Stacking Chairs: A Youth Ministry Podcast

Navigating disruptive behavior in youth ministry is no easy task. From getting kids to pay attention during sermons to addressing behavior that might require asking a student to step away temporarily, these situations can feel overwhelming. But they're also an opportunity to lead with grace, truth, and a focus on restoration. In this episode of Stacking Chairs, hosts Josh Paulhamus and Kyle Gray are joined by guest Eric Gill to discuss real-life scenarios and practical strategies for managing disruptive behavior in youth group and camp settings. They share personal stories, proven techniques like the “three-strike rule,” and insights into balancing discipline with ministry values. Whether you're a veteran youth leader or just starting out, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you lead effectively without losing trust. Key Talking Points: • How to get kids to pay attention during sermons

Kyle talks with a student who started coming to camp because his mom made him and is now a Bible Institute student at Word of Life.  Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

We play a game to start the episode seeing how well we know the texting lingo of the day. We then talk about disunity amongst students in your youth ministry. Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

  Kyle's wife Nicola joins us on this week's episode! This is part 2 of this episode. Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Join the community in our Linktree link above to stay connected as well

Kyle's wife Nicola joins us on this week's episode!  Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Join the community in our Linktree link above to stay connected as well

A special episode where the whole thing is one giant "small group" Find more at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Join us for Pursuit Camp wol.is/pursuit

Have you been to a Word of Life Reverb event? We think it could be the perfect outreach event for your youth group! Mentioned Resources: reverb.wol.org https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

Krissie speaks with us about mental health and how it's seen in the church. Do we talk about it enough or too much? Find all things Stacking Chairs here https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Mentioned Resources: https://www.krissiejoy.com/book https://www.careforpastors.org/ https://www.pastorskids.org/ https://youtu.be/29THVL1i2ag?si=KTOaHtTjGR_HWAg8  

We all focus and identify with the "one" in the parable of the lost sheep, but what about the care of the other 99? Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

There's no such thing as the perfect student; but what are we doing to train up the next generation? Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Mentioned Resources: wol.is/pursuit camps.wol.org

Hypothetically, what does the ideal leader look like in your youth ministry? We talk about building a list and how to be intentional in working with others! Mentioned Resources: wol.is/reverb Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

Jack Wyrtzen, Word of Life's founder, believed that each generation is responsible for reaching their generation with the Gospel. How are you equipping others and yourself with that mission? Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

It's fall and it's time for kick-offs! What does the start of a new school year look like for your ministry? Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Mentioned Resources: reverb.wol.org wol.to/webelieve

We'll be back with a new episode next week! Check out the new community and all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

Peer pressure is common for all of us, but how do we equip the students in our ministries and our homes to deal with that pressure? Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

Brian Tanedo shares with us how foundational an undergraduate program like the Word of Life Bible Institute can be! Join us on campus and learn more at wol.is/visit Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

What's it like starting a new job, especially when that new job is in the role of a pastor? Find all things Stacking Chairs here: https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Join us for the Portion Conference: https://wol.is/portion

Summer camp is over at Word of Life in Florida, and we have James on the Podcast talking about how he thought that camp went this summer. Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

We speak with Jerrod Gunter about his vision and mission with RiotStarter. How can you help your students start a movement that starts with prayer and will reach their generation? Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

Events are a staple of youth ministry! What's your process look like when it comes to event planning? Find all things Stacking Chairs here https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Check out the Portion Conference at https://wol.is/portion

It's so easy to fall into the trap of "if given the opportunity, I need to take it."  Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Check out the Portion Conference at wol.is/portion

Rich Andrews talks with us about what it looks like to be a good follower and some practical steps when working with your leadership. Mentioned Resources: Portion Conference: wol.is/portion Community Group & Linktree

What are some practical ways to get students in the Word on a regular basis?  Join the conversation on our NEW Stacking Chairs Youth Ministry Community here, now! https://www.facebook.com/groups/stackingchairscommunity/ Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

Pranks in youth ministry and camp are almost a staple, but when does it go too far?   Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

Another episode about the balance of parenting and ministry! In this episode, we get the perspective of 4 people for the first time on Stacking Chairs. Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

We talk with Matt Melville this week about the important ministry of being a dad!  Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

We're back with new episodes! We follow up on our conversation from our last new episode and we catch up a little bit with what's been happening in our lives! Thank you all for your patience and prayers this season. We're glad to be back! https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

A great revisited episode with Tommy Sewall this week! We'll be back next week with a new episode, Lord willing.

