Easter is coming…Let us help you get ready!
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Our team at DYM is made up of youth workers! We have hundreds of years of combined experience and a heart that wants to make your life easier and better. Andt that’s not all. We want to save you time so you can do what we can’t do: disciple your students… care for your parents… and spend time with your volunteers.
We’ve combined some of the best deals we’ve ever had and we’re offering ALL of them to you in the month of April! We’re here to help you win!
Gold NOW gets 25 voting connections in Sidekick (previously 5!)
A NEW monthly countdown video added to member downloads (in addition to the normal membership video!)
AND, get 20-50% off in-person events (new this year!)
Plug-and-play games, complete teaching series’, graphics, videos, summer camp resources, themed events, and 2 high-quality summer calendar designs to choose from – it’s all included! You have to see it to believe it!
Subscribe to Coleader Premium+ (or extend your current Premium+ subscription) during April and get 20% off! That gives you an ENTIRE YEAR of curriculum, games, countdowns, and events for only $320! That’s about $6 per week for a fully complete program.
If you sign up for the National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training(either to host it or to own it) we’ll give you complete access to 125 video courses on YMUniversity.com for the renewal price of only $99.
Your volunteers can get world-class training on their device of choice 24/7 all year long! Check it out here!
Platinum Membership has everything you’ll need for the year (Coleader access, YMUniversity, Events, 50% discounts from the store, etc…).
Join in April and we’ll personally send you a $100 gift card to Starbucks so you can have a relaxing beverage on us throughout the year… we know you need it!
You’re the leader, you need some rest and training and networking and learning and fun! We have all that waiting for you this fall at our events in Southern California.
We’d love for you to join us for Your First Decade in Youth Ministry Conferenceor DYM100: Roundtable Conversations Conference. We’ve got a $50 discount for you if you sign up this month!
Now, maybe that’s not the most incredible thing in your context, but I added a memory verse to our program over a year ago and this was exactly 8x the most we’ve ever had recite a verse from memory. Now, you could certainly chalk up part of that to poor leadership on my part for the past 365 days, and that’s certainly a contributing factor. But what accounted for the change?
Enter: llama bucks.
Back at Fall Kickoff we introduced a new currency in our youth group, playing off of a llama theme that has kinda taken over. No more prizes, just llama bucks. Serving? Get a llamabuck. Ask a great question in your small group time? Score a llamabuck.
SAY A MEMORY VERSE? Get a llamabuck.
And this thing has taken on a whole life of its own. Despite us having a really horrendous resume and zero experience in distributing an internatioal currency and inflation … we’ve given out thousands of llama bucks. And they can be used in two key ways:
Reward what you want to see happen in your youth ministry. Not a new idea, just our spin on it … and it’s crushing right now.
Josh
Summer is here!
We’re so excited about what summer means for student ministry! Whether its camp, mission trips, wild programs, family vacations or a whole new transition, we’ve got you covered!
Over the summer, we’re going to be looking at some big summer topics.
We can’t wait to support you and add value to you as a pastor. It’s going to be a great summer and we can’t wait to help out!
See you soon!
DYM Blog Summer Series
It’s almost time for Easter! I get really excited for the season. Not because I enjoy Easter egg hunting and pastels and nice weather, but because this is what our faith is all about! Jesus resurrected from the dead is why we celebrate today!
Since Easter is coming, it’s a good time to start. Thinking about what your plan is going to be. Just like Christmas and New Year’s, Easter is a holiday that lets you try some new things and experiment a little bit. If you start getting ready now, you’ll be more than prepared on April 9!
Know your church
I’ve served in two different churches during my youth, ministry tenure, and while both make a big deal out of Easter, what that looks like for those churches is really different.
At my first church it was the highest attended Sunday of the year. And not just in the worship service but for every Sunday school class and Youth Ministry event as well. We had to make sure we were planning for a lot more students than normal!
At the church, I go to now, it’s a little different.
While the big church service is still really packed, all of our Sunday morning classes drop in attendance. Like, half or more of even our most consistent regulars don’t show up.
Your church might lean one way or the other or be somewhere in the middle. My encouragement to you is to think about your church and plan accordingly. Is it going to be a blowout Sunday or are people going to just come to big church and then spend the rest of the day with family?
