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.”
Last week, I shared some ideas to help create S.T.I.C.K.Y. lessons and learning environments for students. This week, I’d like to unpack a question I ask myself after virtually every lesson I create: “Does this lesson T.E.A.C.H.?” To answer that question, I ask five more: Is This Lesson True?…
I have one final thought for you. First, we asked the question: Should I stay or should I go? Next, we pondered a couple check marks that remind us what’s most important. In a moment, I’m going to post some wisdom from the trenches.…
I believe that sharing Christ is our number one responsibility as a believer. When we give our lives to Christ we are commanded to share the good news with others. Now, I know that there are a lot of tools and resources out there on how to share your faith.…
There are different types of tragedy that strike our ministries. Sometimes they happen to students under our care, other times it is an illness or accident or a devastating choice a student makes that ends in pain. the scenarios can vary, but in my experience the feelings that follow almost always are the same: grief, hurt and a helplessness that there is nothing you can “do” to “fix” the situation.…
Should you stay, or should you go? This is the question we pondered together in Part One. Where are you at with it today? It’s easy to get overwhelmed by circumstances. Even as I write this, I am fatigued by some things happening in my own circle – and yet I hear off in another room the song “Mighty to Save” playing.…
Let’s Talk Youth Ministry Vlog is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!! And we are posting a NEW SHOW EVERY WEEK. On Today’s Show: All Things Summer!!!! Modesty: Dress code or not? Tips to making summer great. Growing your core student base. Hope it helps, Kurt & AC…
So… what do you think of this sign? Apologies. I’m actually asking you the wrong question. It reminds me of how someone recently asked me, “Does the idea of the ‘church’ even work anymore?” That’s also not the right question.…
“Should I stay or should I go?” The Clash made those lyrics famous in the 1980’s. The question the song proposes is one you may find yourself asking these days, creating your own kind of internal clash. Whether you’re paid or a volunteer in your church, you may be pondering what the lyrics suggest: “If I go there will be trouble… and if I stay it will be double.”…
Let’s Talk Youth Ministry Vlog is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!! And we are posting a NEW SHOW EVERY WEEK. On Today’s Show: How to properly watch the show 24. Divorced parents or parents from blended families. Learn How to Win! (NEW YOUTH MINISTRY JOB OR NEW TO YOUTH MINISTRY) hope it helps, Kurt & AC…
If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times: Teenagers won’t remember the lessons we teach. Youth ministry is all about relationships.” And while that’s largely true, it doesn’t have to be completely true; I think we can (and should at least try to) create memorable learning experiences for the students in our ministries; lessons that are sticky!…