Another camp-themed episode to revisit as we quickly approach camp! We'll see you all in a couple weeks.

We'll be back in just a few weeks! For now, enjoy this great episode as we're getting ready for camp.

We'll be back with new episodes on the first Wednesday of June! Until then, we'll be posting revisited episodes. Please also keep Kyle and his family in your prayers during this time!

We talk today about how your teaching matters and how it will affect you and those you teach!   Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

How do we approach baptism regarding youth ministry?  Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

We should be back next week with a new episode! For now, we revisit a great episode with Erick talking about the things that we've learned while in ministry.

What if I don't wanna do what I have to do in ministry? We all feel that way sometimes! Find all things Stacking Chairs here

Our words can be the greatest and worst influence when it comes to youth ministry! Find all things Stacking Chairs here

We have an announcement in today's episode! We talk about community with Caleb Cody and how we believe this announcement will help, in a small way, build community.

Why do we not teach the importance of fasting as a spiritual discipline to those we serve or even to ourselves?  Mentioned Resources: Quiettime.life

How do you respond when you're asked to give a last-minute sermon or lesson? We talk about this as well as being prepared for teaching in general! Mentioned Resources: Stacking Chairs linktree teachersource.life

We ask ChatGPT a question concerning youth ministry and then unpack its answers!   Find all things Stacking Chairs Here

How can we work with leaders with whom we don't share a vision? Dylan and Axton join Josh to discuss this question one of our listeners submitted! Find all things Stacking Chairs here

Word of Life Youth Ministries offers more than just curriculum, and who better to talk about it than our friend Chad who works in WOL Youth Ministries? Mentioned Resources: youthministry.wol.org teachersource.life

We've touched on this topic before, but today we talk with Mike Bream and unpack more when it comes to conflict.  Find all things Stacking Chairs here

Erick helps us think about some of the lessons we've learned along the way. What would you do differently if you knew then what you know now? Mentioned Resources: youthministry.wol.org wol.to/ukraine

Andy DeNoon works with Sunday Cool and talks with us about what it's like to navigate comedy in the Christian world! Check out https://www.sundaycoolswag.com/ and mention Stacking Chairs to get 10% off your order from the Sunday Cool Swag Store.

What's the best way to ensure that your youth ministry kids are fed spiritually during camp? We talk about the vision behind camp counselors and the pros and cons of who you choose to trust your students with. Find all things Stacking Chairs here

Hey everyone! We're getting ready for camp, so we'll be back with a brand new episode next week. In the meantime, listen back to one of our older episodes talking about making the camp impact actionable!

We talk about a subject suggested by one of our listeners: what does it look like to have parents of kids in your youth group as youth leaders? We unpack the pros and cons in today's episode! Find all things Stacking Chairs at https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod Email us at StackingChairsPod@wol.org

Christmas season is here! Take a moment and hear about what we will be focusing on as the year wraps up and a good challenge for you and your leaders to focus on this season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We'll be back with a new episode in January.

How do you deal with a student that could be a distraction? We have Dylan on this episode to talk about "problem children" and spoiler alert: we were all "problem children"!

Aren't all teens from all generations basically the same? We should be able to use the same tactics and programs that we have had for the past 50 years! Although you may already know this isn't true, Tommy Sewall joins us today to help us understand how to shift for this generation. The Gospel is the same, but how we approach Gen Z has changed. Find all things Stacking Chairs at linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod