One of our core beliefs at Student Ministry Matters is that student ministry workers should be lifelong learners. That doesn’t mean that they must stay in school forever. It simply means that they are taking the opportunity to learn as much as they can about ministry, students and God’s Word. The question is, how do we do that? How do we continue learning if we aren’t required to enter the classroom? One of the best ways to initiate self-guided learning is to pick up a book. Dr. Suess said it best, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” That is one of the reasons we have worked hard to give away good books at our Student Ministry Workers Retreat each year. In fact, I have already gotten a couple of books for next year’s goody bag.
You might immediately draw back from the idea of reading. You didn’t like it in school and certainly don’t plan on doing any extra reading now that you are out. Let me encourage you to reconsider. If someone has taken the time to think through a topic you are interested in, then it might be worth reading those insights. In addition, it gives us the ability to step back through time and hear from people that we could not have otherwise.
If that is the case, how do we start reading if we aren’t ones who have enjoyed it in the past? What should we do to step in that direction? Here are some thoughts to get you started:
• Start small. And I mean that literally. There are plenty of small books out there that can offer significant insights. Books under 200 pages are small and manageable. They can give you a feeling of success as you begin reading. The other option is to simply read a chapter a day until you get through your first book. It might take you a while, but finishing that first one can open up a door to other learning opportunities.
• Find a blog to follow. Articles are never going to be as in-depth as a book, but blogs can allow you to hear from thought leaders, theologians and pastors who are seeing things in their own ministries. The important thing to do is to find people whom you can trust. You may need to seek advice from others in your life, but be sure to evaluate the authors.
• Listen to books. If you are bi-vocational or a volunteer who works with students, listening to books is another great option. You may spend time on the road as part of your job. Use those moments in the car or truck listening to the sold books on faith and ministry.
• Read a book with someone. Accountability is another way to work through those early days of reading. If you know that you will be speaking to someone about the book, you may be more likely to finish the book than if you do it on your own.
Reading is a vital component of being a lifelong learner. Let me encourage you to pick up a book and start reading. If you are looking for suggestions, reach out to us at info@StudentMinistryMatters.com. We have several excellent student ministry books we can recommend. You can also join us online at facebook.com/groups/StudentMinistryMatters and let us know what you are reading.
