Youth Ministry Sherpas: Coast To Coast

The Sherpas Podcast has been around since 2017, and we’ve had the privilege of interviewing dozens of amazing youth pastors and legends over the years. So it was nice to have the tables turn toward us for a change. We were invited to be guests on the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast with Eric Miller. Brock couldn’t make it, but Shannon and Steve had a great conversation about why we love youth m...

We’ve all been there. We spent HOURS! prepping for youth group. We’ve written the message, prepared the small group questions, set up the chairs and the game, and prayed for the kids. And then… they walk in wearing ear buds as if they don’t give a hoot who else is there or what is being said. Yes, we are annoyed, but this also might be an opportunity to learn more about what our students are liste...

Youth ministry is messy work. Being involved in the lives of teenagers means we get to see the good and the bad. It’s easy to celebrate the good. It’s challenging to know what to do with the bad. All of us have had moments where we called kids out for their behavior, speech, or attitude. Not our favorite thing. In this episode, Brock, Shannon and Steve talk about when to confront students. How do...

Helping Students Stick (Episode 34)Every youth pastor wants to reach more students, and we are notorious for finding gimmicks to attract them. But what we really want is for students to come and stay. On this episode, Steve and Shannon talk about what students today might really be looking for. What does youth ministry offer that other places in their lives do not? And how do we create environment...

Making Youth Ministry Simple Again with Eric Miller, Part 2 (Episode 33)We are once again joined by Eric Miller, National Director of Ministries for Momentum Ministry Partners. MMP influences hundreds of youth pastors and youth ministries around the country through their Momentum Conference, Urban Centers, Cohorts, Education, and Podcast. Eric brings a wealth of experience and perspective to what...

On this episode, Steve is joined by Eric Miller, National Director of Ministries for Momentum Ministry Partners. MMP influences hundreds of youth pastors and youth ministries around the country through their Momentum Conference, Urban Centers, Cohorts, Education, and Podcast. Eric brings a wealth of experience and perspective to what  is  and  isn't  working in youth ministry these days. Eric and...

We’re all here! It’s not easy getting us all in the same room these days, with schedules, work, wildfires, and Brock going to Disneyland. But we did it. And we had a great conversation about our own spiritual rhythms and practices. It’s not easy staying in tune with God when the world is in chaos and our lives are full of demands. But it’s also not optional. How else will we survive these troubled...

According to a recent cover story in The Atlantic entitled “The Anti-Social Century” (by Derek Thompson), we are living in a time when many of us would rather stay home and organize life around our online bubble than hang out with friends or neighbors. Does this ring true, even after covid? Does this contribute to the rise in teen anxiety?  Is this something we notice among our students and famili...

We’ve all seen the news. Wildfires have brought devastation to many communities along the Pacific Coast. Shannon’s church in Malibu has been spared (so far), but she and her family were right on the edge of the evacuation zone. Their bags have been packed for weeks. These fires have brought real trauma to her family, church, school, and community. In the midst of a life-altering event like this, h...

Let’s face it – youth ministry is hard. It can be fraught with frustrations, doomed by discouragement, and crushed by conflict. We’ve all felt like quitting. We’ve all felt like the grass has to be greener at the church lawn down the street. The most recent data from the Youth Worker Compensation Survey shows that the average youth pastor stays at a church less than 5 years, and leaves youth minis...

The crew is back together for a new episode about that old nemesis of youth pastors everywhere: Travel Sports! Shannon is just entering the Sports Parent Phase. Steve is a few years removed from it. Brock is smack in the middle of a softball apocalypse. Travel sports (and other high demand activities in our kid-centric world) are not going anywhere soon. How do we connect, speak about, shepherd, e...

Happy New Year from the Youth Ministry Sherpas! Shannon is out with a sick kid, but Brock and Steve got together anyway to look back on 2024. What a time to be alive! Literally. I mean, Brock had a freaking heart attack last year! That rattles the emotions and priorities in one’s life, for sure. We are both grateful to be given another year of friendship and calling in youth ministry.  Which bring...

The election is finally over. Not only are we glad to no longer be receiving political spam texts, but we are also glad to never have to talk about politics ever again, right? Well, we know that’s not true. Which is why we are back to beat the dead horse into submission. In this episode, Shannon and Steve talk about how to help students think beyond our own cultural time to what God is doing aroun...

They say clarity comes in crisis. That seemed to prove true when our own Brock Morgan recently suffered a heart attack. At that moment, the things that matter most came clearly to mind, and it’s not surprising that, in addition to his wife and daughter, the students he cares about were among the thoughts racing through his mind. In this deeply personal and meaningful conversation, Brock shares his...

Episode 23: Disruptive Youth Ministry It's our first full-length episode in a while (dang day jobs), but we are back for a fun and fascinating conversation about the subversive role youth pastors can play in the lives of young people. In a time when it feels like the church is seeking certainty, status quo, and black and white answers, youth pastors can play the role of disruptors. By stirring the...

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!  

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!  

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!  

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!  

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!  

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!  

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!  

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!  

The Youth Ministry Sherpas are back for the fall, kicking things off with a crazy new series, the Sherpa Triple Play! For 21 straight days, Steve, Brock and Shannon will take turns giving their answer to a Top 3 question in these short and fun episodes. It's a burst of llama love for youth pastors, youth leaders, volunteers, and anyone who works with teens in the church!