Student Ministry

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The LifeWay Student Ministry Podcast is designed to encourage and inform student ministry leaders at every level. Each episode Ben Trueblood will join with student ministry leaders and guests to talk about issues, both practical and philosophical, relating to student ministry and leadership. Our goa…

LifeWay Students

Nashville, TN


    • Jan 11, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 35m AVG DURATION
    • 355 EPISODES

    4.5 from 184 ratings Listeners of Student Ministry that love the show mention: lifeway, ben and john, student pastors, ministry leaders, student ministry podcast, discipling, john paul, volunteers, youth pastor, youth ministry, ministers, equip, 15 20, thank you ben, ministries, awesome resource, robbie, students, sized, tangible.


    Ivy Insights

    The Student Ministry podcast by LifeWay is a fantastic resource for anyone involved in student ministry, whether they are full-time ministers or volunteers. As a small church with a volunteer-based student ministry, I have found this podcast to be incredibly encouraging and helpful in my role. The content is top-notch and the episodes cover a wide range of topics that apply not only to youth ministry but also to adult ministries and senior pastorship. The conversations are challenging, fun, and thought-provoking, leaving me wanting more. I have been listening for a couple of months now and it has become an essential part of my planning and preparation in student ministry.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the variety of guests they bring on. From experienced student ministry leaders to authors and experts in various fields, each episode offers different perspectives and valuable insights. The episode with Jeff Borton and the one about Feed were particularly enjoyable and informative. Another great aspect is the relevance of the topics discussed. The hosts tackle issues that are current and applicable to today's youth culture, equipping listeners with practical strategies for reaching and discipling teenagers.

    If I had to point out a potential downside to this podcast, it would be that there are occasional technical glitches such as audio echoing or distortion. While these don't detract from the overall quality of the content, they can be slightly distracting at times. However, this is a minor issue compared to the wealth of knowledge and inspiration provided by each episode.

    In conclusion, The Student Ministry podcast by LifeWay is an invaluable resource for both full-time ministers and volunteer leaders in student ministry. It offers practical advice, biblical teaching, leadership development tools, and encouragement for those serving in youth ministries around the world. The hosts bring a wealth of experience and their conversations are engaging and thought-provoking. Whether you're just starting out in youth ministry or have years of experience under your belt, this podcast will inspire, challenge, and equip you to effectively reach and disciple teenagers.



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    Latest episodes from Student Ministry

    Episode 378: Why Fun is Important for Youth Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2024 37:08


    Join Ben, Zac, and Nathan on this week’s podcast as they discuss why fun is an important element of youth ministry. Watch the podcast on YouTube here. About Ben Trueblood […]

    Episode 378: Why Fun is Important for Youth Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2023 37:08


    Join Ben, Zac, and Nathan on this week’s podcast as they discuss why fun is an important element of youth ministry. Watch the podcast on YouTube here. About Ben Trueblood […]

    Episode 377: Setting Up Student Leadership Teams to Grow Youth Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2023 49:25


    Join Ben, Zac, Chad, and Nathan on this week’s podcast as they discuss how to build and set up student leadership teams to help grow your youth ministry. Watch the […]

    Episode 376: How To Be A Better Speaker

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2023 39:57


    Join Ben, Zac, and Nathan on this week’s podcast as they talk about how to become a better speaker in youth ministry and share what they have learned over the […]

    Episode 375: Managing Stress in Youth Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2023 31:34


    “You are a human and the pastoring that you are doing filters through that. We have to remember that we are a human doing and not just a human being.” […]

    Episode 374: Upgraded Pastries and Youth Ministry Conferences

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2023 25:41


    “Try to upgrade your experience whenever you can. That may mean one nice meal or a little nicer hotel, that stays within budget, but this can be great for way […]

    Episode 373: Pumpkin Spies

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2023 45:33


    “Ministry doesn’t just happen when you control it” – Zac Workun “If we are not careful we can be calendar busy but not ministerially busy.” – Ben Trueblood About Ben […]

    Episode 372: Your Role in Girls Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2023 37:49


    “Girls ministry should always be a freeing thing.” – Amanda Mejias “Healthy ministry is when we are replaceable.” – Corinne Allen About Ben Trueblood Ben serves as the Director of […]

    Episode 371: Building Real Relationships in Student Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2023 40:49


    “Growing up friendship was easy but community was hard. True community is a group of people who push you and challenge you and call you up.” – Tega Faafa “Relationships […]

    Episode 370: Did you know you could bonsai any tree?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2023 42:34


