A healthy student worship team gives teenagers meaningful opportunities to use their gifts, grow as disciples and serve the church. One of my favorite parts of youth ministry is seeing students use their gifts to serve. In our ministry, we talk a lot about using the gifts and talents God has given us to build […]
In some ways, youth ministry is the best job or role anyone can have. There’s nothing more rewarding, and quite frankly, nothing more fun than discipling the next generation. When you’re leading in youth ministry, you play games on a regular basis. You order and eat pizza all the time. Watching funny videos, laughing with […]
You probably got into youth ministry for pretty much one reason: you want to raise up the next generation of Christ followers. Much of what that entails is you pouring out your knowledge, your expertise, and your relationships with teenagers and adolescents in the next generation. It means that you get to share what you […]
Have you ever walked into your small group completely ready? You looked over your questions, took notes during the message, and even planned exactly what you wanted to ask. Then everyone sits down. You catch up for a minute, look around the circle, and ask, “So…what did you think about the message?” And…nothing. Suddenly every […]
Dribble a basketball. There’s nicotine in cigarettes. Have a wide stance on defense. Throw a spiral. Run routes. Type 2 diabetes can be improved through diet and exercise. Use your forearm to hit a volleyball. These are all topics I taught and centered my career around as a physical education teacher. I was a P.E. […]
I’m sure we all have felt like we didn’t fit into a group at one point in our lives. Maybe it was at church, or at a new school, or even at a new job. Whatever the case, we can all relate to this feeling of not belonging. I believe that a huge need for […]
One of the biggest buzzwords in youth ministry is partnering with parents. It’s something we started to realize a couple of decades ago. Or maybe re-realize. I’m not sure what the right word is there. But at some point, youth ministry began to reestablish the idea that parents are the primary spiritual influence at home. […]
Quiet students in youth group can be deeply engaged even when they rarely speak. The top reason we have a youth group is for the kids. The students are the ones we show up for and who we invest in for 6–7 years. The kids create the culture of your ministry, decide what game is […]
If you’re reading this, you might be in a bit of a panic—or maybe you’re just trying to prepare for when it happens. But either way, when we hear (or sometimes don’t hear) that a student wants to leave the group. Not only does it make us worry about them, but it can sting as […]
Camp is, without question, the most impactful rhythm in our ministry. It creates a space that students simply don’t get anywhere else. For a few days, they step away from the chaos and noise of school, family, phones, and drama. At camp, our students enter an environment where their attention can shift because they aren’t […]
