Vitals for Youth Ministry

In this episode, we sit down with Sam McCollough from Feed. Bible to explore hopeful trends in youth ministry and equip next generation leaders to guide students toward lasting faith. We unpack what it means to be “emerging committed,” identify markers of spiritual formation , and share strategies for discipling students in a world shaped by AI and digital culture. Discover how to close the gap be...

A heart-first kickoff to season two on the power of abiding in Jesus, why confidence flows from intimacy with God, and how to diagnose fruit to find the root. We talk with John Zick about honest stories, simple rhythms, and practical boundaries to guard your heart and lead from overflow. • Defining abiding as ongoing relationship with God • Rival mentality versus true fulfillment • Fruit diagnosti...

We share a field-tested playbook for building a healthy youth leadership team, from recruiting people who care to training them with simple rhythms that last. Ashton Peters unpacks “The Third Voice,” showing how mentors help students from unchurched homes grow with steady guidance. • Leadership development as the engine of sustainable youth ministry • Recruiting seasoned adults and diverse voices...

We pull back the curtain on youth ministry insecurity, comparison, and the pressure to make every Wednesday hinge on one person, then map a better way—equipping leaders, planning with purpose, and building systems that last. Gabby O’Rourke shares candid stories and a practical framework to turn vision into sustained growth. • Naming insecurity and resisting comparison • Equipping volunteers over o...

We sit down with Reggie Dabbs to explore how presence, scripture, and bold invitations move students from passive listeners to active disciples. From back-row handshakes to altar calls, we unpack a simple, focused path to help students live on mission every day. • Making mission normal in daily life • Earning trust with presence and integrity • Using scripture as the engine of change • Writing mes...

We talk with Carrie Brooks about building a safe, Jesus-centered community where students can belong while they figure out what they believe. From a hilarious living-room play to a practical playbook for small groups, this is a master class in culture, habits, and care. • Why belonging is the on-ramp to belief • Five measurable habits for small-group leaders • Structuring grade and gender groups t...

We explore how authority from God creates confidence without ego and why rebuilding Bible literacy is the safest path back to health in youth ministry. John Rush shares stories, practical tools, and a call to play the long game: disciple deeply and watch evangelism grow. • Authority that produces humility and courage • Candid youth ministry stories and lessons learned • Celebrating innovation with...

Phil Johnson shares how to create a youth ministry culture centered on missional living by modeling authentic evangelism and celebrating students who live out the Great Commission in their daily lives. • Discipleship and evangelism should be integrated, not treated as separate ministry focuses • Creating a missional culture starts with what we celebrate in our youth ministry • Students often focus...

Joseph Kellogg shares his strategic approach to leadership development in youth ministry, focusing on how to mobilize leaders for a missional youth movement. His four-year strategy prioritizes multiplication at every level, creating systems that transform followers into commissioned leaders who can effectively reach Gen Z and Gen Alpha. • Joseph has been in youth ministry for 24 years and recently...

We explore how gospel fluency should be at the center of youth ministry, extending beyond just the moment of salvation to transform every aspect of students' lives and propel them into mission. • Gospel fluency is often overlooked because we assume students already understand the basics • Students live in a works-based world where they're constantly graded on performance, which is contra...

Terry Parkman shares how youth ministry is fundamentally shifting from attractional to missional models, requiring leaders to focus on transforming students rather than merely entertaining them. • Youth ministry is at a tipping point where effective ministries will focus on outcomes (life transformation) rather than outputs (attendance numbers) • Today's young people aren't seeking enter...

Reggie Hill, Young Adults Pastor at Journey Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shares his expertise on leadership development in youth ministry and how to avoid becoming "the lid" to your own ministry. • Shifting from being the superhero who does everything to a coach who develops leaders • Creating ministry tracks that help students find their leadership lane based on passions and skills • U...

Ever notice how you can tell when someone has been with Jesus? There's something different about them—a presence, a peace, a perspective that stands out in our chaotic world. In this transformative episode of Vitals for Youth Ministry, National Youth Director for the Assemblies of God Austin Westlake reveals how consistent spiritual disciplines create the foundation for effective ministry and...

