One of the keys to keeping new leaders and continually improving the skill set of your volunteer team is to keep them trained. Here are a few ideas to help you get your team ahead: Take everyone to a conference Few youth budgets in the world can handle the strain of flying a team of volunteers across the country to one of the large youth ministry conferences.…
How often do we give advice that it equivalent to adding EQUAL to cow manure to try to make it easier to swallow for the recipient of our advice? I don’t know about you all out there in ministry world, but for me I struggle with giving the 100% accurate, God-fearing guidance when people come to me with their problem.…
For fans of The Office, you already know. But for those who don’t watch this show, for whatever reason, Robert California is the new CEO of Sabre’, and works half the time out of the Scranton Branch. With the recent premiere, and our first episode with the new boss, he had a great leadership principle that played itself out in the episode.…
We’ve all heard the jokes and stereotypes about the problem kids in church—their parents are pastors and elders—so whenever I meet a pastor’s kid I actually want to be around, I ask their perspective on growing up in the church. Last year was the first time I became my daughter’s youth pastor.…
I attended a workshop led by Craig McNair Wilson several years ago. Conference attendees and I were greeted by a sign at the door that instructed us to put away our pens or pencils and pick up a crayon for taking notes.…
Student ministry is a special place. Not like Church Lady special, but really special—an opportunity for God to use you to change lives for eternity. But we all need some help, so be sure you’re well versed in how to respond to ministry situations by packing these phrases away in your toolbox.…
Everyone can be creative…regardless of how loud they declare, “I’m just not creative.” You can be! Creativity is part of God’s design within us and when we express our God-given creativity it can make our soul come alive. Creativity in youth ministry happens anytime you think about a new way to serve your students.…
If you’re a leader you can’t escape it—you will be criticized. Criticism is aimed at leaders because everyone (including leaders) is imperfect and hurting and hurting people end up hurting others. At the beginning of one’s leadership journey it’s very difficult to try to separate personalized criticism into a truth or untruth category–criticism jumps straight to personal hurt.…
Planning can enhance your ministry and extend your impact. Even if we manage to carve out some think-time, the actual planning portion is STILL TOUGH! It can be difficult to know where to start. What should change? What stays the same?…
Planning can enhance your ministry and extend your impact. Even if we manage to carve out some think-time, the actual planning portion is STILL TOUGH! It can be difficult to know where to start. What should change? What stays the same?…
