Chris Schaffner, Author at YouthMinistry.com https://youthministry.com/author/chris-schaffner/ Daily Wisdom for Youth Workers. Fri, 17 Feb 2023 20:49:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 5 Ways to Lose Credibility With Students https://youthministry.com/5-ways-to-lose-credibility-with-students/ https://youthministry.com/5-ways-to-lose-credibility-with-students/#respond Mon, 20 Feb 2023 11:00:42 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=40523 We all know youth workers who have lost credibility with their students. We often pass judgment on them and know personally what we would have done differently. However, what makes a youth worker credible in a teenager’s eyes may be different from what a youth worker thinks will make them credible. …

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]]> https://youthministry.com/5-ways-to-lose-credibility-with-students/feed/ 0 Got Stress? De-Stressify! https://youthministry.com/de-stressify/ https://youthministry.com/de-stressify/#respond Mon, 11 Dec 2017 12:45:33 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=59886 Sometimes, youth ministry is like a bulldozer that plows stress-upon-stress onto your shoulders. If you let it keep piling up, it will bury you. So in the thick of stress, you need stuff you can do, not just stuff you can think about.…

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]]> https://youthministry.com/de-stressify/feed/ 0 Sometimes, youth ministry is like a bulldozer that's plowing stress-upon-stress onto your shoulders—if we let it keep piling up, it's going to bury us.https://youthministry.com/wp-content/upload/ymprod/david-yanutama-463326-270x196.jpg270196 Offer Support, Belonging When Counseling LGBT Teens https://youthministry.com/7-keys-counseling-lgbt-kids/ https://youthministry.com/7-keys-counseling-lgbt-kids/#comments Wed, 22 Jun 2016 18:03:22 +0000 http://youthministry.staging.wpengine.com/?post_type=magazine-posts&p=56516 I’ve worked with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) youth as a youth pastor and counselor for the last 15 years. Because I’ve listened to their stories for years, I know the world looks alienating at best and hostile at worst to them.…

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]]> https://youthministry.com/7-keys-counseling-lgbt-kids/feed/ 1 How to Discuss Suicide in Youth Group https://youthministry.com/discussing-suicide-youth-group/ https://youthministry.com/discussing-suicide-youth-group/#comments Fri, 29 Aug 2014 20:39:29 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=49763 Discussing suicide is never an easy conversation. With suicide getting more attention in the news lately, it has been revealed that there is a lack of resources to effectively discuss the subject with our students. It is important to have these discussions but it is equally important to have good discussions.…

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]]> https://youthministry.com/discussing-suicide-youth-group/feed/ 1 Discussing suicide is never an easy conversation. With suicide getting more attention in the news lately, it has been revealed that there is a lack...https://youthministry.com/wp-content/upload/ymprod/Suicide_Prevention_Day_770x433-270x196.jpg270196 Suicide Grief: Living in the Aftermath of a Suicide https://youthministry.com/suicide-grief-living-in-the-aftermath-of-a-suicide/ https://youthministry.com/suicide-grief-living-in-the-aftermath-of-a-suicide/#respond Wed, 27 Aug 2014 22:24:48 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=49738 A student’s suicide can be emotionally devastating. Using and modeling healthy coping strategies — such as seeking support — will help you and others on the journey to healing and acceptance.
When a student dies, your grief may be heart wrenching.…

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]]> https://youthministry.com/suicide-grief-living-in-the-aftermath-of-a-suicide/feed/ 0 https://youthministry.com/wp-content/upload/ymprod/worriedwoman-270x196.jpg270196 Grief and Mourning in Youth Ministry (part 2) https://youthministry.com/grief-and-mourning-in-youth-ministry-part-2/ https://youthministry.com/grief-and-mourning-in-youth-ministry-part-2/#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2014 15:23:18 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=49451 Stages of Grief
To get us started, let’s just get rid of the word “stages” of grief. The very word “stages” implies order and progression. I would like to move away from that concept and use the word “dimensions” of grief instead. …

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]]> https://youthministry.com/grief-and-mourning-in-youth-ministry-part-2/feed/ 2 https://youthministry.com/wp-content/upload/ymprod/sadmoment-270x196.jpg270196 Grief and Mourning in Youth Ministry (part 1) https://youthministry.com/grief-and-mourning-in-youth-ministry-part-1/ https://youthministry.com/grief-and-mourning-in-youth-ministry-part-1/#respond Wed, 13 Aug 2014 14:15:12 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=49471 I am all too familiar with grief.  It has been a constant companion in the work I do, working with the addicted, mentally ill, homeless, and youth.  I have a background in emergency medical care first working as a paramedic and then later in an ER as part of a trauma team. …

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]]> https://youthministry.com/grief-and-mourning-in-youth-ministry-part-1/feed/ 0 https://youthministry.com/wp-content/upload/ymprod/SadTeenboy-270x196.jpg270196 When a Student Falls in Love with the Youth Worker https://youthministry.com/when-a-student-falls-in-love-with-the-youth-worker/ https://youthministry.com/when-a-student-falls-in-love-with-the-youth-worker/#comments Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:32:27 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=49225 Because of the difficulties students have in early and mid-adolescence to manage strong feelings of intimacy, the new experience of having someone who listens and whom they can trust sometimes lead them to believe that they are in love with their youth worker.…

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]]> https://youthministry.com/when-a-student-falls-in-love-with-the-youth-worker/feed/ 1 https://youthministry.com/wp-content/upload/ymprod/SadWoman-270x196.jpg270196 Warning Signs That You May Be Taking Your Spouse For Granted https://youthministry.com/warning-signs-that-you-may-be-taking-your-spouse-for-granted/ https://youthministry.com/warning-signs-that-you-may-be-taking-your-spouse-for-granted/#respond Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:10:16 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=49035 This happens more often than not in ministry and we can justify it by claiming we are doing “God’s work” or “Kingdom work.” But too often those we love most sit home while we “run the race set before us.” Christians are divorcing at a rate comparable to non-Christians and I think neglect is one of the bigger offenders.…

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]]> https://youthministry.com/warning-signs-that-you-may-be-taking-your-spouse-for-granted/feed/ 0 https://youthministry.com/wp-content/upload/ymprod/FingerSpouses-270x196.jpg270196 Providing Supervision for Youth Ministry Staff and Volunteers https://youthministry.com/providing-supervision-for-youth-ministry-staff-and-volunteers/ https://youthministry.com/providing-supervision-for-youth-ministry-staff-and-volunteers/#respond Fri, 27 Jun 2014 16:37:00 +0000 http://youthmindev.wpengine.com/?p=48639 In most professions there is a level of supervision that is required to ensure fidelity to certain expectations and to make sure that the company’s employees are “hitting the mark”.  At best, in many churches, there is the annual performance review but the one performing the review is either way too removed to be helpful or too involved to remain objective.…

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]]> https://youthministry.com/providing-supervision-for-youth-ministry-staff-and-volunteers/feed/ 0 https://youthministry.com/wp-content/upload/ymprod/Treatment_buddy_therapy-270x196.jpg270196