Dare 2 Share’s Blaze conference schedule

Before we kick-off the conference tour in Denver on November 6-7, we have several Youth Leader trainings and lunches scheduled for September and October.  Here is the FIRESTARTER Youth Leader Training line-up:

	City:	Date:	Time:	Location:
	Columbus, OH	09-15-2009	11:00-1:30	Dave & Buster’s
	Lincoln, NE	09-29-2009	11:00-1:00	The Lodge at Wilderness Ridge
	Kansas City, KS	09-30-2009	11:00-1:00	Dave & Buster’s
	Phoenix, AZ	10-06-2009	11:00-1:00	Dave & Buster’s
	Seattle, WA	10-13-2009	11:00-1:00	Marriot Redmond Hotel
	Portland, OR	10-14-2009	11:00-1:00	Bullwinkle’s
	Addison, IL	10-20-2009	11:00-1:30	Dave & Buster’s
	St. Louis, MO	10-27-2009	11:00-1:00	Dave & Buster’s
	Springfield, MO	11-17-2009	11:00-1:00	Incredible Pizza

CLICK HERE to RSVP to attend the Youth Leader training closest to you!

In addition to these great trainings we are offering this fall, make sure to get your teens out to our Blaze conference tour this year!

Denver, CO	November 6-7, 2009
Columbus, OH	February 5-6, 2010
Lincoln, NE	February 26-27, 2010
Phoenix, AZ	March 5-6, 2010
Seattle, WA	March 12-13, 2010
Chicago, IL	March 19-20, 2010
St. Louis, MO	March 26-27, 2010

CLICK HERE to learn more about this year’s conference tour and to get your FREE promotional DVD!

Top 10 reasons I hate working at Dare 2 Share

So you know things are bad when your boss is the one that asks you to post the top 10 reasons you hate working.  I hope everyone enjoys the humor in this.  Thanks for the idea Debb!

1. Every time you ask for a raise you get reminded that your treasures are in Heaven.  If they paid more now we’d get less in Heaven…I’m beginning to think Heaven is going to be good enough as it is.
2. You are guaranteed to spend the majority of your day in meetings.
3. When you complain about too many meetings, you are invited to a meeting to discuss ways to reduce the numbers of meetings you are in.
4. After so many meetings you can’t find time to get the work done that was discussed in all of those meetings.  The solution, have more meetings to discuss how you can get more done with less time to do things.
5. What do I care?  Greg’s already fired me 7 times in 2009 anyway!
6. #1 Favorite quote from superiors, “We realize that we are asking you to do twice as much as we told you we needed you to do when you were hired… No, we can’t hire additional staff to help you with that… No, there aren’t additional resources to get those things done…Yes, you have to get it all done in the same amount of time…I’m sorry,  I don’t understand what the problem is.”
7. #2 Favorite quote from superiors, “Where are you going this evening?  I didn’t know you’d already worked 16 hours today?”
8. Did I mention that I probably get asked into another meeting for posting this blog.  I anticipate being fired for the 8th time in 2009.
9. Time stood still when I was in grade school waiting for the final bell to ring.  At Dare 2 Share, the clock actually moves backwards.
10. All of your great ideas are credited to Zane.   Why do you deserve the credit anyway?  No one’s ever heard 8,000 teens scream for you when you walked into an arena.  I’m sorry, what was your name again anyway?

Dare 2 Share Insider 02

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Post your thoughts and ideas below by using the “Comments” or email me at jasonlamb@dare2share.org

Top 10 reasons I love working at Dare 2 Share

This was inspired by a similar blog post by Greg Stier.

1. Everyday when I go to work at Dare 2 Share I know that what I do will have an impact on eternity.  I work for Jesus and not for man!
2. The people I work with are not just great co-workers and we’re not just on the “same team.”  We’re family!
3. Greg is bound to do or say something completely random that will make us laugh AT LEAST once a day.
4. What we are doing is making a difference.  More and more teenagers are trainined to share their faith and peer-to-peer evangelism on Middle School and High School campuses is happening.
5. When I travel for Dare 2 Share I meet Youth Leaders who are just as passionate about reaching teens as we are.
6. My boss Debb doesn’t just care about me but is personally invested in me.
7. I am challenged and convicted to keep personal evangelism a priority in my own life.
8. My team of Ministry Advocates cares for the Youth Leaders they work with & for the teens in those Youth Leaders’ ministries AND they get better at what they do everyday.
9. We have chapel every Wednesday for an hour.  How cool is it that we get to pray, worship, and learn together as a ministry?!?!?
10. Two things I have fun doing, Math and Ministry, collide to make my job exciting.  (When my wife Neva worked here she had nicknamed me “Rainman,” and even though she is at home with our two boys Christian & Brayden the nickname has stuck.)

My son the evangelist

I sometimes look for opportunities to share my faith.  It’s something I know I should do, and I enjoy having those conversations and presenting the Gospel, but I certainly don’t do it as often as I should.  I am frequently convicted working at Dare 2 Share just by the nature of what we do.  That conviction amps up most weeks on Wednesday when we have staff chapel and Greg challenges us to share our faith as we have opportunity.  All of those things considered, I am convicted the most by my 8-year-old son Christian when it comes to sharing my faith.

Christian started the 3rd grade last Wednesday at Aurora Quest Academy.  It is his first year not going to a Christian school (3 years of preschool at our church in Virginia and K-2 at Faith Christian Academy).  When he got accepted to Aurora Quest we explained to him some of the differences he might encounter at a public school.  Without hesitation he told my wife and, “It may not be a Christian school now, but when I’m done with it it will be!”  WOW!  How much pride as a father did I feel at that moment? 

So last Thursday, his second day of school, Christian came home and told us all about his day.  He shared that the class was playing a game and several of his new friends were getting upset that they were not winning.  He explained to them that they shouldn’t be ashamed of losing, everything is fine, because we are all winners!  The teacher chimed in and corrected Christian explaining that when they play games, there will be winners and losers.  “But we’re all winners in God’s eyes!” he proclaimed to his class.  The teacher gently informed Christian that they were not talking about God, but about the board game.  He quickly complied and finished playing the game.  As he explained to us what happened though, this is what he said, “Mom and dad, I knew I was right.  I was talking about God.  I didn’t want to argue with my teacher though, but we are all winners in God’s eyes!”

My son made me so proud again.  Not only did he make the preliminary statement that he was going to share Jesus with his school, but on the second day of classes he was already making bold statements about God.  I am also proud of him for respecting his teacher and not arguing with her.  It showed the relational side of his evangelistic effort.  His relentless is evident in the fact that he would make a public statement like that to his whole class and that he plans on looking for more opportunities to do the same.  While he complied with his teacher out of respect, it has not quenched his zealousness of the Gospel!

Please continue to pray for my little 8-year-old evangelist as he Shreds the Gnar on his campus!