I think us new guys on the youth ministry scene tend to treat all those who’ve paved ways before us (the pavers) like Coach Brickma from Rookie of the Year (the coach in that clip, who for some unknown reason was an MLB pitching coach). There’s a fad (which I love to be a part […]
Make your ministry a Watchtower ministry. That can be a scary statement if you have ever had the Jehovah’s Witness pay you a house-call to leave their flagship flier the Watchtower. Of course, I am not talking about a little pamphlet stuffed with well-disguised lies. I am talking about peering into the lives of students […]
When using video from a movie trailer make sure you watch the WHOLE clip before incorporating it into your lesson. There are few glitches more embarrassing than a surprise on the big screen. Never use media imaging just to appear relevant or cool. On the other hand, don’t hesitate to illustrate a message point using […]
Be careful about what you are constructing at the student ministry construction site. Without deliberate effort, you may accidentally be building a silo rather than a production plant. Some construction looks awesome and spectacular on the outside but turns out to be more of a monument than a manufacturing plant. While all silo building isn’t […]
Ditch the “Christianese” It is a bit comical but mostly sad to hear any minister use abstruse theology or diffuse biblical concepts. They sound smart and well trained as a polymath in Christian living. However, our intent should be to expose people to the Gospel rather than leaving them confused or impressed by our prolix […]
The adolescent community and those who lead them in ministry appreciate and celebrate technology. Often times it is the appreciation of new technology that creates a special bond between the music ministry and student ministry. Teen culture championed technology but the life-span of an electronic item seems to get shorter each year. My first ministry […]
.The number one complaint from pastors regarding their student minister is lack of communication. You think it would be skating off the hand rails in front of the sanctuary or backing the church van into the parking stop at BeefObradys wing house. But no, the top complaint from pastors or supervisors is the lack […]
Student Ministry is not a game of “us” against “them”. The “us” being the students and their illustrious captain and leader and “them” being the parents and gray hairs. Younger youth leaders have to fight the urge to view questioning parents as “them”. Sometimes even older leaders tend to overlook them in favor of a more compliant […]
Strive to learn every student’s name as soon as possible, especially in small groups. In larger groups this can be a challenge but doable. In huge groups, this may be impractical or nearly impossible. It should always be someone’s responsibility to KNOW the students’ names. So according to the size of ministry, if it is […]
Staff, students, and parents will all endear themselves to you much more readily if you can become comfortable with admitting failure and imperfections. Your job does not demand perfection and you can not deliver it. People love to pull a perfectionist down, but they tend to root for the one they can relate to . […]
