Recent Blog Posts
Freebie Friday #89: Guide for students who are exploring full-time ministry
post a comment | posted Yesterday
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
Back in July I featured Steve Quatro in our LIVE Youth Ministry Conversation where he gave us ideas for encouraging teenagers to consider ministry as a full-time career. He gave lots of insights about the need for this generation to start becoming ...
Your input: What do sr. pastors need to hear from youth workers?
post a comment | posted 2 days ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
In a couple weeks I'm speaking at a retreat for sr. pastors who serve here in the northwest. For the first session they asked me to teach sr. pastors how they can support their paid and volunteer youth workers. However, the second session is wide o...
Why I recruit retired adults to be youth leaders
post a comment | posted 3 days ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
It seems like most youth pastors and sr. pastors think that college students or young married couples make the best youth workers, usually because, "The kids can relate to them" or "They're energetic."
Looking back over my 10 years in youth ministr...
Not-So-Recent Blog Posts
How to keep parents updated on youth trips (the fun way!)
post a comment | posted 4 days ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
The typical way of keeping parents up-to-date while on a youth trip is to call home when something bad happens. "Sorry, Mrs. Johnson. Your son has mashed potatoes stuck in his ears and can't hear a thing. You'll have to drive 5 hours to pick him up...
Time Out: Do you have the joy, joy, joy, joy down in your heart?
post a comment | posted 4 days ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)
How do you feel when you hear the Hallelujah chorus? Does it sound joyful to you? We assume Handle must have been overflowing with joy in order to write that fine piece of music and I''m sure that is true. However, his ...
Freebie Friday #88: Discussion about "living a show" at church
post a comment | posted 1 week ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
Russell Bowlin is the youth director at my father-in-law's church in Texarkana, TX. While my wife and I were visiting them a couple weeks ago, we hang out at their youth meetings. Russell led a significant discussion on how we live our lives as a s...
Favorite Youth Group Games: Inner-tube challenge
post a comment | posted 1 week ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
Indoor Game; All Ages; 30 or more kids
Troy Young, student pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Danville, KY, sent me this game idea. I haven't tried it yet, but can't wait to do so!
Buy 3 or 4, 203 bicycle inner-tubes. Split the youth up into grou...
Podcast: Problems with youth group as a "minichurch"
post a comment | posted 1 week ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
Last week in our LIVE Youth Ministry Conversation we talked about the issues surrounding "youth group as a minichurch." Youth ministries are becoming like their own little sub-church more and more: they have their own pastor, their own worship band...
Get a FREE one-on-one youth ministry mentor!
post a comment | posted 1 week ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
Last March I explored the idea of developing a one-on-one mentorship program for those who have been in youth ministry for two years or fewer. The response was overwhelming! After sifting through over 200 applications, I choose two individuals and ...
Time Out: But the greatest of these is love
post a comment | posted 1 week ago
Originally posted at Life in Student Ministry
Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)
We Americans say we love everything! We love pizza, football and our country. We love Mom, apple pie and American Idol. We love whatever is good and wholesome. But when we say we love everything, we really don't love an...