Know your students
It’s important not only to think about the culture of your church, you need to consider the culture of your student ministry as well.
Are they going to bring friends on Easter Sunday? Are they going to bring family from out of town? Do they like experimenting and trying something new? Do you think they would be challenged with a more pared down ministry day?
This would be a good time to consult your students and ask them what they think the Sunday morning experience could look like and get their feedback. It will really help your planning!
Make a plan
Speaking of planning, once you have considered your church and your students, make a solid plan! Get everything together and think about what you’re going to need for that day.
Are you going to have food when you normally wouldn’t? Or are you going to make, your usual food prep a little better?
What is your follow up to guests and visitors coming for the first time on Easter going to look like? Could you have students involved in big church if you don’t feel like they’re going to attend regular student ministry?
Put a plan down on paper now and start, getting ready!
Communicate it!
We can often complain about how people don’t read our emails or look at our social media. That doesn’t really help the fact that we still have to communicate a plan if we’re going to change things up.
But before you communicate your plan to parents and students, run it by your senior pastor or supervisor first. Are you really rocking the boat on Easter? Make sure everyone is on board. Are you going to need some extra volunteers to make Sunday morning happen? Make sure you have those adults ready so that they’re not surprised the week of.
Once you have communicated your plan to leadership and people serving behind the scenes, make sure everybody knows what Easter is going to look like for student ministry! Maybe you’ve got a really cool Good Friday service planned out for your students. Maybe you’re not going to meet when you regularly would to allow students to spend time with their families. Whatever it is, make sure you over communicate so that everyone knows what’s going to happen on Easter Sunday!
Lent
Does your church make a big deal out of Lent? Could it with the help of the student ministry? It’s a great opportunity to get yourself and your students ready for the Easter season! Think about how you could use the season of Lent to prepare your hearts and minds for the ressurection of Jesus! There are some cool resources down below to use in you ministry!
I love Easter. It’s such a wonderful season and a great time to celebrate Jesus! What’s your plan for Easter? It’s coming up sooner than you think! Let’s make sure we have an awesome Sunday!
Ronald
Need something to get ready for Easter? Check out these great Instagram posts for the season of Lent!
Need to communicate what Lent is to your students? Here’s a great one-off talk to make your own!
Concluding our week, we wanted to talk specifically about a serious topic.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34. Suicide is a heavy subject. Many fear that bringing up the topic, or even the word, will cause someone to think about it. However, this is not the case. Talking openly and honestly about suicide makes students feel safe and more supported. Some students will be more upfront about thoughts of suicide, while others may hide their plans. As youth workers, students trust you. If they are bringing this topic up to you, you cannot promise to keep it a secret.
A brief note on self-harm:
Self-harm can result because of a few factors. For some, it serves as a distraction from intense emotional pain. For others, it can be because they have a feeling of numbness and self-harm brings the result of feeling something. It can also become a way of communicating to others that they are hurting and desperate for help. However, it’s not always a form of communication. Some will be very secretive about self-harm and are solely focused on bringing some sort of temporary relief. Because it brings temporary relief, it can be reinforcing, and students can continue to come back to the behavior to deal with painful or overwhelming feelings. One of the most common triggers for self-harm is the feeling of rejection. Self-harm does not always mean suicide; however, the behavior is a sign for deep pain that could lead to suicidal tendencies and attempt.
5 Tips for Walking with Students Who May Be Suicidal
1.Talk about it
2. Show Love
3. Be Empathetic
4. Stay in Touch
5. Partner with Parents
ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Want to start conversations about Mental Health in your youth group? Check out a brand new Mental Health series at Download Youth Ministry:
This 4-week series addresses mental health from a physical, mental, and spiritual perspective. Mental illnesses are real and daunting, but even in the middle of it, there can be hope. The first week gives a mental health overview, the second week addresses depression, the third week addresses anxiety, and the fourth week addresses suicide.
For the month of May, 100% of the proceeds for this resource will go to a scholarship fund to help youth workers with a mental health challenge see a counselor. If you are interested in this scholarship, you can fill out the application here.
Feeding and Eating disorders are often characterized by an unhealthy relationship with food, whether that is through excessive eating or refusal to eat enough to maintain a healthy weight, and a distorted body image. Although more often diagnosed in girls, boys are also diagnosed but can be missed because it is harder to spot. Not everyone with an eating disorder appears underweight, eating disorders appear all over the spectrum.