Micah Mac joins us to vulnerably share how a painful season of ministry—feeling inadequate, discouraged, and even depressed—became the catalyst for his most significant leadership growth. With remarkable transparency, Micah reveals the exact moment he discovered a framework for personal development that not only changed his ministry trajectory but eventually transformed his entire church staff. Th...

Spiritual transformation begins with teaching students to deny themselves before they can truly follow Jesus. We've often emphasized the "follow" part without properly teaching the denial that must come first. • The importance of denying oneself as the foundation for spiritual transformation  • How youth pastors often focus on attraction rather than transformation • Why students nee...

What if the most effective youth ministry strategy isn't flashy, innovative, or complicated—but actually stunningly simple? In this revealing conversation with 20-year youth ministry veteran Elisha Garcia of Grace Church in Houston, we uncover how returning to fundamental practices is transforming an entire generation's relationship with scripture. Elisha opens up about the intentional s...

Is your youth ministry measuring the right things? When attendance numbers become your primary success metric, you're setting yourself up for an emotional rollercoaster that's entirely out of your control. Andy Lynn, NextGen Director, New Jersey Ministry Network, brings 18 years of ministry experience to this paradigm-shifting conversation about what really matters in youth ministry. Aft...

What if the pathway to effective youth ministry isn't about chasing every good idea, but focusing on clear targets that produce lasting disciples? Tim Smith, Next Gen Director at Faith Church in South Carolina, reveals how establishing five core "vitals" transformed his approach to youth ministry after years of measuring success by numbers alone. Drawing from over a decade of minist...

What if the transition from high school to college didn't have to mean a crisis of faith for our youth? Join us as we unpack the pivotal difference between heart transformation and mere behavior modification in youth ministry. With insights from Jared Berry, the Next-Gen Director for the New York Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God, you'll gain an understanding of how approval-seek...

Special thanks to our guests for this episode - Steve John Connect with Steve on Instagram HERE Connect with Eran HERE . Connect with Peter HERE . Connect with LTG HERE . Get more info on Lead the Generation at www.leadthegeneration.com Interested in over 100 hours of training videos from our conferences.  Check out Lead Now here: https://www.leadthegeneration.com/leadnow Watch the video of this p...

Special thanks to our guests for this episode - Jeremy Donovan Connect with Jeremy on Instagram HERE Connect with Eran HERE . Connect with Peter HERE . Connect with LTG HERE . Get more info on Lead the Generation at www.leadthegeneration.com Interested in over 100 hours of training videos from our conferences.  Check out Lead Now here: https://www.leadthegeneration.com/leadnow Watch the video of t...

Special thanks to our guests for this episode - Mike Miller, Lead Pastor, Nova Church Connect with Mike on Instagram HERE Connect with Eran HERE . Connect with Peter HERE . Connect with LTG HERE . Get more info on Lead the Generation at www.leadthegeneration.com Interested in over 100 hours of training videos from our conferences.  Check out Lead Now here: https://www.leadthegeneration.com/leadnow...

Special thanks to our guests for this episode - Ty Buckingham, Evangelist Connect with Ty on Instagram HERE Connect with Eran HERE . Connect with Peter HERE . Connect with LTG HERE . Get more info on Lead the Generation at www.leadthegeneration.com Interested in over 100 hours of training videos from our conferences.  Check out Lead Now here: https://www.leadthegeneration.com/leadnow Watch the vid...

Special thanks to our guests for this episode - Jeff Grenell, Author: Understanding GenSeXZY. Buy Jeff's book HERE . Connect with Jeff on Instagram HERE Connect with Eran HERE . Connect with Peter HERE . Connect with LTG HERE . Get more info on Lead the Generation at www.leadthegeneration.com Interested in over 100 hours of training videos from our conferences.  Check out Lead Now here: https...

Special thanks to our guests for this episode - Char Blair, DYD - Northern California/Nevada Connect with Char on Instagram HERE Connect with Eran HERE . Connect with Peter HERE . Connect with LTG HERE . Get more info on Lead the Generation at www.leadthegeneration.com Interested in over 100 hours of training videos from our conferences.  Check out Lead Now here: https://www.leadthegeneration.com/...