Big Ideas in Youth Ministry

Top 5 Youth Leader Hacks 5. Order youth by Class. Class of 2030. Put names in your phone by class. 4. Birthday Cards at the start of the year. 3. FaceList for each trip and leader list. 2. List of Small Jobs you do NOT want to do for when people ask if there's anything they can do to help. 1. Google Calendar.

Bubba's Top 5 Game list 5 Animal Farm 4 Flippin Burgers 3 Fishbowl 2 Alien Abduction 1 Christians and Romans

Cliff and Michelle talk with Erin Rugh and take some Questions Top 5 ways to get Youth involved in Leadership in the Church 5. Creating Space for Listening 4. Treat them like adults 3. Recognize their gifts 2. Youth Sponsored Annual Event 1. Be Flexible

Michelle and Cliff talk with Shelly Donaldson and Ashley McFall-Irwin about how to do affirming and welcoming ministry with LGBTQ+ youth and adults. Kari Morgan also gives her Top 5 "mixers". 5. Hot Choclate 4. Memory Match 3. Story Bag 2. Happy, Grappy, Buffalo 1. Post Past This Podcast is made possible through a generous grant from the APCE Edowment Ministry Team. Visit apcenet.org to register for the next national event!

Cliff and Michelle talk with Maggie Johnson, Director of Youth at Shallowford Presbyterian Church about Small Groups Top 5 Go to Program Ideas 5) Backwards Book Club Choose a Book. When youth arrive at youth group, they get the book and a few highlighters. During youth group, go through a few key stories, passages and let them highlight, talk about the book. It is “backwards” because then they can take the book home and have it on their shelf. Favorites: Anne Lamott, Help, Thanks, Wow. 4) LIFE-SKILLS Cooking, changing a tire, etiquette. Learn some skills you need for life. Make a devotion out of feasting together, considering who the feeding of the 5000 and what it means when Jesus says- you feed them. Look at the faith journey and learn to change a tire. What are the lessons from the road. 3) Grocery Store Challenge Meet at a grocery store, take the church van. Everyone brings $5 and combine your funds to buy for your local food bank. Pair up youth and give them a situation. Older couple with grandchild but the child eats breakfast and lunch at school. They need a few meals and snacks. Discussion: What was hard? What would it be like to buy for your family on a limited budget? What do people need when we donate to our local food bank? Who might be food insecure in your town? 2) Morality Auction Supplies: Play money. Give out $1000 to each person. List on the board all things up for auction: Great hair day forever, cure cancer, write a novel, play in a major league game, Sing back-up for your favorite artist, Unlimited knowledge, Dinner with Jesus etc. Add fun things and serious. Discussion: What do your purchases say about you? This could be part of a 10 commandment series, considering what we worship. 1) Broken Pottery Crosses or Bowls made - Same concept 3 ways Tiny clay pots. Put one in a brown paper bag and Pottery pieces put on small wooden cross Beautiful Bowl dropped once, glued back and then gold paint painted over the crease. Discussion: God takes the broken pieces of our lives and makes them new and beautiful. This is resurrection hope in which we stand. Other Ideas: Birthday Party for Everyone, play birthday games, celebrate each other and end with shout-out's for each other. Let us become little like children: PJ night, cereal bar, bring stuffed animals and have a contest. Read children's stories.

Top 5 Parenting Books 5. Wise Minded Parenting: 7 Essentials for Raising Successful Tweens + Teens by Dr. Laura Kastner 4. The Spiritual Child: The New Science on Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving by Lisa Miller 3. Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids by Kara Powell 2. How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims 1. Getting to Calm: Cool-Headed Strategies for Parenting Tweens + Teens by Dr. Laura Kastner

Michelle and Cliff talk with Allison Billings, Middle School Coordinator at Myers Park Presbyterian Church and Genevieve Brooks, Director of Youth Ministries at White Memorial presbyterian Church talk Volunteers

Shannon Guse, Director of High School and College Ministries at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas texas and Alan Bancroft, Youth Ministry Coordinator at Cary Presbyterian Church in Cary NC join Michelle and Cliff to talk about Camino Pilgrimages and Allison Billings has a top 5 List around connecting.

Cliff and Michelle talk with Louden Young-Associate Pastor of Emerging Generations and Mission at New Providence Presbyterian Church in Maryville TN about Generational Connections and hav a Top 5 List for Mental Health Books and Resources. 5 THRIVERS by Michele Borba 4 Spiritual Practices for the Brain by Anne Kertz Kernion 3 Shining Like the Sun, Seven Mindful Practices for Rekindling your Faith by Steve Wiens 2 Mindful Games Activity Cards, Susan Kaiser Greenland with Annaka Harris 1 Therapy Games for Teens, 150 Activities to improve Self-Esteem, Communication, and Coping Skills by Kevin Gruzewski

Anne Stark has a Top 5 List for Youth engagement and John Weicher talks planning and when to divert from the plan.

