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Summer Movie Discussion Starters
We’re halfway into summer. That is, if you don’t count how some students didn’t get out of school until mid-June and others will start school again in mid-August. Since when did “summer vacation”...
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The Importance of Re-recruiting Volunteers!
Summer is on the home stretch with the finish line in sight, so now is a good time to begin thinking about your volunteers as you head into a fresh fall season. I think many youth workers make a fairly...
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Irregular Summer Teaching Schedules: 3 Ways to Fill in the Gaps
You thought you had the whole summer mapped out. You throw in your last load of laundry before the Sr. high mission trip Costa Rica and it hits you: “Holy smokes, who’s teaching Sunday school this...
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FREEBIE: Digital Issue GROUP Magazine
Hey Youth Ministry Nation! Don’t miss out on reading the June|July|August issue of GROUP Magazine for FREE online! This is the last issue that will be totally free online. After this one, GROUP...
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Discussion Starter: Breakups Dash Fans’ Hope of True Love
In the News Tishomingo, Okla.—After news broke that singers Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert are divorcing, social-media posts were filled with disbelief, despair, and grief. “There goes all my faith...
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NEW Release: LIVE Daily App
The #1 youth ministry curriculum just got better. I am excited for the release of the new LIVE Junior High; new lessons, new scope and sequence, and a brand new LIVE Daily app! Yes, an app, and it is...
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When Your Son Starts Junior High…
In our house, we’re working with the change that’s taking place as our oldest son, Aeden, is entering into junior high this fall. As parents, who’ve worked in youth ministry for 21 years, we feel...
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Growing in Jesus (Yourself) This Summer
I woke up with an anxious knot in my stomach. I had no idea where it had come from or why it had decided to take up residence in my gut. Laying in bed, I started to go through a mental checklist of...
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Smoke Screens: The Different Opinions on Teens and Marijuana
Smoke Screens: The Different Opinions on Teens and Marijuana An article from David R. Smith at TheSource4YM.com Two reports released within one week of each other in July addressed marijuana use by...
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How to Rally Your Youth Ministry Behind VBS
We love VBS. Tasha loves it because 1) it’s a great way to get to know children and their families before they move into youth ministry; and 2) she made a commitment to follow Jesus when her 6th grade...
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Discussion Starter: Family Clings to Hope for Teens Lost at Sea
In the News Jupiter, Fla.—For a week, the families of young sailors Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen have awaited news of their sons’ safety. But as more time passes, the odds of surviving in the...
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How Revival Happens: Woodlawn
It was the biggest crowd to ever watch a high school football game in Alabama. More than 42,000 fans cheered for their favorite superstars. Each team was led by fired-up Christian teenagers and...
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10 Gadgets to Take on Your Next Trip or Retreat
I cram as much tech as I can into a Rubbermaid Roughneck 31 gal Storage Tote and then I shove that tote into a trunk or under the bus for the week or weekend that awaits. I trust you will bring or have...
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What Should I Focus On This Fall? If You Only Have One Choice….
Fall is a season of new beginnings. A new school year. A new football season. A new wardrobe (or so I’m told…not so much in Southern California). AND a host of new expectations for your youth ministry....
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Helping Relieve the Stress of Back to School for Students
Going back to school is a big deal. The summer is about to come to a screeching halt. Parents feel it, youth workers feel it, and students most certainly feel it. Soon, alarm clocks will enjoy being...
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Ask a Senior Pastor: Time and Honesty
Ministry is rooted in relationships. Your best days serving God are directly impacted by the people you work with and for – not to mention the people under your own roof. That’s why in this first...
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Discussion Starter: Teen Labeled Sex Offender After Dating-App Hookup
In the News Elkhart, Ind.—After locating a nearby date with the Hot Or Not app, Indiana teenager Zach Anderson ended up with a 90-day jail sentence, five years of probation, and a 25-year placement on...
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Are You Approachable To All Students?
Being approachable to students seems almost impossible when you’re an adult. There are so many logical barriers like age, different cultures, and different experiences. Those are the things that make a...
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The Making of A Workcamp: Q & A with Jeff Thompson
If you’ve ever brought your youth group to a Group Workcamp, you know that this week of home repair, worship, and fun is all planned out in advance so that you get to show up with your students and...
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Date Ideas for You and Your Spouse
Everyone in our family wore black last weekend, because in south Louisiana, school is back in session. We still have all the summer heat, but no more of the summer fun. Summer in our house flies by,...
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