How many seniors did you graduate this year? Enough to make your youth group radically shrink? I graduated one senior, but in a youth group that consistently runs 7, it’s like losing 5. I also consider the energy this senior brings,...
I spend my days writing for and training youth workers JUST LIKE YOU.
Small Youth Group? Big Opportunities
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4 Things Every Youth Pastor Should Know About Youth Camp
I just returned from what feel like my 267th time at camp. It’s not far off. I’ve done camp ministry all my life and I believe in it’s power, in conjunction with the power of the Holy Spirit, to transform the spiritual condition...
Halfway is a hidden opportunity
We’re just a few days away from hitting the halfway mark of the year and I think it’s a good time to reflect. Here are a few questions I’m asking myself to get my brain juices flowing as I move into the second half of the year. +...
To Summit or to Start Anew: Choosing Your Next Mountain
Maybe you’re an veteran youth pastor. You’ve conquered that mountain you set your sights on years ago. The view from the top is magnificent, a testament to your hard work and dedication. But a nagging feeling persists. The climb, once...
We’re No Heroes
“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight This multi-layered statement has been rolling around my brain like a pair of sneakers in a dryer. I recently heard the news of...
5 Strategies For Following Up Summer Spiritual Commitments
I’m passionate about following up after kids make spiritual commitments. If a kid is inwardly compelled to go to an altar and commit his or her life to Christ, then I must be inwardly compelled to follow up after them to help them in their...
6 Exceptional Rules For Effective Team Building
Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials. The total number of family leaders over...
Making Deals With The Devil
Kevin Costner, In reference to his movies Tin Cup and Bull Durham, made some comments about the protagonists in these movies not getting what they wanted, “We don’t have to win in order to be respected. We have to stay true to ourselves. We...
9 Practices of Proactive Youth Pastors
“Today. Today… At the edge of our hope, at the end of our time, we have chosen not only to believe in ourselves, but in each other. Today there is not a man nor woman in here that shall stand alone. Not today. Today we face the monsters...
Crash Test Youth Ministry
I was wondering one day, “I wonder how much it cost to do car crash tests?” My mind is an ocean of meandering questions like this. I was thinking of this because I was thinking of doing a short term program change in our youth ministry...
Just Because You Have A Vision Doesn’t Mean You’re Entitled To It
This is not message to every pastor, just to the ones who confuse vision with entitlement. Pastors, a vision is not a program, an ideology or a philosophy. It’s not a statement. A vision is the ability to see what could be if the investment...
Six Questions To Get Your Seniors Spiritually Ready For The World
In the previous posts I shared how the different ways students could graduate. Now, the gate has been narrowed. Most states offer some sort of exit exam. What is the point of an exit exam?
“to make sure no students graduate or move on to other courses without proving they have mastered what they have studied.”
This begs the question “Have our students mastered what they have studied?” Never mind mastering what have studies, but what have they studied? How do we know if a student is ready to leave our youth ministry?
13 Negative Habits Youth Pastors Should Avoid
Being a youth pastor is a rewarding but demanding role. While the focus is often placed on developing positive habits for success, it’s equally important to identify and avoid behaviors that can hinder your ministry. This article explores 13...
How to Challenge Youth Spiritually Without Pushing Them Away
Reaching young people and fostering their spiritual growth is a delicate art and for youth pastors, it’s more like walking a tight rope between what we ought to say and what we have permission to say. Confrontational tactics like preaching AT...
Pull, Don’t Push, Students To Your Next Event
In a world overflowing with information, our attention spans are shrinking faster than ever. Our students are overwhelmed with emails, social media posts, texts and advertisements – all vying for a sliver of their precious time. This begs the...
The Disciple Project OUTREACH MANUAL
HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR DECAYING YOUTH MEETING INTO A FLOURISHING CITY-WIDE MOVEMENT