually getting to the the baristas. And since you and I talked, I did ask one of them. I said, hey, let you know I was praying for you this morning. How can I pray for you? And he then said to me, and Buddy, I thought he was a believer. He goes.
NextGen Matters: He thanked me and he said, yeah, I'm i'm saved. And he just moved up here from Florida. And it's cool. Now we're texting. right and how was your weekend i won't say his name but yeah but it's also a his co -worker that
Travis Deans: Yeah. All right.
NextGen Matters: is to To quote an old Aerosmith song, dude looks like a lady, okay? Thanks. Just saying. tell you And and that's that's how he's chosen to to play his life out, right?
Travis Deans: Sure.
NextGen Matters: And I'm praying for him too.
Travis Deans: Absolutely.
NextGen Matters: And the more I kept praying for him, I said, Lord, help me to see that he is made in your image. You didn't make a mistake with him. Help him to find who he is in you by faith in Jesus. So even me praying over him.
NextGen Matters: you know, in my heart. has now given me more a sense of compassion and I need to see him as someone that that needs Jesus, just not to make me feel more. You know. at ease Not that, but...
NextGen Matters: Because he needs he needs the freedom of forgiveness that Jesus brings.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: So anyway, back to Colossians 4, devote yourselves to prayer, be watchful and thankful. And then Paul says, pray for us that God may open the door for our message, that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ for which I am in chains. And he's writing that from Acts 28, the house arrest.
NextGen Matters: He's like, I'm a church planter who wants to get out and go plant churches. I want to get out of here because I want to keep carrying the gospel out. Of course, the cool thing is in Acts 28. even while he's in house arrest.
NextGen Matters: People are coming to him and he's leading people to Christ because they're...
Travis Deans: Yeah, right. Yeah.
NextGen Matters: They're seekers, right? And or he's also discipling.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: Then he says, pray that I'll proclaim it clearly as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity. I love that, Travis. Live it.
NextGen Matters: to tell it the old jeff moore song from the 90s live to tell live it to tell it
Travis Deans: Oh, yeah. right
NextGen Matters: right Then he says in verse six, let your conversation be always full of grace. Season with salt. We don't beat people with the Bible. Season with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone. And I just love that passage because it really lays out what it means is we want our Christian students right to to live it out loud.
NextGen Matters: We say live love out loud, yes, but live... The testimony, the example of Jesus out loud. So then when the questions arise, Hey, how come you don't do this or how come you do? you know do that They now are ready to share the answer.
NextGen Matters: Which to me, that's Paul's rendition of what Peter later writes in 1 Peter 3:15 The apologetic verse But live it.
Travis Deans: Yeah, right.
NextGen Matters: and then share it. Because my life raises questions. So for me, as the old youth pastor, that's what I sought to do. It's like, help them to see Jesus died for everyone out here. I know some debate that, but you know, Jesus dies for all these people.
NextGen Matters: My job is not to save them, but my job is to live a Christ -filled life. And my job is to be. in the present moment to be ready to communicate the gospel with them.
Travis Deans: Absolutely. Yeah. i some just
NextGen Matters: So yeah, baby.
Travis Deans: I was encouraging them to... We were reading that the verse from Luke 10 about where Jesus says, you know, the fields are white on the harvest and, you know, pray to the Lord of the harvest for workers.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: and And, of course, and then he says, now you go and and reach them.
NextGen Matters: Amen.
Travis Deans: They were the answer to the prayer, right? Pray for workers.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: By the way, you're the answer to the prayer. but but i was encouraging them to As they walk up and down the hallways, they these kids that I was with yesterday, there's school starts on thursday for them so when you get to school on thursday
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: I want you to walk i wanna encourage you to walk up and down these halls and think to yourself, This is the harvest. these are These are people that Jesus loves.
NextGen Matters: Hmm.
Travis Deans: He cares about them. They matter to him. In fact, And I love those i love this parts of Scripture where it says that Jesus... uh you know had compassion on people like they were like sheep without a shepherd right harassed and helpless
NextGen Matters: Absolutely.
Travis Deans: and he And he wept. He wept over Jerusalem. He wept over those who...
NextGen Matters: Okay, here we go.
Travis Deans: uh who couldn't see who didn't know who who weren't getting it and uh and you know To your point, the we we We pray. for people we share the gospel with people but with a heart of compassion right with a heart of of deep love for people.
Travis Deans: well
NextGen Matters: Hmm.
