SDYCE

National Youth Day

2012-04-03T13:20:00.003-07:00

The Assemblies of God National Youth Day is Sunday, April 15, 2012. This year celebrates the 65^th anniversary of what started as National Christ Ambassador’s Day on March 9, 1947. In 1947, it was suggested that pastors bring messages in keeping with the day, have a youth rally during the evening service and take up an offering to support student ministries in your church, district and national offices. Since that day, those requests haven’t changed too much.

South Dakota Youth Ministries encourages you to use this day as a day to emphasize your students IN ministry while also focusing on at least one of the following connections that catalyze students toward becoming lifelong followers of Jesus Christ:

· Connecting with God – the key to an authentic faith

· Connecting with Family – the key to a “lived-out” faith

· Connecting with the Church – the key to perpetuating faith

· Connecting with Purpose – the key to a meaningful faith

Check out this website for more ideas, http://youth.ag.org/nym/youthday/.

Fine Arts/Winter Escape

2012-01-16T09:51:00.000-08:00

Join us President’s Day weekend in February for the Winter Escape Youth Convention and Fine Arts Festival.

It's all about youth discovering, developing, and deploying their gifts for the cause of Christ. Students from across the state can bring their talents and participate in preaching, drama, music, writing, and more during the Fine Arts portion of the weekend. Participants will also be part of two sessions featuring a special speaker Joe Donnell and worship band from Trinity Bible College.

NEW for 2012: STL Dodgeball Tournament on Friday night: $20 per team with $1 re-entry (all proceeds benefit STL) You won’t want to miss it.

Dates: February 17-18, 2012
Location: Rapid City, Bethel Assembly of God
Theme: RELENTLESS: After the One
Cost: Convention Registration: $25 (add $5 for optional Saturday lunch)
Fine Arts Participants add $10
Deadline: Add $10/person after February 3rd, 2012
Guest Speaker: Joe Donnell

2012 Official Rulebook
Promo Media

Complete information at www.sdyce.com/faf

What's New With Faith Case?

2011-12-06T07:32:00.002-08:00

Are you using Faith Case in your children's ministry? Exciting things are happing with this exceptional tool! It is high quality, effective, and easily adaptable for any church size.

In this video, Rod Loy, executive presbyter and pastor leads a discussion about Faith Case and children's ministries with the AG national office children’s ministries leadership team. Learn more at http://www.faithcase.com.

Calibrate/OneDay Children's Ministry Training

2011-09-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

Calibrate/OneDay Conference: October 22, 2011
Keynote Speaker: Scott Berkey, CMA National Director

Conference Focus: Children’s Ministry Workers

The One Day Trainings are designed to reach every leader who serves in children's ministries in your church with practical, hands-on children’s ministry training for the whole team. This includes leaders that serve in Girls Ministries, Royal Rangers, Sunday School, large-group or small-group ministries, Early Childhood, Outreach, etc. We have also intentionally priced this training so that every church can afford to send their whole team.

It is our goal to provide your leaders with relevant children's ministries training, expose them to great new resources, connect them with other leaders from their area and provide an individualized approach to help them solve the challenges they are facing at their churches. The One Day Training experience will also provide leaders a time to be spiritually refreshed with great worship and prayer times.

Location: First AG, Rapid City (map)

Lodging: Howard Johnson ($57.00 + tax) specify one king or two queen
Please mention "calibrate conference" when making your reservation by October 8th
(605)-737-4656 (map)

Download the event poster

Schedule:

Saturday
8:30 AM Registration Begins
9:00 AM Welcome & Worship
9:20 AM Segment 1: Evaluating Your Children’s Ministry
10:40 AM Morning Break / Giveaways
10:55 AM Segment 2: Teaching Kids What They Believe
12:15 PM Lunch
1:00 PM Product Spotlight
1:25 PM Segment 3: Effective Strategies for Reaching Kids
2:45 PM Afternoon Break / Giveaways
3:00 PM Q & A Time
3:30 PM Closing Segment
4:00 PM Close

Registration Information

Individual/Group Registration: Includes conference workbook, Saturday lunch, and all sessions. Click here to register online.

Register by 10/15/11: $30
Register 5 or more and get your registration for $20 each until 10/15.
After 10/15 all registrations are $40

Mobile CM Sign Up and Reporting

2011-09-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Campus Missionary sign-up and reporting has gone mobile! Now students can sign-up and report on their web-enabled mobile phones by entering www.campusmissions.com into a cell phone’s web browser (or use the QR code below). From there they can sign up as a new Campus Missionary or complete a monthly report. But this is more than just a mobile site – just add www.campusmissions.com to the phone’s Home screen (on IOS or Android) to make it a web app.

