All-Nighters take me out for days. Sore muscles, foggy brain, exhausted body. Is it worth it?
I remember years ago reading a survey of thousands of teens from youth groups around the country; when it came to popular fun events, …
Covid plunged our world into chaos in 2020, but it proved to be a catalyst for incredible growth in our students and change in our student ministry. One blessing amid the chaos was the freedom from expectations of how things …
Students have cell phones. If they don’t yet, they probably will by Christmas. It can be a great way to communicate with them directly, but it can also be an overwhelming tide of communication. 3 am memes, anyone?
Setting some …
Have you ever felt the pressure of being a youth pastor? Every single day, right? As we head into the fall season, there are a lot of pressures that all youth pastors will feel.
Do any of these feel familiar …
This Sunday, I watched as a now 8th grader who, let’s be honest, used to be a big turd, do something awesome. She invited a 6th-grade student up on stage with her to sing for the worship band. This 6th-grade …
I don’t know when you promote your students into the next grade. It may be right before summer starts so your new students get the “full on” summer ministry experience.
It may be right before school starts so that you …
The number of students we have since reopening is different than before.
I bet that’s the same for you too. Whether it’s more or less, you’re probably in a weird “new normal” territory.
My own group is seeing a smaller …
Sermons that nourish require slow cooking.
– Kent Anderson
You may be the person who plans an entire year’s worth of talks without blinking an eye (by purchasing them on DYM!). Or you may be pretty sure what you’re going …
If there is one incredible gift last summer’s lockdowns gave us youth workers, it was a blessed reprieve from the annual swimsuit dress code debates. Things are starting to reopen, and we have less time this year for navel-gazing as …
I had a really good conversation with my counselor the other day (let’s normalize mental health OK?).
She had asked me a question that I just did not get. I kept on trying to come up with answers but I …