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Cry Night at Camp. Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? How do we help students come down off the seemingly inevitable high that a summer camp or mission trip experience often elicits? How do we help them navigate through the emotions and streams upon streams of tears? How do we set those students up to take meaningful next steps in their faith? How do we set those students up to be discipled? And how do we ensure that they set their feet on solid ground and good soil? Join me in this masterclass as I lay out three tried-and-true ideas to successfully bring your students down off the mountain top of camp!

"The best engine for a successful, thriving youth ministry is a strong kid’s ministry. What happens if you have a strong kid’s ministry but you don’t nail the transition from kid’s ministry to student ministry? How do you make sure you’re prepared? And then, on the other side of youth ministry, there are students dropping out of church at an alarming rate, and this is even for students who are regularly committed to their church during youth group and during their middle school and early high school days. What is behind that? 

This two-session masterclass will dig into each side of the critical transitions that have to be successfully navigated in youth ministry. It will provide you with several ideas, tips, and tricks to help you nail the transition from kid’s ministry into student ministry and help you discover ways you can we help students take meaningful steps into college while also keeping them connected to the church and to their faith."

I once heard it said that when you get to the end of your time in ministry, you want the people who know you the best to love and respect you the most. How are you doing with that? If our spouse and our kids are our first and most important ministry, are we honoring the Lord with our time and our attention to them? In this one-session Masterclass, I want to give you ten tips to consider that can help you to do great ministry while being a great spouse and a great parent.

Technology is one of the most frustrating and confusing issues parents in your church are trying to navigate regarding their teenagers. They spend countless days and nights feeling overwhelmed, under-equipped, and completely outmanned when it comes to knowing how to respond to screens. This MYM Live Online Training Event is not the typical “technology is evil, so let’s run from it and teach parents to do the same.“ Instead, technology and parenting expert Brian Housman is here to provide you, as a youth ministry leader, with some practical steps and prudent boundaries regarding technology so that you can educate and equip the parents in your church on leading and loving their students through setting healthy boundaries with screens without using shame or blame.

As youth workers and ministry leaders, we’re all trying to get better at making disciples. Maybe some of the answers to our questions about discipleship can be found by looking back at the Jewish roots of our faith—the very roots that produced our Master and Messiah, Jesus. But how can we say that we know about Jesus and His methods of making disciples if we haven't taken the time to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural way of life that surrounded Him? To know how Jesus did discipleship, we need a strong grasp of the ideas, practices, and beliefs surrounding the Jewish people of the first century. This live training event with author and youth worker Heather Quiroz will help you get to know Jesus from within His first-century setting and apply his disciple-making methods as you lead in youth ministry.

Youth ministry leaders, hear me out. Recruiting, training, developing, equipping, and retaining volunteer leaders is critical to the success of your ministry. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that your level of success or failure in the areas of building and developing your volunteer leaders will be directly proportional to the success or failure of your ministry's growth and impact. Yes, volunteer leaders matter that much! You may think that you are Superman or that you can be a one-man band, but a reality check says you are not, and you can’t. No matter how great and charismatic of a leader you are, without great, bought-in, equipped, passionate volunteer leaders, you and your ministry are going to struggle and wither in effectiveness. But if you can surround yourself with a team of great volunteer leaders, the sky is the limit because those leaders have the potential to have an even greater impact on how your ministry runs and the effectiveness that it has in ministering to students. With that in mind, here are 12 tips on developing your volunteer leader team.

Working with teenagers, especially post-pandemic, you are most likely fully aware that adolescent mental health issues are as significant and debilitating as they are widespread (and growing). In fact, according to the Director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, “The average high school student today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950s.” So what can we do, as youth ministry leaders, to lean in and help our students who are coping with or struggling to navigate mental health issues? In this single-session Masterclass, Jon provides seven thoughts to help you get started.

Mission trips can be incredibly impactful and provide opportunities for significant spiritual growth for your students. That said, mission trips can also be overwhelming. In this one-session Masterclass, we will go on a trip together to discover the benefits of taking students on a mission trip, how to plan for a mission trip, tips for fundraising, and some best practices while on the trip.

Middle school ministry is not the dressed up kids ministry or dumbed down high school ministry, and we need to intentionally pray, plan, program and present in ways that are effectively meeting the unique needs of these students. Especially after a national pandemic and cultural changes, now more than ever is the time to understand middle years ministry to the emerging Generation Alpha entering our student ministry.

Now more than ever, teens are struggling with stress, anxiety, and fear. The issues young people are facing are complex and wide-ranging. So how can parents and youth workers understand them better? What are the best ways to meet young people where they are and help them feel seen, loved, and known—by our youth ministries, by their parents, and ultimately by the God who cares for them so deeply? Coming off of his latest book, The Anxious Teen, Brock will provide in this seminar a context to help us understand today’s anxiety-ridden reality, he will teach skills and practices that will impact our youth ministries as well as help parents guide their children in moving forward in a lasting and healthy faith and life.