Final AIM update

2011-07-21T07:01:00.001-07:00

We are sitting at the gate in the El Salvador airport waiting to board for Dallas. The team enjoyed a relaxing day at Atami beach yesterday and a memorable farewell service with missionaries Don and Terri Triplett and our national team. We are sad to leave but excited to return home. The trip does not end here as we are ready to put into action what we've learned and build on what God has done in our lives.

Please pray for nearly 5,000 all of the kids and youth and adults that we saw during our week of ministry, 500 of them made decisions to follow Christ. And thank you for praying for our long travel day home.

Your SD El Salvador team

Tuesday AM El Salvador Update

2011-07-19T18:55:00.001-07:00

We have enjoyed two more great days of ministry! One grandmother's sight improved after the team prayed for her on Sunday night. An eleven year old boy with no father has a new pair of shoes because some guys on the team pooled their money and showed compassion. Numerous children and youth have come to Christ at schools and on the streets at various ministry programs. We are extremely blessed to be part of what God is doing here!

We're about to hop on the bus this morning for our final day of ministry. God has been so good to this team. We have been stretched, grown together, and our hearts are full of great victories and testimonies.The team is in good health and good spirits. We are ready to finish strong!

Please pray for our final day of ministry, our free day tomorrow, and our travel day on Thursday.
Thank you.

Your SD El Salvador team

El Salvador Weekend Update

2011-07-18T06:14:00.001-07:00

A few pictures of El Salvador's beautiful children. This is why we are here...and why you have been praying at home.

Please continue to lift up the team. We are more than half way done and looking forward to finishing well. Sunday was a tremendous day at the central Castle church and at an evening campaign on the street. We've had a few upset stomachs but this morning everyone is feeling better and ready to serve. Please pray for strength and rest for the last few days.

Thank you,

Your SD AIM Team

AIM El Salvador: Friday Pictures

2011-07-16T06:10:00.001-07:00

Ministry Day One

2011-07-14T20:57:00.001-07:00

Today we started our six days of ministry. We are working on the cities of Apopa and Wasapa near San Salvador. We ministered in a school in the morning with the primary grades and the afternoon with the secondary grades and finished with a neighborhood program. The kids were excited to see "Americanos" and get out of class for some basketball and a little fun. Many lives were touched; it is great to see how God uses a sport to break down barriers and cause children to be receptive to the gospel. The teacher who helped us get in the school is a believer from a local church who disciples children from the school who commit their lives to Christ.

We have started well and look forward to many more opportunities to love kids in the next five days. Thank you for praying. We sense His hand upon us and we're powerless without Him.

Your SD AIM Team

Wednesday AIM update

2011-07-14T19:01:00.001-07:00

Today was a great day of orientation, training, a swim in the lake, and prayer as we get set to head out for our first day of ministry tomorrow. We learned four brand new dances and four ministry dramas for the programs we'll be sharing in schools and neighborhoods over the next six days. The basketball team is also prepped and ready to show off their skills and teach kids how to play.

The day concluded with a time prayer and intercession at the King's Castle Prayer Fortress where a vigil of prayer and fasting has been going on continuously for the last 12 years. We were reminded that one hug, one smile, one prayer, could alter the eternity of a Salvadoran child. We are ready to make a difference and see the miraculous!

Everyone is in good health and spirits are high as we look forward to what God will do. Thank you for continuing to pray.

Did you know: Only 7% of children in El Salvador live with both birth parents, and 70% live with extended family, friends, or even on the street.

Tuesday AIM Update

2011-07-13T06:50:00.001-07:00

We're here!

After an early and rainy start in Sioux Falls...and about 10 hours on two buses and two planes, we've arrived at the King's Castle* training center in El Salvador safely and smoothly.

The team is in good spirits and looking forward to a great night of rest and full day of training tomorrow. Thank you for praying for this leg of the journey. Please continue to pray as we adjust to new surroundings and learn our ministry songs and dramas tomorrow. Pray that we will be unified, eager to serve, and empowered to share the love of Christ so that hearts and lives would be transformed.

Excited and expectant,

Your SD AIM Team

*You can find our more about the ministry of Castillo Del Rey (King's Castle) by visiting www.kingscastle.org

New Girls Ministries Coordinator Announced

2011-05-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to introduce Diana Kjerstad as the new district Girls' Ministries coordinator. Please take a moment to get to know the heart and vision of this enthusiastic leader.

She writes: "I was born in southern Indiana but grew up in Sisseton, SD as a 'home missions' pastor's kid. South Dakota has been my home since I was in the 5th grade. Youth conventions and summer camps where a big part of my life. I met my husband at summer camp and we got married in 1997. We youth pastored in North Dakota and Minnesota and then moved to Mitchell, SD and took the Sr. Pastor position and have been there for the past 6 years.

I started Girl's Ministries the first year we were here with Rainbows and every year we added the next class. This past year we just started the Stars program and we now have all four Girl's Ministries programs going. I love getting a chance to see the girls grow mentally and spiritually. This is a wonderful mentorship and discipleship program that all girls should have an opportunity to experience.

