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Youth ministry has an unwritten rule of what every worship service should look like. A game, a few announcements, 3 songs, and a 30-minute sermon. We build it this way, hoping students will find a place to worship God together...

There’s a moment most youth pastors experience, and I guarantee that we don’t talk about it. A student sits across from you. Their shoulders are tense. Their eyes look tired. What they’re sharing feels heavier than normal teenage stress. Anxiety.Depression.Family...

You’re in the middle of it right now. Summer is only half over, and if you’re like most youth pastors I know, you’re starting to feel it. Events, VBS, mission trips, camps, and for a lot of you, you’ve got...

Bi-vocational ministry isn’t for the weak. Bi-vocational student pastors often can feel overwhelmed, overworked, undervalued, and underpaid. How am I going to keep up with my church's expectations? What am I going to speak about this week? What game are...

As youth pastors, summers may be the busiest time of the year. We have camps, connection events, weekly ministry, and mission trips. Oh, and not to mention, our own family vacations…hopefully. If we aren’t careful, we can be so busy...

Stepping into a new ministry setting, whether it’s your first church or your fifth, comes with expectations. Some are spoken, and many are unspoken. And without even realizing it, you may begin trying to match an identity you were never...

“I thought I’d be in a different place in my ministry…” “Am I still able to do this?” “Do I want to be in youth ministry forever?” If you’ve been in ministry for long, you’ve likely thought these questions to...

Students are out of school, the weather is warming up (or downright hot if you’re in the South), and vacations are underway—summer is here! This season presents a unique opportunity for youth ministry to thrive, allowing leaders to break away...

Pizza. Lock-Ins. Trampoline Parks. Camp. Pool Parties. Pizza. Dodgeball. Movie Nights. Video Games. Pizza. Church Vans. Chaperones. And more… These are some of the things that might come to mind when you think about a summer in student ministry. Some...

There’s a phrase that gets thrown around in leadership circles that feels a little dark at first, but it tells the truth better than almost anything else: “If you got hit by a bus tomorrow, could this ministry keep going without...

It’s finally here—Graduation Sunday. The students who started as tiny, timid sixth graders now walk around your church with broad-shouldered confidence, ready to tackle the world. Excitement and pride fill your prepped launch speech, and parents beam and wipe away...

Ever wonder who's winning?  Recently, I’ve had a handful of videos recommended to me that present Christian debaters outsmarting their atheist opponents. I admit there's a certain excitement in seeing my beliefs so well defended, and I often notice fellow...