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9 Sep 2024

Addressing Anxiety and Stress in Students

By Ronald|2024-09-09T10:58:24-07:00September 9th, 2024|Youth Ministry Ideas|4 Comments

Being a teenager can be really stressful! It was stressful enough for us when we grew up before cell phones, social media, and constant plugged-in information. For students now, the stressors are multiplied! As youth pastors, we have the wonderful and difficult task of guiding students as they deal with anxiety and stress in their lives. Here are some tips on how we can better help students in our ministry handle stress.

Watch for Signs of Stress

The first thing we can do is to know the signs to watch for in students who show big swings in stress or anxiety. Withdrawal from activities, declining academic performance, irritability, or changes in sleep and eating patterns are all signs of stress. Also, watch for drastic changes in friend groups. Stress can bubble up and come out in anger or distancing in relationships. It’s also a good idea to equip your leaders and volunteers to know these signs. You can’t watch everybody all the time, but if you have leaders who are trained, it will help you identify students dealing with anxiety.

Provide Tools for Dealing with Anxiety

Help students by giving them practical tools they need and can use to manage stress. From planning their day to deep breathing exercises and repeating spiritual truths to themselves, we can encourage students to lean on their faith during difficult times. We should remind them that by incorporating prayer, scripture reading, and worship into their daily routines, they can mitigate the negative effects of anxiety and stress. It’s also good for us to remind students that they might need outside help and that talking to a therapist or counselor about their stress is a great idea!

Invite a Mental Health Professional to Talk at Youth Group

Since we have a platform to speak to students, why not invite a professional to come in and tell students what they know about stress and how they can handle it? If you have a mental health professional who goes to your church, invite them to speak at youth groups and help destigmatize the idea of stress and anxiety. How great would it be for students to hear from a Christian perspective how they can deal with stress from somebody whose job is to help people manage anxiety? By giving them a platform, we can help students connect with someone who can offer them real help!

What other tips do you have for helping students address anxiety and stress?

5 Sep 2024

Teaching the iPad Generation

By Nick Clason|2024-09-06T07:20:34-07:00September 5th, 2024|Hybrid Ministry, Videos, Youth Ministry Ideas|3 Comments

Generation Alpha is marked by screens and technology.

When asked, “What separated Generation Alpha from literally any other generation in history?”
The answer is resoundingly, screens!

They’ve grown up with screens in hand, technology and sometimes even been affectionately, or not so affectionately, named, “iPad Kids”

But they’re starting to join our youth ministries and student ministries.

How do we teach them?

I’m glad you asked, because we unpacked that idea in this week’s podcast on the Hybrid Ministry Show where we explored:

The Challenges Facing Generation Alpha
The key to getting through to this Generation
We unpacked Modern vs Traditional teaching models

And if you’re interested in finding out more about what I’ve got going on on my podcast, you should definitely check out my podcast: Hybrid Ministry.

Here’s all the places you can find me!

2 Sep 2024

Handling Academic Pressure and Expectations

By Ronald|2024-08-05T14:19:41-07:00September 2nd, 2024|Youth Ministry Ideas|0 Comments

As school starts back up and students get into the rhythm of handling homework, tests, projects, and sports, it can be tough to manage all the pressure and expectations that come with it!

As youth pastors, we have an opportunity to speak into students’ lives, offer practical tips on managing busy schedules, and encourage them to observe their academic journey within the grand landscape of their faith journey. Here are some tips for helping students navigate school and faith.

Host Youth Room Study Halls

Students will have difficulty balancing homework and everything else they have going on. If you are a full-time youth pastor, there’s likely an hour or two of overlap where you might be required to be in the office, and students get out of school. Why not offer up the youth room as a study hall for students? They can come in, do their homework, and even consult other friends who might be working on a similar subject. Bonus points here if you can get retired adults in your church who happen to be math whizs or a social studies expert to come in and help tutor. Did somebody ask for intergenerational ministry?

Help Students with Time Management

Time management isn’t just something that students struggle with; it’s something we all need to have a good grip on! As a youth pastor, you can model this to your students and give them tools to help manage their time. Whatever time management techniques you have used in the past, you might be able to share with your students so that they can learn how to better manage their time. We all have timers on our phones and calendars to set for reminders. Why not use our technology to help us get tasks done? This could be a big benefit for you as a youth pastor because you might be helping parents who are also trying to give their students time management tools. We like to say that different voices saying the same things help solidify important lessons! Maybe we can help parents by teaching students helpful time management tools.

