Podcasts about student ministry

This Fall, we are teaming up with Onward Leadership for a Fall Cohort!!!  If you are interested in joining or simply looking for more information, please visit: www.onwardleader.com  In this episode, we break down five “leadership superpowers” that help youth pastors and youth ministry leaders stay in the game for the long haul without losing joy.  Youth ministry leadership is not about finding the perfect church setup. It is about becoming the kind of leader who can thrive in reality with thick skin and a tender heart, focused on the mission even when criticism, low encouragement or even church politics show up. If you are ready for healthier church leadership and a more sustainable student ministry, join us and then share your biggest takeaway.  Subscribe, share this with a youth pastor friend, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more leaders can find the help they need.

Jeremy Stafford tackles a tough topic, sharing practical tips and techniques on how to create a safe environment in student ministry, based on his How-To Guide on EducateandEngage.com. If your platform doesn't automatically start the video, look for the link that allows you to switch to video. For any issues, email lharry@upci.org.Find all your youth worker resources at EducateandEngage.com

Send us Fan MailLooking for Student Leadership Curriculum?  We've just launched our own called "Student Leadership Journey!"  Grab yours here: Student Leadership Journey.  *** A youth ministry's student leadership team can become the engine that changes the entire youth group culture...but it can also quietly derail your student ministry if not handled correctly.  In this episode, we're discussing five common mistakes youth pastors make when they launch or rebuild their student leadership team and how to avoid these costly pitfalls.  We explain how to actively coach a culture of hospitality, inclusion, and humility, plus what we actually teach when we blend Scripture with leadership development.This Fall, we are teaming up with Onward Leadership for a Fall Cohort!!!  If you are interested in joining or simply looking for more information, please visit: www.onwardleader.comSubscribe, share this with a youth pastor or youth leader friend, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!=======You may also enjoy these episodes:(#040) How to Start a Student Leadership Team in Youth Ministry(#254) 5 Secrets to Creating a Strong Student Leadership Team in Youth Ministry!(#253) 3 Ways to Encourage Your Youth Group to Join Your Student Leadership Team(#203) Create a Student Leadership Team that Your Youth Group WANTS to Be a Part Of!Navigating the Cliques in Youth Ministry Student Leadership Teams=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach=========

Send us Fan MailStart the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** Costumes, candy, and a packed room of youth ministry students?  Why not?! In this episode, we're breaking down exactly how we run a super fun fall youth group event that students look forward to all year, while still keeping it appropriate, gospel-centered, and realistic for any church budget.  From food to youth group games, we've got you covered for your next student ministry event!FREE EVENT IDEAS: If you'd like a list of 20 fun, small group or Fall kick off ideas, email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com and put "FALL EVENT IDEAS" in the subject or description and we will send over our list!If you want a fall festival, harvest festival, Halloween alternative or whatever you call it that builds community and points students to Jesus, this is your event blueprint. Subscribe for more youth ministry event planning ideas, share this with a youth pastor, and be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!

Hey, Beyond Sunday listeners! Today, we're joined by Wes Selecman for a deeper dive into his sermon on Matthew 7:24-29 from this past Sunday. Thank you for following along with us this summer as we've been journeying back through the Sermon on the Mount! In the next few weeks, we'll be interviewing members of our church staff to help you understand the who, what, when, where, and why of our various ministry areas. Listen in to learn more about the heart and vision behind Preschool & Kids; Student Ministry; College, Young Adults & the Internship; Worship & the Harvest Collective; Home Groups & Sunday Schools; and Missions. You'll also receive guidance on how to get plugged into each of these areas! Then stay tuned for our Fall 2026 season, where we'll discuss John Piper's book Battling Unbelief: Defeating Sin with Superior Pleasure. We hope you'll join us!

What if a prayer you pray today becomes part of an answer God is still revealing generations from now? In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards explores the power of persistent prayer, revival, intercession, and building a legacy of faith that can continue long after our lifetime. Jesus taught His disciples to always pray and never give up. But what might that kind of prayer actually look like in our lives, our churches, our youth ministries, and our families? Drawing from Mark Batterson's Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge, Doug reflects on the extraordinary story of believers who committed themselves to around-the-clock prayer and a prayer movement that continued for generations. He also shares the story of Corrie ten Boom and a long-term prayer effort connected to Jerusalem, along with the powerful promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14. These stories lead to an important question: What is God calling you to keep praying for? In this episode, you'll be encouraged to: • Pray consistently instead of giving up • Believe that your prayers can have an impact beyond your lifetime • Pray intentionally for revival in your home, church, community, and nation • Include students and children in a culture of prayer • Model prayer for your children and grandchildren • Help the next generation experience prayer instead of only hearing about it • Trust God even when you cannot yet see the answer • Build prayer habits that can influence generations Doug also challenges youth pastors, volunteers, parents, and grandparents to think bigger than individual prayer requests. What if the students watching you pray today become the adults who lead prayer movements tomorrow? Children understand trust in a powerful way. When they see adults praying, depending on God, and recognizing His answers, they learn that prayer is not simply something Christians talk about—it is part of how we live. Maybe God is calling you to pray differently. Maybe He is calling you to pray more consistently. Or maybe He is simply telling you: Keep praying. Don't underestimate what God can do with a prayer you refuse to stop praying. Find your prayer rhythm. Pray for revival. Bring the next generation with you. And build a prayer legacy that can continue long after your lifetime. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

