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Help… I Need Some Mission Trip Travel Tips!
In less than a month, my 13-year old son and I will embark on a mission trip to Choluteca, Honduras with Lifetree Adventures. We’re totally stoked for this, and have plenty of wisdom from project...
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6 Reminders For The Frustrated Youth Leader
I’ve learned that the things that frustrate us the most as youth pastors/youth worker/volunteer are the things we can’t control in the first place. I believe that one of the top reasons we get...
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For The Days We Are Failures
Recently I got a call from a former student who was struggling in their faith. Honestly, it was greater than that. They made the decision that the “cost of following Christ” was just too great. Life...
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Deal of the Day: $5 Student Devotional!
Hey Insiders! Save $$ on an incredible devotional book for students, Stripped Clean, written by our very own Jeff Storm (a.k.a. Storm or @zafdaddy). Here’s a little more about this cool...
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Best Free Apps
I grab a lot of apps when they drop their prices to FREE, some are great and others are worthy of being free. But how do you know when a great app is available at a discount? There are some good app...
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What’s Up With Modesty?
I live in a land of perpetual spandex. Everywhere you go women seem to be on their way to or from a workout wearing yoga pants or something of the like. On top of this we seem to be bent on...
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Four Questions Every Youth Ministry Should Ask
Every Tuesday I eat lunch with our Children’s Ministry Pastor, Steve Adams. I do it for three reasons…He’s a good friend, an extremely strategic thinker and every youth pastor needs to be in cahoots...
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NEW Documentary: When God Left the Building
Heyo Insiders! Group Publishing is producing a brand new documentary about the current state of church in America and how faith may be pursued in the future called “When God Left the Building” that...
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Q&A: Former Voice Contestant Preston Pohl
Hey Again Insiders! Our friend over at The Youth Cartel, Mark Oestreicher, recently did a Q&A with Preston Pohl, Season 5 contestant and current coach on NBC’s popular singing competition The...
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What drives you crazy?
So… what drives you crazy? It can be the little everyday things. It can be decisions other people made you can’t understand. It can be the carelessness of others. It can be the misrepresentation of...
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#SYMC 2014 LIVESTREAM Schedule Announced!
Hey Simply Insiders! Wanted to fill you in on an amazing part of the Simply Youth Ministry Conference- the SYMC LIVESTREAM! If you cannot make it to Columbus this year, have no fear! We will have the...
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5 Ways to Lose Credibility With Students
We all know youth workers who have lost credibility with their students. We often pass judgment on them and know personally what we would have done differently. However, what makes a youth worker...
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[ Discussion Starter ] Love Your Enemies
“I am in competition with no one.” (You may need to say that several times out loud, right now.) If the Olympic games are merely a clash of competitors, then we won’t expect much more beyond “our team...
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Being Honest with your Competition
Abraham Lincoln once observed, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” That’s a great concept, especially when in a free market culture we’re used to “Apple vs PC,” “Coke vs Pepsi,”...
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M2GT: Why Should I Care?
A few weeks ago, I shared some of my experiences as a gay teen in high school. I followed up that post with a plea to see gay teens beyond their sexual orientation. Both posts have sparked some great...
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Learning Through Conversations and Observations
This past weekend I had the joy of speaking at Believe, CIY’s event for Junior Highers. 6,000 students and their leaders gathered in Northern Kentucky for 24 hours worth of music, comedy, video,...
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What I’m Teaching At SYMC and Why!
We are only one week and a half or so from the Simply Youth Ministry Conference. It is probably one of my favorite times of the year. This particular conference has truly become a place where I...
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Cloudy With A Chance Of Connections
There’s no question that cultivating inter-generational relationships is an obstacle many churches are seeking to overcome. We can get people from different generations to sit in the same room at the...
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Worship Song for Youth Ministry: Making Me New
My friend Jake Stemo is releasing a song today called “Making Me New.” I may be a little biased because he is a friend, but I love this song. It is Jesus-centered and has a catchy hook. Jake is a...
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Exclusive Access to my SYMC Chit-Chat
Are you open to growing in community? In an earlier post on this blog, Leneita Fix shared what she’s teaching this year at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference. You totally need to check out her stuff,...
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