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 […]
During the 2000s, youth ministry became increasingly enamored with contemplative practices. Many ministries traded disco balls, comfy couches, and messy games for candles, centering prayer, and a little lectio divina. Now, roughly a decade into this renaissance in spiritual practices, the glow has faded and many youth ministers are dusting off the mothballed games-and-glam approach […]
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 […]
What would it mean to envision youth ministry as healing and restoration—to see youth ministry as grounded in a theology of restoration between oneself and God, others, and even the cosmos? The youth worker in this understanding would accept the role of holistic healer, participating as an agent in God’s movement of restoration in a […]
Human flourishing and theology of the body Currently, the trend we see in both youth ministry and the church at large in regards to issues of physical behaviors (especially, but not exclusively, sexual) is one of policing said behaviors in isolation from a larger holistic theological context. When we talk about sexuality or homosexuality we […]
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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