Send us Fan MailStart the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** You can throw a youth ministry event that students talk about for weeks without spending your whole budget. We break down a general blueprint we just used to pull off one of our best summer nights at basically zero cost, and we turn it into a repeatable formula you can use for your church youth group whether you have a small budget, no budget, or you're trying to stretch every dollar.We walk through six practical building blocks of every good event from food to themes to spiritual impact.  We also talk about creating “vibes” with simple sensory cues like music, lighting changes, and game intros that can help students feel the moment shift.  Remember: fun is not a distraction from youth ministry when it helps students drop their guard, bond with friends, and engage worship, small groups, and the message with more openness.  BONUS: We have a super fun, dodgeball variation game that we share inside this episode!!

Fall Kickoffs. Once you've done Paint wars, Nerf Wars, Slip-n-Slide Kickball… You kind of start running low on ideas... Then you run to the DYM Facebook Group which gives you all the same ideas again. In this episode I'm taking 5 of my best selling and favorite resources on the DYM site, and turning them into a full out fall kick off event. And best of all, I'm giving you a completely FREE Fall Kickoff Guide complete with… [FREE] Graphics Theme Ideas Service Order Ideas & Options Links to the Associated Games via DYM Fully fleshed-out framework for Each Event if I were doing it And stick around to the end because Hybrid Hero Members just got all of these links for FREE on last Monday's podcast episode, and I'll tell you how you can get access to them by jumping in now FREE FALL KICKOFF EVENT GUIDE & LINKS https://www.patreon.com/hybridministry/posts/5-youth-group-163404919 HYBRID HERO MEMBERS GET THESE GAMES FREE! https://www.patreon.com/13008414/join SHOW NOTES Shownotes & Transcripts https://www.hybridministry.xyz/213 50% OFF SUMMER SOCIAL MEDIA https://www.patreon.com/collection/1470781?view=expanded [FREE] HYBRID STRATEGY GUIDE https://www.patreon.com/posts/complete-guide-142500019?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

What does it take to remain faithful in youth ministry for more than four decades and still see your influence growing through future generations? In this interview episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards sits down with longtime ministry leader Hugh Kirby for a powerful conversation about youth ministry longevity, relational discipleship, mentorship, prayer, church leadership, and going the distance in ministry. Hugh has served in ministry for more than 42 years, including 17 years directly leading student ministry at New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. Today, he can look back and see former students influencing their own children, grandchildren, churches, and communities. But Hugh's ministry story began long before New Hope. He shares how God moved powerfully during his years playing football at Louisiana Tech, where more than 40 players and others connected to the team came to faith in Christ. Hugh reflects on the spiritual influence of his roommate Denny Duron, the leaders who invested in him, and the way God used relationships to shape his calling. Hugh also shares how Dr. Millard Box helped transform his understanding of discipleship as a teenager. Rather than building everything around programs, Dr. Box invited Hugh into a relationship-centered environment built on Scripture, honest conversation, accountability, and prayer. That experience became a model Hugh would carry into decades of youth ministry. In this episode, you'll hear about: • What helped Hugh remain faithful through 42 years of ministry • Why ministry longevity requires dependence on Jesus and support from family • How relational discipleship shaped Hugh as a teenager • Why relationships should come before programs • The importance of Scripture, accountability, and intimate prayer • How Hugh learned to build disciples who would disciple others • What youth pastors can learn from Jesus' progressive disciple-building model • How long-term ministry influences students, families, and generations • Why churches must keep Jesus—not programs—as the main thing • How mentors and mature believers shape a young person's future Hugh explains that effective discipleship is not simply giving students more information. It means entering their lives, building relationships, helping them understand Scripture, creating loving accountability, and teaching them how to walk personally with Jesus. This conversation is especially valuable for youth pastors, student ministry volunteers, Christian educators, parents, grandparents, mentors, and anyone who wants to invest in the next generation for the long term. Programs eventually end. Positions eventually change. But a life poured intentionally into another person can continue bearing fruit for generations. Listen and be encouraged to build relationships, make disciples, remain faithful, and go the distance in the ministry God has given you. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

Have you ever messed up? Missed the mark? Done what the Bible calls sin?The hard truth is: of course you have. We all have.But here's the good news: you're not alone. Even David—whom God called "a man after His own heart"—fell into sin. The question then is, once we have, what do we do next?This weekend, we'll dive into Psalm 51, first read by Student Ministry volunteer, Zane Chwirka. In the Psalm, David shows us what authentic repentance and spiritual renewal look like. No matter where you've been or what you've done, God's grace invites you to come back to Him.--WebsiteFacebookInstagramSunday SetlistSunnybrook App (ios)Sunnybrook App (Google)Connect with us!How can we pray for you? Let us know.Giving

