Ministry is amazing… We get to spend our greatest energy wading into the deepest pools of others—their triumphs and failures, joys and sorrows. And we have the honor of pointing them toward the Lifeguard/Swim Coach who’s teaching them how to be strong swimmers!…
Now that “social distancing” is becoming the new norm, how can we still be in community? Join Rick as he continues a series exploring the foundational truths connected to Jesus and his mission in our lives. Let’s take a closer look at examples in the Bible where Jesus defines love in community.…
Last month I was one of 50 youth pastors at Group’s ministry leadership retreat called Reboot: Using the Power of Improvisation to Transform Lives In Your Ministry. Little did I know, I would soon get the chance to use the power of improvisation to transform lives in my ministry much sooner than I expected, and in a much different way than I’d planned.…
Serving in youth ministry is both rewarding and challenging. As a leader, you’re a catalyst for helping teenagers grow as disciples of Jesus, a ...
In the often-chaotic cloud that is everyday youth ministry, one goal always rises to the surface—growing disciples who follow Jesus with an all-...
Fortnite, 13 Reasons Why, Snapchat… The shifting currents of culture all play a role in shaping the teenagers you serve, and give you unique opp...
Now that “social distancing” is becoming the new norm, how can we still be in community? Join Rick as he continues a series exploring the foundational truths connected to Jesus and his mission in our lives. Let’s take a closer look at examples in the Bible where Jesus defines love in community.…
We have a core mission in youth ministry that, it seems, is also ridiculously easy to forget. As we try to keep numbers up, live up to the vision of the church, and keep up with the demands of ministry life, what can we do to keep Jesus at the center of it all?…
Put 20 youth pastors in a room and tell them they can’t come out until the agree on a definition of discipleship and it’s possible their friends and families will never see them again! And IF they can agree, the odds of them implementing that definition in their youth ministries are about the same odds as me slam-dunking on a 10-foot rim (zero, in case you’re wondering).…
On this episode of the “O Ye of Middle Faith” podcast, Rick Lawrence talks about the state of youth ministry and an approach to discipleship that’s patterned after the way Jesus created transformational environments. Also on the podcast: Wende returns from paradise.…
I know we’re all trying to figure out the best way to stay connected to the teenagers in our ministries during these extraordinary pandemic restrictions. But we want more than just “connection”—we’re looking for ways to shift our spiritual-growth environments from face-to-face to virtual.…
I was born on the front pew of a church during a Sunday night worship service. Before I could say momma, I said Jesus. Enough exaggerating. I wasn’t born on a pew, but I was born a preacher’s daughter. Going to church was more important than anything else in our world.…
A mission trip is like the Olympic steeplechase—you’re running as fast as you can over, around, and through every imaginable obstacle to get to the finish line. Maybe it’s the girl who shows up with a piece of luggage the size of a small horse casket, or the guy who forgot to study the packing list and brought clothes that won’t work well in your context.…
Each summer for the last three years, our youth ministry has served our city through a weeklong local mission trip called “I HEART LINCOLN” (or I❤LNK). Our teenagers pay a $100 fee and are placed on a team with two leaders—each team is assigned a pre-arranged service project organized by a local organization in our city.…
Last month I was one of 50 youth pastors at Group’s ministry leadership retreat called Reboot: Using the Power of Improvisation to Transform Lives In Your Ministry. Little did I know, I would soon get the chance to use the power of improvisation to transform lives in my ministry much sooner than I expected, and in a much different way than I’d planned.…
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