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As kids, we loved shooting bottle rockets. I have fond memories of being outside, watching the bottle rocket soar high into the air before quickly coming back to the ground. In youth ministry, I believe we are seeing "bottle rocket...

It’s easy to look at your ministry and see “lids.” Budgets, minimal resources, limited space, less and less man-power, ever-growing scope of responsibilities, crunched time, and even creative block all seem to be limiting factors that stifle the ministry we...

Those who lead in youth ministry have a vital role in the life of the church. The people you lead look to you, depend on you, and are learning from you. As youth leaders, we need to be healthy. We...

The nature of my job, like many other people, requires me to be online for networking, promoting events, and creating content for my business. Earlier in life, I wrote a book on technology entitled Tech Savvy Parenting, yet I found...

Narcissism, abuse, toxic leadership, vision starvation, burnout, unfair expectations, and overwhelming frustration. Like many of you, I have experienced these themes throughout my student ministry career, sometimes all at once. There were several times that I almost quit along the...

It’s easy to celebrate the big wins: salvations, baptisms, record attendance, new leaders stepping up, the stuff that makes it to our churches' social media feed. Those are incredible moments that deserve to be celebrated, but we often forget to...

Calendars, budgets, and administration, oh my. To-dos, organization, spreadsheets, and administration rarely make the highlight reel. When is the last time your administration efforts ever made the highlight reel? As I’ve scrolled Instagram and followed youth pastors online for years,...

You’re never fully prepared for something you’ve never experienced. I’ve been thinking a lot about that statement as I recall my first two years as the Student Minister at First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, SC. As prepared as my previous...

Have you ever read a bible verse that spooked you? One that haunted you like a ghost? When Jesus is wrapping up His famous Sermon on the Mount, He makes a statement that leaves me feeling a little nervous. “Not...

I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. - Psalm 119:93 You’ve seen it before – the parents in your ministry feel like nothing is happening; nothing is changing. They are at a standstill....

Many years ago, I heard the words Promotion Sunday. I had no clue what it was. I had just stepped into my first full-time ministry role. I was excited for the summer and knew that at some point towards the...

Hiding quietly, mostly out of sight, among the thousands of videos of cats and school place “fails,” endless photos of summer beach trips, birthday parties, and school dances is a reality most parents never see—teen depression. We typically think of...