Clik here to view.
3 Must Know Tips for Camp/Retreats
Being fairly new to leading youth ministry, I have found a great amount of purpose and meaning in camps and retreats. I have actually shaped a lot of our high school philosophy for programming and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Just Do It! 5 Ways to Impact Your School
When I was a student in school I struggled with the negative influences that filled the hallways, the dirty jokes, the curse words, the offers to use drugs and the invitation to have my first alcoholic...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Porn, Smart stuff, and Thoughtfulness
The proverbial kid in the candy store is a striking portrait, and so is our obsession with smart stuff, the internet and porn. The Internet and smart technology, permeated by a wonderland of varied...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Risen Christ and Joy in the Ministry
This is a powerful post that we pulled out of the blog archives as an encouragement for every youth worker this Easter. We hope you enjoy and celebrate the Risen Christ this weekend! In John 20:19-23...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What’s in it for me?
You’ve probably heard this witty comeback at some point in your ministry. Savvy seekers exploring the idea of faith often will not commit whole-heartedly without this question being answered. At the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Parents Graduate Too
Graduation is one of those moments that parents wait for and at the same time dread. It means seeing their child from birth to “ready for adulting.” It’s so important as a youth pastor to understand...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Financial planning. Ugh.
If you share this same sentiment with me, be relieved because the practices we will uncover today are simple. I would dare say they are even easy to do. To be fair, I did not say “easy to implement,”...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Paint Twister
Supplies If this is co-ed I suggest having two twister mats, *children’s finger paint colors blue, green, yellow, and red. Set Up Advise students to wear clothing that can get messy before playing,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Prescription for Soul-Sickness
For youth workers (paid or volunteer), there can be nothing more frightening than the belief that something terrible might happen to a student that you have invested so much time and energy in. As a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Summer Ministry: Making an Impact When Attendance Drops
Are you getting ready to see students less- but still have effective youth ministry? Actual questions I have asked students before: So your parents grounded you from church again? You have select team...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Do I Get My Students to Serve Their Communities?
One of the greatest mandates from Jesus to his Church is found in Matthew 28:18-20. It says, “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How to Make a Wheel of Awesome
PAUL TURNER is a long-time youth worker, speaker, and blogger of all things youth ministry. He’s the youth pastor at Pleasant Grove Assembly in Birmingham, AL and writes regularly at...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Passing On Family Recipes: Teaching Prayer to Students
I remember maybe 3 weeks into my current job, my boss asked me if I had any experience writing curriculum. “Sure.” I led plenty of small groups and given plenty of talks. Formal curriculum sets were a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Holding to the Gospel in our Politically Polarized Nation: An Interview with...
MAINA MWAURA sat down for a conversation with Michael Wear, former Obama White House staffer as the Director of Faith Outreach and author of the new book, “Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama...
View ArticleClik here to view.
God Save the Queen: Faith, politics and who is in control?
If you ever find yourself walking around some of the more touristy areas of London you will find two things in repeat. First, lots of tourists (obviously) snapping pictures and looking for those guard...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Summer Kickoff Event Planning
I don’t know about you guys, but for us here in Ohio, kicking off the summer is a big deal. After months of extremely unreliable, unstable and mostly cold weather, we are ready to bring in the sunshine...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A New Swag Bag for Seniors: Rethinking the Church Graduation Rite of Passage
Spring is here, and many churches are set to once again launch a group of seniors. Parties will be hosted. Pictures will be shown. Bibles will be distributed. Graduation banquets will be held. As...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Unicorn Poop
It’s well-known in my circle that I don’t like dessert. Therefore, anytime we throw a party or get-together, I warn people there won’t be any treats unless they bring them. One particular student...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Student Leadership in Youth Ministry
Youth pastors and youth workers work hard daily in local student ministries to impact teenagers lives. If you work with teenagers, you know that your job is thankless, but let me encourage you with...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Eye Tag
This is a good game when you need a time filler or are waiting in a parking lot somewhere for a concert/event/game/whatever to start. Instructions Circle the players together standing up facing each...
View Article