Youth Ministry Curriculum and Resources

Ministry comes with many weighty responsibilities. Ministry leaders are called to teach, serve, and lead. But in leading those under their care, there comes a moment when they recognize the future leaders under their leadership. With this recognition comes an all too familiar question: What comes next? Let’s talk about what it means to call out the called, and to disciple those who have been called to ministry leadership.

Youth ministry is a grinding mill of unreal expectations, often combined with a surprising lack of support or resources. When you couple that with a youth pastor who is trying to do too much and trying to be too much -- it's a recipe for disaster leading to stress, anxiety, and ultimately burnout. As a youth pastor, you don't have a lot of leverage to fix the church's attitudes toward ministry, but we can improve our own attitudes. Hopefully, the result will be men and women who lower their stress, anxiety, and burnout and stay in youth ministry for many years to come.

By Dr. Ben Birdsong. Understanding the generations we serve can be a great tool for the youth worker. With this tool, we can understand the needs, struggles, and mindsets of each generation so we can faithfully point them to the truth of the gospel. With this tool, we can help parents to better understand their children and disciple them well. With this tool, we can help the older adults in the church better understand the generations who have come behind them. With this tool, we can listen to the heart cries of a generation, become a listening ear for them, and encourage them that Jesus will be with them and He never fails. In this module, we will dig into the latest information concerning Generation Z and Alpha in an effort to better understand who they are and how these insights should impact our approach to ministry to them.

By Dr. Noel Forlini Burt. Over the six lessons of this module, we’re going to explore what it means to abide in Christ in good times and in our seasons of spiritual dryness. These six lessons will cover many different topics: childlike reading of Scripture as a means of abiding in Christ, persistence in prayer, and even recalibrating how we teach our own students during dry ministerial seasons. Each of these elements is, I argue, a different way in which we can abide in the One who loves us so much that He gave His life for us.

Are you looking for an annual student ministry event that engages your small groups or Sunday School classes in a multi-week competition? What if I told you that there was a way to have that AND it be something that your students would look forward to and included creativity, Bible memorization, giving, and outreach? Let me tell you about Tribal Wars!

Recruiting and developing ministry volunteers is an essential part of leading in youth ministry. As youth workers, we often spend so much time and effort trying to get people to say "yes" to serving that we don't spend the time required to make sure they understand how to be successful in their serving role. This is especially true when it comes to our small group leaders or Sunday School teachers. So, what are the top three things your volunteer leaders need to understand? As you think about it, let me share mine with you.

Author Haydn Shaw says, “People often turn to religion for comfort and guidance in a changing and sometimes confusing world but find with five different generations, it is impossible to keep everyone on the same page. Younger generations are not willing to wait for styles and approaches to change—they simply go somewhere else or stay home. Because religious organizations survive only if they are able to attract the next generation, this may be the most important issue they face.” Part of your calling and living out your role as a leader in youth ministry is to help bridge the generational gap that exists within the walls of your church and help teenagers and adults alike navigate generational change. In this two-session masterclass, Dr. Jody Dean will walk you through some ways to do just that.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus makes a promise to all who submit to Him, saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” However, as a youth ministry leader, there are seasons where the yoke and the burden feel anything but easy or light. Join me in this single-session masterclass as I share seven things you need to remember when ministry starts to feel heavy.

Have you ever had the desire to do urban ministry, but unsure how or where to start? Ministering and serving effectively in environments that are unfamiliar can be a challenge. However, it is possible. When Jesus gave the disciples the great commission to spread the gospel to all the nations it was his intent for each disciple to leave their comfort zone and cross barriers for the sake of the gospel. In these sessions, you will learn valuable information as well as practical skills and strategies that will help you and your church effectively minister in the urban community.

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!

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.

Youth ministry is hard. If we aren't careful, the stress and anxiety that comes with ministry can damage us, our marriage, our relationship with our children, our walk with the Lord, and our ministry. In this two-session Masterclass, Dr. Jody Dean will break down some practical ways to identify and navigate the stress and anxiety we all struggle with before it's too late.

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.

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.

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.

This lifelong license will allow you to sign up an UNLIMITED number of emails from your church. Simply send out the unique registration code that we will email to you and allow your people to register at their convenience. THIS LICENSE IS ONLY FOR YOUR CHURCH.

All youth workers want to help teenagers grow in their faith, expanding their participation in the kingdom of God beyond Sundays or Wednesdays until it becomes an integral part of their everyday lives. The 12-Month Student Discipleship Journal is designed with that in mind, intended to help youth build habits of Bible reading, reflection, and prayer.

Let's go on a trip around the world! Can you guess these famous landmarks? 

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

Love is in the air! Check out these Valentine's themed icons and see how many you can remember.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

Every played a trivia game about the color green? You're about to. Let's go!

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

How well would you fit in if you were in say... Dublin? Let's find out by seeing how well you know what these Irish slang terms mean.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

We will show you the shadow of an animal. Simply be the first to guess the animal correctly.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

Do you know in which decade the Rubik's Cube was released? See how many of these toys you can pair with the correct decade.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

We have taken items you would commonly find in a bathroom and scrambled the letters. Let's see how many you can correctly identify.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

Which species is better at hunting? Cats or Dogs? Let's see how many you can answer correctly.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

Don't get confused. This isn't your average Easter Egg Hunt.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

Who will get closest to the correct answer?

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

See how many of these historical events you can place correctly within the timeline.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

How many of these animals an you correctly identify simply by looking at their feet? Let's find out.

Game includes: Title slide, rules, and 20 games slides

You will be given a clue and one letter of the answer. That's pretty much it. Let's do this!

Figure out the missing word in an effort to WORD UP. Each word builds on the next.

Name the correct mustache style and earn the respect of men everywhere.