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-in commitment. You’re after life-changing, inside-out transformation—driven by a passion for Jesus that spills out onto the lives of others.
What You’ll Find
The Discipleship section offers practical ideas and insights about effective discipleship in youth ministry. We explore the method and models and strategies your ministry can use to help “seed” a generation of teenagers who are all-in for Jesus.
One night when I was in high school my youth pastor handed each student in our youth group a little sheet of neon-colored paper. On it was a list—a list he hoped would encourage the junior high and high school kids he cared so deeply about. …
Helping Teens Make Healthy Decisions By Duane Smith, Small Church Ministry Architects One of my favorite periodicals is Youth Culture Update, a monthly publication produced by the Center for Parent /Teen Understanding, to help parents and youth workers understand the influence of modern culture upon our teens.…
In all of my years working with teenagers, I’ve never met a more impressive group than those I’ve met at Hope House of Colorado. These determined young women have overcome generational poverty, pushed through impossible situations, and inspired entire communities to be better and do better.…
Some years ago, I started an annual holiday tradition that involves just two people—Jesus and me. At the core of the Gospel is John 3:16: God gives… And because He gives, we long to give back. King David prayed, “Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand” (1 Chronicles 29:14).…
Supplies for this Youth Bible Study You’ll need Bibles, sheets of paper, pens, fun snacks, and your favorite music for after the study. For this youth Bible study, have students each find a partner, then stand facing their partner far away from each other.…
We were at a red light when my life changed forever. I was on my way to Walmart with my youth pastor—he’d invited me to tag along on a shopping trip for an upcoming lock-in. We needed to buy chips and Hula-Hoops.…
We all want every kid in our community to feel welcome to make our youth ministry their home. Our doors are open and all are welcome. The love of Jesus extends to every teen. If we can reach even one more teen and introduce them to the love of Jesus, we sure want to.…
Summer is over, students are back in school, and weekends are filled with football. Oh, how I love the fall. Having been in my current role less than two years, I am still in the early stages of the “figuring out the culture of our group” learning curve.…
The funny thing about growing up with a disabled sibling is that you forget to see the disability. Of course you see the wheelchair that helps them get around, or the cane that aids them when they can’t see. However, they are just your sibling, simple and true.…
Where to start? That’s a question most of us feel the tension of on a semi-regular basis, whether we’re youth ministry rookies, veterans or something in between. Check out these three questions that all lead to the same actions steps: “What does it mean to recruit passionate volunteers and ignite passion in current volunteers?”…