Travis Deans: And, you know, when we when we see that harvest, when students see that harvest, i you know. We don't want them to see, oh, I, you know. I'm going to help you be like me. no
NextGen Matters: Right, right
Travis Deans: yeah I want to, I want to, I want to. Help you know Jesus, the God who loves you, the God who cares about you.
NextGen Matters: Amen. mm -hmm
Travis Deans: and anyway so but that's a lot of that Colossians
NextGen Matters: That's good. That's good
Travis Deans: Passage you shared. So good.
NextGen Matters: So... We've been talking, our focus has been on the actual student. But of course, we as youth leaders. have And we should have great influence over their spiritual journeys as we disciple them.
NextGen Matters: By the way, just a side note, but it relates. I just finished last week reading, it's a 2006 book by Dallas Willard, The Great Omission.
Travis Deans: Okay.
NextGen Matters: the The gospel is about disciple -making. And I've been saying that forever. It's like, it's not too, I know in in... evangelical circles and even in college settings we have evan class and then discipleship class
Travis Deans: yeah yeah
NextGen Matters: but it's one command. Go make disciples.
Travis Deans: That's right.
NextGen Matters: Go to all people groups and teenagers. our people group. And even within those people the people group of teenagers,
Travis Deans: Yep.
NextGen Matters: There's the lunch table people groups.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: The subcultures, right? We're commanded to go reach them. So tend to make them disciples, to see them, you know. obeying everything that Christ taught and then they reproduce. So we all know that, right? But just that reminder. So as a leader,
NextGen Matters: How can I? Help. influence my students to be commissional? You've been sharing some of some some things already, but really, how can we encourage our leaders to... Own.
NextGen Matters: the vision themselves because i'm a i'm a big fan of if i don't own it you know, this whole mindset of I see a lost person. And I immediately identify, you know what, that person. An image bearer of God. and yet needs to be reconciled to God.
NextGen Matters: I have a role to play. If I don't think that I can't expect a 15 year old to think that.
Travis Deans: Yeah. Yeah.
NextGen Matters: So how do we help our our adult leadership begin to think that way to then integrate that? missional mindset to the student.
Travis Deans: Yeah. and Well, so two things i that I have found to be really effective. Number one. Two sides of the same coin, really. Number one, I would be.
Travis Deans: As a youth leader, i think it's really important for us and our friend greg steer says this all the time
NextGen Matters: and
Travis Deans: It's really important for us as youth as people in youth ministry to model. that heart. for reaching the lost, right? As you said, discipleship...
NextGen Matters: and
Travis Deans: it's that's the core command but A disciple begins somewhere, right? A disciple begins...
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: by coming to know Jesus. and so
NextGen Matters: Amen.
Travis Deans: right so
NextGen Matters: Yep.
Travis Deans: But we need to model that we and we should your students are our students should be able to hear us share stories Awesome. reaching lost people. And so your story of of talking with someone at Starbucks or i was I was at Sheetz the other day, and that's our local gas station.
Travis Deans: I had a conversation with somebody.
NextGen Matters: Yeah. think
Travis Deans: uh you know they They need to hear us. share stories of opportunities we've taken to reach lost people. If we don't model it, why should they do it? and i've been convicted by that lately i've been over the summer i was
NextGen Matters: Exactly. Yeah.
Travis Deans: you know I talk about this all the time. I'm like, Lord, I need to find ways to... connect with people that don't know you. and And so, you know, I had some great experiences over the summer talking with people about Jesus, and it was so much fun.
Travis Deans: But in any case... So your own stories of sharing the gospel are really important. But secondly, I encourage youth pastors, youth leaders to find... stories of students. who are doing it because it's We need to share that. But what's even more effective is.
Travis Deans: for students to hear people of their own age their peers sharing you know hearing those stories of i shared Jesus with somebody, and here's what happened.
Travis Deans: And so we have we have some of those stories on our website, 9monthwishytrip .com.
NextGen Matters: cool
Travis Deans: there's There's a page of stories, videos that you can share with students.
NextGen Matters: mm -hmm
Travis Deans: And you really only need, you know if you show. Maybe you show one of those a week for several weeks or a couple of those. at the beginning of the school year. And what's great is this.
Travis Deans: When students hear those stories, Then they start to come up with their own stories. right
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: They hear those stories. And they're like, oh, I can do this.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: And then you start giving your own students time on stage in front of everybody. to share their story of how they impacted someone's life with the gospel.
