How NOT To Be a Youth Pastor

There comes a point as a Youth Pastor where you can't do it all. Besides, you can't even be there all the time! On today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk about delegating within youth ministry, especially with Kyle's upcoming paternity leave.

There are many, many things our students might be struggling with. But porn is as close to a certainty as you can get. Statistically, if you have at least two students in your youth ministry, one of them is probably struggling with porn in some capacity. On today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk through some of the struggles Youth Pastors face in this arena, and how we can have healthy conversations...

Parents get to live with their kids and raise them for 18 years. Youth Pastors? Well, we get them for maybe an hour per week. In today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk about why it's so important to partner with parents in youth ministry, and some key ways to do it.

Adding people to the Kingdom of God is one of the biggest goals of ministry. But in today's episode, Kyle takes the stance that, in an ideal world, no student ever accepts Christ during one of their youth services. Is it lunacy, or are Kyle and Derek on to something about how we should be approaching evangelism?

Many listeners have wondered how in the world Kyle and Derek managed to convince their wives to marry them. Was it a trick? Hypnosis? Did they pay them off? Nope! Check out today's episode for "biblically founded sayings to win over the opposite gender." Or, as some people would call them, Christian Pickup Lines.

Riley is back for another episode as the gang closes out 2022 with a friendly round of The Initials Game, courtesy of the Power Trip Morning Show on KFAN.

Stepping into a new pastoral role can be a challenge, and there are plenty of obstacles to navigate. On today's episode, Derek's new Youth Pastor, Riley, joins the show to talk about the joys and challenges that come with being new on the job.

Ministry tends to introduce us to individuals or situations that are... unpleasant. Youth Pastors get put in tough situations all the time where there isn't always a right answer, but you're forced to act like there is. Or, more likely, you have to pick between two less-than-ideal choices and go for it! On today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk about some of the ways to make these uncomfortable situ...

We are all familiar with the Christmas story, right? Jesus' birth has been portrayed by small children for generations. But do we have all the details right? Join Kyle and Derek as they dive into the Christmas story and shed new light on some of the details we've gotten wrong.

Churches talk all the time about how terrible idols are. But last we checked, most people aren't making sacrifices in their backyard to Ba'al anymore. So where do we look for idols today? Kyle and Derek talk today about some of the modern idols that Youth Pastors have, and they might not be what you think.

We are living in an unprecedented age of mega-churches. More and more of them seem to crop up every year. But is that a good thing? Can youth ministry be effective on such a large scale? Join Kyle and Derek as they dive into the touchy "church size" conversation.

Hurt is unavoidable. Students (and definitely parents) will offend and insult you as a Youth Pastor. On today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk about how to process and bounce back from conversations that might otherwise knock you out of ministry.

Kyle and Derek welcome fellow Youth Pastor Heidi Rausch onto the podcast to talk about downtown Chicago mission teams, investing in young leaders, and being a woman in youth ministry.

Youth ministry is a lot like running a small church, with one big distinction: every 6 or 7 years, your entire congregation changes over. Every student will eventually graduate and leave your ministry, so how do you set them up for success? On today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk about what it takes to launch students into young adulthood well.

With Halloween just around the corner, Kyle and Derek discuss some of the stories and moments in their ministries that would send anyone running! From hotel fires to mischievous students, they share some of their experiences and how they handled some of their most bizarre moments in youth ministry.

Success stories are always more fun. But Youth Pastors fail A LOT. People, in fact, fail a lot. On today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk about what to do when you do something that doesn't work, and ways to learn from it to make the next move better!

Most people don't like asking for a raise, but what if your boss is your pastor?!? Money is a tricky subject to talk about, but on today's episode, Kyle and Derek dive into the world of youth pastor compensation.

Every Youth Pastor likes to think they have great things to say. You know, like the stuff that would go viral on TikTok. But equally important are the things that Youth Pastors maybe SHOULDN'T say. Whether it's a text to a student or from the stage, join Kyle and Derek discussing some of the things they would recommend YPs maybe don't talk about.

If you're in ministry, at some point you have probably stopped and asked yourself, "Why did I sign up for this?" On today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk about how pastors can hold to healthy boundaries, and how those outside of ministry can be supportive without jumping to conclusions.

Students have a LOT of things happening in their lives that can occupy their time. As youth pastors, how do we work with those schedules, instead of against them? And as parents or students, how do we navigate that balance? Join Kyle and Derek as they attempt to find the line between using the gifts God has given us and being so busy we aren't available for the core of what God has called us to.

As we head into a new fall of ministry, it can be an important reminder to stay focused as pastors and leaders. There is a lot within our control to focus on, and some things that are out of our control. On today's episode, Kyle and Derek talk about focusing on what we can control in ministry.

Kyle and Derek are back for Season 2! We kick it off with a discussion on salvation calls, or altar calls. Many churches use a variation of "bow your heads, close your eyes, and raise your hands" to facilitate salvation with their congregation. But is that the best way to do it? At the very least, we think it's worth a discussion.

Kyle and Derek record this special episode live from summer camp! Many churches attend summer camps, but all of them are different. So on this episode, we talk about some of the structures of summer camp and why we enjoy going!

On the final episode of Season 1, Kyle and Derek talk about their favorite memories from Season 1 of the podcast and how to celebrate wins as a youth ministry. Listen in as they cover defining wins, where and when to celebrate them, and also catch some spoilers on Season 2!

One of the more intimidating and uncomfortable topics, Kyle and Derek talk about the realities of being mandatory reporters as youth pastors. Listen in as they discuss some of the things to look for, how to have these tough conversations with students, and who you might need to call if the situation arises.