My wife is super involved in what I do in youth ministry, and always has been in various ways, depending on our season of ministry. We will soon be celebrating 20 years of marriage but 22 years of doing ministry together. I am blessed that she is as called to youth ministry as I […]
Parent meetings can be intimidating but they do not have to be. So many youth leaders/pastor dread these meetings, as moments where they are put on the spot, questioned, or even feel like they are being critiqued. Often younger leaders feel threatened, put-down, or disrespected as they walk away from these important meetings. Parent […]
“There will be no graduation for the Class of 2020 — at least not one that would’ve forced seniors to wake up early and file into an auditorium with their peers, dressed in flimsy gowns and caps they’ve been told they can’t throw. Prom is canceled, too — so the budget that would’ve covered the […]
In honor of Mother’s Day, Here is a Special Top 10 List Dedicated to Moms and the Things They Teach Us… EVEN ABOUT YOUTH MINISTRY!? 10. Share Your Toys!- If you have a great idea or great resource share it with other people in youth ministry! 9. Clean Out Your Ears!- Stop talking sometimes and […]
10. How We Do Food? We MIGHT have to rethink big bowls of snacks, where students stick their dirty hands in to grab a handful of chips. We may even have to think about how we serve pizza and other items. Most importantly, we MIGHT need to put some food safety & health guidelines, similar […]
The shift has finally happened. It has taken the church and youth ministry 10+ years to catch up to what the world, marketing, and research has been talking about, Generation Z. This is a marked improvement to the previous turnaround time for the church when it came to Generation X and Millennials. Thanks, in great part to […]
THERE IS A SHIFT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. WE NEED TO STOP TALKING ABOUT, OBSESSING ABOUT AND SHAPING OUR YOUTH MINISTRIES AROUND MILLENNIALS. ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WORKING WITH STUDENTS IN THE “MIDDLE YEARS”. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT GENERATION Z. 10. Generation Z Students are More Realistic and Understand that Opportunities are […]
A Classic Game With Some SIZZLING and Silly New Youth Group Twists! Perfect, Low-prep/No-prep Game for normal nights, events, or camp/retreats! STEAL THE LEADER (or 6th Grader): Teams line up on either side of the playing area (gym, room, field..). A leaders or a 6th grader, (one person for each team) is placed in the center. […]
WHO HAS THE BEST PIZZA IN TOWN? WHO IS THE ABSOLUTELY BEST PIZZA STYLE, SAUCE, FAVOR? WHICH PLACE IN TOWN IS YOUR GROUP’S FAVORITE? WHOEVER IS WILLING TO GIVE YOU THE BEST DEAL OR THE ONE THAT IS ACTUALLY THE BEST? THERE IS A WAY TO FIND OUT AND HAVE A FREE EVENT NIGHT… “THE […]
Shelter in place, quarantine, and social distancing all make doing ministry the way we are accustomed to very difficult. Our weeks have been flipped upside down and our workflows are completely trashed as we all try to figure out what to do moving forward. Clearly there are many things we have to stop doing during […]