A couple of times a year I survey my teen students about our programming. What do we do well? What needs to change? What topics are we missing? There was a time when I recieved an overwhelming response that there was a desire to do more and be more.…
Looking for some fun Thanksgiving activities for your student gatherings? Perfect, because here are eight ideas you can adapt to fit the needs of your youth group! 8 Hall-of-Fame Youth Ministry Thanksgiving Activities Turkey bowling. Grab a frozen turkey – don’t thaw it out – and a dozen two liter bottles filled with water.…
As a youth worker, it’s essential to build a foundation of people who are eager to invest in the lives of our teenagers. Typically, that means other ministry staffers, adult volunteers, parents, and even college students. One group we often overlook is senior adults.…
Expectations are super important between parents and small group leaders. A lot of the issues I’ve run into between parents and small group leaders has been about expectations not being met or unrealistic expectations being casted. In this post I’ve listed a few expectations parents should have of leaders and leaders should have of parents.…
It starts around 9 or 10 years old. It’s like one day you wake up and can truly see for the first time all that you don’t like about your family, your changing body and your life for that matter. Not knowing how to process any of these feelings you just become over-emotional. …
Well, you’re not going to brag about it, but things are going great in your ministry. Your fall kick-off went better than expected, and you’re finally seeing breakthroughs in teenagers who’ve left the sidelines to get in the game with Jesus.…
Let’s be honest: It’s hard to find a student who wants to step up. I’m not talking about teenagers who want a position of power. Many do, and often for the wrong reasons. I’m talking about getting students to do something that is authentic and needed, yet incredibly awkward.…
Some years ago, I started an annual holiday tradition that involves just two people—Jesus and me. At the core of the Gospel is John 3:16: God gives… And because He gives, we long to give back. King David prayed, “Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand” (1 Chronicles 29:14).…
For many years the longtime column I wrote for GROUP Magazine was titled “The Youth Ministry Drill Sergeant”—I guess I have the sort of opinions that fit best in a boot-camp setting. Translation: I’m very direct when I have something to say.…
Ministry is amazing… We get to spend our greatest energy wading into the deepest pools of others—their triumphs and failures, joys and sorrows. And we have the honor of pointing them toward the Lifeguard/Swim Coach who’s teaching them how to be strong swimmers!…
