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When was the last time you took a timeout? More specifically, when was the last time you were hyper-intentional about carving out some time to get alone, get away, and give yourself (and your ministry) the gift of some reflection, recharging, and refocusing before launching into what’s next? Let me challenge and count down for you in this video (no matter what month it is when you are watching it) with why I believe it’s so important to start planning a short timeout- RIGHT NOW, before the start of a new year or a new ministry season.

Some of the most popular and well-recognized couples in pop culture are Disney Couples. Let's see how well you can identify both the male and the female names of these couples.

Let's see how well you know these questions about Cupid... according to legend.

Protect: A Youth Worker's Guide to Navigating Risk (Revised & Updated Edition) is an indispensable resource for churches, para-church organizations, and anyone serving in youth ministry. Whether you are a full-time, part-time, volunteer, bi-vocational, rookie, or veteran youth worker, this revised and updated edition ensures you’ll be equipped to navigate the contemporary challenges, unique opportunities, and inherent risks in youth ministry today.

Everyone knows that a hare can really beat a tortoise, but can you guess which of these animals is faster than the other?

How well can your students spot someone famous when they were young? Help them out by using the clues to see if they can guess before someone else who the celebrity is. Play in teams or have two students face-off!

You will be shown a specific amount of U.S. coins. Simply be the first to correctly count up the amount of change.

Looking for a fun, on-the-spot guy-versus-girl face-off game? This one is a great opener for a message on relationships. Bring up two contestants (or more) to study the cheesy Christian pick-up line, and then face their opponent to say it with a straight face until someone can’t keep a straight face!

Determine whether or not these musical artists have ever headline the Superbowl Half-Time Show.

How well do you know what's true or false when it comes to science? Read the question and decide if it's "Fact" or "Fiction." Play it by having all students move from one side of the room to the other, or bring students up on stage to see who gets the right answer first.

Written by  Dr. Noel Forlini Burt. “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31 NIV). This is Jesus’ response to the disciples when they tell him about all they’ve been doing in ministry. Jesus’ response is not a call for the disciples to keep going. He doesn’t say, “Okay, great: here’s your next ministry assignment. You’ve been faithful with a few things, now here’s a few more.” Nor is Jesus’ response an invitation to debrief the Sunday service (so to speak). Jesus doesn’t offer any of that—there’s no instant replay of the week’s activities or darkened office invitations to the disciples to “to talk about their ministry performance.” There’s not even a word of affirmation about all that they’ve done. What Jesus offers is an invitation to rest. Have you ever heard this call in your own life? Heard it in a real, tangible, curling your toes inside your favorite fluffy socks, real-life kind of way? Thought this six-lessons of this module, we’ll be looking in greater detail at Jesus’ invitation to rest through Mark’s version of the feeding of the five thousand.

Written by Dr. Danny Kwon. Parenting well is the hardest job on the planet. Partnering with parents in youth ministry may be the second hardest job. You've probably studied teenagers' needs, their culture, and even their ever-changing lingo in preparation to be the most dynamic youth worker your church has ever seen. But when was the last time you studied their parents? What are their fears? What motivates their decisions? And why do some of them seem so hard to please? A Youth Worker's Field Guide to Parents is for youth workers who struggle to communicate with and relate to the moms and dads of the teenagers they want to reach the most. Whether you're a veteran youth worker or just starting out, or a church leader who wants to embrace parents more effectively, this three-part module will provide you with tips for peacemaking, insights for better empathy, and the motivation you need to make these important relationships work.

Written by Corey Watson. Every ministry has them. Maybe you created them. Maybe you inherited them. We all have them, though. What are "they"? Sacred cows. Events, programs, or calendar moments that maybe you wish weren't on the calendar, but you also feel like you HAVE to have them on there. How do you get rid of them if they need to go? What do you do if you can't get rid of them? What do you do to change them if you keep them? This three-lesson module will explore how to deal effectively with sacred cows in your ministry.

Written by Matt Andrews. For years now, youth workers and church volunteers have lamented that teens don't know basic Bible stories. But have you noticed more and more teens don't know anything about the Bible at all? Even though there are plenty of teen Bible study aids available, there's a giant gap between these tools and the total biblical illiteracy of many we're trying to reach. Slaying Biblical Illiteracy contains practical tips, as well as group and individual exercises, that will inspire youth to experience God's Word for themselves. Learn to use the same creative skills you use to plan retreats and youth group games to bring the Bible to life using the unexpected in fun ways that will grab and keep your teens' attention. Learn how to help youth work through their trust issues with Scripture and learn Bible study methods you can try out as a group, so that your youth are empowered to study the Bible for themselves, slaying biblical illiteracy and unlocking the influence of God s Word in their daily lives.

You will be given a STRANGE statement. You simply decide whether you believe that statement to be FACT or FICTION.

When was the last time you learned something about someone in your group? Use these fun prompts to see who has or hasn’t done something unique. Have them move from one side of the room or the other (or raise a left or right hand, if you group is large) to indicate if they “DID” or “DIDN’T” do it.

Some of the greatest movies were books first, and other epic films were original but then launched a book series. You get to guess at which is which in this fun game. Play in teams or have two students face-off!

Authors use Pen Names all the time instead of their Real Names. See if you can guess which of these names is a Pen Name or the author's Real Name.

You will be given the name of a pro wrestling move. Decided whether the move is real or fake.

How well do your students know some facts about DC heroes on screen or from the comics? Guide them to spot the one lie hidden among two truths!

We all want thriving youth ministries, vibrant communities of teenagers and adult leaders who are all growing as disciples of Jesus. Too often, though, it feels like things just aren’t...quite...working. While there are lots of potential solutions to the “problems” of youth ministry, Heather Quiroz suggests looking back—way back—for answers: at first-century Jewish faith, life, and culture.

See if you can answer these questions about leprechauns... according to legend.

Before celebrities were well known, they were just ordinary kids and teens? Who among your students can best guess who’s who through some photos and clues? Play in teams or have two students face-off!

You don't have to keep wishing you could equip the parents connected to your ministry. Join Ministry to Parents and get everything you need to become a competent ministry leader who doesn't just sound like they know ministry - you'll actually know how to create and lead a thriving ministry to the parents connected to your ministry.