I’ve been in youth ministry a pretty long time… Since back when handing out tickets to pizza parties was a thing. I remember a long-ago encounter that changed my outlook on ministry forever. I had spent the day creating our youth group’s four-page newsletter using three font wheels, two ink colors, and one very fancy typewriter.…
My home-based youth group (called Pursuing the Heart, Not the Recipes) meets every Tuesday night—20-ish teenagers from six churches and five schools, and from freshmen to seniors. When the college students are on break, it balloons up to 25 or so.…
What do you stand for? It’s a question that cuts to your identity, and displays the true story of your heart. The answer often becomes clearer as you develop spiritual grit. Join Rick and his very special guest host as they continue a month-long sampling of the newly released book, ‘Spiritual Grit’.…
For most youth workers, the start of summer ushers in a different pace of life for our families and ministries. Some of us experience a huge increase in activities and events, even as our own children get out of school and expect to have time to relax.…
INSTRUCTIONS: Spark conversations about biblical truth by discussing the “News Nugget” below. Bring it up in conversation, as a discussion-starter at the beginning of your gathering, as a small-group discussion-starter, or as part of a Bible study. Add any additional information and new developments.…
You know that feeling when your workday is complete? It’s time to relax, hang with friends, or just grab some “me” time. My day was over, and I wanted to go home and unwind. The Spirit had other plans for me… But as I drove home, I felt a burden to go visit Amy, a teenager in our ministry who was living in a crisis-pregnancy care center.…
Based on our exclusive national research, Christian teenagers are watching and listening to a lot of profane entertainment, but their youth groups aren’t doing as much as they could to help them think critically and biblically about what they’re taking in.…
How one longtime youth pastor has morphed his ministry into a “student-led, adult-mentored” culture, where there are no adults leading small groups or, really, any ministry. By Brandon Kennard“These middle school kids have way too much energy for me; I think I may be in over my head.”And…
Confession time… I once auditioned for a national commercial. The tagline of the product? “Never let them see you sweat.” These commercials were famous. The spokesperson would offer an additional summary at the end of the ad, such as “Everyone feels pressure.…