Offer Encouragement and Vision

Seven years seems like a short time and also an eternity. Trying to think of seven years is a wild proposition to a student. To a 14-year-old, that’s half of their lifetime! But to those of us who are a little older, seven years goes by pretty quickly. The reality is that school isn’t forever. Yes, we want students to have a good foundation for their lives immediately after their teenage years, but the reality is that school isn’t everything. You might remember that you didn’t use trigonometry well into your 30s. But will it really matter? We must help students understand that their education and school life are important but not the end-all experience. Helping students put their life journey now into context versus where they might be in 10 to 20 years is something that we, youth pastors, can help students grasp. We need to remind students what really matters. And yes, giving students verses reminding them of how much God loves them even when stressed can be incredibly helpful!

What other tips would you suggest here?

29 Aug 2024

Is Generation Alpha Doomed?

By Nick Clason|2024-08-28T12:24:19-07:00August 29th, 2024|Hybrid Ministry, Videos, Youth Ministry Ideas|1 Comment

Is Generation Alpha doomed?

There is a current YouTube trend out there stating the aforementioned question as a fact.

“Generation Alpha is Doomed”

Because of their social media habits and the content that they post.

Things like…

Brain Rot
Skibidi Toilet Rizz
And their overall hatred for Ohio

Can these kids even come back from all that? Not to mention, COVID-19 destroyed a lot of their educational impact. Many have trouble reading and are having a hard time with school in general. Can this generation bounce back?

The Hybrid Ministry show took a deep dive into Generation Alpha by answering the following:

Who are they?
When were they born compared to older generations?
5 Defining Characteristics of Generation Alpha

How can you and I make an impact on this generation? I’m glad you asked! Let’s take a look!

And if you’re interested in finding out more about what I’ve got going on on my podcast, you should definitely check out my podcast: Hybrid Ministry.

Here’s all the places you can find me!

26 Aug 2024

Integrating Technology and Faith in Youth Ministry

By Ronald|2024-08-05T14:15:37-07:00August 26th, 2024|Youth Ministry Ideas|0 Comments

I’ve been doing youth ministry long enough to remember when cell phones became ubiquitous. Before that time, we would often need to make sure that a student who didn’t have a cell phone could call home and reach their parent. Sometimes, even that parent didn’t have a cell phone, so there wasn’t any good way to contact them.

Now, cell phones and technology seem to be an inevitable part of ministry. I know some youth pastors want to remove all technology from youth groups to focus on the in-person aspect. I can understand the motivation there. I enjoy going for long stretches without my phone to be more focused.

But our students aren’t us! They grew up with phones as much a part of their lives as we did with TV. So, how can we use technology to help students grow in their faith? Let’s explore a couple of ways.

Bible Reading Plans

Encourage your students to do a Bible reading plan on the YouVersion app. It’s great when you have accountability for reading your Bible together. This free app lets that happen without buying into any program or putting down any money. As a youth group, you can advertise that you will be doing a certain plan during the month and get students to join you. You can even see other students’ comments on the plan. If our phones will send us notifications anyway, why don’t we have them notify us to read the Bible?

Social Media Application

It’s always great to have real practical steps that students can take after they hear a youth group lesson. What if we started incorporating social media into our application? What I mean by that is, is there something a student can do on social media to put the faith lesson into practice? Can you encourage students to post a Bible verse on their personal page? Can you ask them to share a youth group video that invites their friends to church? Social media doesn’t have to be a scourge on our society. We could use it as a tool for good!

Give Students Tools to Grow

I know I like creating resources for my students. But we don’t always have to reinvent the wheel! Is there a podcast that you find personally encouraging? Is there a Spotify playlist that you use to connect with God? Sharing these with your students can show them how you are personally growing in your faith and can encourage them to do the same. You can record your youth group lessons and put them into a podcast or YouTube video for your students to digest later. Or you could do a quick 5-minute recap for your students so they can listen back to what they learned. Bonus points for sending it out to your small group leaders, who will be rehashing the lesson for students!

How would you use technology for your student ministry? How could you incorporate phones into students’ faith journeys? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

22 Aug 2024

Easy and Effective Social Media Promotion Ideas

By Nick Clason|2024-08-21T08:06:39-07:00August 22nd, 2024|Hybrid Ministry, Videos, Youth Ministry Ideas|3 Comments

Let’s be honest, social media is the never-ending beast.

