Awesome Roadkill

As the SMTL (Student Ministry Team Leader - for all you folk who are uneducated in church staff abbreviations), when I start hearing talk of moving into a new building and the possibility of the youth getting their own building, I immediately get thinking about themes for our new youth building. I start planning out contests for designs and names submitted by students and think about what ideas of my own I'll throw into the mix...

I would ask for submissions from fellow youth pastors, but I already know the ideas I would be given...

Design Ideas

1. Coffee House Theme

Every kid in high school loves burned, weak coffee and crappy, depressing acoustic tunes right?? We could have booths (torn up and stained from the local coffee shop that just closed down due to rat infestation, but hey! They were free!), round top tables (just don't tell the elders that a local bar donated them or we'd need to pray over them because they must be "covered in sin"), and a small stage for open mic nights and poetry readings. Aren't all the high schoolers beatniks nowadays?

2. Garage Theme

Find an old gas pump, some license plates, and a garage door for the entrance and you've got a unique youth room! Problem is, every youth group in America has had a "Garage Themed" youth room since 1994. Of course, trends haven't changed that much since then, right?

3. Student Inspiration Theme

Let's give the kids 20 gallons of paint in all different colors and let them use their hands to start painting the walls! They can throw paint, finger paint, etc. Let creativity flow and give students the creative reign!

For some reason, tons of youth pastors think that this idea, once its all said and done, will create some sort of awe inspiring room filled with creativity and student ownership! However, it usually just looks like you let a bunch of 13 year olds loose with 20 gallons of paint and the only ownership in the room is the puke on the wall from Johnny after being locked in a paint fume filled room for hours...(but who could tell the difference between paint and the puke, right?)

Anyhow, I think our youth group may try to go for something a little different concerning the decor of the building. Thanks for the input (that you didn't even have to give) anyhow :)

Ideas for a name for the Building and/or Youth Group...

Here's a few...

1. eXtreme Youth

"We're eXtreme for Jesus!" - but we don't have to be xLame for Jesus...

2. Ignight

"We lost the spelling bee!" - I get that you meet in the evenings and you want to be ignited for God, but really, it just looks like your youth pastor's Bible College didn't require an english class in order to graduate.

3. Awesome Roadkill

"Every year the junior high students pick their own name... there you go."

And the "Enthusiastic Youth Pastor of the Year" award goes to... (I would like to point out that the above name and quote is an actual name and description of a junior high ministry!)

Anyhow, you may have encountered a few youth groups that share these names (excepting "Awesome Roadkill" which is actually a pretty awesome name) and may have possibly dubbed your rockin' youth group with one of these exciting names.

However, I think we may consider some other names and design ideas...