I spend my days writing for and training youth workers JUST LIKE YOU.
3 Traits Of A True Student Led Ministry Believer
I was at a campus bible club this morning and the speaker did not show up. One of the youth pastors, who is a decent speaker and a good guy, shared some thoughts from his message the night before. Nothing wrong with that, but how would True...
Don’t Let Your Eyes Fool You, God Is Working
Like many youth workers, I am prone to let the size of the crowd or the posture of our students decide what my emotional state will be the rest f the evening. Last night I saw a kid with his hat over his eyes during worship. "Great' I thought. Then...
Altar Calls Part I: Don’t Abuse The Privilege
I am unashamedly in favor of calling kids to commitment, but the altar call has been abused to the point where I think many youth workers second guess the Holy Spirit's desire to call kids to commitment. Let me first say, kids can accept Christ...
A Message For Youth Pastors Over 40: Make Peace With Your Past
I decided this was the day. The day I would get rid of all that old youth ministry stuff that I have collected for 20 years. It was time to say goodbye to 17 (yes 17) binders of information, forms, messages, and other youth ministry...
Songs You Might Want To Add To Your iTunes Wish List
Every Tuesday I scan iTunes looking for new songs, motivation, and inspiration. This morning I thought I'd share what lit my fire this morning. Fan The Flames - Dustin Smith (anything with fire get me going) Te Amo - Israel and New Breed (anything...
Would Merit “Pay” Work On Any Level For Youth Pastors?
I have been thinking about this for a while. I have been wondering if merit pay for youth pastors would work. Is there a way to use this system in the positive without the negatives. In other words, you can never lose incentives, only gain them....
Taking Student Leadership Mainstream
I love developing young leaders. Since I started I youth ministry (100 yeas ago it seems) I was taught to develop a leadership team. My first student leadership book recommended I start a S.A.L.T team, this stands for Student Action Leadership...
Life For Youth Camp Rocks The House!
I am back from a week of ministering at The Greatest Place On Earth: Life For Youth Camp. I have included most of the links to the videos I used as well as the worship songs so you can download them for yourself. I have also included...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The Disciple Project OUTREACH MANUAL
HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR DECAYING YOUTH MEETING INTO A FLOURISHING CITY-WIDE MOVEMENT