If you’ve ever wondered why students stop inviting friends to youth group or why your regulars start drifting away from youth ministry, the answer is often simpler than a new game night or a better message. Students are looking for a youth ministry that feels built for them and for their friends, not an insider club they feel they can't invite anyone to. In this episode, we talk through five core needs we see again and again in healthy, growing student ministry, and we challenge you with one ...
Sep 24
26 min
Teaching in youth ministry can be a weekly pressure cooker - junior high attention spans, high school skepticism, limited prep time, and the real weight of opening the Bible and preaching responsibly. In this episode, we’re sharing 11 books that have genuinely sharpened how we teach & preach in student ministry, especially when we need clarity, better structure, and illustrations that actually help students understand. Besides giving you a list of 11 books, we break down why each on...
Sep 17
29 min
The fastest way to burn out as a new youth pastor is trying to create everything from scratch: games, graphics, sermons, small group questions, student leadership training, and a communication system that parents will actually use. Don't wear yourself thin! Use time saving resources to help you in student ministry! In this episode, we’re laying out five must-have youth ministry resources that can save you hours every week, especially in a small church or low-budget setting. Lookin...
Sep 10
26 min
Looking for Student Leadership Curriculum? We've just launched our own called "Student Leadership Journey!" Grab yours here: Student Leadership Journey. *** If your youth ministry is small, “student leadership team” can sound like something for bigger churches with bigger budgets and a bigger youth group. We see it the opposite way. A small youth group is the perfect opportunity for building a healthy core of students who serve, grow, and set the tone the second a new kid wa...
Sep 3
32 min
This Fall, we are teaming up with Onward Leadership for a Fall Cohort!!! If you are interested in joining or simply looking for more information, please visit: www.onwardleader.com In this episode, we break down five “leadership superpowers” that help youth pastors and youth ministry leaders stay in the game for the long haul without losing joy. Youth ministry leadership is not about finding the perfect church setup. It is about becoming the kind of leader who can thrive in ...
Aug 27
37 min
Looking for Student Leadership Curriculum? We've just launched our own called "Student Leadership Journey!" Grab yours here: Student Leadership Journey. *** A youth ministry's student leadership team can become the engine that changes the entire youth group culture...but it can also quietly derail your student ministry if not handled correctly. In this episode, we’re discussing five common mistakes youth pastors make when they launch or rebuild their student leadership...
Aug 20
32 min
Start the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** Costumes, candy, and a packed room of youth ministry students? Why not?! In this episode, we’re breaking down exactly how we run a super fun fall youth group event that students look forward to all year, while still keeping it appropriate, gospel-centered, and realistic for any church budget. From food to youth group games, we...
Aug 13
26 min
Start the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** You can throw a youth ministry event that students talk about for weeks without spending your whole budget. We break down a general blueprint we just used to pull off one of our best summer nights at basically zero cost, and we turn it into a repeatable formula you can use for your church youth group whether you have a small budget, no bu...
Aug 6
28 min
🎉 300th Episode Giveaway Info!! 🎉 (Details below!) The fastest way to burn out in youth ministry is simple: make yourself the bottleneck. When every decision, every problem, and every awkward moment has to run through you and only you, your leaders stop leading and you start carrying a student ministry you were never meant to carry alone. In this episode, we share five leadership tips that help youth pastors build a youth ministry that can thrive in a healthy church environment. We bre...
Jul 30
37 min
🎉 300th Episode Giveaway Info!! 🎉 (Details below!) Guilt can get your youth group students to open a Bible once, but it rarely builds a habit that lasts, and it almost never produces understanding because it lacks desire & inspiration. The discipline of reading your Bible is not about volume, streaks, or checking a box, it’s about connecting with the God who made you through the words He has already spoken. In this episode, we will get tactical with Bible reading habits for your you...
Jul 23
28 min
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