On the district level, I want to help develop the Girl's Ministries program in churches; coming up with innovative ideas to make it work best for your situation is something I look forward to doing. I am excited to see what God is going to do in our SD Girl's Ministries!"

You can contact her at diana@sdag.org to find out more about Girls' Ministries and how your church can start, revitalize, or strengthen its current discipleship process for girls.

Pentecostal Evangel-Kids Edition

2011-05-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

Each year the Pentecostal Evangel prints a "Kids Edition" that focuses on some aspect of children's ministry. The next in this series comes out on May 22 and focuses on the Fruit of the Spirit.

What if your church purchased additional copies of this issue so that every child in your children's ministry took one home? You could also include it in visitor packets all year long as a way to bring attention to the children's ministry.

Additionally, children's ministries may find this a cost effective way to put a kid-friendly magazine in the hands of the kids who visit their service throughout the year.

Don't pass up the opportunity to get this quality resource into the hands of children!

To order more copies and get a rate quote call 1 (800) 641-4310 and request item #69-7121.

Summer Camp

2011-03-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

Hopefully you've noticed that the weather is getting nicer where you live (unless you live in northeast SD) and the greatest weeks of the year...SUMMER CAMP!..will be soon upon us. This is a quick update to answer questions about camp as we are getting into the camp planning season.

The district camp site, www.sdsummercamp.com is being renovated. Our goal is to have it up and running by mid March. Until then you can find dates, information, and registration forms at www.sdyce.com. Just click on the summer camp tab at the top of the page.

Once we have the site up and running families will be able to register and pay online, but they will still need to turned a signed form into their local church. The deadline for the $55 pre-registation rate is April 15th.

Your church will also receive camp info, group registration forms, posters and postcards in the mail.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have questions or concerns please contact our office.

We are looking forward to our greatest weeks of camp yet! Thank you for getting the word out and making it happen in your church.

Growing 3-2-1

2011-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

At our recent Momentum youth leader's retreat, two themes emerged during the times of networking and discussion...making disciples and building community.

It started as Supt. Schaible shared his perspective on what we are doing well in youth ministry and where we are falling short. We're doing a good job of being on the cutting edge and creating environments that students want to be part of. But we were challenged with a question: Can you clearly and succinctly describe how you are making disciples in your ministry?

The answer to this question more often than not is no. Throughout the weekend great insights were shared and we came away with a renewed desire to reach students and make disciples. We closed the retreat with a challenge: "3 books, 2 students, 1 leader."

What could happen across our district if over the next six months we each:

Read 3 Books...any topic. A book of the Bible? Intentional, personal growth. Leaders are readers.

Build 2 Students...prayerfully chosen. Intentionally discipled. Meet regularly. Pour into young lives; do life together. Ask hard questions. Raise the level of expectation.

Train 1 Leader...reproduce yourself. Empower and release for ministry. Consider asking a parent. Give ministry away. Your next great ministry leader is waiting to be discovered.

What could happen if we grew personally and intentionally got involved in three lives in the next 6 months? Maybe you already have a process...great. If not, this is a starting point.

Go for it! Share your experiences and encourage others.

Let's build the Kingdom together!

Winter Escape/Fine Arts Deadline Approaching

2011-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

The registration deadline for our Winter Escape/Fine Arts Festival is rapidly approaching. Click here for all the details. The cost to register increases by $10 after Feb 4th.

Fine Arts is all about students discovering, developing, and deploying their ministry gifts for the cause of Christ. Youth from across the state can bring their talents and participate in preaching, drama, music, writing, and more during the Fine Arts portion of the weekend. Participants will also be challenged and inspired during two sessions featuring Greg Washington from Trinity Bible College and the worship band from Yankton 1st AG.

Questions? New to FAF? Check the SOFA (School of Fine Arts)

We look forward to seeing you in the Rapid City!

Growth Curriculum

2010-12-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

So 2011 is here whether you are ready for it or not. You spent all of 2010. It's gone. Now what? Will you allow 2011 to be a repeat of 2010? Will you repeat the cycle of life and ministry once more? Or will you chose to make 2011 different? Will you put your foot down and shout from the rooftops, "This Year Will Be Different! Because, This Year I Will Grow!"

That's right the start to a new begins simply by making a commitment to growth.

Stop right now and process the following questions:

What ministry area would I like to grow in this year? Preaching skills, time management, implementing strategies, leading exciting and engaging meetings, etc.

What personal area would I like to grow in this year? Improve my parenting skills, become a better spouse, take control of our finances, how to stop paying others for auto maintenance, a foreign language, etc

What areas can you grow with your team? Child and youth development milestones, leading change, etc.

