Free Game Idea: Mattress Carry
Here is a game we played last week called Mattress Carry. If you are looking for more games ideas, you can click HERE
How Are You Protecting Your Young Men From The Worthless and the Wicked?
For the past couple of months I have been meditating on a “random” scripture from 2 Chronicles from 13. “Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young, inexperienced, and unable to assert himself agains them.” verse 7 I will trust that you will read the…
What Rekindled My Passion For Middle School Ministry
You may be shocked by the answer: Kids Camp. Yes, Kids Camp. Our children’s ministry had no make adult leaders for camp, and I drug my feet, hoping someone would step up. I love kids, I have kids, but kids are not my forte’. Granted, I am more childish than child like, but I still…
Three Awards We Shouldn’t Give Out In Youth Ministry
I saw this article about a kid who received the “Catastrophe Award” for the most excuses given for not having her homework. It made me think about awards we should not give out in our youth ministry that would shame or embarrass kids. The You Did Not Bring Your Bible For The…
Is Your Library Holding You Back?
Back in the days of books and large libraries and offices for youth pastors, when I had a need, I would go to my “go to” books on games, lessons, etc. (See Ideas Library from YS) What I found out after the tornado stole our church and my library, I discovered something: I leaned on…
7 Questions About Youth Ministry and Gay Marriage
Since gay marriage became legal in in 2015, it got me wondering about the implications for how we cover this subject and others like it in youth ministry. If you came looking for easy answers, you came to the wrong place; nothing but questions here. Maybe questions you’ve struggling with yourself. The safe thing most…
There Are No Guarantees
There is no guarantee that “that kid” who needs to hear your message you designed around them will show up. There is no guarantee that camp or your missions trip will create the the spiritual growth you are looking for. There is no guarantee that kids will be more committed to the program after…
Solving For X in Youth Ministry
I have been going back to school for the past two years to get my 2 year degree and eventually my four year degree. Part of this journey is taking Algebra. I hate algebra. I am a right brain kind of guy so numbers scare me. I tried to make the argument, to myself,…
Youth Pastors, Why Isn’t This In Our Job Description?
Failed Job Desciptions Schools teach Math, History, etc. The military teaches discipline, leadership, and job skills Sports teams teach sportsmanship and how to pay the game Churches run programs to keep people busy and not sin as much These are organization with a list of activities with no clear goals. What if they said, School’s…
Facing the Fear Of Trying Something New
Trying something new can be scary. It might fail, worse, it might succeed and then you have to keep succeeding. Recently I started doing announcements via Facebook (example above). Although I do not shy away from the spot light, it was still scary because I knew I would be judged on it. My fear was,…