It’s time to lean into the grind. What does that mean? Read on to find out! Youth ministry is hard. Of course, it’s also fun—I love what I do, even when it’s hard. But some seasons are harder than others. In our context, Winter feels like downtime, with the pace of life a little slower (except for Christmas).…
Julie’s a 10-year youth ministry vet. That means she’s sailed her ministry ship into the doldrums over and over. The doldrums, as it turns out, is a real thing—it’s the name sailors have given to the Intertropical Convergence Zone, where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge into a stifling calm.…
Kendra’s parents are waiting for longtime youth pastor Ralph Paige in his office—when he walks in the door, his church admin gives Ralph that “buckle up” look… It’s not going to be an easy conversation. Ralph welcomes “drop-in” conversations, but when most parents have a concern to bring up, they catch him in the hallway or call for an appointment.…
Not long ago I got off the phone with a “profoundly unhappy” mom whose daughter is a regular in our youth ministry. She launched into a long, emotional tirade about our ministry’s openness to “those kids”—teenagers who don’t yet love or follow Jesus. …
Socrates said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Likewise, our unexamined study-prep rituals can lead to teaching that isn’t worth delivering. The back-to-school season gives us a good excuse to revisit them. That’s what Ralph Paige, a veteran youth pastor, does every year.…
In my 20+ years of youth ministry, I’ve seen shifts in programming that are often tied to shifts in the wider culture. To stay ahead of the wave, we try to be proactive about rethinking the way we do ministry. When we’re ready to roll out new ideas, we veer away from “launching programs” and, instead, tell our ministry leaders and teenagers that we’re “experimenting” with a new approach. …
In an extended pick-your-brain session with longtime youth pastor Ralph Paige, I sat with a group of young youth workers eager to learn from Ralph’s veteran wisdom as another school year rockets off the launching pad. In Part 1 of this series, Ralph focused on the foundational importance of prayer.…
As a youth worker, it’s essential to build a foundation of people who are eager to invest in the lives of our teenagers. Typically, that means other ministry staffers, adult volunteers, parents, and even college students. One group we often overlook is senior adults.…
Spider-Man is legit. Teenagers love him. Parents giggle at him. Youth workers recognize him. He’s a bumbling, awkward 16-year-old named Peter Parker trying to have an ordinary life though he’s been given extraordinary gifts and responsibilities. Kind of like the tension our teenagers often feel.…
In a ministry context, summer is a serial liar. I mean, summer is NOT a slower time for youth ministry, and it’s NOT chock-full of margin. We won’t have a more relaxed schedule, and we won’t have time to catch our breath.…
