Ministry to Youth Stories

What happens when a mission trip to Cambodia turns into a race against anaphylactic shock — with a wheelchair heist, rats on the ER floor, and a $400 bill to save a student’s life? Or when a friendly game of broom ball ends with a youth leader’s fingernail on the ice and a 2 AM ER visit fueled by Greek flashcards? In this episode, Nick and Mikiala sit down with youth pastor Dawson Campbell (Diamon...

In this episode, Nick busts these 5 youth ministry myths: Spiritual growth just happens over time.  Every event has the top the last one. I just need more volunteers. Wednesday night (or Sunday) is the ministry. If students drift away after graduation, your youth ministry failed. He doesn’t just challenge these ideas - he unpacks the truth behind each one. Plus, he dives into two bonus myths that...

We've been told over and over that healthy things grow. If attendance is up, God must be moving and you're doing something right. But here's the problem: You can pack a room and no one knows a single student’s story. You can high-five a hundred kids and not shepherd any of them. Truth: Attendance is not the best scoreboard of a health youth ministry. So, what is? That's the big...

Camps and retreats are often where God shows up in powerful ways, and Nick and Mikiala have the stories to prove it. In this episode, they share personal moments that transformed students’ lives and unpack how youth leaders can intentionally create space for God to move. Shop our Ministry to Youth store . Check out our huge collection of youth ministry bundles, teaching series, one year curriculum...

In this episode, Nick Diliberto, Mikiala, and Lydia Halma talk about why consistency, mentorship, and safe spaces matter in youth ministry.  Lydia shares how one-on-one meetings, intentional engagement, and steady leadership build trust and lasting faith, and how addressing shame helps students feel safe enough to grow.  If you’re a youth ministry wanting deeper relationships and a more impactful...

In this episode of Ministry to Stories, Nick sits down with Kristian Mendoza for a hilarious and heartfelt conversation about those ministry moments when you wish you could disappear through the floor. From an unexpected small group confession to a big slip up in front of the entire youth group, Kristian shares two unforgettable “trap door” moments. If you’ve ever fumbled through a tough moment in...

In this episode of the Ministry to Stories podcast, we tell stories your senior pastor never needs to hear (yes, they’re that good!). Your host Nick Diliberto and guest Jody Livingston (from The Longer Haul Youth Ministry in Youth Ministry ) relive some crazy stories: road trip “memories” no training manual covered, lock in chaos, games with a plot twist & more. The stories are fast, unplanned...

What happens when you’re a youth ministry leader for 44 years? You get stories. Some hilarious, some heartbreaking, and all packed with wisdom. In this episode, we sit down with the one and only Mark Oestreicher (AKA Marko), a youth ministry legend who’s seen it all. From an accidentally inappropriate moment on a mission trip to the terrifying experience of losing a student, Marko shares the raw,...

Get ready to laugh, cringe, and nod along in this can’t-miss episode of the Ministry to Youth Stories podcast! Hosts Nick Diliberto and Mikiala Tennie sit down with Willie Register , a veteran youth minister with a treasure chest of stories . Willie pulls back the curtain on the beautiful madness of youth ministry — sharing unbelievable camp moments like the Balloon Pop Relay that went totally off...

Big things are happening on the Ministry to Youth Stories Podcast ! Host Nick Diliberto is joined by our brand-new co-host, Mikiala Tennie — and trust us, you’re going to love her. Mikiala opens up about her powerful journey in youth ministry, the students who’ve changed her life, and the moments that pushed her to go deeper into serving young people. From tough seasons to breakthrough stories, sh...

What’s every youth ministry leader’s worst nightmare? Yep, losing a student! In this episode, you’ll hear the wild (and slightly terrifying) true story of a student gone missing at camp. Panic, chaos, and a whole lot of “Cue the frantic search party!" ensued. If you’ve ever lost a student (and lived to tell the tale), take heart. You’re not alone. And don’t worry, the kid was found. Eventuall...

Every youth leader has one: that unforgettable game that went sideways. In this episode of Ministry to Youth Stories , host Nick Diliberto kicks things off with a story of a Sunday morning game that ended in sirens, paramedics, and a trip to the hospital. (Spoiler: everyone was okay—but it’s a story you’ll never forget.) Then, we hear from a guest youth leader who shares her own hilarious Christma...

Episode 1: Camp Chaos – When Junior High Camp Goes Off the Rails Welcome to the Ministry to Youth Stories podcast! In our very first episode, we relive a camp experience that went from fun to full-on chaos. It’s messy, it’s gross, and it’s unforgettable. If you’ve ever led a youth camp, you know the unexpected is bound to happen—but what happens when everything goes wrong? This story will have you...