Communicating to teenagers…is it an art or is it a science? The answer is YES! In this MyYouthMin Live Online Training Event Kurt Johnston, who has spent over 30 years writing messages and speaking to students, will share some of the secrets he’s learned along the way.

So, you’ve got a volunteer team- that’s awesome! Have you ever considered structuring that team to provide clarity, fruitfulness, and fulfillment for those who serve with you? The idea of structure can feel intimidating or unnecessary, but a few key considerations could unlock the potential in the team of motivated volunteers you’ve already got. In this single-session Masterclass, we will look at what you can do to structure your volunteer team to ensure that they thrive in their key serving roles.

We all know that "partnering with parents" is important, but nobody ever goes on to tell you what successful "partnering with parents" looks like exactly or how I am supposed to do that impactfully from my youth pastor role. What if there was a better way to meet the spiritual and felt needs of the families within your church? What if making that church-wide change could start inside your youth ministry and with you as a youth ministry leader? Join Chris Sasser as he shares some practical steps to building a whole family ministry and how your youth ministry can act as the catalyst for change.

You know the disappointment of planning a parenting event for your ministry and having few, if any, parents bothering to attend. You watch as the parents in your church sit on the spiritual sidelines of their teenagers. You feel the frustration as parents respond to the cultural tides their teens face with fear, anger, and resentment. The easy path for you is to step in and become the disciple-maker of the teenagers in your church. The most rewarding path, however, is to find a way to inspire parents to do it. But how do you do that? Our session together will give you the tools you need to equip, encourage, and empower the parents (grandparents and guardians) of the teenagers in your church. And learning how to leverage these tools will help you to leave a legacy of impact that will last long after you are gone.

No matter how good your youth ministry is, people will be more prone to come on board, stay, serve selflessly, and recruit others to join when they feel like they belong to a group of people; rather than feeling like just someone who is accomplishing some random mission and vision. So how do you build clear expectations, space, relationships, and community when it comes to recruiting and maintaining volunteers? Join me in this one-session Masterclass on-demand to find out.

As our students go through life, they encounter people and situations that lead them to pack and carry some enormous emotional baggage that holds them back from living in the grace and freedom that Christ provides. As youth pastors, we are in a unique position to help both students and their parents "lighten the load" along the way. In these training sessions, we will look at eight specific bags kids tend to pack as they grow up, how these bags tend to get packed, and the long-lasting negative impacts they can have. Each session will offer practical strategies we can use and equip parents to employ to leverage their influence and prevent some of these bags from getting packed in the first place.

As youth ministry leaders, it's important to know your audience. Knowing how they think, how they learn, and what's going on inside of them is important. In this masterclass video, we'll share some practical insights and tips to help you understand who your students are and creative ways to minister to them. 

Session 1 Synopsis: In this 25-minute on-demand training session, youth pastors will gain valuable insights into the unique characteristics, behaviors, and trends of Generation Z and Gen Alpha. This session will explore key trends in scripture, technology, theology, and cultural influences that shape these young people's lives. The trends will be found through Barna, Ligonier, and other academic youth ministry areas. By leveraging this knowledge, youth pastors can create more engaging and meaningful ministry experiences that resonate with Gen Z and Alpha, fostering deeper connections and spiritual growth. Join us to enhance your ministry's effectiveness in reaching the current generations in your youth ministry. 

Session 2 Synopsis: This 25-minute on-demand training session builds on the foundational understanding of Generation Z and Generation Alpha by offering practical steps to integrate these insights into your youth ministry. Learn how to adapt your teaching methods, build meaningful relationships, and create engaging interactions that resonate with these generations. We will provide actionable strategies and real-world examples to help you develop plans that leverage current trends in technology, social media, and cultural shifts. 

For anyone who has ever felt unqualified to share the Good News, this training is for you. My Eight: Embrace and Engage in the Wonder of Evangelism uses Scripture and stories from Dr. Newton’s life to make plain how not only are we, as Christ-followers, more than capable of sharing the Gospel, but we are also called to do so. It does away with the idea that you must have a microphone or a stage to make Jesus known, but instead invites us to see the beauty and joy of embracing and engaging in evangelism everyday.

In this single-session Masterclass video, we will explore the two-and-a-half ways that you can approach summer programming/calendaring, which will help you absolutely crush it. We will explore the pros and cons of these approaches in detail, along with one ministry failure story and one idea for each approach that you can try out. Nick also shares five outside-of-the-box connection ideas you can try this summer (complete with downloadable examples). All of this is to capture significant summer momentum and set yourself up for a fantastic fall return from a fruitful youth ministry summer!

As youth ministry leaders, we all have things that we’d love to do (know that we need to do) but often don’t have the time or clear vision for. Sunday and Wednesday are always coming, and the teenagers in our care need our attention. But what about their parents? What about the people who actually have the biggest influence on them? What are we doing to engage, equip, and empower those who God has called lead their children? In this MYM training, Family Ministry Pastor Chris Sasser will share a few ideas and tips on how we can engage, equip, and empower parents in our church as they seek to love and lead their teens.

