Five Minutes with Marko

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5 Minutes with Marko might be the shortest youth ministry podcast ever; but that doesn’t mean it’s shallow. Marko (Mark Oestreicher, of The Youth Cartel) gets right to the point, sharing thoughts and insights about some aspect of church work with teenager

Mark Oestreicher


    • May 24, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 5m AVG DURATION
    • 48 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Five Minutes with Marko

    Jesus Sauce

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2022 4:59


    In this final episode of the season, Marko unpacks an experience of discovering a challenge in 1 Corinthians 3, and applies it to our work as youth workers.

    New Realities for Teenagers

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2022 5:17


    Marko identifies five new(er) cultural realities that are shaping teenagers, and different from the youth culture most of us grew up in.

    Honesty About Innovation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 7:49


    Marko unpacks four forces that corrode innovation, and two ‘thrusters' needed.

    Four Practices of Great Parent Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2022 5:27


    Winning with parents and helping them live into their own callings includes Listening, Communicating, Equipping, and Inviting Involvement.

    Four Types of Curriculum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2022 6:26


    Marko unpacks Formal, Hidden, Nonformal, and Null curriculums, and asks us to bring more intentionality to all of them.

    Emmanuel Year 'Round

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2022 4:43


    Celebrating Emmanuel – God with us – shouldn't be limited to the Christmas season!

    Curiosity is the Serum for Judgmentalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2022 5:36


    The increase in tribalism in our culture has brought with it an increase in judgmentalism. Marko suggests that Curiosity is our antidote.

    Control or Open Hands

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2022 5:04


    In this second week focused on control, Marko talks about the opposite of control: releasing your grip.

    The Myth of Control

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2022 5:16


    In youth ministry, we often try to control the beliefs and behaviors of teenagers. But it doesn't work.

    Tortilla Chips and Salsa

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2022 4:38


    Consider this episode a ‘devotional' thought, an encouragement to stay connected to the only One who can truly fill you up.

    Responding to Brain Discoveries, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 7:46


    Marko has talked and written quite a bit about teenage brain development; but in this two-part episode, he reflects on how we should respond to brain discoveries.

    Responding to Brain Discoveries, part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 6:01


    Marko has talked and written quite a bit about teenage brain development; but in this two-part episode, he reflects on how we should respond to brain discoveries.

    A “Nothing Prevents You” Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2022 3:56


    A reflection on the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch, and what it might say about the approach to great youth ministry.

    Aligned With Your Calling

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2022 3:09


    Marko shares the story of Marvin, a 60-something youth worker who tried to run away from his calling to youth ministry.

    A Reminder of Why We Do What We Do

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 3:55


    Marko shares a short and moving story about a youth worker who thought he'd blown it, but was actually being used by God in exactly the right way.

    1 Kings 19 Rewritten for Youth Workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2022 3:24


    Part 6 of Marko's snarky 6-part sub-season of scripture rewritten for youth workers.

    Psalm 23 & Luke 5 Rewritten for Youth Workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2022 4:03


    Part 5 of Marko's snarky 6-part sub-season of scripture rewritten for youth workers.

    2 Corinthians 11 & 12 Rewritten for Youth Workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2022 3:52


    Part 4 of Marko's snarky 6-part sub-season of scripture rewritten for youth workers. Learn more about The Youth Cartel's coaching and resources at https://theyouthcartel.com.

    Daniel 3 Rewritten for Youth Workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2022 8:05


    Part 3 of Marko's snarky 6-part sub-season of scripture rewritten for youth workers.

    2 Timothy 1 & 2 Rewritten for Youth Workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2021 5:14


    Part 2 of Marko's snarky 6-part sub-season of scripture rewritten for youth workers.

    Exodus 3 & 4 Rewritten for Youth Workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2021 4:39


    Part 1 of Marko's snarky 6-part sub-season of scripture rewritten for youth workers.

    Be Courageous

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 4:54


    In what aspect of your ministry do you need to try something new?

    The Myth of Balance

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2021 5:34


    Balance isn't a biblical goal; sustainability and thriving are.

    Traditions and Sacred Cows

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2021 5:20


    Traditions in youth ministry are awesome until they become objects of worship.

    The Intersection of Intentionality and Faith

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2021 5:01


    These two choices--intentionality and faith--define the gooey center of great youth ministry.

    The Glass is (at Least) Half Full

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2021 4:49


    Are you weary in ministry? Let's celebrate the unflashy path of consistency.

    The Extension of Adolescence

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2021 4:31


    Naming and resisting the factors that have made adolescence of 20-year journey in our culture.

    The Seduction of Ease

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2021 4:55


    Marko unpacks why ease is the enemy of growth.

    The Patience of Plodding

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2021 5:05


    It's difficult not to see the value of determination and a ruthless commitment to one mission while standing on The Great Wall of China.

    10 Percent Wrong

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2021 4:38


    Even if accusations or criticism are 90% wrong, wisdom addresses the 10%.

    What Would I Do Differently?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2021 4:33


    If I could go back and start all over again in youth ministry, what would I change?

    Helping Teens Meet the Real Jesus

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2021 4:41


    Let's help teenagers examine their childhood images of Jesus and meet the real Jesus.

    Stretching Toward Faith in Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2021 4:37


    A church capital campaign causes Marko to reflect on how he's exercising faith in youth ministry.

    The Power of Small

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2021 4:41


    The pathway to great youth ministry is shorter in smaller churches.

    Teenagers and Risk

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2021 4:23


    Teenagers are naturally (and wonderfully) wired for risk. Our ministries should reflect this truth.

    What Redwood Trees Teach Us About Youth Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2021 4:49


    Staring at some massive redwood trees causes Marko to reflect on the kind of youth worker he'd like to be.

    12 Awesome Things About Middle Schoolers

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2021 5:28


    Marko could list 100 reasons to love young teens; but this episode highlights 12 reasons.

    Improving Your Relationship With Parents

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2021 5:38


    Adopting an attitude of curiosity will completely reframe your interactions with parents of teenagers.

    Being Open to Changing Your Mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2021 4:53


    Marko unpacks an area of his leadership that needed to change, how he became aware of it, and what he did about it.

    LGBTQ Teens Need a Pastoral Response Over a Theological Response

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2021 4:46


    Marko digs into research that reveals why a pastoral response to LGBTQ teenagers is more important than a theological response.

    My Resistance to Excellence as a Value

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2021 4:32


    Excellence is a good thing. Marko's just not convinced it's a great thing.

    Invitation to Partnership with God

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2021 5:01


    Marko unpacks what it means to partner with God in youth ministry.

    Growth Practices of Leaders

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2021 5:38


    Balance is a misguided goal and not even biblical. Way better, and more in alignment with the life of Jesus, are the goals of sustainability and thriving.

    Fear

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2021 5:58


    Youth workers like to think of ourselves as fearless; but the honest truth is, most of us struggle with all sorts of fear. Let's talk about how to orient to that.

    Decisions as Ebeneezers

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2021 5:19


    Let's reframe spiritual decisions (especially the big ones teenagers make at summer events) as Ebeneezers—mile-markers on a spiritual journey.

    Divergent Thinkers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2021 4:56


    Marko talks about Divergent Thinkers. Are they good or bad for our congregations?

    Competency Facilitator

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2021 5:20


    Marko explains what he means by "competency facilitator" and what it means for you, your volunteers, and students.

    Seven Sins of Reinvention

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 6:14


    Join Marko to learn about the seven sins of reinvention in youth ministry.

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