NYWC 2019 Hacks

Tomorrow begins an incredible few days or learning, encouragement & dreams that will start to happen inside your little brain! You will have opportunities to meet incredible youth workers from all over the world.  You will have the chance to hear from some of the most amazing minds that the youth ministry world has to offer.  You will be inspired by people who love to talk about Jesus and encourage you in your faith.  You will laugh until your side hurts and, lets be honest, we all need that from time to time.  Whether its your first time to NYWC (National Youth Workers Convention), or you are grizzled vet, there are some things you can do to maximize your experience.


1.  Take advantage of every conversation - there are so many amazing youth workers that will be all around you this entire weekend!  Talk to them.  Here are some questions that can get you rolling with a great conversation. 

• Where are you from? (so basic... right?)
• How long have you been working with teenagers?
• What's one thing that you have been doing this year that you feel like is working in your ministry?
• If I needed to know one thing about leading youth ministry from you what would it be?

Prepare to learn a lot!  You might not even need the breakouts. OK, that was a lie but seriously, lean into each and every conversation.

2. Network - Get contact information for everyone you have an incredible conversation with. You can do business cards or there are these new things called cell phones that have places to store new contacts.  Continue to reach out throughout the year to people you meet.  Networking is only a good thing if you go into that relationship with the mindset of learning and serving!

3.  Budget Saver - To save money on food, just watch people who you think will not finish there lunch.  Wait till they throw away their food and then dig it out of the trash.  This is a way to keep those pesky deacons off your back this holiday season!

4. Calendar Reminder - Set up a reminder in your phone for December 5 to review all your notes from NYWC.  Trust me, you will need to let your brain cool off from being challenged and pushed over the next few days.  Do yourself a favor and go through everything you wrote down so you can implement some of the ideas!

5.  Rest - Take advantage of sleeping in at some point this weekend.  This is your chance to recharge, refuel and head home refreshed in a few days.  Get some sleep for once!

6.  Ask Questions - you are going to be listening to the best of the best, so stay after to ask follow up questions if you have them.  It's not every day you get to listen to brilliant minds talk about teenagers and ways to help them meet Jesus, grow in their faith and put their faith in motion!

7.  Free Everything - You should walk away from NYWC with at least 11 free Tshirts, a handful of pop sockets and 27 incredible offers to spend all of your youth ministry budget in the blink of an eye.  How awesome if that?  Go up to the exhibitors and chat with them about what they do, get your free stuff, rinse and repeat!  Who knows, maybe one of those conversations will benefit the youth ministry at your church.  

Those NYWC should keep you dangerous! (Of course Im stopping at 7)

Have an incredible few days!  

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