You know you SHOULD do it, but it’s always asking for more.
Pair that with the pressure we ALL feel to get more students to attend our events at church, it can be a temptation to simply turn our social channels into event promos.

But you don’t get on social media, personally, for those reasons.
Whether we want to admit it or not, we get on social media to be:

Encouraged
Equipped
Entertained

Which is why I’ve discovered the perfect event promotion ideas for social media, and I’ve created a FREE Download for Youth Pastors, and discussed that in my most recent YouTube video!

And if you’re interested in finding out more about what I’ve got going on on my podcast, you should definitely check out my podcast: Hybrid Ministry.

Here’s all the places you can find me!

19 Aug 2024

Building Strong Relationships with Parents and Guardians

By Ronald|2024-08-05T13:47:39-07:00August 19th, 2024|communication, Parents|2 Comments

I heard a youth pastor recently say that youth ministry would be easy if it weren’t for the parents! I know it can often feel like we are ministering to very willing students who are parented by flaky parents. I’ve certainly felt like that over my years of student ministry. But now that I’m getting older and have students in my own ministry, I’m beginning to see that those flaky parents just needed a little help from their youth pastor, especially since that parent is now me!

Here are some tips to help you build strong relationships with parents and better minister to them and their students.

Communicate Well and Often

I have seen youth pastors send out an email that announced for the first time that a retreat was happening in a month and that a $200 per student fee was all it took to sign up! As a parent, I realize I need much more time to plan things! As a youth pastor, try to make sure that you let parents know when big events will be as soon as possible. Fall retreats need to be communicated as soon as summer wraps up. Things happening in the spring should really get communicated in December. Summer camp and mission trips must have save-the-dates sent out sometime in January!

This comes from a parent who loves to hear about things frequently. Don’t just think one email is enough. Communicate regularly! It would be great to send a weekly email to parents reminding them of big and small events and even the teaching series you’ve got going on. The more you communicate, the more trust you build!

Host Parent Meetings

As a parent of teenagers, I can often feel like I’m alone in this endeavor. What helps me out is knowing that other parents are also parenting their students and going through the same struggles as I am! Parent meetings are a great place for parents to see that there are others in their church who are having the same issues.

You can also use parent meetings to remind parents of upcoming big events, let them meet their kids’ small group leaders, and get them involved in what’s happening in the student ministry! I always liked to host these during the big season beginnings—one in the fall, one in the spring, and a much more informal get-together in the summer.

Provide Parents Resources

The most frequent question I would get as a youth pastor from parents was usually something like, “Do you have any resources to help me with…?”

Knowing what resources I could send to parents was such a help for the parents who came up to me at that time. As a youth pastor, you are an expert in students. Because of that, you probably see many resources that deal with what students are going through. Keeping a list on your phone of books, podcasts, and blog articles dealing with specific issues will make you look like a rockstar when a parent has an issue they are struggling with. I have always liked highlighting resources like this during parent meetings and emails!

The more we communicate to parents and show them that we are student ministry experts, the more trust we will build with them as we minister to their students. And the more trust we have with parents, the easier time we will have ministering to their students!

15 Aug 2024

Introducing Hybrid Ministry w/ Nick Clason

By Josh Boldman|2024-08-15T09:00:30-07:00August 15th, 2024|Sidekick, Sidekick Hero Blog, Videos, Youth Ministry Ideas|3 Comments

A few months ago, Doug introduced you to one of our favorite Sidekick Heroes: Nick Clason (you can read that post here), and when he said that Nick is a national treasure (no seriously, that’s how Doug described him), he wasn’t joking.

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Nick to talk about all things Sidekick, how to stop seeing cell phones as the enemy, and what it looks like for youth ministry to become a more engaging experience for students. Check it out below:

And if you’re interested in finding out more about what Nick is doing (and you should be), you should definitely check out his podcast: Hybrid Ministry. Here’s where you can find him:

And, who knows? You just might start seeing a bit more of Nick around the blog. So, definitely keep checking back.

If you’re using Sidekick and you run into any issues, or if you just have a question, please feel free to reach out to our support team at: [email protected]. Or you can check out other helpful articles and walkthroughs at the Sidekick Help Desk by visiting https://help.sidekick.tv.