Travis Deans: and then it's like a fire it's like a fire that catches and and you can't stop it it's it's uh It's so cool. I was with a group of students last November. We did the...
Travis Deans: We did the day of the Day of Global Youth Evangelism that Dare to Share.
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: And what was so cool about that was we went out in the afternoon, and we went it went did training in the morning. We went out in the afternoon to share the gospel with people. and And I always feel kind of like.
Travis Deans: May I? You know, they're not going to like this. They're not going to want to do it. They went out and did it. They did it.
NextGen Matters: Hmm.
Travis Deans: But what was awesome was we came when we came back. The plan was to invite students to come up and share what happened. And I thought, okay, I'm going to get up and I'm going to share. a couple things, and I'll invite students to come up. I didn't have to do that.
Travis Deans: Immediately.
NextGen Matters: ha
Travis Deans: They started jumping up one right after the other. and talking about their experiences.
NextGen Matters: wow So you didn't have to work the crowd.
Travis Deans: No.
NextGen Matters: He just did it.
Travis Deans: You know what I mean? or anything.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: They joked up and they wanted to share what they had seen God do.
NextGen Matters: is sweet.
Travis Deans: And I'm telling you, as a youth pastor, if you give space. In your time.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: uh together as youth ministry to feature students who sharing that I mean, that you're going to light a fire and it's going to keep going all school year long.
NextGen Matters: no That's so good.
Travis Deans: That's so good.
NextGen Matters: So good. Something I would say a lot in in my day. as a student pastor and then in the university classroom. as these college students were preparing to become youth leaders.
NextGen Matters: I would say this phrase. I desired for our teenagers back in my day. to when they hit. that that doorway, if you will, is before they walk through that front door of that school.
NextGen Matters: And that could be any school, Christian or public.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: to say this campus is my mission field. It's almost like the you know the team coming out of the locker room. If you've seen some old Notre Dame games or whatever, they touch the top of the... the doorways are going through or different teams will do that or they'll touch this sign or touch that.
Travis Deans: Yeah. yeah
NextGen Matters: I'm not saying you have to touch this touch the door. But before you walk in, that prayer in your heart. Lord, this this campus. This belongs to you, but it needs you. and i And I want to be.
NextGen Matters: aware to be ready, to be prepared. to represent you well. And then open my mouth for the gospel sake. So I guess that's where it really starts is that.
Travis Deans: Yeah. That that is .
NextGen Matters: And then when you start hearing students share those stories, it's contagious, just like you said.
Travis Deans: Yep.
NextGen Matters: Just like you said.
Travis Deans: Yes.
NextGen Matters: Another question that relates. You mentioned earlier about... Students should not do this alone. So what are some practical ways? that youth leaders can really create this culture.
NextGen Matters: where students realize. i am not alone i can join together with other believers in prayer whether it's our own ministry or churches in town, how can we be? while we're in school, encouraging each other and even helping.
NextGen Matters: have focused attention on leading others to faith in Christ.
Travis Deans: Yeah. Well, this is where the other part of my job comes in really well, because you know with the National Network of Youth Ministries.
NextGen Matters: million
Travis Deans: our Our big thing is, you know. helping youth pastors connect with each other. and and and collaborate with each other And so I would encourage youth pastors, listen.
Travis Deans: You need to give your students the opportunity to realize they're not the only believer in their school. And how do you do that? You do things with other youth ministries in your community.
NextGen Matters: Love it.
Travis Deans: Right.
NextGen Matters: Yep.
Travis Deans: Yeah, you you do things together. And suddenly they realize, they look around like, oh. I know that person from school. I know that person from school.
NextGen Matters: Love it.
Travis Deans: They didn't really go to church.
NextGen Matters: Yep.
Travis Deans: Right? and to do
NextGen Matters: Yep.
Travis Deans: And that that is powerful. That's powerful. So you you you do maybe you do a beginning of the school year kickoff. but do it together. Do it with other youth ministries, right?
NextGen Matters: Yes.
Travis Deans: Or you do some kind of outreach event. Do it together. Do your worship night. Do it together. do things that together. that allow your students to see Guys. You're not alone.
Travis Deans: You are... There's other believers in your school, you just didn't realize it.
NextGen Matters: you Love it.
Travis Deans: in In our area, we we have a a big event that we do the Sunday night before. see you at the poll and so not only do they see other students from their schools at that event but we break them up by school.
