Legacy Youth Ministry Resources

Illustration texts

Each Man Does One Thing Well

Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any. --Plato

Feedback as Lunch

Some people have called feedback the breakfast of champions. But it isn't the breakfast, it's the lunch. Vision is the breakfast. Self-correction the dinner. --Stephen R. Covey First Things First

Private Victories Preceed Public

Private victories precede public victories. --Stephen R. Covey

Elimination of Nonessentials

The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials. --Lin Yutang

The Road Must Be Trod

The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere. --J.R.R. Tolkien (The Fellowship of the Ring)

Preparing to Fail

?Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail.?

Go Confidently

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. -- Henry David Thoreau

Franklin on Success

In the year 1723, a seventeen year-old boy arrived in Philadelphia without a penny to his name. At age 42, he retired, wealthy. Few men, before or since have ever been as successful as Benjamin Franklin. He gave credit for his many inventions and business successes to this list of 13 principles. Each of them should be practiced in order, for a week at a time, so that all of them become a habit in your life. They'll work as well today as they did then. 1. Temperance: Eat not dullness; drink not to elevation. 2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself, avoid trifling conversation. 3. Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have it's time. 4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. 5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; waste nothing. 6. Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions. 7. Sincerity: Use no harmful deceit; think innocently and justly; and if you speak, speak accordingly. 8. Justice: wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty. 9. Moderation: Avoid extremes; forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve. 10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation. 11. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, nor at accidents. 12. Chastity: Be chaste in matters with the opposite sex. 13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Synergy and Successful People

A voracious reader of biographies, I've noticed a pattern in the lives of many successful people. They didn't do it alone. They sharpened their skills and kept motivated by regularly meeting with those who had similar interests. Twenty-two year old Albert Einstein and like-minded friends met frequently in each other's homes or talked on hikes, sometimes all the way through the night. These conversations had an enormous impact on his future work. They called themselves "The Olympia Academy." Fifteen-year old Bill Gates met regularly with other computer geeks who called themselves "The Lakeside Programmers Group." Benjamin Franklin met every Friday for decades with a diverse group of civic-minded thinkers called "Junto." Many of his great accomplishments were a result of cross-pollination from this group. Writers J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis met with a group called "The Inklings," on a weekday morning in a pub and Thursday evenings at Lewis' house, often reading their manuscripts aloud to get input. These successful people found that the collaboration of several minds produces more wisdom than the sum of these same minds working separately. Are you letting synergy work for you in your ministry, or do you go it alone? If you're the lone ranger, think of one youth minister or sharp lay leader in your church you could meet with for encouragement and sharing of ideas. Start with one meeting, perhaps over breakfast or lunch. If you hit it off, suggest another person and another meeting. Then, let it grow from there. (Steve Miller, copyright January, 2003)

Coach to Coach, Football is Irrelevant

In last week's (January, 2003) Super Bowl, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden led his Buccaneers to a masterfully orchestrated win over his former team, the Raiders. Since a year ago he was with the Raiders, having built them into Super Bowl material, some people called this match-up "The Gruden Bowl." But there's more to life than football, as he was warned by a former mentor. About 13 years ago, Gruden worked as offensive assistant under Bobb McKittrick. Gruden idolized him, emulating his workaholic lifestyle and writing down everything he said. McKittrick was tough, smart and "spent all his waking hours making decent players great." McKittrick's hard work paid off. He coached the 49er's offensive line for over 20 years. Nine of his linemen went to pro bowls. His teams won five Super Bowls. In 1999, after Gruden's first season coaching the Raiders, he received a sobering phone call. It was McKittrick. "Jon?" McKittrick said over the phone. "I've got cancer and I'm going to die." Gruden stammered a few words, but McKittrick wasn't listening. "I wanted to call and tell you: It's not just about football," McKittrick said. "Go be with your kids and your wife. Football is irrelevant. I don't want you to be like me." Will Gruden heed his advice? Who knows? But the more important question is, will we heed his advice. We have such a dangerous tendency to obsess on what we're good at, or what we most enjoy, neglecting the other great priorities of life. We can even obsess with good things, like ministry, at the expense of loving our families, visiting grandmom, or meeting personally with God. If you were diagnosed today with terminal cancer, would you be able to look back at your life and say, "I lived for things that really counted." (Written by Steve Miller, Copyright January 30, 2003. Sources: Coach Chucky The Buccaneers' Jon Gruden has all the qualities of the perfect NFL coach: He's tireless, hypercritical and, occasionally, scary as hell Date: 09-09-2002; Publication: Sports Illustrated; Author: S.L. Price; also, http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855464.html

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