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.
We love VBS. Tasha loves it because 1) it’s a great way to get to know children and their families before they move into youth ministry; and 2) she made a commitment to follow Jesus when her 6th grade friend Lisa Sullivan invited her to VBS.…
In our house, we’re working with the change that’s taking place as our oldest son, Aeden, is entering into junior high this fall. As parents, who’ve worked in youth ministry for 21 years, we feel completely inept and unprepared for this new season of life.…
You thought you had the whole summer mapped out. You throw in your last load of laundry before the Sr. high mission trip Costa Rica and it hits you: “Holy smokes, who’s teaching Sunday school this Sunday?” Then, the second wave of panic hits: “Yikes, who’s teaching youth group while I’m gone?”…
The camp had bugs in the beds. Was it the worst camp ever? I’m not sure. Perhaps your story has mine beat. Still, there were insects of all shapes and sizes crawling on the mattresses our students and leaders were to sleep on.…
Did you know that as you age your ears keep growing? Yep, one day we’ll all enjoy some big beautiful ears. But it is important that our listening skills grow with our ears. Recent events might tempt all of us to talk more than we listen.…
The other day I decided to go into Starbucks for a refreshing drink on a very hot day. I sat down in the shade outside to take a break from a busy day and catch up on some paperwork. This is when HE showed up.…
Here are 3 easy games to keep in your back pocket. At some point this summer, it’s going to happen. You will need a game to bail you out in a pinch. It won’t be during your mid-week program because you’ve planned that well in advance (you have planned that well in advance, right?).…
If your junior high ministry is like most, you are in need of help, and are constantly on the lookout for suckers (errr, qualified candidates) to join the cause. And, if your junior high ministry is like most, because you are in need of help, you likely accept just about anybody with the courage to say yes.…
My kids were recently invited to attend a youth conference with some friends. When I visited the website to find out more information and clicked on the promo video, this is what they told me: “This conference will be UNLIKE anything else you have ever attended.”…
Teaching junior highers; I’m not sure a higher calling exists! Churches often make the mistake of seeing junior high ministry as a place for young, or spiritually immature, leaders to cut their teeth and learn the ropes of ministry. This is a massive mistake, largely due to the fact that young teens are in an enormous season of developmental change and it takes a mature leader to help junior highers navigate these changes well.…