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Summer camp was epic, but let me tell you, the lead up, the planning, the work on the front side, it did something tragic to our social media. Let me show you what I'm implementing to ensure this doesn't happen again! Hybrid Hero Members Get all of this for just $4/month https://www.patreon.com/hybridministry SHOW NOTES Shownotes & Transcripts https://www.hybridministry.xyz/212 [FREE] HYBRID STRATEGY GUIDE https://www.patreon.com/posts/complete-guide-142500019?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Hybrid Hero Members Get all of this for just $4/month https://www.patreon.com/hybridministry Summer Social Media Year 2 https://www.patreon.com/collection/1470781?view=expanded Carousel Engine https://www.patreon.com/hybridministry/posts/carousel-engine-155124829?collection=2099839 Best Sermon Clip Generator https://www.patreon.com/hybridministry/posts/best-sermon-clip-156670711?collection=2013798

What can one missionary's faithfulness set in motion across languages, students, families, and generations? In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards remembers his friend Dr. Wes Collins and reflects on the extraordinary legacy Wes and his wife, Nancy, built through missions, Bible translation, education, and service among the Mam people of Guatemala. As a missionary connected with Wycliffe, Wes helped restore a written form of the Mam language and worked to translate the New Testament so that indigenous families could read Scripture in their own language. His ministry helped people reclaim a sense of dignity, identity, and the assurance that God loved them and valued the language He had given them. Wes also opened the door for Doug and generations of students to experience cross-cultural ministry firsthand. Over five years and six trips to Guatemala, students participated in construction projects, Vacation Bible School, medical outreach, and ministry among Mam families in the mountains. They also visited the Guatemala City dump, where thousands of people lived in extreme poverty—an experience that profoundly changed how many students understood faith, service, gratitude, and the world around them. In this episode, Doug reflects on: • The missionary legacy of Dr. Wes Collins • Bible translation and the importance of indigenous languages • How student mission trips can permanently change young lives • Serving the Mam people of Guatemala • Construction, children's ministry, and medical missions • What students learned from witnessing extreme poverty • The importance of trusted missionaries and responsible trip leadership • How one faithful life can influence people for generations This episode is for youth pastors, student ministry volunteers, parents, missionaries, teachers, and anyone who believes young people should experience a faith that moves beyond words and into service. Wes Collins' influence did not end with one translation, one class, one mission trip, or even one lifetime. It continues through the people he taught, the communities he served, the students he inspired, and the leaders who are still carrying that mission forward. Thank you, Wes and Nancy, for your faithfulness, sacrifice, hospitality, and commitment to helping others know that their language, culture, lives, and stories matter to God. Share this episode with a youth pastor, missionary, parent, or student who needs to be reminded that one faithful life can change generations. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

How can we live a life that pleases God? We imitate people all the time, so let's imitate God. Zach Wiggins, Director of Student Ministries at the Antioch Campus, continues our series, “Ephesians: One in Christ,” preaching from Ephesians 5:1-14. Notes in this sermon: Walk in love Walk in light Visit www.bluevalleychurch.org for more information about Blue Valley Church in Overland Park and Olathe, Kansas.

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Summer is coming to an end, with a BANG! Lasagna. Chicken Wings. What a tastier way to end summer, than with all of this food! Let's finish summer strong, together, friends!

No youth pastor, volunteer, ministry leader, business owner, or parent accomplishes meaningful work alone. In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards shares the three types of people every effective youth ministry leader needs: mentors, investors, and operators. Mentors provide wisdom from experience. Investors believe in the mission and contribute the resources required to move it forward. Operators handle the responsibilities, systems, communication, planning, and administration that allow leaders to focus on the work God has uniquely called them to do. Drawing from decades in student ministry, Doug shares how mentors from Youth for Christ helped prepare him to lead, how supporters including Johnny Cash and local ministry partners invested in reaching students, and how gifted staff members and volunteers made a large, multi-level student ministry possible. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why every youth pastor and ministry leader needs multiple mentors • How financial supporters and ministry investors expand the reach of the gospel • Why volunteers and operators are essential to sustainable student ministry • How delegation allows people to serve in their areas of strength • Why being unqualified on paper does not disqualify you from God's calling • How God brings the right people together to accomplish a greater mission • Why one mentor should not influence every area of your life • How to recognize which role may be missing from your ministry team Doug also explains why leaders should stop trying to perform every task themselves. The strongest ministries are not built around one person doing everything. They are built by people with different gifts working together toward the same mission. You may be the visionary, communicator, pastor, teacher, or relationship builder - but someone else may be better equipped to organize the calendar, manage communication, raise support, plan trips, or operate the systems behind the ministry. Ask yourself: Who is mentoring me? Who is investing in the mission? Who is helping operate the ministry? You do not need one person to fill every role. You need a community of gifted people who believe in what God has called you to build. Share this episode with a youth pastor, volunteer, ministry leader, or parent who needs help building the right team. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

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We got REAAAALLLLL nerdy. But we redeemed it with pie. Pizza, Apple Pie & Math, what would be better in the middle of July?!

