The panic has been seeping in for a few years now. There are all sorts of statistics out there about “teens” leaving the church. Some say it starts around fifteen years of age. Others say 80% of the 19-25 age group will go out the door and never come back.The Barna group tells us 6 […]![]()
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Why Churched Kids Hate Church
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Parents Matter
Through my years of serving youth ministry, I have been very blessed to have support from my students’ parents. Although there have been some ups and downs, I wouldn’t have been able to operate the ministry without their prayers, compassion, fundraisers, and representation. With such strong parent support, the students and I were able to […]![]()
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Together?
Together. What a powerful word. It’s been a part of my email signature for years for that very reason. Today I learned it was the title of a powerful video featuring Lebron James. I like how one Cleveland area newspaper worded it: On the day LeBron James makes his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Nike has released […]![]()
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In Support of Under-promising and Over-delivering
Lebron It’s not a leadership principle most would subscribe to; in fact I’m not sure it’s a leadership principle at all….but it makes sense to me most of the time: Be confident enough to under-promise and over-deliver. Lebron James reminded me of this last night as his much-anticipated return to Cleveland fizzled with a mediocre […]![]()
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2nd Annual Hairy Isn’t Scary Contest & SALE!
Welcome to the 2nd Annual Hairy Isn’t Scary Sale and Contest! It is that special month when razors become obsolete and hairiness reigns. Some people call it “No Shave November,” but in youth ministry-dom, it’s known as “Hairy Isn’t Scary!” We put A TON OF AWESOME YOUTH MIN RESOURCES ON SALE!! Be sure to check […]![]()
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The Soundtrack of Your Student Ministry
Some things just seem to go better with music. Youth group nights are one of them. I’ve watched games go from “awkward” to “amazing” once there was an appropriate soundtrack to complement the moment. Certain songs seem to be “just right” for the walk-in as students arrive, while others are better for games. There are […]![]()
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Google Calendar Reinvented…
Alright Android Fanboys, “Inbox” a few days ago and now Google Calendar has a fresh look. A couple days ago, Google introduced a brand new Google Calendar app. I am always eager to use, test, and benefit from any tweak in a productivity app and this new app promises to be a better assistant. Check out the video […]![]()
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Three Lies And A Truth (About Making Disciples)
It’s the buzz word around ministry these days. We move our students from large group time to small group time to discipleship. We want to see student’s grow in their relationship with the Lord and this is how Jesus modeled it for us. Disciples followed Him everywhere; listening, watching, and learning His ways. There are […]![]()
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Sharing Hope, Illegally Speaking
If this law had been in effect twenty centuries ago, Jesus Christ could have faced at least 5000 counts. Here’e the story… apparently two pastors and a 90-year old man were charged with feeding the homeless in Fort Lauderdale, Florida “One of the police officers said, ‘Drop that plate right now,’ as if I were carrying […]![]()
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Hell, Judgement, and Holy War
Well, if you work with college-age people (or most anyone that breathes), these are “hot” topics to discuss. But they cannot and must not be dodged. For any reason. Yet, I’ve found most leaders dodge these subjects because they have questions and fears themselves. They are intimidated, at least, by the thought of leading discussions on […]![]()
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Watch Students Transform in Summer 2015
Our goal at Simply Youth Ministry and Group Mission Trips is to provide experiences that enable you as the youth leader to help teenagers grow in their relationship with Jesus. One of the most powerful opportunities for real transformation to occur are Workcamps, home repair youth mission trips! Workcamps are weeklong mission trips where youth […]![]()
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Cords and Cables SUBMIT!!!
I love inventions that make life easier. If you are laying gaff tape in your ministry on a regular basis this may be the tool you need. If you find value in this but it’s not in your budget try splitting the cost with your worship department or ask them into buying the whole thing and […]![]()
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Hairy Isn’t Scary: Week 1 Wrap-Up!
What’s up Hairy #YMNation?! The end of Week 1 in our 2nd Annual Hairy Isn’t Scary SALE & Contest (Click here if you don’t know what I’m talking about.) is nearing, so we thought we’d share some of our favorite stubble photos people shared and hand out some prizes! You guys are doing an awesome […]![]()
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Hairy Isn’t Scary: Week 2 Challenge!
Hey Hairy #YMNation! Nice job last week sharing your stubble pictures with #fuzzyface! The fun continues this week with 2nd Annual Hairy Isn’t Scary Sale of up to 88% off on hundreds of youth ministry resources. Plus, get more chances to win awesome prizes with the Hairy Isn’t Scary social contest. Watch the video above to […]![]()
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Faith Wrestling
I get to hang around a lot of different students from a variety of places because of the nature of what I “do.” They come from varying ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, and from parents who go to church and others who don’t. In the mix are even some kids who go to Christian schools or attend […]![]()
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Holy Movies!
Like movies? Which ones are you going to see with your students? Several years ago, I was inundated with mail and promotional materials telling me that every cool youth pastor would be taking their youth groups to go see “Extreme Days.” (Technically, it didn’t say that… but that was the inference, along with the hint that […]![]()
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Life. Lemons. Lemonade?
Been wondering lately about why some people seem to have a much better ability to handle adversity well. People who love Jesus, seem firmly rooted in faith, often have completely different reactions to the struggles they face. I’ve come to a simplistic conclusion that because there are so many factors in one’s “makeup” and none […]![]()
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Real vs. Fake Relationships
We are living in a connection driven world. Every day it seems technology is advancing to help us better stay in touch with those we love. The upside of this is that those High School reunions are way less awkward now that we can deal with all the drama before we ever get there. The […]![]()
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Fill It Up?
A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. “Pastor,” said the young man, “I’m so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the […]![]()
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Longevity In Youth Ministry GUARANTEED!
Everybody likes guarantees, and in youth ministry there are few. But if you are hoping to stay involved in youth ministry in a local church setting for the long haul, I know the secret, the silver bullet…..guaranteed: REFUSE TO EXIT I’ve been traveling the local church youth ministry road for over 26 years, and there […]![]()
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More Pages to Explore .....