NextGen Matters: Hmm. Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: So you know if you guys go to this school, go over here.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: If you're in this school, go here.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm. Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: and they get to see a few days before see you at the poll
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: who other students are. uh you know in their school and and always hear i love I love it when I hear students say, is anyone is anyone doing See You at the Pole at my school?
NextGen Matters: okay
Travis Deans: But what if you go. Yes, someone is doing see you at the pool at your school.
NextGen Matters: Yeah. Yeah. wow yeah
Travis Deans: You just need to go and someone will be doing it.
NextGen Matters: Yeah. Thank you.
Travis Deans: Of course, they don't want to they want to be there alone, right? And and I get that.
NextGen Matters: Sure.
Travis Deans: So as as youth pastors, man, we we need to work together. So that not only are not only are we as youth pastors connecting. But our students are realizing, oh.
NextGen Matters: Right. Right.
Travis Deans: There's a lot of us here.
NextGen Matters: Yes.
Travis Deans: but
NextGen Matters: So last Wednesday night, we just did that. My my son, who's our student director. at our church where I volunteer. He and two other... I'll say guys in town, right? Three churches.
NextGen Matters: Throughout the summer we've had different events together.
Travis Deans: All right.
NextGen Matters: And last Wednesday night, we met in another church downtown Lynchburg.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: We had a night of worship. two Two hours.
Travis Deans: oh
NextGen Matters: Two hours.
Travis Deans: no
NextGen Matters: And this is an old church that has gone through like a big reno, you know, so it's an old church, you know, got the cool stained glass, which I haven't seen forever.
Travis Deans: Awesome.
NextGen Matters: It's just. old church pews. It was great. And we're all integrated together. And and then where I was sitting had at one of our ninth grade. guys and one of the 11th grade guys, and then some of the girls farther down. and It was just so fun because as we're worshiping.
NextGen Matters: then there was the opportunity, if you are asking for prayer, stand up. One of the guys really stood up. He goes to one of our Christian schools And a bunch of the students and then myself and other leaders prayed over him.
NextGen Matters: And God put on my heart to pray with a ninth grader because he's just going from middle into ninth grade. is public school.
Travis Deans: Yeah, yeah
NextGen Matters: So I'm going to pray over Ezra as well. Texted his mom and dad later, said, man, I got a chance to pray for your son and worship with him was really cool. I'm saying it was so fun to see it because then it tapped out with.
NextGen Matters: The same thing. uh I had my local school represented where my kids went to school, Jefferson Forest. And then all of us leaders, like what, 30 leaders maybe, all the churches together.
NextGen Matters: We had all these different areas in the auditorium where each of the schools could then would meet for like time for prayer. Love that.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: Love that. And now they're seeing again.
Travis Deans: yeah it's good
NextGen Matters: maybe familiar faces, but didn't really know each other. from Oh buddy, that was one of my dreams on the West Coast.
Travis Deans: Yeah. So good. it
NextGen Matters: I really wanted to. And I would share this in the classroom years later and say, hey, God didn't have me do this, but if he puts it on your heart. Be like Solomon, build a temple because David didn't do it.
Travis Deans: but
NextGen Matters: Here's my idea. before school starts or the first week or two of school. Just what you did this Sunday night. to do a friday night saturday where you actually then have workshops.
Travis Deans: oh yeah
NextGen Matters: Where you have someone come in like from the FCA or someone come in who's a public school teacher and talk about, hey, this is what I see.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: When I see someone identifying as being a Christ follower, but maybe their attitude doesn't always display it. I as a teacher can't maybe really talk about my faith, but you guys can.
NextGen Matters: In other words, having how to use the arts. I had this idea like. God, I would love to do this. Can I do this? And it never really worked out because every time I meet another youth pastor, oh, I'm i'm moving, I'm leaving.
NextGen Matters: I'm like... Can't. Stay where they're at anyway. so
Travis Deans: Right, yeah.
NextGen Matters: That was my desire.
Travis Deans: Yep.
NextGen Matters: Was to do almost like a D now idea
Travis Deans: Yeah, right.
NextGen Matters: But do it.
Travis Deans: yeah
NextGen Matters: At the beginning of the school year, for the intentionality of the gospel. Again, having big group times, you know, the Greg Stier talk type thing, right?
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: But more than just fire you up.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: but then also having workshops for how do you use sports, how to use the arts.
Travis Deans: Absolutely.