Youth ministry is hard work... but it was never meant to depend on one person doing everything. In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards shares a practical and biblical challenge for youth pastors, student ministry volunteers, church leaders, and parents: work smarter, not harder, by following Jesus' model of discipleship, delegation, and multiplication. If you are a volunteer youth leader, part-time youth pastor, or full-time student ministry leader, you already know the weight of ministry. The planning, teaching, trips, retreats, mission work, public school outreach, discipleship, counseling, and constant care for students can quickly become overwhelming. But Jesus did not build His ministry around doing everything Himself. He equipped disciples who would carry the mission forward. Doug unpacks key passages including Ephesians 4:12, 2 Timothy 2:2, Mark 3:13-15, and Matthew 28:19-20 to remind leaders that the goal is not simply to build bigger programs - it is to make disciples who make disciples. In this episode, you'll be encouraged to: • Stop carrying the entire ministry alone • Equip volunteers and students to do the work of ministry • Build a student ministry that can continue without depending only on you • Follow Jesus' model of investing deeply in a few to reach many • Delegate with purpose instead of guilt • Avoid burnout through sustainable leadership • Create disciple makers, not just event attenders Doug also shares how a forced sabbatical helped him realize he had waited too long to delegate and trust others with ministry responsibility. The question every youth pastor and ministry leader should ask is: If you disappeared for six months, would the ministry stop or would it continue because you developed disciple makers? Working harder may increase what you can accomplish. Equipping others increases what God can accomplish through His people. Disciple. Delegate. Multiply. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

First Baptist Church Williamstown Elder and Student Ministry pastor Mark Elliott is joined by his wife Kristin in giving this week’s message – the second week of the summer series “If I Had to Choose Just One” from the book of Proverbs.

Send us Fan MailStart the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info - or feel free to email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com with any questions *** In this episode, we walk through four things to avoid before preaching in youth ministry.  Youth ministry sermons land best when our hearts are fully engaged, not just our notes. We talk about surrender, staying with the people in the room, and leaning on the Holy Spirit instead of trying to carry the moment ourselves.  If you care about student ministry preaching, sermon preparation, and spiritual leadership that's more than stage presence, this conversation will help you refocus on what matters and lead with humility and power of the Holy Spirit. Subscribe, share this with another youth pastor or youth leader, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review with your best pre-message routine!=======You may also enjoy these episodes:(#241) 3 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Youth Ministry Sermons(#107) How to Deliver Better Sermons - 5 Youth Pastor Tips(#089) How to Get Better Engagement During Sermons in Youth Ministry(#218) Steal These 5 Tips to NEVER RUN OUT of Sermon Ideas for Youth Ministry!=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach=========

Christmas in July?! Why not? Let's celebrate "National Give Something Away Day" by having a [completely unfair?!] White Elephant exchange! That's for next Wednesday, get your FREE graphic in the shownotes!

What if God is working all around you, but you are missing the holy surprises? In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards shares a powerful message about recognizing God's unexpected invitations, trusting His plan, and learning to say yes when He opens a door. After a conversation at church with Larry Stevens about Israel, adventure, and the unexpected ways God connects people, Doug reflects on the phrase "holy surprises" and how God often works through conversations, interruptions, friendships, closed doors, open doors, and opportunities we never saw coming. This episode explores how one faithful yes can lead to decades of impact. Doug shares stories from his own life, including unexpected connections through Youth for Christ, Johnny Cash, student missions, Mission Discovery, music ministry, Dr. Jay Strack, and the long chain of people God used to shape the Youth Worker on Fire podcast. Through Proverbs 3:5-6, Ephesians 2:10, Isaiah 43:19, and the story of Gideon, Doug reminds listeners that God's surprises do not always make sense at first. Trust often comes before understanding. In this episode, you'll be encouraged to: • Recognize the holy surprises God places in your path • Trust God when His plan does not make sense yet • See interruptions as possible invitations • Remember that God prepared good works for you long ago • Say yes to the next faithful step • Look back and notice how God has been working all along • Help students, children, and the next generation recognize God's movement in their lives Whether you are a youth pastor, student ministry volunteer, parent, grandparent, teacher, mentor, or someone trying to follow Jesus more closely, this episode will help you open your eyes to the adventure God is already writing around you. For the next seven days, begin each morning with this prayer: "Help me recognize Your holy surprises today. Give me the courage to say yes." Then watch what God does. Your future may be one faithful yes away from your next holy surprise. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

