An exasperated small-group leader stopped me to chat. One of my best leaders, he was dedicated and prepared. He just wanted a quick fix to get his small group back on track. “I’ve never experienced anything like this,” he admitted. “One guy is totally disruptive every week, and nothing I try works.…
In this week’s Whiteboard Wednesday experiment, we tap into the realities today’s parents of teenagers are facing and target some powerful ways we can come alongside them in youth ministry… For years I’ve strategized and brainstormed and innovated new ways to support and equip parents of teenagers.…
Most of us love superhero stories, even though they force us to suspend our disbelief. Why hasn’t anyone figured out that Superman is Clark Kent or that Bruce Wayne is Batman? Do a pair of glasses and a mask really confound us?…
The phrase “Daily Quiet Time” can seem both quaint and impossible to most teenagers… But the genius of a daily Bible-study habit is the spiritual “muscle memory” it develops. Need a living illustration of the power of muscle memory? His name is Anthony Kelly, and he’s a modern-day ninja.…
My ministry was an unqualified success, characterized by rapid growth and many accolades from church leaders. But behind that façade was a brutal truth I was forced to admit: My ministry was feeding off the church, not nourishing it. Is it time for you to restart?…
“Of course we’re Jesus-centered, right? We’re a church youth group. Doesn’t that automatically make it about Jesus?” That’s an actual response of a small-church youth leader when I asked about his program’s focus. Eventually, he admitted he didn’t know what it meant to “make a beeline to Jesus” in all he did.…
Before the next school year starts, I dare you to set the kind of high-level ministry goals that will revolutionize your impact. But remember, goal-setting is different than planning. Planning a summer retreat is not a goal; it’s a task. Extending your reach to 10 teenagers in your community who are not currently involved in your ministry is a goal.…
Amanda is one of our new middle school leaders. She’s a sophomore with a heart for ministry and a love for middle school girls. Last Wednesday I saw her chatting with two girls who were not in her small group, but wanted to be.…
Let the students lead… Claire is a sophomore in my ministry. Last year, she and her mom bought tickets to the Jason Aldean concert in Las Vegas—yes, it was that concert. A gunman in a hotel room above the concert venue opened fire, killing 59 people.…
Teenagers are living in a rapidly shifting morality landscape, fueled by a “your truth is yours and my truth is mine” mentality. Meanwhile, anxiety and depression are epidemic among these over-scheduled, hyper-busy kids—whose addiction to social media has made vulnerability their greatest fear. …
