Youth Ministry In Motion

Greetings all. I hope you had a fantastic week! If you're thinking about youth camp already, you are in the right head space. You have to book speakers, plan dates, etc, and today's podcast is what I think makes a great camp speaker. I have been speaking at the same camp for the past 15 years. I have also been the one who has had to book the camp speaker or band, etc. It's not that I think I am th...

It has happened. is happening or will happen. That parent is not going to like something you are doing and you are going to have to deal with it. In this episode I share a few thoughts on being empathetic towards parents while maintaining the vision of the youth ministry.

If you have small groups, you have small group leaders. Do the small groups leaders you have care? They may care enough to show up and teach a lesson, but how do you get them to care beyond that? That's what my friend, Chad Higgins, from Youth Ministry Booster came to chat about today.

Adversity is not a fad but a fact of life. We all have it at some time or another, but do we run into it or run away from it? If you're going through something right now, this episode may change the way you think about how it might benefit from it instead of letting it steamroll you. You can read the notes over at http://thediscipleproject.net/the-secret-plan-adversity-has-for-your-life/

It's the beginning of a new quarter and you might be thinking, "What am I going to do with these young adults?" This episode throws out some ideas that are worth thinking through and could be the solution to your dilemma. I have your show notes right here (as well as my Youtube video) http://thediscipleproject.net/launching-your-college-and-career-ministry/ You can grab my new five week sermon ser...

What keeps us from having the youth ministry job we really want? I say it's desperation and gullibility. We take job because we need them or we talk them without really doing our homework. In this episode I read over, what I consider, an insane youth ministry job ad. I Look at the good points too, but there are a ton of red flags. You can read the show notes here http://thediscipleproject.net/how-...

Suicide among teens happens far too often, but, as youth workers, we can set up speed bumps to slow down that slow walk to despair until help arrives. If you want the free Discipleship Dilemma chapter, from my new book, http://thediscipleproject.net/wp-admin/post.php?post=8787&action=edit Show Notes http://thediscipleproject.net/10-important-youth-ministry-practices-that-could-prevent-a-teen-suici...

No, this isn't clickbait, I have actually resigned my position after eight years. I go in-depth as to why I made this decision (nothing bad)and what's next. Join me. New Resource: Psalm 119 Volume 1 and 2 https://gum.co/fISCm Would you like to support my new mission? Buy something (or a lot of things) from my store gumroad.com/youthminresources Book me for your next event. http://thediscipleprojec...

This episode was inspired, in part, by the Walking Dead character Morgan. He is the loner in the group who does not cope well with loss. Many of us do not cope well with loss. If we lose student, we brood for a time, but any longer and we might be entering a phase that's not healthy for us. Today I talk about healthy ways to cope when a student leaves out ministry. If you are needing more youth mi...

Youth Pastors, and pastors in general, do a lot of communicating. We often have to share hard truths, but we do not have to share them harshly. Let me offer six tips for communication that I learned from one of my favorite actors, Alan Alda, about using the rules of improve to have a good communication. You can check out my new favorite podcast Everything Happens with Kate Bowler here https://itun...

As one who grew up without a father, I appreciated having this conversation but even if you had a dad, I hope this conversation encourages and equips you to reach those who do not. Today I interview Sean Teis, the founder of life factors.org. His own journey of fatherlessness has led him to create valuable resources to churches to help minister to others. You can find more information about the Se...

Have you every felt the pressure to preach like someone else? To meet some unattainable oratory level of perfection? This interview wiht Lane Sebring of preachingdonkey,com is about to set you free from the chains of preaching conformity. We cover What should a youth workers mindset be when approaching the weekly message? Preaching or Teaching? Both? What’s the difference? Pick one or mix it up? H...

They say you are either going into, are in, or coming out of a crisis, and in youth ministry the spaces between those seem very short. That’s why I have my new friend Jim Hancock on the show with me today, Jim is the co-author of The Youth Worker's Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis, The Parent's Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis and a few other youth ministry resources. He provides creative...