Send us Fan MailStart the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info - or feel free to email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com with any questions *** In this episode, we discuss two surprisingly powerful ways to earn real parent buy-in in your youth ministry and break down each one into multiple aspects of trust. We get practical about “early and often” communication: weekly parent emails, leader updates, an always-current website and calendar, social media that actually answers questions, and using a church app or targeted messages so the right families get the right info. We also talk about planning ahead like publishing camp dates far in advance, plus a simple test for your system: if parents are constantly texting basic questions, your other communication channels may not be clear or consistent yet.  If you want more volunteers, smoother events, stronger camp sign-ups, and fewer frustrated emails, this is the leadership muscle to build.Then we shift to professionalism in youth ministry, not as a stiff corporate posture, but as maturity. We share how to create “no surprises” when incidents happen, and why owning mistakes quickly builds credibility. We also unpack the owner mindset: being prepared, starting and ending on time, handling conflict directly, and holding students accountable with kindness so parents see real leadership.If you've ever felt the tension between being fun and being trusted, this conversation will help you lead both ways. Subscribe for weekly youth ministry coaching, share this with another youth pastor and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. What's one change you can make this week to earn more trust with parents?=======You may also enjoy these episodes:(#256) Best Practices for Emailing the Parents of your Youth Ministry Students(#047) Youth Pastors and Parents - Best Communication Tips(#057) Getting Parents Involved in Youth Ministry(#025) Best Practices to Handle an Upset Parent=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach=========

Summer camp is more than games, music, cabins, and memories. In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards shares five powerful things God often does through youth ministry summer camps, student ministry retreats, mission trips, and Christian camp experiences. Whether you are a youth pastor, student ministry volunteer, parent, grandparent, or someone praying for students this summer, this episode is a reminder that camp can become a life-changing place where students encounter Jesus, hear God's calling, find healing, build Christian community, and return home ready to live on mission. Doug shares stories from student ministry camps, mission trips to Mexico and Guatemala, and a recent conversation with Lance Kramer, an Eskimo pastor serving 36 miles above the Arctic Circle, who was preparing for camp with students in Alaska. In this episode, you'll hear about five great things that happen at summer camp: • Students surrender their lives to Jesus Christ • Students hear God's calling on their lives • Broken lives experience healing and freedom • Friendships become Christian community • Students return home ready to change the world Doug also reminds listeners to pray for youth pastors, camp leaders, volunteers, and their families. Summer camp may only last a week for students, but for youth workers and leaders, the preparation, spiritual weight, emotional investment, and recovery often last for months. One week at camp can redirect a student's life. One mission trip can shape a calling. One moment with God can impact generations. If you have a summer camp story, mission trip testimony, or student ministry moment that changed a life, email Youth Worker on Fire at youthworkeronfire@gmail.com. Share this episode with a youth pastor, parent, volunteer, or student who needs to be reminded that God still changes lives at camp. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

Since I was in youth, the big question has been… “Why are students leaving the church after graduation?”That's been the game since I was in youth group. I'm a millennial. We've blown through Gen Z and most of my students are now classified Gen Alpha. Everything about their lives is different. But we generally haven't changed how we reach them.I think those are the wrong starting questions.The better question is: “What kind of disciple are we trying to produce?”

The moment you hear a sermon about handling life's interruptions is often the moment the interruption arrives. In this Around McGregor, Mark Bricker, Tamar Miller, and Christian Miller close out the first half of summer before the show's annual July break. They cover the July 1st celebration of God's faithfulness in Fellowship Hall (dinner at 5 p.m., program at 6:30), the summer Wednesday night series "How to Handle Life's Interruptions" returning July 8th with Pastor Russell Howard, the Faith and Fitness Retreat on July 18th, a family mission trip to Arizona, and the full July dinner calendar. They also introduce Sheila Ponds, McGregor's new Administrative Assistant for Student Ministries, whose story runs from Havana to Miami to Fort Myers through generations of faithful ministry. Anyone wanting to stay connected to the McGregor family this summer will leave this episode with dates, details, and a reason to show up. Around McGregor returns August 2nd. Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com New to McGregor? Plan a visit at mcgregor.net/plan-a-visit

Pastor Justin sat down with Ned and Chris to talk about student ministry leadership. Give it a listen and be praying for the Taylors, the Cervantes, and for our students!

Send us Fan MailStart the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info - or feel free to email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com with any questions ***  A Christian club at school can be one of the most effective ways to connect with students in your youth ministry and to reach students who maybe wouldn't normally come to church.  We talk through how to start a student led Christian club that feels welcoming, simple, and sustainable, especially during a tight lunch period where you have only 20-30 minutes to build community, share a short message, play a quick game and still let kids eat.In this episode, we will be discussing Christian Club resources (links below), benefits to partnering with organizations like Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). If FCA is not active in your area, we walk through what it looks like to launch from scratch and build a healthy student leadership team with the right adult mentoring. We also talk about various ways to be able to get on campus to reach students.  Finally, we give a simple “typical club” template / schedule to better utilize your time and give a bridge from school to church.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:FCA: https://resources.fca.org/P7: https://upciyouth.com/resourcesCRU: https://www.cru.org/sg/en/ready/resources.htmlIntervarsity: https://intervarsity.org/Decision Point: https://decisionpoint.org/If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach======= If you found this helpful, subscribe for more youth ministry strategy, share it with a youth leader who wants to reach their campus, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more youth pastors can find the show.=======You may also enjoy these episodes:(#265) 3 Unacceptable Mistakes that Youth Ministries Make With Event Planning(#285) 3 Common Mistakes Youth Pastors MUST AVOID in Their Youth Ministry=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!=========

July 1st is right around the horizon. Will you be throwing this event at your youth ministry? You can use these graphics for completely free! And for just $4, I'll plan your whole night!