    “Volunteer recruitment is a premium right now. Spending the final few weeks of the summer focusing on volunteers helps the fall start off feeling really good.” – Ben Trueblood “The […]

    Episode 369: Heat Index and a Cold Water Baptism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2023 48:36


    “Maybe what we see at camp is meant to push our low moments a little bit higher than they were before. Rather than my ministry needs to feel like camp […]

    Episode 368: Calling out the Called

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2023 47:20


    “Students connect to stories, so share your story about how God called you into ministry.” – Shane Pruitt “Invite people into your calendar to show them what ministry looks like […]

    Episode 267: Start to Finish, a Conversation with Mark Dance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2023 37:40


    “We need to talk less and listen more.” – Mark Dance “Time management is a big challenge that needs to be a priority in your life.” – Mark Dance Mark […]

    Episode 366: Urgent Care

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2023 66:17


    “When the busy is the result of procrastination or the wrong priorities, it makes it hard to get the rest we need.” – Zac Workun “You are measured by who […]

    Episode 365: A Conversation with Zach Wyatt

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2023 41:46


    “Finding community with other student pastors is vitally important ” – Zach Wyatt “Student pastors have to focus on more than just their strategic ministry. Their personal walk with The […]

    Episode 364: Creating Traditions

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2023 47:14


    “Often students remember serving or time spent in their small group with a leader over coffee or lunch, and it’s those moments that tend to last. What would it look […]

    Episode 363: A Conversation with Lee Wilson

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2023 54:35


    “Find someone who you can be accountable to who doesn’t care about your title or your past.” – Lee Wilson “My first ministry is my family.” – Lee Wilson Lee […]

    Episode 362: Oklahoma Cepes

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2023 52:37


    “If you have to do ministry with less, then you can do a lot with relationships and being people.” – Ben Trueblood “The challenge in ministry beyond what we say […]

    oklahoma ben trueblood
    Episode 161: A Conversation with Curtis Zackery

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2023 68:00


    “Spiritual disciplines should be intentional, substantial, and sustainable” – Curtis Zackery “Suffering allows us to see who we are now because of what we have experienced.” – Curtis Zackery Curtis Zackery (CZ) is known […]

    conversations spiritual suffering curtis zackery zackery
    Episode 160: A Conversation with Dr. Loritts

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2023 69:47


    “Ethnic unity can only come through relationships. Proximity creates empathy. ” – Dr. Bryan Loritts Dr. Bryan Loritts (D.Min., Liberty University) is the Teaching Pastor at The Summit Church. An […]

    Episode 359: A Conversation with Jeff Wallace

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2023 80:20


    “My mom didn’t want me to have a single story perspective. She wanted me to see the heart of the man before I saw the face of the man.” – […]

    Episode 358: The Art of Communication

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2023 30:29


    “You communicate not just from stage but also in the way you write emails, train volunteers, budget, and through many other ways.” – Ben Trueblood About Ben Trueblood Ben serves […]

    Episode 357: Wake Up Cake

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2023 41:02


    “There are things that frustrate us that we can’t control but I think even in those areas there are things that we can control. When we get stuck on the […]

    Episode 356: What’s New?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2023 30:39


    “Continue to challenge yourself to do something new. This does not always have to be something brand new but can be tweaking something to make it better.” – Ben Trueblood […]

    ben trueblood
    Episode 355: Bizzaro World & A Happy New Year

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 41:55


    “We need to help our students fight loneliness for themselves but also understand the loneliness epidemic around to help students engage in a lost world.” – Chad Higgins “Creating a […]

    happy new year bizzaro world
    Episode 354: Unbound

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2022 28:47


    “Jesus is not content to let Lazarus live his new life in his grave clothes. What would it look like if we removed the grave clothes from our lives and […]

    Episode 353: Admin All-Star

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2022 31:34


    “Your administrative ability will become your lid to effectiveness. Those who are able to push through that administrative barrier, develop their skills, and execute the to-do lists of ministry, are […]

    Episode 352: Leading before you’re ready

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2022 36:41


    “You don’t have to be an expert on everything, you just need to bring to the table what you are good at.” – Sam Landrith “Learning from mentors, or through […]

    Episode 351: Student Ministry and Faith Deconstruction

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2022 41:56


    “Students who have a strong and vibrant faith have a leader who poured into them and invested in them.” – JC Groves “Students need to see faithful adults living out […]

    Episode 350: Neck Pillow and Witch’s Fingers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2022 47:34