Finally, if you choose to use the new Sidekick… let us know how you do it and what types of polls you do because we want to highlight you. Our goal is to highlight a youth worker every week with different ways they’ve used Sidekick to help their students engage. If you’re interested in being recognized as a Sidekick Hero, just click the big red button below:

If you’re using Sidekick and you run into any issues, or if you just have a question, please feel free to reach out to our support team at: [email protected]. Or you can check out other helpful articles and walkthroughs at the Sidekick Help Desk by visiting https://help.sidekick.tv.

Finally, if you choose to use the new Sidekick… let us know how you do it and what types of polls you do because we want to highlight you. Our goal is to highlight a youth worker every week with different ways they’ve used Sidekick to help their students engage. If you’re interested in being recognized as a Sidekick Hero, just click the big red button below:

14 Aug 2024

50% Off the Entire Store! Gold Week at it’s Finest!

By Ronald|2024-08-14T07:42:12-07:00August 14th, 2024|Youth Ministry Ideas|0 Comments

🎉 Gold Member Week: 50% Off EVERYTHING at DYM! 🎉

Hey DYM Fam!

It’s that time of the year again, and we couldn’t be more excited to kick off the epicness that is Gold Member Week! Whether you’re a seasoned youth ministry pro or just starting out, there’s something for everyone to love this week.

✨ What’s the Big Deal? ✨

Today, we’re dropping the mic with an unbeatable offer: 50% OFF THE ENTIRE DYM SITE for all our Gold, Gold+, and Platinum members!

🎤💥 That’s right – every resource, every game, every curriculum – HALF OFF! Whether you’re looking to refresh your teaching materials, spice up your small groups, or find that perfect game to energize your next youth night, this is the day to load up your cart and get everything you need for a fraction of the cost!

Why You Can’t Miss This:

Unlimited Access to Premium Resources: DYM is known for its top-tier content that’s both practical and engaging. With 50% off, you can stock up on resources that will equip you and your team for months to come.
Boost Your Ministry Without Breaking the Bank: Let’s be real – youth ministry budgets can be tight. This is your chance to get the best without the stress. With this massive discount, you’re not just saving money; you’re investing in the spiritual growth of your students.
Get Ahead of the Game: Start planning now for the next season, series, or event. From killer sermon series to interactive small group discussions, the possibilities are endless when you’re armed with the right tools. And with today’s discount, you can grab it all!

🎉 Don’t Wait – The Countdown is On! 🎉

This deal is only for today, so don’t sleep on it! Log in, load up your cart, and prepare to make this season of ministry the most impactful yet.

Not a Gold Member yet? No worries! There’s still time to level up and join the club where the perks just keep getting better. Trust us, this is just the beginning of what Gold Member Week has to offer.

Happy Shopping, DYM Heroes! Your students and your future self will thank you. 🚀

P.S. Keep your eyes peeled for more surprises throughout the week. We’ve got some incredible deals lined up just for you. Stay gold, stay epic, and let’s make this week unforgettable!

12 Aug 2024

Setting Spiritual Goals for the New School Year

By Ronald|2024-07-22T13:34:49-07:00August 12th, 2024|Leadership|2 Comments

As the new school year kicks off, it’s a great time to help your students set meaningful spiritual goals. The start of a new year brings fresh opportunities for growth and reflection. Here’s how you can guide your students in setting and achieving their spiritual goals for the year ahead.

Begin by hosting a goal-setting workshop. Gather your students and provide a space for them to reflect on their personal faith journeys. Encourage them to think about what they want to achieve spiritually over the coming year. Whether it’s developing a daily prayer habit, reading through the Bible, or growing in a specific area of their faith, help them articulate clear and achievable goals. Provide resources and tools, like goal-setting worksheets or journals, to support them in this process.

Next, pair students with accountability partners or small groups. Having someone to share their goals with can provide motivation and support. Create a system where students can check in regularly with their partners or small group members to discuss their progress, share challenges, and celebrate successes. This not only helps them stay accountable but also fosters a sense of community and encouragement.

Finally, establish a system for tracking and celebrating progress. Regularly check in on the students’ goals and celebrate their milestones. You could implement a progress tracking system using journals, apps, or a bulletin board where students can mark their achievements. Host milestone celebrations or recognition events to acknowledge their hard work and progress. This will help keep students motivated and focused on their spiritual growth throughout the year.

By guiding your students in setting spiritual goals, providing accountability, and celebrating their progress, you can help them make the most of the new school year and grow in their faith. Here’s to a year filled with spiritual growth and achievements!

Need to set some goals of your own? New to Ministry? We’ve got a great conference for you!