Why We Don’t Play Gross or Messy Games in Youth Group
Over the last decade, I’ve grown convinced that youth workers need to give more intentional thought about what kinds of games they play - because games create and reinforce our ministry culture.
How I’m Teaching the Parables at Youth Group
This article brings you behind the scenes for how I’ve structured my own upcoming youth group series on the parables as “The Stories of Jesus.”
Ecclesiology and Youth Ministry
Youth ministry and the Church often have an uneasy relationship. Here are three interconnected ideas to help navigate this challenging topic.
What 2021 Taught Me About Youth Ministry
One of the aspects of youth ministry that I love the most is the constant opportunity to keep learning. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned from 2021 that could also benefit others - some from my own youth ministry and others from my efforts getting Youth Pastor Theologian off the ground.
Reflections on Deconstruction and Youth Missions
What is deconstruction and how have youth missions trip contributed to the rise of Progressive Christianity among our former youth group students?
Teaching Students the Theology of Christmas
With Students’ senses already prepared by the Advent season, we can help students dive into the rich theology of Christmas. Here are a few great truths to put Jesus and the gospel front-and-center with students during the Christmas season.
Embracing Advent in Student Ministry
Some church traditions place Advent front-and-center, while it merely gets a head-nod in others. Whichever your church tradition may be, I believe it’s wise to think about some of the central Advent themes, and to consider how to emphasize those in our youth groups.
Aligning your Professed and Actual Theologies
If you reverse-engineered the theology and ministry philosophy that’s apparent by your programming, budget-priorities, and emphases in teaching - would it reveal the same theology and ministry philosophy you profess?
Telling the Whole Story
Many youth workers, in an attempt to “cut to the chase,” accidentally short-change the very gospel they hope that their audience will understand. The reason is because they aren’t telling the whole story.
What is Attractional Ministry?
Attractional ministry is the default setting for the majority of today’s youth workers, but what actually is attractional ministry? One of the key differences between attractional and gospel-centered youth ministry is the primacy of Bible teaching.