by Joanna Cummings Youth and children’s ministries both require early prep for the busy summer months ahead. In children’s ministry this means early recruitment of volunteers to help keep the ministry going during the chaos of summer along with thinking through the many details that are important to summer ministry with kids. Communicating our needs […]
by Tony Akers You’re getting ready to go to the church to pick up your child who has been away on a mission trip. You’re thinking of the incredible experience he must have had, or the debriefing session that you’ll get in the car from her on the way home. But one of the first […]
by Cory Martin Let’s be honest. Justin Timberlake is the new Michael Jackson. Timberlake is a bonafide star, acting in several good movies, is one of the greatest hosts in Saturday Night Live history, and is taking his time releasing great music. The 20/20 Experience is only JT’s third solo album in 10 years. (It […]
Back when Spiderman was a cartoon on TV, I can’t remember a single episode where he didn’t catch the criminal in a web. Youth ministers can learn a lot from Spiderman and spiders about how to get youth to stick to their youth groups. We must build a web of relationships that positively trap and […]
by Lesleigh Carmichael A coach is someone who cares that people create what they say they want and that they follow through. The coach is there to hold people accountable and keep them moving forward toward their dreams and goals. —Co-Active Coaching, p. xxi Over the last nine years the Center for Youth Ministry Training […]
The changing possibilities for the profession of youth ministry “In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.” (1) The Issue: Could it be that the purveyors of youth ministry education are becoming more and […]
When the Christian story no longer seems compelling The looming crisis in youth ministry is that young people have examined the church and judged it to be inauthentic and irrelevant. In spite of our best efforts, young people in our culture are simply not convinced that the church is an important or necessary voice in […]
by Amy Jacober A Public Service Announcement to youth pastors Connections are my great reminder that God designed us to be a communal people. Technology has allowed us to be connected more than ever. Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, texting, Instagram and a whole lot more let us catch glimpses into the lives of our friends, family […]
by Brian Kirk A friend from my seminary days recently contacted me to ask if I had any suggestions on ways to engage students in discussion so they wouldn’t get bored. A tall order, as the last thing most teenagers want out of youth group is to feel like they are at school. And nothing […]
Friends, Your investment in the Center for Youth Ministry Training continues to pay huge dividends and we are grateful for your support. This month ordination boards are meeting with individuals who have felt called by God to serve the church. The board’s job is to affirm a visible call and preparedness for ministry. Approximately one-third […]
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