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 counselor who must deal with upset parents and discouraged adolescents, and an EMT who has to treat the occasional dodgeball injury. Often, all in the same day. As you walk through the ups and downs of your calling, we’re here to support, encourage, and equip you with ideas that will fuel your journey as a Jesus-centered leader.
What You’ll Find
Our leadership topics are designed to give you the knowledge and skills to confidently guide your ministry. We’ll cover the must-know areas—including working with parents and volunteers, planning and productivity, and the broad range of skills you need as an adolescent specialist in ministry. And, most important, we’ll help you grow your own relationship with Jesus so your leadership flows out of a “deeper well.”
Nobel laureate Professor Carl Wieman raised hackles recently by branding the college lecture—the world’s most popular (and notorious) teaching strategy—as “educational malpractice.” Wieman won his Noble for physics but has made a name for himself as an educational reformer. He’s the teaching equivalent of Don Quixote, tilting at the windmill of one-way communication as a learning strategy.…
I walked into the deacon’s meeting expecting to be offered an interim pastor position. Our lead pastor had just resigned, so certainly my exceptional (read “average but free”) preaching skills would be tapped to transition the church into its next season.…
Youth ministry involves one tough call after another. “Do I stay or go?” “Do I fire this person or offer another chance?” “Do I send this kid home or offer mercy?” “Domino’s or Little Caesars?” I used to consider myself a pretty good leader.…
I want to follow Jesus. Don’t you? When we roll out of bed every morning, our relationship with Jesus is the reason our feet hit the floor. In Jesus we find immeasurable peace and unspeakable joy. He is making us whole.…
Even if you aren’t a sports fan, follow me for a second because the principles are transferable. Basketball teams are built one of two ways: 1. To meet an immediate need—Usually this is because the team wants to compete for a championship in the immediate future.…
Eugene Peterson is a lyrical writer, scholar, and skilled linguist whose day job for most of his life was pastoring a small church. In 1990, Peterson agreed to begin work on a Bible version that translated the ancient languages into something more vibrant for contemporary readers.…
It’s day four. You’re sitting in a fast-food booth with three teenagers. There’s a greasy double-decker burger sitting five inches from your belly—mocking your pathetic “healthy eating” vow. It’s your third this week. The kid sitting across from you is drinking his milkshake, and you can tell he’s nearly done.…
Based on our exclusive national research, Christian teenagers are watching and listening to a lot of profane entertainment, but their youth groups aren’t doing as much as they could to help them think critically and biblically about what they’re taking in.…
EDITOR’S NOTE: Michael Novelli was a full-time youth pastor for 13 years before he launched his own ministry called Echo (echothestory.com), helping both young people and adults learn through the art of “Storying,” an experiential and dialogical approach to growing deep in relationship with God.…
What happens when one youth worker plunges herself into the gritty lives and disorienting culture of “fringe” kids, and what she learns from the experience that helps her create a profoundly welcoming environment in her ministry. By Theresa Mazza It was a crazy night in the mosh pit.…
