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.
I’m an Enneagram 3. In case that means nothing to you, it means I function as someone who values high achievement and the appearance of perfection–looking well-put-together. That’s probably why I’ve always been a big believer in strong systems within a youth ministry. And one of the biggest debates in youth ministry is how structured […]
Remember your first crush? No? Me neither. Because we’re old. But still, I feel like most of us can relate to the youth group students we lead in part because we remember, if vaguely, what “young love” is like. I mean if there’s one topic that never stops dominating your students’ thoughts, conversations, and social […]
I’m a preacher at heart. I like monologuing. If I said anything different, I’d be lying to you and myself. And sometimes I feel a little bit embarrassed about that. Because while preaching is important, small groups should be one of the most powerful environments in any youth ministry environment. They’re where students go beyond […]
Youth ministry looks different in a small church. You probably don’t have a big production budget. That’s probably an understatement.You might have students spread across multiple grades. Some of them might not even be in middle school yet.You likely have a small (or even volunteer-only) leadership team. Nobody’s getting paid to do this. So why […]
When I was 12, my neighborhood friend had a pretty older sister. They all knew I had a crush on her, so they dared me to stand outside her window and shout “Zakiya, I love you!!” I did. Zakiya was annoyed. I felt ashamed and, from that point on, decided peer pressure was dumb. I […]
Every youth pastor has been there. It’s Wednesday night, your sermon isn’t finished, and the clock is ticking. Maybe you’ve got a solid outline, but something’s missing. Maybe you’re struggling to connect your message to real life. Maybe you’re just hoping students don’t tune out five minutes in. Here’s the hard truth: The way we […]
As youth pastors and youth leaders, we regularly face questions about identity from teenagers. A 14-year-old might not ask directly how to place their identity firmly in Christ, but they’re indirectly asking us every time they confide in us about comparison, social pressure, self-worth, and the dreams and goals. That’s why almost every youth ministry […]
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 […]
