I remember like it was yesterday. I was sitting on my couch eating lunch watching TV. My wife was at work and I was at home. 9/11 had happened and it literally shook my world. It stopped my wife and I completely in our tracks and held us breathless without an idea on how to help or move forward.…
I love seeing students be the church, and a great way they can do that is through our student leadership program. They really get to take ownership of our program and general ministry. We gave students a voice when we first started our student leadership program by letting them develop our mission statement and code of conduct.…
Here’s a disclaimer: I’m in the process of thinking through what this looks like for my youth ministry. I don’t have all the answers, but I do believe the Holy Spirit has been pressing on my heart to start the conversation, which I’ve done with my Impact leaders.…
It’s hard not to think about the leaders when we get questions about small groups. How you think about and treat your leaders really shapes your small group program. So we thought we’d talk about a few gifts your leaders can’t go without.…
Stop Believing These Lies About Leadership There seems to be this notions that if a leader needs help, they shouldn’t be leading. I think that’s just dumb thinking. I believe that type of thinking is a huge contributor to pastors (and especially youth pastors) being overtaken by their struggles, and no one recognizing it until it’s too late.…
I’m an evangelist at heart. I like planting seeds. And while I’m not the guy who is eagerly looking for an opportunity to share the Romans Road with my barista or hang out at the skate parking looking for the chance to drop a spiritual law or two on unsuspecting hoodlums, I do have an innate desire to expose as many teenagers as possible to the good news of Jesus.…
Every year Christmas rolls around and we are always thinking about what we should do. And what normally comes to mind is the same formula most churches in America takes. Christmas songs and a Christmas message. Of course, we have to throw a Christmas themed game in the mix.…
For some reason reaching out and getting necessary help is seen as a negative. There’s like this unwritten law and it looks like this: DON’T struggle > DO struggle. It causes many students to feel like there’s no hope for their challenges with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and attempts, so they don’t reach out, even in youth group.…
Producing Disciple-Makers When it comes to discipleship, Jesus modeled it best. And if we want to disciple well, we must understand what he did and how he did it. Now, I’ve read a lot on the principles of how Jesus discipled, and the one thing that I believe is always missing is the fact that Jesus discipled to increase the Kingdom.…
Women in Youth Ministry In this episode, we inquire the wisdom of women in youth ministry (Angela, Emma and Ashley). We discuss: Is youth ministry dominated by males? How to make sure everyone is being ministered to. Being single in ministry.…