    “If you are waiting for the students in the chair to set the energy level for the fun element, it may never come.” Chad Higgins “Is important to connect the […]

    Episode 349: Contextualizing the Gospel and Youth Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2022 43:20


    “Contextualization is really about effective communication and making sure what we say is the same thing that is received. I am not changing the message, I am just making sure […]

    Episode 148: Next Gen Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2022 41:07


    “Kids and student ministry leaders need to work together to create a discipleship plan that goes from preschool through high school.” – Crystal Mazzuca “Creating a strategic next gen ministry […]

    Episode 347: Out of the Office but in Our Hearts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2022 30:07


    “Help your leaders manage their time by not putting too many events on their calendar during busy seasons.” – Ben Trueblood  “We need to make sure that we get rest […]

    office hearts ben trueblood
    Episode 346: Navigating the Holiday Season

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2022 23:17


    “We need to think about the people we are leading and think about their calendar as well. We may be unintentionally filling the ministry calendar, making it difficult for our […]

    Episode 345: What Gaming Taught Me About Student Minisstry

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2022


    “Your mission is unchangeable, but the strategy and how you accomplish the mission can be different. Surround yourself with people who think about things in a different way. There might […]

    Episode 344: Know Thy Gamer

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2022 43:25


    “Video games become accessible playgrounds in a world where many physical playgrounds are no longer safe. There are dangers in this digital playground and we need to educate ourselves about […]

    Episode 343: Following Jesus in a Digital Age

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2022 41:30


    “We need to peel back the layers of how technology is shaping our world view.” – Jason Thacker “The end of the story is written. Technology might change our world […]

    Episode 342: Live from a CB Radio

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2022 43:59


    “Communicating with your boss and leaders in their preferred style goes a long way in earning trust and relational credibility with them.” – Ben Trueblood “If we get organized and […]

    Episode 341: One Question to Ask Every Parent

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2022 36:03


    “Ask parents this question, how can we partner in how God is working in your teenager?” – Dr. Kara Powell “Parents have more time to influence their kids than youth […]

    Episode 340: Fruitful Theology

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2022 38:59


    “We are all theologians because anyone who has thoughts about God is a theologian.” – Ronni Kurtz “A deep contemplation of God and all things in relation to God can […]

    Episode 229: Patchwork Potluck

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2022 38:36


    “The big questions is when we feel inadequate, what we do after that feeling. That to me seems to be the marker of how we are handling the situation and […]

    Episode 338: High Altitude Berries

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2022 40:47


    “Before you leave the church on Sunday, make sure you look and plan your next week so that you can start well.” – Ben Trueblood About Ben Trueblood Ben serves […]

    Episode 337: Rescue A Generation

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2022 32:48


    “Every person in youth ministry needs to know how to do it effectively and remain healthy through the process so that you don’t burn out, punk out, or back out […]

    Episode 336: Conversations That Help You Grow

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2022 41:00


    “In our mastermind we would take time to hear how student ministry was going in different areas across the country. It is amazing to see how God is moving in […]

    Episode 335: Boost Your Student Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2022 30:55


    “The health of you as a minister is vital. Your health will be less if you do not surround yourself with others who can support you, who you can learn […]

    Episode 334: An Oxford Shirt and an Ogden

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2022 33:20


    “Do not lose heart student ministers. Students improve year over year and not always Wednesday to Wednesday” – Zac Workun “When you go to sporting event for students, realize that […]

    Episode 333: Theology in Student Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 39:36


    “Youth pastor theologians need to be able to take something that is complicated and show you how simple it is to help students understand it better.” – Mike McGarry Mike […]

    Episode 332: A Conversation with Levi Lusko

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2022 29:22


    “Jesus spent time with people and we must not forget to minister that way.” – Levi Lusko “The number one thing I have been praying for is for salvations.” – […]

    Episode 331: Attacking Apathy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2022 35:57


    “Create a community among volunteers where they can’t imagine doing anything else.” – Dr. Allen Jackson Dr Allen Jackson is the Senior Pastor at Dunwoody Baptist Church. He returned to […]

    Episode 330: Leading a Team of Leaders

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2022 40:34


    “Make sure that your leaders understand the mission, vision, and culture of your ministry and that everything funnels through that.” – Jason Mick “You have to have everyone on the […]

    Episode 329: Is Hot Tubbing the Same Thing as Bathing?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2022 51:33


    “In student ministry there will be moments when things do not go the way you expected. Being able to take your strategy and adjust so that you can still achieve […]

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