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BFF or nah? How to Enforce Boundaries in Student Ministry
Students are crazy. One minute they love you, and then they don’t show up to youth group for 10 weeks. Some students have enormous spiritual breakthroughs, and it seems as if they’re about to make a...
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The One Sheep
There’s a command that has been given to all people who profess faith in Jesus Christ to go after the one sheep who wanders away. The easiest students to minister to or pastor are the kids who want to...
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Two Perspectives on Longevity in Youth Ministry
Back in February, Rob Bergman outlined a couple really important ideas on longevity in youth ministry. Shortly after reading it, our good friend Brock Morgan wrote a thoughtful response to showcase...
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Church Junkies
I grew up in a great church (Hillside in Succasunna, New Jersey), and I’ve been on staff at three churches I absolutely loved. I love how God uses me for the good of others. I love seeing good things...
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Trust is a 2-Way Street
What do teenagers want? It’s a question many of us have asked ourselves over the years. Based upon how confused my parents were when their five children went through their teen years, I would guess...
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Old School Tools for Youth Ministry
The head-spinning pace of technology has revolutionized the way we do ministry—most of it for the better. Tools such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, texts, etc. have provided new ways to connect with...
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Empower Your Leaders for Ownership
Have you ever wished people cared more about your ministry? Maybe you’ve said one of the following statements: If only she were more invested as a small group leader! If only they cared enough to show...
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Four Ways to Navigate Change in Ministry
During the polar vortex two winters ago, I realized—right before bedtime—that I had to pull my car into the driveway so I didn’t get a ticket. I honestly considered calling the police and telling them...
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The Standup Comedy of Jesus of Nazareth
The memes below are excerpts from the Funniest Guy in the Room, which takes old jokes and even older pictures and supposes what probably happened if we were willing to admit it. Jesus was the son of...
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Can Visitors Feel Too Welcomed?
Sometimes I flash back to that moment. The silence was painful. I’d asked every possible icebreaker question. I’d fought through the initial awkwardness. I’d made some attempts to introduce the...
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Trending This Week (4.16)
Every week we pull our favorite links from across the inter-webs. This week’s trending links include a look at 10 ways to get fired, churches and snapchat, wisdom for your first 30 days as a youth...
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Maneuvering Intergenerational Ministry
I grew up in a small church in a small city in Maine. In this setting, there wasn’t much conversation about how we can make time for intergenerational ministry. It just happened. Being a small church,...
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Help! I’m Running My Church’s Social Media All by Myself
This post originally appeared on Darrel’s Blog and we thought it was so wonderful that we wanted to share it too! I love being on teams filled with talented people. There’s a rush from sitting in a...
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Wandering the Arcade: Ministering to Youth on the Autism Spectrum
This post is in partnership with the Center for Youth Ministry Training and is a product of the Communicating the Gospel to Youth class, taught by Dr. Andrew Zirschky as part of CYMT’s Master of Arts...
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Living in a State of Mission
God’s Word is for all people in all places. The need for the gospel is just as important for our neighbors who don’t know Jesus as it is for a tribe in the middle of a country we can’t pronounce....
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Say “Thank You” to Volunteers
The volunteers in our churches are my heroes in so many ways. They sacrifice their time, talent, and treasure for the ministry. They’re not required to be there, but many times they’re more committed...
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When, Why, and How to Lead Effective Change: YS Idea Lab with David Grant
David Grant is a longtime youth worker with 25 years serving youth and families. He’s currently serving as the Next Gen Pastor at Irving Bible Church in Irving, Texas. With his history in youth...
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2 Excuses We Use To Avoid Sending Students
One of this year’s focuses for the National Youth Workers Convention will be how youth workers can create service experiences that impact the lives of teenagers and create a healthy relationship with...
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3 Tips for Speaking to Kids… Who Don’t Want to Listen
A few months ago a youth worker from El Paso, TX called me up and asked, “Do you want to speak at school assemblies for a week in Texas?” If I would have answered him honestly, I would have responded,...
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Having Safe One-on-One Conversations about Sexuality
Maybe you have a burden to say something to your students about their sexual struggles. But you’ve heard horrifying reports of student ministers sexually abusing kids and the resulting lawsuits, so you...
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