Looking for encouragement, wisdom, and real-life stories to help you lead, parent, teach, or serve the next generation? In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards reflects on more than 300 episodes of conversations, stories, and teaching designed to encourage youth pastors, student ministry volunteers, parents, teachers, coaches, counselors, and anyone working with adolescents. Over the years, Youth Worker On Fire has featured youth pastors, ministry leaders, teachers, doctors, psychologists, school leaders, parents, grandparents, FCA leaders, public servants, and everyday people with stories that connect back to students, families, and faith. Doug shares why these episodes are "evergreen"—still useful, still searchable, and still ready to encourage people in different seasons of life. Whether you are looking for help with youth ministry, parenting teenagers, student leadership, health challenges, faith conversations, school life, or stories of perseverance, there may be an episode in the archive that speaks directly to your situation. This episode also highlights powerful stories from the podcast's history, including the impact of Johnny Cash on Youth for Christ and Campus Life, conversations with doctors and leaders, and episodes that continue to help people long after they were first released. If you work with students, raise children, lead in a school, volunteer in ministry, or know someone who needs encouragement, this episode is a reminder: There is a story here for you and probably one you need to share with someone else. Search the Youth Worker on Fire archive, find the episode that fits your season, and pass it along to someone who needs hope, wisdom, or encouragement today. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

Send us Fan MailStart the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** Youth group event mistakes...we've all experienced the stress, the embarrassment, the pit in your stomach knowing you forgot something or the sinking feeling when youth ministry planning goes all wrong.  In this episode, we will walk through three common youth pastor mistakes in student ministry event planning, then break them into practical steps you can apply to your next youth group night, outreach event, retreat, or camp.  How many of these mistakes have you made??Subscribe for more weekly tips, share this with a youth leader who plans events, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review with your biggest takeaway from this episode.=======You may also enjoy these episodes:(#265) 3 Unacceptable Mistakes that Youth Ministries Make With Event Planning(#285) 3 Common Mistakes Youth Pastors MUST AVOID in Their Youth Ministry=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach=========

You need THIS to run an amazing youth group next week! Welcome to the Summer Edition of the Hybrid Ministry Show!

What does it really mean to be strong and courageous? In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards shares a powerful message about Christian courage, kindness, confidence, generosity, and leadership. Through stories from Theodore Roosevelt, Bear Grylls, Michelle Monaghan, Tony Robbins, and personal moments from his own life, Doug points us back to a biblical truth: God calls His people to stand strong, speak truth, care deeply, and trust Him with the outcome. This episode explores how simple actions can shape the people around us, offering a genuine compliment, showing respect, giving generously, staying content, standing up for others, and choosing courage even when fear is present. Doug also reflects on Joshua 1:9 and Jeremiah's calling, reminding us that God does not call us to live timid, passive lives. He puts His words in our mouths, gives us His strength, and sets us apart for good works prepared in advance. In this episode, you'll be encouraged to: • Be strong and courageous in your calling • Use your words to build people up • Practice sincere kindness and encouragement • Lead with humility, confidence, and faith • Give generously even when it feels costly • Learn contentment in the place God has you • Fight fairly for what is right without losing grace Whether you are a youth pastor, student ministry volunteer, parent, grandparent, Christian educator, or leader investing in the next generation, this episode will challenge you to become someone others can trust, follow, and depend on. God may have set you apart to encourage the overlooked, stand up for the average person, speak life into students, and lead with strength that comes from Him. Be strong. Be courageous. Be kind. _________________________________________________________________________________

Send us Fan MailThe time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** Summer camp can be the best week of the year for your youth ministry students while being the most stressful week for you and your team, and the stress usually comes from the simplest gaps: parents who missed an email, leaders who did not get fully aligned, and “tiny” forgotten details that turn into last minute problems. In this episode, we are sharing FIVE home-stretch youth group summer camp planning tips that keep logistics tight and ministry outcomes clear.We talk through a parent meeting that actually works, what to cover (itinerary, packing list, emergency contacts, spending money, expectations). Then we shift to a leader and driver meeting focused on safety, roles, communication, and wise decision making, including practical boundaries and the mindset that leaders are the stand-in parents on the trip. We also dig into summer camp checklists and why shared leadership beats heroic solo prep. You will hear ways to review shopping lists, tech gear, rec supplies, and medical prep, plus a simple visualization tactic that helps you catch the "I can't believe we forgot that" type of mistakes before you leave. If you want a smoother, safer, more spiritually focused youth ministry summer camp, hit play, share this with a student ministry leader, and then subscribe and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more youth pastors can find it.=======You may also enjoy these episodes:(#063) How to Keep Your Youth Ministry's "Camp High" Momentum Going(#043) DIY Church Camp Planning - Youth Ministry Summer Camp CHECKLIST!(#044) Best Games for Summer Camp - 14 Fun Camp Games Ideas!(#053) How to Plan a Low Cost Summer Camp for Youth Ministry(#098) Get More Sign Ups for Your Youth Ministry Summer Camp!=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach=========

