Few things have greater leverage for spiritual growth in the lives of your teenagers than summer trips—and that’s just why they’re a magnet for disaster. Embedded in these EpicFail stories are profound lessons on effective youth ministry. Summer trips are the lifeblood of a thriving youth ministry.…
As a former military member, I learned the value of a ‘go-bag’ long ago. Here’s the idea: You keep a bag ready to go at a moment’s notice. In this bag you put everything you will need for a specific operation, or in the case of youth ministry, an event.…
My team was tired. And I couldn’t blame them, even though the fruits we saw from our ministry efforts were undeniably profound. We’d just marched through a packed calendar of amazing, bridge-building events that attracted new teenagers to our ministry and a Bible study series that deepened the faith of our student leaders.…
When it comes to the topic of youth pastor/senior pastor relations, there simply is no “norm”. And, I’m not even sure there is an “ideal” we should all strive to attain. Is it ideal to have a cordial, yet mostly non-existent relationship?…
Messes, I have made them in ministry. I have made incorrect choices that would make you break into a cold sweat and hives. I have made mistakes, and some big ones along the way. I have not thought out plans, and paid the price.…
Americans Protest, Pray After More Shootings In the News Charlotte, N.C.—Racial tensions escalated this week after black men in two more U.S. cities were shot and killed by police officers. Reactions varied dramatically, however: Violent riots in Charlotte, North Carolina, led to a national emergency and curfew, while peaceful prayer vigils occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma.…
As youth workers, we generally recognize that parents have the greatest influence on teenagers. Sometimes that’s simply a factor of time. We spend an hour or two with kids every other week (depending on homework and sports practice), while most moms and dads are with them nearly every day.…
It’s quarter to midnight. I have to be at church at 5:30 a.m. to make sure last-minute logistics are covered and someone is available to meet the bus drivers when they arrive. Fortunately, this ain’t my first rodeo… A carefully (and perpetually) packed toiletries bag stands watch in my bathroom, with duplicates of everything I use in my daily routine.…
Your summer mission trip is on the launching pad—the countdown is on. Maybe you just completed your last leg on the fund-raising marathon (who knew teenagers could sell that many over-priced balls of cookie dough?). Your spreadsheet mapping the intricate details of the trip is filling up.…
