I spend my days writing for and training youth workers JUST LIKE YOU.
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. + What were my...
To Summit or to Start Anew: Choosing Your Next Mountain
https://soundcloud.com/yminmotion/choosing-your-next-mountain?si=69f6227b2acf44b78fa66968f1a462eb&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Maybe you're an veteran youth pastor. You've conquered that mountain you...
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 Pastor Tony...
5 Strategies For Following Up Summer Spiritual Commitments
https://soundcloud.com/yminmotion/5-tips-for-camp-follow-up?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing I'm passionate about following up after kids make spiritual commitments. If a kid is inwardly compelled to go to an...
6 Exceptional Rules For Effective Team Building
https://soundcloud.com/yminmotion/6-exceptional-rules-for-effective-team-building?si=110f82ba841a469b9b4fc8e26538b78c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by...
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 have to...
9 Practices of Proactive Youth Pastors
https://soundcloud.com/yminmotion/9-practices-of-proactive-youth-pastors?si=87f49cb06cbe4308aec0e999fcad3af9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing "Today. Today... At the edge of our hope, at the end of our...
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 where I saw...
Just Because You Have A Vision Doesn’t Mean You’re Entitled To It
https://soundcloud.com/yminmotion/vision-isnt-about-us?si=d2331dc1b73d47009c01925bc46056df&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing This is not message to every pastor, just to the ones who confuse vision with...
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 common...
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
https://soundcloud.com/yminmotion/how-to-draw-the-right-students-to-your-next-event?si=6e53d077d9024bd6b399665afedcfdc2&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing In a world overflowing with information, our...
15 Christian Songs for Graduation 2024
It's that time of year and I know youth pastor and parents are looking for the perfect graduation song to send their students off into the world. Here are 15 thoughtful, fun and rocking song suggestions to create a graduation soundtrack for that...
Youth Pastor Boss Battles: Taming the Two-Headed Monster of Pastor and Committee
https://soundcloud.com/yminmotion/youth-pastor-boss-battles?si=887a7745b93b4596858947b4889eed14&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing British-Greek automotive designer, Alec Issigoris, who designed the...
The Disciple Project OUTREACH MANUAL
HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR DECAYING YOUTH MEETING INTO A FLOURISHING CITY-WIDE MOVEMENT