Simply select one topic from each area above and then choose three or four books on that topic. Force yourself to limit your learning to a few areas but read several books from different authors. This will give you a steady diet of input from different perspectives so you don't get off course too far.

Take about 30 minutes today and get started. If you don't you'll find yourself right back here on December 21, 2011 having completed the same cycle one more time.

Farewell and Merry Christmas

2010-12-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Today will be my last day in the office of South Dakota DYD before we transition to Springfield, MO. Our offices will be closed from the 24th of December and will reopen on January 3rd.

To all of our South Dakota friends; thank you for the 14 years of ministry together. We have loved all of you dearly and though we won't see you as often, you will always remain in our hearts.

To the youth and children's pastors in SD. Your hard work and team spirit were a huge part of what made our time with you so enjoyable. I never heard anyone say "it can't be done" or "we're just too small." You are champions who proved nothing can stand in our way - or "With God, all things are possible."

To the SDAG Presbyters, you are fantastic leaders. I have been overwhelmed at times by the amount of grace and support you have shown to me. The direction you are going by involving our younger ministers in different leadership capacities assures that the SDAG will remain relevant. I love the fact that you've planned far enough ahead to invest in those who will take over your role one day. Thanks for investing!

To the Schaibles. I don't know why God allowed us to find such great leaders, mentors, and friends so early in ministry but we are thankful He did. You have been patient and given me opportunities to try new things without knowing whether or not a crazy idea would succeed or fail. You have been, and will continue to be a great friend in ministry. I'll never forget my pheasant hunting excursion with you and Brian Peterson (no details needed). Rachel, your love for us and investment into our boys has been significant. Thanks for being willing to watch them so we could have a date every now and then. You are truly our extended family and will be missed.

To Pastor David and Jenn. During our training session you mentioned how you felt you were being handed the keys to a very expensive car as you took over the role as SDYCE Director. From where I sit it feels like you've been investing in this ride from the beginning and giving me the credit for the work that you and the rest of the team put in. I know you will handle this "ride" with care and ensure that the no passenger gets left behind. SD Youth and CE ministries are in good hands with you at the wheel. May God pour out on you a double portion of His Spirit!

Though we are closing this chapter of our ministry we will always look back with fond memories of the 14 years we spent with some of the greatest people on the planet.

Please use the following email addresses to stay in touch with us:
- Mark (main): entzy@me.com
- Christie: centzy@me.com

You can also follow our journey on facebook.

Our mobile phones will stay active for a while.

Merry Christmas! May God bless you all during this season.

Leadership vs. Management

2010-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

Leadership says, "Put the ladder against the wall."
Management says, "Put the ladder against this wall."

It is one thing to inspire people into action - that's leadership. However, we must also help to chart the course and point them in the right direction - that's management. Both are important, both can be learned, and both can be used effectively in ministry.

Service Planning Resource

2010-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Do you have multiple people who help plan your Sunday morning service or outreach event? Have you had difficulty in coordinating with your tech team, worship leader, powerpoint developer, and pastor, in a way that is hassle free and works with their schedule?

Then consider using the Planning Center Online. This web-based resource is powerful and full of features. You can try their site for free and if you decide it's a solution for you, their pricing structure is affordable for almost any budget.

Consider how much time you'll save and frustration you'll avoid by allowing each member of your team the chance to do their service planning on their schedule.

College Scholarship News!

2010-12-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

South Dakota Scholarships

J.R. Ashcroft Scholarship and S.H. Petersen Scholarship application has been posted online. Be sure to start early. The deadline is February 15th.

National Scholarships

Ralph Riggs Scholarship is funded by the AG Trust and is designed for graduating seniors heading to one of the 19 AG institutions for higher education. The deadline for this application is also February 15th.

Learn more about these scholarships
Find an Assemblies of God College or University

SOFA - School of Fine Arts

2010-12-19T04:05:00.000-08:00

For 2011 SF Fine Arts Festival we have launched SOFA (Thanks Mark Zweifel for the name and idea) in order to help students and leaders make the most of the Fine Arts Festival.

The SOFA or School of Fine Arts covers the following topics: Avoid Common Mistakes, Helping Students Succeed, 2011 Rule Change Summary and more. You'll find these free resources on our Fine Arts page.

More resources will be posted in the future as they are developed. If you have an idea for a SOFA resource, please submit it to faf@sdag.org.

Body Builders

2010-12-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

As you head into 2011 with all the gusto to make changes and set new standards for ministry and life. Let me challenge you to become a body builder.

I love the way Ephesians 4:16 reads in the New Living Translation: "As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow..."

We often find ourselves striving to do things to help ourselves. Pause for a moment and consider your special work and how you may use it to help the other parts grow.

Winter Escape/Fine Arts Festival

2010-12-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

Promotional video for Winter Escape and Fine Arts Festival for 2011!