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.…
From swapping gummy-bears at lunch to swapping gossip. From boy cooties to boy cuties. From Disney Channel to MTV. Elementary to Middle School. One of the most dramatic transitions in a girl’s life. And youth ministers have a beautiful privilege, yet terrifying responsibility to work with this scary specimen.…
It’s a new year, so we’re looking at some ways to stay on top of our game and continue to impact the students God has entrusted to our care. We’re looking at specific actions that seem to appear within catalytic leaders.…
Sometimes I feel like I’m not cut out for this youth ministry stuff. Here’s why: 1. I’m a woman. My church is very accepting of my leadership role, but not all churches are. This is something that I struggle with from time to time, feeling accepted in a position that is male dominated.…
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.…
“How do youth workers thrive amidst the demands of ministry?” That’s a question we need to ask—as early as possible—so that the ministries we’re a part of are characterized by both effectiveness and longevity. Often, we’re obsessed with effectiveness: “How do we run our small groups better?”…
In part one of this series we took the time to talk about areas in the pastoral leaders’ lives that will help them be the person God has called them to be. Now it seems appropriate to address areas that can be detrimental to the pastoral leader.…
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?…
