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A boy standing in front of a large glass wall.
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3 mins

Five Ways to Respond to Teenagers’ Doubts

“I still tell people about how great and accepting our youth group was,” a 30-year-old recently shared with me. When I was his youth pastor years ago, “Mike” never took the big step of becoming a Christian. Back then he described himself as an atheist-meets-Wiccan.…

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1 min

How To Be A Small Group Guru Part 4: Guru Goulash

To wrap up our series on becoming a small group guru, I’d like to prepare a little guru goulash; a delish mish mash of thoughts. * Don’t forget the parents! Leading a small group of 5-10 teenagers also gives you an incredible opportunity to minister to 5-20 parents!…

Eugene Peterson
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12 mins

Q&A: Eugene Peterson on Jesus, Ego and Sabbath

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.…

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2 mins

To Fall Retreat or Not To Fall Retreat?

Summer is over, students are back in school, and weekends are filled with football. Oh, how I love the fall. Having been in my current role less than two years, I am still in the early stages of the “figuring out the culture of our group” learning curve.…

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2 mins

Look Ahead and Ask Who, Not How

In addition to all the extra tasks and events during the Christmas season, it’s also one of the busiest times in ministry. There are Advent services, volunteer opportunities, meetings, social events, and parties. Plus it’s almost January, so we’re making sure summer camps and mission trips are booked.…

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2 mins

Your Students Have a Longing to Belong

I’ve been leading and influencing young people for a long time, both in a church setting and also as a public-school coach. And threaded through the thousands of conversations I’ve had with students is one overriding need—to belong to something bigger than themselves.…

teenagers volunteering
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2 mins

Today’s Teens Crave Epic Leadership Opportunities

Yesterday my 16-year-old 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 tri-fold brochure as a companion piece, and created a stress ball with the words “Enough” printed on it as a “sellable item.”…

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2 mins

When You’re Not The Rockstar Anymore

I’d like to tell you two stories. The first story involves how bands shift players around. It’s just the way it works. It’s rare to find the original group together like they when everything started. Audio Adrenaline, a Christian rock band that rose to fame in the mid-nineties, is no exception.…

quit big events
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3 mins

Quitting Big Events is the Ultimate Program Strengthener

I’m an evangelist at heart. I like planting seeds. And while I’m not the guy who is eagerly looking for an opportunity to share the Romans Road with my barista or hang out at the skate parking looking for the chance to drop a spiritual law or two on unsuspecting hoodlums, I do have an innate desire to expose as many teenagers as possible to the good news of Jesus.…

Get free weekly resources from us!
Get free weekly resources from us!
Got it! Would you also like offers and promos from Group?
Thanks, you're all set!