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.
If discipleship is the endgame for youth ministry, how do we help teenagers break free from the gravitational pull of a conventional life and “achieve orbit” in a life defined by a passion for Jesus? Well, I know from three decades of youth ministry experience, and from in-depth research projects I created to explore what really matters in teenagers’ spiritual growth, that nothing in our ministry toolbox has more “rocket power” than a mission trip.…
Empathy is usually seen as a positive thing…so why didn’t Jesus use it to set people free? Join Rick and Becky as they wrap up a month-long focus on resetting your life by examining the difference between empathy and compassion and why they shouldn’t be used interchangeably.…
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Join Rick and Becky as they discuss what it looks like to pursue a life of self-differentiation, which is staying true to yourself particularly when surrounded by forces trying to make you a different person than who Jesus says you are.…
Wouldn’t it be nice if the difficult things we faced in life really turned out to be easy? Unfortunately, living a Jesus-centered life isn’t a free pass from difficulty. In fact, following Jesus often leads us into challenge and sacrifice. Join Rick and Becky as they dive into the story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19), focusing on how Jesus asks him to do something seemingly impossible.…
It’s January and if you’re like many, you woke up the day after Christmas and vowed to change your life this year. You bought a new planner, dusted off the bucket list, set a career goal, and possibly spent $500 at the local health store to start a new diet.…
Recently my teenage daughter Lucy and three of her friends completed a six-minute documentary exploring the worldwide human-trafficking problem, then submitted it for a school assignment. They designed a full-color trifold brochure as a companion piece and created a stress ball with the word “Enough” printed on it as a “sellable item.”…
Join us for the first episode of the new year! We’ll share our plans for this podcast in 2018, our hopes and dreams for you, and also a special message about how attaching ourselves to Jesus has everything to do with finding freedom this new year.…
Supplies for this Youth Bible Study You’ll need copies of Acts 2:41-47, large poster-sized sheets of paper, and markers. If you do the follow-up experience, you’ll need to plan for it. Form teams of three or four, and ask teams to make plans for their own “exclusive club” from scratch.…
What is Advent? Is it in the Bible? How do church traditions during this season relate to the calendar full of treats we open every day leading to Christmas? Join Rick and Becky this week as they look at the traditions of this season and relate them back to Jesus’ Incarnation.…
As a member of today’s culture, you’ve inherited practices, beliefs, values, and purposes that shape what your everyday life looks like. Over time, this bundle of influences creates what’s normal and comfortable for you. But how does your normal compare to what’s normal in the kingdom of God?…
 The Downside of Empathy){kind=link}
 Pursuing a Life of Being You){kind=link}
 Why Hard Things Are Hard){kind=link}
 Having the Grit to Reset){kind=link}
 Finding Freedom in the New Year){kind=link}
 What Is Advent?){kind=link}
 Discovering Your New Normal in God’s Kingdom){kind=link}