Mike Haynes is a youth ministry veteran and the creator of G Shades. A vibrant contributor to the youth ministry landscape, Mike’s passion is to help students and youth pastors alike see life through the lens of the gospel. He and his wife Anna have five kids spanning elementary, middle, and high school, and he serves as the high school pastor at Christian Fellowship Church in Ashburn, Virginia.
Teenagers are sorting through identity all the time, even if they don’t call it that. They’re trying to figure out who they are, how they matter, and where they belong. And the world is more than ready to answer. Social media says identity is how you present yourself. Culture says it’s about achievement, style, or […]
If you’re feeling conflicted, hurt, or even a little lost about what’s happening with Orange, you’re not alone. If you’re not aware of what’s happening with Orange right now, here’s the overview: Last year, it came out that there was sexual misconduct and abuse between Orange’s Founder and the President of Orange. Both leaders resigned […]
In youth ministry, the term “gospel-centered” gets thrown around a lot. Every youth ministry curriculum claims to be Christ-focused, biblically sound, and faith-building. But when you take a closer look, a lot of what’s out there is more behavior modification than true gospel transformation. So what actually makes a youth ministry curriculum gospel-centered? And how […]
Remember when The Source 4 Youth Ministry was the place to go online for everything? Or what about the cultural craze within Christian circles when “Purpose-Driven” was the preface to the hottest books, curriculums, and strategies? Every few years, the landscape of ministry (youth ministry in particular) shifts in major ways. Sometimes, it’s because of […]
We all recognize that teenagers are creatures of habit. They wake up at the last possible second, grab the same snack every day after school, and somehow manage to rewatch the same three shows on Netflix endlessly. But when it comes to spiritual habits, consistency can feel impossible. Most students want to grow in their […]
How the Right Youth Ministry Curriculum Gives You More Time for What Really Counts I don’t have to tell you that youth ministry is demanding. Between planning events, training volunteers, following up with parents, counseling students, and occasionally wondering if your senior pastor remembers you exist, you’ve got a lot on your plate. And then […]
As I sat there with my family late into the second quarter, disappointed by an underwhelming Super Bowl game, I thought hard about whether or not we would tune into Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show. Even as a youth pastor (and a black one at that), I don’t know Kendrick Lamar’s music very well and felt […]
I was 20 years old when I graduated from Bible college and began my professional youth ministry career. I. Knew. Nothing. You would think a bachelor’s degree in Youth Ministry would equip you with a little something for the real world, but I knew absolutely nothing about healthy staff culture, sustainable systems for youth ministry, […]
Reimagine Youth Ministry is an organization devoted to educating and training youth pastors to do youth ministry in the era of mental health awareness. Below, the owner of Reimagine, Kristy, has shared her story of how her mental health organization came to be. I Saw The Problem Of Mental Health Eight years ago, I felt […]
Not to brag, but my leaders are pretty great at creating a welcoming youth ministry environment. Last Sunday, for instance, one of my small group leaders created (from scratch) an Armor of God Escape Room experience for his middle school guys. I’ll pause here so you can give a proper applause… That kind of creativity […]
