Parenting my own children has helped me become a much better youth leader. Young, single, fun and crazy youth workers have the TIME to invest in teenagers, the ENERGY to go the distance with them, and the FRESH EYES to change things up.…
When the class of 2018 heads into their future there will a be a big hole in our youth ministries. The absence of their leadership and personalities will leave big shoes to fill. If you have natural leaders coming up right behind them, this transition may be something you’re ready for.…
As I sat on the couch, another infomercial reminded me that I’m too fat, too lazy, and too apathetic. This time, I decided, it was time to make a change—I was finally ready to take the plunge. So I tentatively started my journey to wellness.…
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 you ramp up for your summer-trip season and scramble to recruit adult leaders who can serve as chaperones, counselors, and guides, it’s prime time to remember a few imperatives: 1. There is no “perfect” criminal records search that provides every court record.…
Our “Wired Ministry” columnist Brandon Early is a longtime youth pastor who’s collected a few pet peeves along the way. Here’s one that’s focused on financial frustrations that orbit typical youth ministry trips—we asked youth workers who serve on our “In the Trenches” team to take a whack at answering Brandon’s question, below: “What’s the system you use to help students pay for trips and retreats?…
Discipleship is the endgame for youth ministry. So how do we help teenagers break free from the gravitational pull of a conventional life? How do we “achieve orbit” in a life defined by a passion for Jesus? Well, I know from three decades of youth ministry experience, and from in-depth research projects, that nothing in our ministry toolbox has more “rocket power” than a mission trip.…
I work with teenage moms at Hope House of Colorado—this year, we’ve served 220 amazing moms and their children. These girls come to Hope House determined to become self-sufficient and work toward a better life for their children. Every day they face a murderer’s row of challenges: abandonment, poverty, homelessness, and sometimes abuse.…
Who are you “supposed” to call today? Which teenager “should” you hang out with this week? How many of your own family’s activities do you “need” to show up for this month? Look, we’re all busy—it doesn’t matter whether we’re full-time, part-time, or a volunteer.…
We are shorthand people who prefer shorthand solutions to complex problems. That’s true in life, and it’s true in youth ministry. In the past, our shortcut paths to deeper discipleship included… • What Would Jesus Do—”Go beyond your identity as a church-attender and have the courage to live like Jesus.…