Welcome to Immanuel Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia!This Sunday: Looking for Heroes; Finding the King (Judges 16) with Pastor Thomas Long, Student MinistriesIf you're new to Immanuel, please take a moment to tell us about yourself through our online connect card.We would love to connect with you this week!» https://immanuelbaptist.org/connect-cardYou can also download our Free app — which makes learning more or watching services even easier.» https://subsplash.com/immanuelbaptist/appIf you would like to join a Community Group, meeting twice a month in homes throughout metro Richmond, visit:» https://immanuelbaptist.org/community-groupsYou can learn more about us anytime at: http://immanuelbaptist.org/Giving remains available online. Thank you for your faithfulness, church family!» https://immanuelbaptist.org/give

Send us Fan MailThe time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** If your youth ministry calendar is packed but the room still feels flat, the problem might not be effort. It might be direction. Today we get painfully practical about vision casting in youth ministry and why a clear, God guided vision is often the dividing line between a youth group that feels alive and one that feels like it's dead.We talk about the difference between a good idea and a real vision, then we show you how to turn vision into a simple filter for everything you do as a youth pastor: your events, your teaching plan, your leader meetings, your budget, and your weekly schedule. We share how our church frames mission around discipleship and a healthy church environment, and why focusing on health over growth keeps you from building a youth ministry that looks impressive but burns people out.From there, we get specific about what vision looks like on the ground. We unpack how to teach students to think biblically about everything, how to help teenagers know Jesus instead of just knowing about Jesus, and how student leadership teams can change the return rate for new and unconnected kids. We also share simple ways to communicate vision so volunteer leaders actually buy in, including quick “locker room talk” moments before youth group and redefining goals for tough small group dynamics.

What if the separation you're feeling is not rejection... but preparation? In this episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards shares a powerful message about calling, wilderness seasons, spiritual preparation, and trusting God when people, opportunities, or familiar places seem to disappear from your life. After hearing a simple but profound statement, "Before God elevates you, He clears the room", Doug reflects on how God often prepares leaders by creating space, removing distractions, and drawing them closer before the next assignment. In this episode, Doug unpacks: • Why God sometimes separates you before He elevates you. • How Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness prepared Him for ministry. • Why David had to spend time in hiding before becoming king. • How seasons of loss, transition, and confusion can become preparation. • Why seeking God's kingdom first changes everything. • How God can redirect your life into a calling you never saw coming. • Why wilderness seasons are often where leaders are formed. Doug also shares from his own journey—how a music career path suddenly disappeared, how that season felt confusing and painful, and how God used it to prepare him for decades of student ministry. Whether you are a youth pastor, ministry volunteer, Christian educator, parent, or leader walking through transition, this episode will encourage you to trust that God may be doing more in the quiet than you realize. ✨ Sometimes God clears the room not to punish you—but to prepare you for what He has already planned. _________________________________________________________________________________

Send us Fan MailThe time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** Why is it that some youth groups immediately feel alive the second you walk in while others feel like a room full of students waiting for something to happen. In this episode, we are taking a look at what actually creates an “alive” youth ministry culture, not hype, not personality, not better snacks, but repeatable leadership decisions that build ownership and spiritual momentum. 

Join us as our Director of Student Ministries speaks on Hebrews 12:3-17.To get connected visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midtownvineyardchurch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...To Donate ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://midtownvineyard.churchcenter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.... Download the church center app to stay in the loop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://churchcenter.com/setup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Discover more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midtownvineyardchurch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...⁠⁠⁠ Find us on Instagram: / midtownvineyard Find us on Facebook: / midtownvineyardmbSermon Notes: Rightnowmedia.com

Send us Fan Mail**FOR A PDF OF THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL OF THE GAMES - EMAIL US AT MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com - and put in the subject or description "Games for SUPER Small Youth Groups" and we will send it over to you!** We have done game episodes in the past in regards to youth group games for small youth ministries, but what about REALLY small youth ministries?  Today, we will be going over the instructions for 5 super fun, no prep & low prep youth ministry games that work great for super small youth groups.  We will walk through how to run each game, how to ref it, and how to adjust the rules when your group needs more challenge or less chaos.Subscribe, share this with a youth leader friend, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more small youth ministries can find practical help!=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach=========Shopping List:Ball Pit Balls - https://amzn.to/3Kc9beAKiddie Pool (or Large Plastic Bin) - https://amzn.to/4e3Kw8JBuckets: https://amzn.to/3izZdT1 (you can get these cheaper at the dollar store)Painter's Tape: https://amzn.to/40Qll58Cones: https://amzn.to/2BtSp9KBlindfolds: https://amzn.to/4uQYMcaPool Noodles - https://amzn.to/3V26dhhSoccer Style Socks: https://amzn.to/3lfcS4NBulk Candy: https://amzn.to/3wkGYNJPlayground Balls:  https://amzn.to/49bYNPB===========You may also enjoy these episodes:7 Youth Group Games for Smaller Youth Ministries4 Icebreakers for Smaller Youth Groups5 NO COST Youth Ministry Games - FREE YOUTH GROUP GAMES5 Simple Youth Group Games - Last Minute Games for Youth MinistryICEBREAKER GAMESDodgeball Variation GamesUp Front Games7 Low Prep Youth Group Games7 NO PREP GAMES for Youth Ministry=======

