Originally posted at The Cost, The Joy By my third year in youth ministry, everything seemed flat. My church was not Willow Creek, and I found myself and our ministry in two totally different places. What I needed was some “in the trenches” help. And that’s..
READ ON...
The post Three Things I Found at Simply Youth Ministry Conference appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
Ten years ago my wife and I made the biggest transition in the history of our lives together. We moved from Michigan to California. My first thought when we started discussing it was, “You don’t move away from family.” And my reasoning was, “It’s just..
READ ON...
The post Traditions: Keep or Toss? appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
Interacting With Students Outside of “Church” Several years ago our church built an amazing youth ministry facility; the type of place that should be a magnet to teenagers. And to be honest, we nailed it. The place is sweet. A skate park, gymnasium, ping-pong, pool..
READ ON...
The post Interacting with Students Outside of “Church” appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
In the News Orlando, Fla.—After the country’s deadliest mass shooting, Americans are struggling with how to respond—and how to bring about change. Early Sunday, a gunman loyal to ISIS killed 49 people and wounded 53 others at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Afterward, while politicians..
READ ON...
The post Discussion Starter: Orlando Massacre Leads to Calls for Love and Action appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
Read part one here: Peer-to-peer Mentoring: What is it? In 2005, I was serving in a church where my lead pastor, Kevin, said to me: “If we were a factory that made cars, how would we make cars?” It went on for a couple of..
READ ON...
The post Peer-to-Peer Mentoring: How to Set It Up appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
I remember like it was yesterday. I was sitting on my couch eating lunch watching TV. My wife was at work and I was at home. 9/11 had happened and it literally shook my world. Stopped my wife and I completely in our tracks, and held..
READ ON...
The post Fight Against Desensitization to Tragedy appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
It’s been another weird week, hasn’t it? I mean that in the most sensitive way possible. We have had one cultural event after another, not to mention within Christendom – each with its own ripples that somehow collide into the other. Meanwhile, the next generation is..
READ ON...
The post Turning Hot Topics Into Deep Discipleship appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
“Can I Have a Phone?” Answering Every Kid’s Burning Question An article from David R. Smith at TheSource4YM.com Parents with kids understand the dilemma smartphones bring. On one hand, getting kids a mobile device makes family life more convenient, but on the other hand, the..
READ ON...
The post Can I Have a Phone? appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
I spoke with a teen in our ministry today who needs a little encouragement. He is struggling through some typical teen/parent issues, issues that he needs to wrestle with and submit to. You can see part of our text exchange here: This is only a snapshot of what is going..
READ ON...
The post How to Send Apps For Encouragement appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
Three Questions to Re-brand Your Ministry When was the last time you “re-branded” your youth ministry? Or even just thought about whether or not your logo, name, or shirts reflect who you are as an organization, church, or ministry? We realized it had been a while..
READ ON...
The post Three Questions to Re-brand Your Ministry appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am for the Simply Youth Ministry Conference! If you haven’t ever been to Simply Youth Ministry Conference (SYMC), it’s exactly what you’d hope for in terms of world-class training and inspiration for your soul. If you have..
READ ON...
The post Simply Youth Ministry Conference: It’s All About Relationships appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
What’s the feel of your youth ministry? Why does our ministry exist? If you’ve never asked yourself that question, you should. Knowing why you exist as a ministry will help you draft a mission/purpose statement that can guide most of your leadership decisions. What should..
READ ON...
The post What’s the Feel of Your Youth Ministry? appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
In the News Washington, D.C.—In what’s being called the future of gaming, Pokemon Go players are using smartphones to “capture” digital creatures at real-life locations. The free game uses augmented reality to blend digital images with someone’s view of the real world. Since its July..
READ ON...
The post Discussion Starter: Pokemon Go Craze Sparks Movement, Mishaps appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
I talked to a fellow youth worker this morning who made the comment, “I feel like I am so behind already in planning the coming school year.” Although it’s only July, before we know it students will be home from vacation and back in school...
READ ON...
The post See Parents Through New Eyes appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
It’s not getting better, is it? The elusiveness of racial reconciliation. Insurgent tensions with police officers. Mass shootings in public forums Terrorist attacks around the world. Isn’t this the part where Jesus comes back? Perhaps you can relate to this… I’ve felt such heartache in realizing my empathy has..
READ ON...
The post Reconciling the Lack of Reconciliation appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
I’ve been thinking for the past three weeks about writing this post. My hope in writing it is to stir up those who are leading the next generation. You need to know that you’re not just leading students. You’re leading change agents of the future and..
READ ON...
The post It Can’t Be Ministry As Usual appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
Originally posted by our friends on MyLifetree.com. The toddler and teenage years are separated by a decade of time I refer to as the “sweet season,” which gives a bit of respite between the two most challenging age groups in parenting. Maybe it’s nature’s way of letting us practice. Or just..
READ ON...
The post 25 Truths About Parenting Teenagers I Learned From the Toddler Years appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
When we look at the investment of cash in some tech items, we have to determine whether or not they’re worth the cost. I have purchased a lot of things that turned out to be worth it, but I have also invested in a lot of..
READ ON...
The post Is It Worth It? (Bose, iPad, Apple Watch) appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
The world is a restless place these days. In the last few weeks we have experienced everything from unrest and tragedy in the world to a new app-based game. If anyone is like me, it isn’t even that we don’t know what to say. We..
READ ON...
The post Before You Share Your Opinion appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
In the News Atlanta—As America tackles the tough problems of racial inequality and violence, rapper Lecrae wants fellow Christians to take action. The Grammy winner, an African American who survived a rough childhood and became a Christian in college, has gained a large following among..
READ ON...
The post Discussion Starter: Rapper Urges Christians to Address Racial Injustice appeared first on YouthMinistry.com.
