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.”
I could use your input. Maybe someone else can, too. Got 60 seconds? A typical communion service focuses on the death/crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This weekend on Easter Sunday I’m hoping to present it in a way that doesn’t just reflect the cross of Christ but also the Resurrection.…
A couple of weeks ago I turned to find my 6th grade daughter with her fingers in her ears as I answered the question of one of my students in our small group. We were having a night, well actually a series, on “the talk.”…
When I talk about identity, sexuality, and the gloriousness of God’s grace, I continually go back to two passages of scripture: Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6:11, and John’s words in 1 John 3:1-3. To me, these passages highlight a lot about the ground we stand upon, God’s love, our new identity, and the freedom offered through Christ.…
I had a lot of great conversations around my last post. If you didn’t get to read it, here it is. I had a few conversations about the fact that a lot of the struggle is at the one-on-one level. And the question “What should I do if a student comes and says they are struggling with same sex attraction?”…
I’ve made a list of resolutions for the youth ministry nation—the New Year is three months in the rear view mirror, and our ideal resolves never “work” anyway, so why bother? Well, the real power in our resolutions has more to do with the process that produces them than our dogged ability to deliver on them.…
Working in ministry can be a challenging calling regardless of our circumstances. But it is even more difficult when we are working in an environment that is led by someone who has a different ministry philosophy than we do. In youth ministry, this can often be the point of much friction.…
I was just at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference and sat through a workshop by Shawn Harrison, the author of Ministering To Gay Teenagers. I would definitely grab his book, it’s a great resource. The workshop was great also, but revealed that the silence of the church on this topic has placed us at a disadvantage in many ways.…
Last night I had the pleasure of being a part of an event called, Loveology. It’s actually the title of a new book that my friend John Mark Comer wrote. I just sat on a Q&A panel for the event, but I endorsed the book and did so, not just because JM is my friend, but because I really believe in the book.…
Today I was looking through some really excellent small group curriculum. I loved the way it dug into lead students in going deeper with their relationship with Christ. However, it also held one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to pre-written curriculum: It was really written for an adult, not a student.…
I’ve had a few people ask me recently about how my kids are doing. In each of those conversations the question is always phrased a little differently, but they all have stemmed from a concern for how my children are handling being a pastor’s kid, or a “PK.”…