NextGen Matters: I touched on that for a minute, Travis, because again. I'm not the influencer to do that now, but maybe someone else listening, that would spark an idea and they could make that idea run even better than I had.
Travis Deans: Yeah. I love that idea.
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: that's That would be it. That would be awesome.
NextGen Matters: Yeah. And then and then have I wanted to have a focused, like we had a five or 10 minute. Okay, that was just... That barely scratched the edge. I wanted to have a focused prayer time. And my brain was going, let's have a focused prayer time.
NextGen Matters: from students of all the different schools in their school, from all the different churches as one.
Travis Deans: human Right.
NextGen Matters: from that school.
Travis Deans: yeah
NextGen Matters: Last big question I have for you. is Having to do with, okay, we have students in our youth ministries who attend public school and also attend Christian at home school. So how do we help our... our our cru partner How do we help the public school student?
NextGen Matters: Learn to... partner with and reach out to those in their youth ministry that don't attend public school to help them also feel. You can be missional. I want to help you become missional with me. Any thoughts on that?
Travis Deans: Yeah. Oh yeah. A couple of thoughts. so First thing, Whether you go to a Christian school or homeschool, either way, you still live in a public school school district.
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: Right. so Uh... So you can still be praying for that public school, regardless of whether you go there or not. right so So that's one thing.
Travis Deans: And another thing is a lot of times for homeschool students will have the opportunity to. play sports. at a public school.
Travis Deans: right that's or maybe they maybe they go maybe they take dance or they do karate or something like that that's
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: so activities outside of school, but they still interact with students.
NextGen Matters: Travel. Travel sports.
Travis Deans: it
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: That's right.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: That's right. So they still interact with people in the community.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: And i've actually I've actually had homeschool since I had one last year. who he he was homeschooled his whole life. He was a senior. But he... became a leader at the public school bible club And so he went to the school.
NextGen Matters: wow
Travis Deans: He was part of the club and... That club had a lot of kids who... I mean it had some that went to church. It had a lot that didn't go to church. and he got to share the gospel he got to share the gospel a couple of times with that whole group of students
NextGen Matters: Yeah. Hmm.
Travis Deans: that went there. And so you just have to be creative about it. but And i would I would also encourage. you know Your students who are in public school, if they have a list of friends that they're praying for,
Travis Deans: Maybe they get together with with some with some students in homeschool and... Would you pray? for my friends.
NextGen Matters: Good.
Travis Deans: Here's their names. Boom, boom, boom.
NextGen Matters: Mhm, mhm.
Travis Deans: Would you pray for them that they would come to know Jesus?
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: and And, you know. And pray together in in your youth ministry.
NextGen Matters: I like that. that Yeah.
Travis Deans: Pray together.
NextGen Matters: My name.
Travis Deans: All right. yeah Yeah. And. Just to say speak to Christian schools a little bit.
NextGen Matters: I love that
Travis Deans: I mean we all know not every Not every student in a Christian school is a believer.
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: right and some Some students are there.
NextGen Matters: Amen.
Travis Deans: for for a i mean Their students are there for a variety of reasons.
NextGen Matters: mm -hmm
Travis Deans: right and so and
NextGen Matters: mm -hmm
Travis Deans: to some degree, it's... There's a lot of similarities. you're still There's still opportunities to pray for people, care for people, share the gospel.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm. mm -hmm Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: and And maybe, maybe that like I love what you're saying about your friend who works at a Christian school. you know Do mission trips together. Uh...
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: you know do mission trips in the summer do service projects uh Students in a Christian school could easily do, I'm not sure, have you ever heard of Go Share Day?
Travis Deans: It's like a once a month thing. Today our chair promotes it a lot.
NextGen Matters: Okay, okay
Travis Deans: they could go do They could go do Go Share Day each month.
NextGen Matters: Mm -hmm.
Travis Deans: There's things they can do for sure.
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: But it just takes intentionality. It takes intentionality.
NextGen Matters: Right.
Travis Deans: a little planning. A little creativity. I love the tailgate story that you shared.
NextGen Matters: Right
NextGen Matters: Yeah. Yeah. I share the off the air. So really quick on the air. Again, we got it is leadership. We have to encourage one team, one mission. One team, one mission.
Travis Deans: Yep. absolutely
NextGen Matters: We're not three teams. where one team on one mission, we just happen to be in three different academic environments.
