Summer Is a Liar
In a ministry context, summer is a serial liar. I mean, summer is NOT a slower time for youth ministry, and it’s NOT chock-full of margin. We won’t have a more relaxed schedule, and we won’t have time to catch our breath.…
Seasonal
About Seasonal
Show Parents They Matter This Christmas
We are on the brink of Christmas. Many people keep asking me if we are “ready.” The answer is of course, “No.” I would love to be one of those amazing people who have been prepped and ready for the big day for weeks, merely waiting in anticipation.…
How should students REALLY celebrate Christmas?
Christmas can bring out the best in us. Unfortunately, it can also bring out the worst in us. (Need convincing…watch a Black Friday video where someone gets trampled so others can save $20 on a TV.) I find I often forget that part of my job is to also help students understand Christmas.…
8 Hall-of-Fame Youth Ministry Thanksgiving Activities
Looking for some fun Thanksgiving activities for your student gatherings? Perfect, because here are eight ideas you can adapt to fit the needs of your youth group! 8 Hall-of-Fame Youth Ministry Thanksgiving Activities Turkey bowling. Grab a frozen turkey – don’t thaw it out – and a dozen two liter bottles filled with water.…
How an Old Wedding Tradition Will Energize Your New Year
An old wedding tradition has been mostly forgotten. Brides used to incorporate the following items into their wedding day: something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Believe it or not, this can be a fun way to help you plan the first few months of the new ministry year!…
Take Advantage of the Holiday Slump!!!!
I got an email from a youth worker asking for some guidance. He’s feeling the holiday pinch concerning the engagement and attendance of his students. So I sent him my response and thought I’d share it with all of you since we are all in the same boat one way or another this time of the year.…
Taking Back The Holidays
From the moment I stepped through the door of “ministry” my view on the “holidays” changed. Thanksgiving became navigating phone calls of both those wanting to drop off an extra Turkey, mixed with getting them to the families who needed them.…
Summer Ministry’s C+ Temptation
Youth ministry in the summer has always been a struggle for me. Ministry momentum slows way down because my teenagers re-focus their time on… Summer jobs Family vacations Camps Trips to grandma’s house Attendance is frustratingly inconsistent—without warning, we can go from 24 kids to 87 kids any given week.…
Make These Three Unexpected New Year’s Resolutions
I’m not a big New Year’s resolution type of guy. The truth is, I’ve never even tried to make most youth ministry resolutions. You name it, I haven’t made it! So while my ministry could probably benefit from my resolve to tackle certain tasks with more consistency and urgency, I’ll resist that temptation, as always.…
What Christmas Teaches Us About Relationship-Building
Amid all the busyness, the Christmas season inspires people to intentionally draw near to God and to one another. Youth ministries can learn a lot from that about relationship-building throughout the year. Our youth program runs a solid midweek combo of large and small groups, with some big outreach events tossed in.…
