A few years back I sat with some friends and ministry leaders and began to dream what 1,000,000 teenagers serving might look like. It was an inspiring dream! Many incredible results will follow, but one of them is that serving opportunity will become a “factory” for developing student leaders.
This week, my blog has been focused on Student Leadership and I’m obviously trying to bring attention to our Student Leadership Conference that we’re doing in partnership with Youth Specialties in Southern CA (July 6-8) and also in Philadelphia (July 10-12) this summer. In addition, I want to direct youth workers to a great opportunity that came from that day of dreaming a few years back.
It’s called “The Big Day of Serving”
The Big Day of Serving is a one-day service event designed to bring transformational change to a neighborhood. Big Day brings 500-1,000 students and adults together to serve a community in need. This event is designed to make it super easy for a youth worker to get their group engaged in service. It’s only $29 per person and includes lunch, a t-shirt, an inspirational Kick-Off Rally, all the materials/supplies needed for projects, and a Block Party to close out the afternoon. It really is a “just add kids” service opportunity.
It’s a great way to engage your students in service in a community near where you live.
The Spring 2012 Dates and 11 locations are:
April 21: St. Louis, MO | Medina, OHApril 28: Denver, CO | West Palm Beach, FL | Lynchburg, VA
May 5: Chicago, IL | Minneapolis, MN | Manassas, VA | Dubuque, IA
May 12: Nashville, TN
May 19: Nashua, NH
There’s a lot of ways to develop student leaders, but giving kids an opportunity to serve, watching them, talking about it afterwards, and casting vision for servant leadership is a great way to begin.
If you don’t see your community on the above list… why don’t you and some of your students take the lead to host it? Do you live somewhere that has neighborhoods in real need of change? Imagine what 500-1,000 people serving to do in one day! The Big Day team is ready to work with those who want to see true transformational change to a neighborhood in your community (if you’re interested contact Geoff Frahm at [email protected]).
Question: How have you seen serving others inspire leadership in your youth ministry? Share your thoughts here.
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