by Joey Willis Christian Theology, Teens and the Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity can be both a comfort and a confusion to the modern teenager. On one hand, they are starting to experience for themselves the complexities of life. Their identities are marked by involvement in several different social, family, and athletic roles. […]
by Lilly Lewin Start the Lenten season with a clean slate…and maple syrup For many of us, we grew up with “lent” as something you’d find in the dryer or your belly button, rather than a season of the church year. So if you’re new to experiencing the season of Lent, you might be excited […]
by Jill Altom We recently embarked upon an ambitious task to journey with our youth up to the Cumberland Mountains to learn and practice Sabbath. The retreat had a simple plan: eat, sleep, rest, pray, and play. Despite its simplicity I couldn’t help but feel the trepidation at how our youth would respond to silence, […]
The first approach we’ll consider is the instructional approach, a paradigm familiar to most youth workers because it’s the dominant approach of published curriculum. The goal of the instructional approach is to help students understand scripture so that they can live and obey God’s truth. Whenever you see the verbs “know” and “apply” used together, […]
“A life is no more than a biological phenomenon as long as it is not interpreted,” said French philosopher Paul Ricoeur.[1] Indeed, it’s an inescapable human habit to narrate the events and experiences of our lives by giving them meaning. To demonstrate this, I love to have students watch a short animation of two crudely […]
By Center for Youth Ministry Training 5/28/19 We polled our CYMT alumni and coaches for some summer programming ideas—the little things that they do during the summer that don’t require fundraising or packing a suitcase. Try a “Bible Do.” Instead of a routine Bible study of sitting around asking each other questions, try a “Bible […]
Whenever people of varying backgrounds come together, politics naturally emerge – and the church is no exception. Each member of the church sees faith and the mission of the church through their own unique lens, which all too often leads to disagreements and division. Although it can be easy to point the finger, it’s important […]
If a teenager walked into your church on Sunday on her own, with a friend, or with his family, what impressions would he or she have of your church? The numbers of teenagers leaving the church are staggering. I have come to wonder whether it is because we love teenagers in word, but not in […]
[Second-Chair Leadership Conversation] Today, Andrew Zirschky (ymprof) and I have a conversation about what second-chair leadership looks like in the local church. As youth ministers, we are always second-chair leaders. Listen in as Andrew asks me questions about how to navigate these relationships. Some things for you to think about: How well do you know […]
by Jason Sansbury For most youth ministries, summer means a great deal more activities and programming. Additionally, most youth ministries suffer some level of loss of their regular volunteers to vacations and normal summer plans. One solution to the increased activity and the shortage of hands is to seek out and hire a summer intern. […]
Subscribe to receive a monthly roundup of fresh insights and free tools for senior ministry leaders.