For Student Takeover Weekend, Student Pastor Wade Smith challenged the church to step into the next generation by getting involved in the lives of students and investing in what God is doing through Student Ministry at Cherry Hills Community Church. Through personal stories, heartfelt prayers for his daughter's future, and a powerful look at Ephesians 3:14–21, Wade reminded us that students are searching for identity, purpose, and a relationship with Jesus in a world full of confusion and pressure. He encouraged the church to move beyond simply attending and instead pray boldly, serve faithfully, and help students know God and discover who He created them to be. The message painted a compelling picture of what can happen when an entire church rallies around the next generation with love, consistency, and intentional discipleship. Student Takeover Weekend served as both a celebration of what God is already doing through students and a call for every generation to play a part in what He wants to do next.

What do we need to know about student ministry staffing in 2026? What do we need to pay attention to? What can we do to improve it? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Todd Rhoades of Chemistry Staffing about his recent research and what we can learn from it.    Links referenced in this episode:  Learn more about Chemistry Staffing at https://chemistrystaffing.com  Read the "Church Staff Health Report" at https://churchstaffhealth.com Listen to The Healthy Church Podcast at https://www.chemistrystaffing.com/podcast Find your next speaker at The Speaker Hub - https://youthminhub.com/speakerhub  Learn more about Steve's ministry with NNYM - https://nnym.org/stevecullum  Sign up to get Steve's newsletter - https://bit.ly/cullumnewsletter  Support the ministry by giving online - https://bit.ly/cullumsupport  Contact Steve about partnerships, speaking, coaching, or consulting - https://bit.ly/cullumcontact  Follow Student Ministry Connection on Instagram - https://instagram.com/studentministryconnection  Read Steve's blog - https://stevecullum.com  Follow Steve on Twitter - https://twitter.com/stevecullum  Follow Steve on Instagram - https://instagram.com/stevecullum  Follow Steve on Facebook - https://facebook.com/stevecullum    Be sure to join us in prayer for revival every Wednesday at 11am PT, 12pm MT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET.    Get a copy of the Cards Christians Like card game by using the link https://bit.ly/cardschristianslike and also support Student Ministry Connection.    Looking for student ministry resources? Check out Steve's curated list of books, games, and more at https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevecullum    Note: Some of the links above are affiliate links. By clicking them, Steve may receive commission to support this ministry.    Subscribe on your favorite podcast app. Links to the more popular ones are at https://linktr.ee/studentministryconnection     If you like what you hear, be sure to like, subscribe, share, and comment! Thanks, be sure to get connected, and may God bless your ministry!    

Send us Fan MailHow do we reach the Next Generation in youth ministry?  Gen Z can spot a fake a mile away, but they respond fast to something rarer: an adult who is fully present. In this episode, we have collaborated with Josh Williams from Beyond the Numbers podcast to talk about what healthy youth ministry looks like when the goal is real discipleship, not just a full room.We dig into the myths that keep churches stuck, what great volunteers look like and then we get concrete about vision, strategy, and program. Adding events can feel productive, but program for program's sake does not fix a discipleship problem. We talk about creating a culture that “drips” the mission into everything, building space for deeper worship experiences, and helping students grow in a relationship with Jesus that outlasts youth group.If you lead a student ministry, coach volunteers, or care about the future of the church, this conversation will give you practical next steps you can use this week. Subscribe, share with a youth leader, and leave a review then reply with your biggest next gen challenge so we can talk about it together. What's one change you want to make in your ministry right now?Be sure to check out, like and subscribe to Josh's podcast: Beyond the Numbers Podcast and also watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheNumbersPodcast/videos==========The time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info ***==========You may also enjoy this episode:(#029) How Can Youth Pastors Reach Gen Z?=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach=========

Wake Up, Rise Up, and Live in the Light | NextGen Sunday | Keller Campus Student Ministry Team by The Hills Church

Send us Fan MailThe time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** You can love students and have a huge heart for youth ministry and still feel like you're falling behind as a youth pastor. I've been there, and I've made plenty of mistakes the hard way. In this episode, we will be sharing 5 things I wish I'd made earlier in youth ministry, the kind that would have saved time, lowered stress, and helped grow a healthier youth group faster.  Don't make these same mistakes!Subscribe, share this with a youth pastor friend, and leave a review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so others in youth ministry can benefit from this podcast.=======You may also enjoy these episodes:(#164) Why You Need Multiple Speakers in Your Youth Ministry(#165) Last Minute Youth Ministry Lesson Ideas - Youth Pastor Resources=======We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach=========