A Ministry Addiction.
Youth pastors all over the country claim to be victims. Our complaint is that we do too much, more often than we can handle. We believe there’s no escape from the cycle and that we need someone to come break it for us.…
Tag: Pope
How to Tell Students You’re Leaving
This one is tough: How do you tell students you’re leaving the church? There’s no easy way to break the news, but here are a few ideas to consider when you’re in this situation. Tell your inner circle first. Gather up your key volunteers and break the news to them first; no doubt some of them will be disappointed, discouraged, or even frustrated/angry, but they deserve to hear it from you first.…
Tools in Youth Ministry
by Jon Greenhill When I sat down to write an article about tools that can be used in youth ministry, I thought that it would be a relatively easy task. But then I realized that there are roughly 4,000 different directions I could go with this.…
Youth Ministry: Giving Up and Selling Yourself Short
“Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified” (James 3:1-2). “Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master.…
Networking When You’re Not Wired as a Networker
This is me being honest: I feel I was born to network. I remember one summer I was all about collecting bottles and going to the convenience store to turn them in and get candy. Those were some of my best memories.…
Planning a Great Summer Calendar
Want to have a great summer? As youth workers that have planned summers that have both crushed and crashed—let us share some tips for planning a great summer calendar. Don’t wait until the pressure is on. Here’s some good news right up front: If you’re thinking about summer now, you’re in good shape.…
Order in the Court
It probably happens more often than you realize. A student you are connected to is arrested for some offense—or multiple offenses—and faces a court appearance. The odds are, they and their family are trying to keep it quiet. Maybe you hear through the grapevine, maybe they actually tell you.…
The Importance of Intergenerational Church
There’s been a growing trend in youth ministry circles about the need to develop a more intergenerational approach in ministering to teenagers. And while some of the conversation has pointed an unfair finger at youth ministry, and has been a bit extreme in tone, the idea of intergenerational ministry is totally valid.…
A Response: Hitting the Bunny Slopes Before the Double Black Diamond
I’ll never forget the time I was skiing with a friend and his dad, Norm. I loved Norm. At the time, he was over 50 and had never been skiing. After an hour or so, he decided he wanted to ride up the ski-lift with me.…