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.
For many youth pastors, lesson planning feels like a week-to-week scramble. Monday: What should I teach this week?Tuesday: Maybe I’ll do something on identity… or faith… or maybe relationships?Wednesday: I should probably pick a passage. I’ll figure it out later.Thursday: Oh no, I need to finish this lesson now. Sound familiar? Many youth pastors live […]
When your youth group is on the smaller side, it’s easy to feel like you’re missing out. You might wonder where all the energy went or how to build excitement with just a few students. But those smaller numbers are a huge opportunity. With fewer students, you can build closer relationships, have deeper conversations, and […]
Believe it or not, we’re already halfway through 2025. For youth pastors, that means two things: You’ve seen some incredible ministry wins. And you’ve also hit some frustrating roadblocks. The middle of the year is an opportunity. Before the fall semester kicks off, take some time to reflect, refocus, and recalibrate your approach. This mid-year […]
Teenagers are constantly bombarded with noise. Social media notifications. Playlists and podcasts. Endless entertainment options. Group chats blowing up 24/7. With all that noise, how can they hear God? Many students struggle with knowing how to listen to God’s voice. They have questions like:“Does God even speak to people today?”“What if I don’t hear anything?”“How […]
Change is one of the only guarantees in life. Graduating middle school or high school.Moving to a new city or school.Joining a new team or friend group.Experiencing a breakup, family change, or unexpected loss. For teenagers, every transition feels massive. And without a solid foundation, big changes can lead to big anxiety. But what if […]
If you’ve been in youth ministry for longer than a year or two, you’ve probably experienced summer attendance drops in youth ministry. Families take vacations. Students go to camps. Schedules get packed with sports and jobs. It’s easy to feel discouraged when your normally packed room turns into a small circle of faithful regulars. But […]
Rejection and failure feel personal to teenagers. And when they experience rejection, many students internalize the lie that they’re not good enough. But the gospel tells a different story. As youth pastors, we have the opportunity to help students see rejection and failure through the lens of the gospel—not as final verdicts, but as moments […]
I’ve been in youth ministry for a long time. Over the course of that decade-plus tenure, I’ve had to come to grips with a difficult truth. It’s one that feels unpopular, and it’s one I’ve had to reconcile with my desire to create the best resources for the youth ministry community. Many youth pastors wonder […]
If there’s one thing teenagers understand deeply, it’s uncertainty. Will I get into the right school?Will my friendships last?Why does life feel so unstable all the time? They live in a world where change is constant, pressure is high, and the future feels impossible to predict. That’s why trusting God in uncertainty is a necessary […]
Let’s be real—students don’t check out because preaching is bad. They check out because bad preaching is bad. Somewhere along the way, youth pastors started believing that preaching doesn’t work for teenagers. That they don’t have the attention span. That they need object lessons, endless interaction, and games built into the message to stay engaged. […]
