Clik here to view.
Crying in Public: How to Be Honest about Tragedy
Karen Blixen, who wrote under multiple pseudonyms, penned the quote, “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.” If I have ever read an absolutely poignant quote about youth...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The One Thing You Absolutely Need To Remain in Youth Ministry
What is this one thing that is needed to remain in youth ministry? Is it passion? Is it courage? Is it good hair? I know it’s not the last one since much of it left me long ago. No, it’s a good memory....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Death and Resurrection
A few years ago I got a phone call in the middle of the night. In a daze I saw that it was my mom calling. I answered it with a tired “Hello?” She then said four words I cannot forget no matter how...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Festive Christmas Games
‘Tis the season for party games! The Christmas season is the perfect time to build relationships in your small or large group setting and incorporate some much needed fun at the end of a long fall...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Binding Energy of Conflict
On August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb was deployed in combat at Hiroshima by the United States in retaliation against Japan. The Manhattan Project used nuclear fission to convert nearly 800...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Heresy of “Keeping Christ In Christmas”
I am from a small town. One small town in fact, Piedmont, Alabama. It is a beautiful little place nestled in the foothills of Appalachia. It has some of the most gorgeous mountains in the fall and some...
View ArticleClik here to view.
4 Simple Ways to Build Up Your Adult Volunteers
People often say it takes a village to raise a child. I have found that is also true in youth ministry. As any good youth worker knows, in order to lead a successful youth ministry it takes a village....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Book Recap and Review: “Adoptive Youth Ministry”
TITLE: Adoptive Youth Ministry: Integrating Emerging Generations into the Family of Faith (Youth, Family, and Culture) AUTHOR: Chap Clark PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016, (400...
View ArticleClik here to view.
3 Ways to Plan Events with Intentionality
The Student Ministry Calendar is extremely busy, especially compared to other ministries in the church. It can be exhausting just looking at a yearly or even a summer student ministry calendar. You...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Great Salt Giveaway: A Winter Outreach Event Idea
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Behind The Ministry: Brian Pengelly
Jared Elrod started this great blog series called “Behind the Ministry” to highlight youth workers who are doing some amazing things in their church, youth ministry, and in their communities. If you’d...
View ArticleClik here to view.
20 Questions Every Middle School Parent is Asking
There are few things as confusing and stressful as raising middle school students. Most days it seems like working heavy machinery is more responsive than trying to have a conversation with your...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Same Book Different Pages: Dealing With Culture and Leadership
Youth Pastors don’t mean to offend the people in our churches, but we do. The reason: when we were born. Yes, it’s our fault because of when we were born, what music was popular at the time, who the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Designing Your Sermon Calendar
The ending of a year always prompts me to take a fresh look at my calendar. What events are coming up? What series should I preach on, and when will Starbucks start serving Gingerbread Lattes?...
View ArticleClik here to view.
7 Ways to Build An Ongoing Volunteer Recruitment Culture in Your Church
As ministry leaders, we must make it clear that we have room for more people to serve in ministry. The overarching reason to be connected to the church is to serve in it. Too often, we save...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Unmasking Your Soul
Are you serving out of your natural motivations? We all have natural motivations which, when they are being lived out of, create a sense of internal value within one’s self and our behaviors flow out...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Reconnecting with Past Students Over Christmas
As Christmas parties and neighborhood caroling begin to wrap up, our youth alum often begin to return home. Without regular programming in which to invite them, how can we connect with these important...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Youth Ministry Isn’t a One Person Show
Having been in youth ministry now for 27 years in either a full-time or volunteer position, I have learned a thing or two along the way. Experience is an amazing, albeit challenging, teacher and it has...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Leadership Transitions in Youth Ministry
Transitions in leadership are a constant struggle for many youth ministries. God calls some pastors to other ministries, churches make decisions to seek out new pastors, still others burn out and leave...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Advent: A Season of Opportunity
Believe it or not, it’s here. The Advent season is upon us. And now, more so than perhaps any year I can remember, I think it’s coming at exactly the right time. We’ve just come out of an election...
View Article