The most common feeding and eating disorders we see in students include anorexia, bulimia, and purge eating. Anorexia can be characterized by a refusal to eat, excessive weight loss, and distorted body image. A person with anorexia believes they are too fat, while everyone else sees them as far too thin. Bulimia can be characterized by frequent binge eating, followed by purging and/or strenuous dieting. Unlike anorexia, bulimia is often recognized by a normal weight or somewhat overweight. Binge eating is often accompanied by a feeling of having lost control, and often done in secret accompanied by shame and guilt. Similar to bulimia, weight is normal or overweight, however binge eating disorder is not accompanied by trying to get rid of the food by purging.
4 Practical Ways to Support a Student with an Eating Disorder:
1.Have Healthy Snacks Available
2. Offer Support
3. Be Extra Aware at Camps and Retreats
4. Partner with Parents
Resources:
National Eating Disorder Association
Want to start conversations about Mental Health in your youth group? Check out a brand new Mental Health series at Download Youth Ministry:
This 4-week series addresses mental health from a physical, mental, and spiritual perspective. Mental illnesses are real and daunting, but even in the middle of it, there can be hope. The first week gives a mental health overview, the second week addresses depression, the third week addresses anxiety, and the fourth week addresses suicide.
For the month of May, 100% of the proceeds for this resource will go to a scholarship fund to help youth workers with a mental health challenge see a counselor. If you are interested in this scholarship, you can fill out the application here.
Continuing in our series, today we are looking at students who struggle with ADD/ADHD.
ADHD makes it difficult for kids to focus on their schoolwork and every day tasks, to pay attention, and sit still. It’s often harder for them to control themselves than other kids their age. ADHD can take form in two kinds of behaviors; inattentive and impulsive.
Impulsive behaviors can include fidgeting, struggling to sit still, constantly talking or interrupting, and being impatient. Inattentive behaviors might look like making careless mistakes, being easily distracted, having a hard time following instruction, and forgetting or losing things often.
Practical Ways to Help Teenagers with ADD/ADHD:
1. Provide Fidget Toys
2. Encourage Peer Relationships
3. Self-Regulation Ideas
4. Check in with and resource your volunteers
Resources:
CHADD – Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Want to start conversations about Mental Health in your youth group? Check out a brand new Mental Health series at Download Youth Ministry:
This 4-week series addresses mental health from a physical, mental, and spiritual perspective. Mental illnesses are real and daunting, but even in the middle of it, there can be hope. The first week gives a mental health overview, the second week addresses depression, the third week addresses anxiety, and the fourth week addresses suicide.
For the month of May, 100% of the proceeds for this resource will go to a scholarship fund to help youth workers with a mental health challenge see a counselor. If you are interested in this scholarship, you can fill out the application here.
Our series continues as we tackle how to support students who might be struggling with depression.
Alongside of anxiety, depression is also one of the most diagnosed disorders in the United States. Depression involves severe symptoms that affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities like eating, sleeping, and/or working or school. In 2020, it was estimated that 4.1 million adolescents between 12-17 had at least one major depressive episode (NIMH, Major Depression, 2022). So I think it’s fair to say that there are students in our ministries who are experiencing symptoms of depression.
How can we show up for them? Here are a few ways…
6 Practical Ways to Care for Students Who are Struggling With Depression
1.Encourage Professional Help
2. Be Supportive
3. Be Compassionately Curious
4. Notice the Positive Things
5. Partner with Parents
6. Check in with the student
Resources:
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Seen: Healing Despair And Anxiety In Kids And Teens Through The Power Of Connection
Want to start conversations about Mental Health in your youth group? Check out a brand new Mental Health series at Download Youth Ministry:
This 4-week series addresses mental health from a physical, mental, and spiritual perspective. Mental illnesses are real and daunting, but even in the middle of it, there can be hope. The first week gives a mental health overview, the second week addresses depression, the third week addresses anxiety, and the fourth week addresses suicide.
For the month of May, 100% of the proceeds for this resource will go to a scholarship fund to help youth workers with a mental health challenge see a counselor. If you are interested in this scholarship, you can fill out the application here.