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.…
ARE WE REALLY MAKING DISCIPLES…OR ARE WE JUST MAKING A LOT OF ROOT BEER FLOATS? An article from Jonathan McKee at TheSource4YM.com. The following article is an excerpt from Jonathan’s brand new book, Ministry by Teenagers: Developing Leaders from Within.…
Moments I will always remember from youth group: •All-girl slumber parties. •Conversations with the cool college girls that were youth interns during the summer. •My first all-girl conference with a speaker that talked about real issues and some singer I had never heard of, named Natalie Grant.…
Uh-oh. You’re supposed to give a Christmas message at a community party or youth event or at your Toastmasters meeting…and you forgot? No problem–here’s a quick message you can share in any setting. Merry Christmas! A Christmas Gift Christmas traditions abound.…
T.J. was one of those kids every parent prayed for. At 16 years old, he was strong in his faith, passionate about the mission field, full of joy, and a real practical joker. T.J. was a student who had been at our church for years and was loved by many!…
I have been in youth ministry probably for about 10 years now, and never have I been more unconfident. Our church was able to acquire a storefront that is about 100 yards away from our town’s junior high school. It’s located in an area where teens walk to and from school, so basically I hit the youth ministry grand prize.…
Neither of us have very dramatic testimonies. We never did drugs (although Doug smoked a straw in 5th grade pretending it was a cigarette). We were never addicted to alcohol (Diet Coke is another topic). We aren’t cat burglars (Matt would consider it if he was flexible enough).…
One of the critical tasks facing youth workers today is the challenge to help students discover their identity in Christ. Teenagers are getting older and… …| gaining new freedoms …| thinking more critically about their self image, and …| making important decisions about their identity.…
You know what it means to struggle against the subtle, yet very real lure and undertow of temptation. But, you have also experienced the power of God’s sustaining grace and the support that comes from God’s people. You’ve also tasted the bitterness of failure and shame and have most likely spent significant time praising God that he does not leave you there!As…