Michelle and Cliff discuss the Newly Revised Godbearing Life with Kenda Creasy Dean and Megan Dewald.

Cliff and Michelle talk with Marc about his new book: Between the Listening and the Telling: How Stories Can Save Us.

Michelle and Cliff talk with Dr. Andy Root about his book "The End of Youth Ministry"

Michelle, Cliff, John Weicher and Jacob Kennedy talk about summer activities.

Michelle and Cliff talk with Nathan Wheeler about his book "A Faith of Their Own: A Theological Field Guide for Youth Ministry"

Cliff and Michelle talk with CNN contributor and Author Michelle Icard about her new book Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen

Michelle and Cliff Talk with Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. You can find more on Dr Moore Here

A conversation from the Big Ideas in Youth Ministry conference with Greg Ellison and Charles Peterson about the Fearless Dialogues process.

In this episode Michelle and Cliff talk with some of the participants of the Big Ideas in Youth Ministry Conference about advice given early on, lessons learned the hard way, and tips for longevity in youth ministry.

Cliff and Michelle talk with Dan Davis director of Camp Rockmont about issues relating to Boys and Men.

Michelle and Cliff talk with John Weicher about Youth in Leadership Live at ARW. How to Rock a Committee A Guide for Youth Serving on a Committee, as an Elder or as a Deacon 1. You are a full member.You were selected to be a part of this committee (deacon board, session), and regardless of your age, you are expected to fulfill the duties like any other member. You are not a “youth member.” You are a youth, and you are a member, but you are not some sort of ‘junior member.’ You have been elected to serve a full term (or to fill someone’s unexpired term) just like any adult member is.You were nominated because our church believes you have the gifts to serve well in this ministry. Indeed, you bring gifts that would be lacking if you had said “no.” If you do not participate fully, then your committee is down a member and unable to serve quite in the way it needs to. (And there are lots of other youth serving, so you are not alone in this.)2. Get to know your committee chair.Make sure you know who your chair is for the upcoming year. Introduce yourself to them, maybe even find some time to get to know them over coffee or a meal. They may not be used to working with youth, so that will help them get to know you as well and make it easier for your chair to use you well. Your chair is your friend.Tell your chair your hopes for serving, why you said “yes,” and what makes you nervous about it. Ask any questions you have about you’re your ministry does and about ways you can help out in particular. Your chair will likely be eager to help you get comfortable and use you well. More communication is always better.3. Be there & be on time.Make a point of being at every committee meeting and event you can. This is an important commitment. You probably have other important commitments, but so does everyone else. If you have to miss, let your chair know in advance and ask what you will miss.4. Know what’s going on.Read your committee’s monthly minutes when they are sent out. Ask questions if you don’t understand what they say. Read the minutes extra closely if you miss a meeting.5. Participate fully.Try to have confidence in your ideas, because the committee will listen and take them into consideration just as they would for any adult member. Don’t be afraid to speak up at the meeting. You are there because you have something meaningful to share, your thoughts included. As Presbyterians, we believe the Holy Spirit works through all of us being together (hence committees), and you are a part of that. Try to stay on topic, of course, but don’t worry if comment doesn’t move the conversation along (not everyone’s does). It will do so more often than you think, and the rest of the committee will embrace you more for speaking up.6. Sign up for stuff.Just like you should participate fully in the meetings, you should sign up as much as everyone else for tasks related to your committee (deacon visiting, worship set-up, etc.). The committee needs your energy and time. Everyone is busy – not just you.7. Do your homework.If there’s something to read, review or research for the next meeting, be sure to do it. Because you LOVE homework.8. Be your wonderful, gifted, faithful self.You are serving as a deacon or committee member because the Holy Spirit has given you these gifts, the church has recognized that, and it needs you to do God’s ministry in these ways. That means be yourself, and you will be fine. And never be afraid to ask for help.

Live From ARW in Montreat North Carolina.

John Turnbull and Chris Williams step in with Michelle and Cliff to talk to with Katie Douglass and get the Latest on the New Confirmation Curriculum "Big God, Big Questions" Which is the result of the work of the Confirmation Project.

Cliff and Michelle talk with Shelly Donaldson about Everything from labels to Sleeping arrangements in an LGBTQ inclusive Youth group.

Tully Fletcher joins Michelle and Cliff to talk Mission trips.

Michelle and Cliff talk with Sophie Maness and Lynn Anne Turnage about the importance of play and games.

Michelle and Cliff are joined by Brian Kuhn to discuss anxiety and its effects on youth and in youth ministry settings.Resources mentioned in this episode: The spiritual Child by Lisa MillerCopingskillsforkids.com