As a youth pastor, not only are you responsible for preparing/preaching weekly sermons for your students in a large group setting, but you’re also tasked with equipping your leaders to teach the Bible in a weekly small group/discipleship setting. Each of these settings is unique and come with their own issues to navigate. Each of these settings has significant value. Each of these settings requires a youth ministry leader to think and prepare differently. In this two-session Masterclass video, Matthew will share some of the different needs that students have when they are sitting in a large group environment versus a small group environment. In session one, Matthew will explore the uniqueness of preaching in a large group setting and some tips that may help you in your leadership and preparation. In session two, Matthew will delve into the nuance in preparation, student needs, and leadership that comes with teaching/leading others to teach in a small group environment.

Hey student ministry leader, how is your relationship with your senior pastor? No, really. This is an honest and completely serious question. How is the relationship between you and your senior pastor? Are you cordial? Are you on mission together? Are you distant? Are you close? Are you at odds with one another? Do you trust them? Do they trust you? Maybe a more important and impactful question would be this: What are you doing to build the relationship between you and your senior pastor? In this single-session Masterclass video, I want to provide you with nine thoughts on how you can build a healthy and fruitful relationship with your senior pastor.

As a growing and thriving youth ministry leader, you know that the health of your ministry is directly connected to the health of your volunteers. But January is a natural time for your volunteers to start slumping slightly. How can you, as a ministry leader, encourage them to remain committed to the mission of Jesus? How can you, yourself, go from surviving the winter/spring semester to thriving? In this two-session Masterclass video, we will look at three key shifts leaders should take this January to remain hope-filled, give you three tips to help your volunteers stay motivated, offer three offbeat ideas to ensure that you remain healthy/motivated, learn three things that every volunteer needs from you, and discover how you can prepare yourself to be ready to ride the natural wave of momentum that is available to almost all of us in the summer and fall.

As a youth ministry leader, we are called to make disciples. Part of that disciple-making process involves pouring ourselves into students, identifying and activating them to live out their faith by living and leading in a God-honoring way. So, how do we do that? In this one-session Masterclass video, we will discuss how to clarify what we want a student leadership team to accomplish, identify student leaders, invite them to lead, acquire parent buy-in, and activate our students to lead out in a life of service to Jesus through their unique giftings.

Go and make disciples. Isn’t that what Jesus asks every youth ministry in the world to participate in? And every church, for that matter? If that’s the case, how are you orienting your ministry calendar to ensure maximum discipleship is taking place? And how are you measuring those things? In this Masterclass video, we’re going to unpack the three elements of Jesus’ Great Commission and give you six thoughts on ways to weave discipleship into your ministry calendar.

When students actively participate in the church, they find a sense of belonging and ownership. They become part of a community that supports and encourages them, fostering lifelong connections and friendships. By integrating students into the fabric of your church and community, you'll create an environment where they feel valued, heard, and empowered to make a difference.

Illustrations are not the most important part of preaching and teaching God's Word to teenagers. However, thinking through our illustrations helps our listeners, no matter their age, hold onto what is the hope of Jesus. Join lead teaching pastor, founder of the "Through-Line Cohort," podcast host, and highly sought-after youth ministry communicator Chad Poe for a time of challenge and instruction on effectively communicating biblical truths for lasting Kingdom impact.

One of the greatest privileges and most important things we do as youth ministry leaders is to communicate, teach, and proclaim God's Word to teenagers. It is critical that we honor that Holy privilege by putting in the time, effort, and study as we prepare. In this training session, we will do a deep dive into sermon prep and uncover what I believe to be four key areas in our preaching and sermon prep.

Ministry to a middle school audience is challenging and extremely rewarding. This is the phase of life where questions are being asked, doubts are being processed, and brains are being hard-wired. In these three training sessions, Kevin and Ethan will dispel some of the myths and stigmas that come with working with middle schoolers, and they will walk you through some ways to fully lean into your middle school students.

Any New Orleans chef worth his roux would tell you that a truly delicious gumbo isn't just about one specific ingredient but is instead a masterful combination of different select ingredients that, when blended together, create an explosion of flavor. Likewise, as leaders in youth ministry, we are called to make disciples. To accomplish this Sacred task, we have to get into the kitchen and build the recipe ingredients that, when mixed together, not only lead students in our particular ministry contexts to come to faith in Jesus Christ but also guides and supports each of them as they grow in relationship with Him. In these sessions together, we will look at seven key ingredients to providing your students with a discipleship strategy or pathway that does just that.

Game planner, pizza orderer, Bible teacher, and graphic designer. These are all things you might find yourself doing during the year. In this masterclass video, we'll look at some helpful design platforms and ideas to inspire you and show you that graphic design doesn't have to defeat you.

This training addresses two common challenges in youth ministry: busy student schedules and student complacency. In these videos, we will explore strategies to help overcome busyness by looking at key solutions to help students prioritize their faith. We will also look at practical ways to help students overcome complacency and reignite their interest in being part of your ministry.