Let me start by saying, I am a weird kid. I was that kid who was "fairly normal" but leaned "weird". We all have our definitions of weird based on our own experiences, but we can't allow out biases to keep us from ministering to the "weird" kids who may be hurting in our youth ministries. Today, I share a few thoughts on how I minister to the "weird" kids in my group. You can share your thoughts o...

My friend Chase Snyder stops by to talk about how he gets his kids stoked to read their Bibles. If you're looking for ideas to connect your kids to Jesus through daily devotions, you've come to the right place. Check out Chase's new devotion book Stoked: 6 Questions To Fuel Your Fire For Jesus. It's a great resource to get your kids fired up to do their devotions. Click the link below to grab it....

This is the last episode in my five part series of The 5 Questions You Should Ask Your Volunteers. I hope you've enjoyed it. Let me know what you think of the series style or the shorter lengths, by sending an e-mail to thedproject@me.com Don't forget to sign up for the notes for this series at http://thediscipleproject.net/the-fresh-impact-newsletter/

Welcome to question number four in our series on questions we should be asking our new volunteer or as a way to re-evaluate our old volunteers. This question, posed right and plumbed well, will reap you valuable insight. Don't forget to sign up for the Fresh Impact newsletter and get the show notes for this series when I am done. Just head over to: http://thediscipleproject.net/the-fresh-impact-ne...

Back with question three in the five part series on questions we should ask our volunteers. Today is all about mission. How do you get your volunteer on mission? I share a few thoughts on what I am doing with my volunteers that may help you as well. Don't forget to sign up for the Fresh Impact newsletter. I'll be sending out the notes on this series very soon and I would not want you to miss it.

Welcome to question two in my series on questions we should ask our volunteers. In this episode I ask you to ask your volunteers (and yourself)about their passion level and how to take it up a notch. Don't forget to sign up for Fresh Impact newsletter to get the pdf of this series when it is done. Sign up at www.thediscipleproject.net under resources.

And now for something new. This week kicks off a five part series on the five questions to get the most from your volunteers. These questions are valuable for recruiting, evaluation, or re-evaluation of volunteers. To get the notes, be sure to sign up for the Fresh Impact newsletter at www.thediscipleproject.net

Does setting goals feel like a trip to the dentist? Do you dread it? Feel pressured by it? In today's episode, my co-author of Prepared For Impact, Ryan Latham and I interview each other. We each share our thoughts on goal setting based on a chapter in the book. Here's the the goal setting topics Hitting your target: Knowing what you’re aiming at So Many Targets: Planning Events Moving Targets: Al...

How prepared are you to make an impact on the students you serve? Preparing to make an impact is more important than the actual event, message, or outreach we employ. Today I offer you an interview about my new book Prepared for Impact I did with Greg Davis. Buy the book here https://gum.co/ANxGY Greg is the leader of the Birmingham chapter of First Priority. First Priority is a bible club movemen...

Not gonna lie. This episode is going to blow your mind. Today I interview Ryan Schmall and he shares so many good things about how we can navigate the toughest relationships in the church. To get the full show notes filled with quotes, questions, and evaluation tools, sign up for the Fresh Impact Newsletter at www.thediscipleproject.net You can reach Ryan on Twitter @iamryanschmall and Instagram @...

Whether you're a Christian who happens to game, a parent looking for some insight on video games, or a youth pastor wondering about the best system for your youth room, there is something for everyone. Check out the Christ Centered Gamer website, it's packed with reviews and recommendations. http://www.christcenteredgamer.com Their 2017 Christmas buying guide is handy for those last minute gifts....

Happy December everyone! Today I share a few of my God Adventures from the National Youth Workers Conference that was held in Memphis this year. I share a few stories and some exciting news about my new book Prepared For Impact: 12 Keys to Unlock You and Your Youth Ministry. You can pick my new book up here http://shop.thediscipleproject.net/Prepared-For-Impact-12-Keys-to-Unlock-Your-Youth-Ministr...