One of my favorite scenes in Pirates of the Caribean: At World’s End, is the sword fight scene during the maelstrom where boats are getting sucked in and destroyed. Sadly, many youth ministry team meetings feel this way. There’s lots of fighting and a sinking feeling. Another name for a maelstrom is whirlpool, and by…
Youth Pastors do not leave churches, they leave Pastors. Pastor, does that shock you? I know that many pastors want to couch a youth pastors leaving their church in religious language and claiming God’s will, etc. but the truth is, they’re leaving you. Just like when two people break up, one person will try to…
This is part seven in my pillars of youth ministry series. You can start the series from the beginning here. Too many churches have youth groups meeting in their buildings. Yes, I said it right. There are churches who have youth groups who meet in their building but there is no connection between the groups.…
Just because you have a team, doesn’t mean you have teamwork. I’ve been struggling with this idea of team work lately, especially in regards to ministry in the local church. I’ve built a few teams and I have felt the euphoric blessing of synergy, but, in the age of side hustles and independent work, I’m…
I’ve had great volunteers. They’ve worked hard with me. Some were with me for a year, some almost a decade. Part of my role is to evaluate and re-evaluate them to see if they need to make a shift in the ministry laterally to another position or if they need to make an exit to…
Excuse # 2: “I don’t have the right team” “I’m all alone” Missed the beginning of this series? Check it out here Most of you reading this probably work in small churches and you get who you can get. Those who are committed to your weekly church services are the people God has brought…
For years I wanted my staff to be more like youth pastors than volunteers. I would train them, and want them to love books about youth ministry, enjoy the training videos or handouts I give them. I’ve given up trying to put my calling on them. I’ve had some great volunteers in the past and…
If I had a $1 for every failed event….well, lets just say, I would have a lot of dollars. Events are cool when we pull them off, but is that all there is to an event? Not the good ones. When the pre, actual, and post event pieces come together, it’s a beautiful thing. When…
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 the fighting men was 2,600. Under their command was an army of 307,500 men…
Americans care alot about rankings and who gets chosen and in what order. Did you get excited or groan at the NFL or NBA draft? Did your team make a good choice? You can hear the cheers and jeers from fans in the gallery. They voice their opinions at the choices their leaders make. What…