Travis Deans: and that's that's all right
NextGen Matters: So. my My friend Mike Camire up there in the Richmond area. Mike was on an earlier episode with us talking about evangelism, and he has for years done tailgates. As a matter of fact, he unpacked a little bit of that in his his episode with me back. I think it was like episode 10 or whatever.
NextGen Matters: But what he would do in the tailgate, he still does it every year. It's been like 15 years he's been doing tailgates. And. He will have a lot of homeschool students in his ministry. he intentionally has joined him at their, let's say their, their table where they're giving out their, you know, the hot dogs, you know, drinks, et cetera, you know, their snacks.
NextGen Matters: And he actually integrates and makes sure. that you know his Christian school and homeschool students know they are part of this. We want you there. We value there to become part of it.
NextGen Matters: And it was cool because I remember one of his students, Brett, wound up being in my youth classes at Liberty.
Travis Deans: Oh, no.
NextGen Matters: And he would mention that to his peers in our youth classes.
Travis Deans: No.
NextGen Matters: He goes, yeah, I went through through homeschool my entire life, but my my student ministry was all about missional, you know, being missional. Going to make disciples, that starts with becoming a... disciple of Jesus by being saved.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: And that was his way of having an outreach, even though he homeschooled.
Travis Deans: Right.
NextGen Matters: His youth ministry was always taking the gospel out. And he would just join in.
Travis Deans: that's right That's perfect.
NextGen Matters: It's supposed to be three teams.
Travis Deans: It's awesome.
NextGen Matters: It was one team, so.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: Travis, I appreciate your time. I want you to give our call to action. If a youth pastor or someone even And I would love to have volunteers listening to this. So a youth worker, give this to a volunteer.
NextGen Matters: They don't have a lot of resources. We're inundated with resources. Give them you know these resources as well. So youth pastor, volunteer, et cetera. if you're listening to this episode and Well, duh, you are. But I mean, if you're listening to this episode and you want to implement this vision that we're talking about.
NextGen Matters: Travis, what are... on the quick one or two. practical steps they could take that maybe we haven't mentioned, or just you want to restate what you did. Imagine.
Travis Deans: Yeah, just well, just if... We we have a we have a website, 9monthvisutrip .com. which has a great great stuff on it we also have a dropbox full of resources that that are free Any youth leader anywhere can take those things. so There's some videos. There's a one -night message that you can share with students.
Travis Deans: there's uh several resources there that that are free to use we'd love to share those with you And we have a... It should be published this week, I think. are
Travis Deans: Our annual student guide is being published on Download Youth Ministry. uh and this year we made it a it's a nine day devotional
NextGen Matters: Cool.
Travis Deans: based on the book of Daniel and Esther.
NextGen Matters: wow
Travis Deans: So just nine days, but, but it.
NextGen Matters: Cool.
Travis Deans: But it also has so it has the devotions, and it has a bunch of resources. So a youth pastor can download that from... download youth ministry and you can print as many copies of it as you want for your students
NextGen Matters: Yes.
Travis Deans: And so but i mean so those are those are three things. if you i scheduled I did a Zoom call with a youth pastor. last week just kind of brainstorming with them thinking through ideas uh so i i do that a lot if you if you'd like to hey, can I call you and bounce some ideas and just do a little brainstorming?
NextGen Matters: Mm hmm.
Travis Deans: I'd love to do that with with a youth pastor. But yeah, there's several ways we can engage and connect. and We'd love to... Love to help you help your students.
Travis Deans: Make this.
NextGen Matters: Appreciate that.
Travis Deans: spirit
NextGen Matters: Yeah.
Travis Deans: for eternity.
NextGen Matters: Yes.
Travis Deans: Haha.
NextGen Matters: Travis is a goldmine of resource and and knowledge and wisdom. and All these links are going to be in our show notes. to get your hands on his nine -month mission trip as well as the other that the the tool The toolkit you developed.
Travis Deans: Yeah.
NextGen Matters: which is very cool. Plus that, that nine day. Oh man, that's awesome.
NextGen Matters: For such a time as this, let's go, right?
Travis Deans: That's right.
NextGen Matters: So anyway, Travis, thank you for joining us. a As you've listened to this.
Travis Deans: Thank you. rich
NextGen Matters: If it has been a blessing, reach out to us. I'll get various texts from people saying, hey, I just listened to that. I incorporated that in my ministry. i'm like That's why I pray over these and then prepare these and send these out. So, leader.
NextGen Matters: Your leadership matters. because your ministry matters because the gospel matters take care god bless and have a great day.
