Every youth pastor has had a summer event that looked better in the planning meeting than it did in real life.

You had a theme. You had snacks. You had volunteers. You had the perfect outdoor game planned.

Then it …

There’s a strange moment every summer when you’re standing outside after youth group, sweating through your shirt, holding a half-empty cooler, and someone says, “Can you believe school starts soon?”

And you want to rebuke them.

Not because they’re wrong. …

There’s a moment in summer youth ministry when you realize you’re not as fine as you’ve been telling people.

Maybe it happens after camp, when you get home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes and a brain that still …

Every summer, there’s a moment when the youth ministry calendar gets weird.

Not empty. Never empty. Let’s not get ridiculous.

But weird.

The school year rhythm slows down. Small groups may pause or shift. Students are in and out. Parents …

There’s a special kind of youth ministry mystery that happens every summer.

A student who was at everything during the school year suddenly vanishes like they’ve entered witness protection. They’re not at youth group. They’re not at the hangout. They …

A few summers ago, I remember sitting across from a student at a fast-food restaurant with a tray of fries between us and absolutely no program plan in sight. No stage lights. No game. No countdown video. No carefully crafted …

Choosing a new curriculum for your youth ministry can feel bigger than it probably needs to feel.

There are so many options out there now. Some are video-based. Some are discussion-heavy. Some give you full teaching scripts. Some give you …