Youth Pastor Training and Leadership

The Old Testament can seem like this ancient, out-of-reach, or unknown part of the Bible. While there may always be parts we will not fully understand, it doesn't mean we should avoid teaching it. One of our goals as youth workers is to help students better understand God's Word. In this video, we will discuss 4 different ways to help students understand the Old Testament.

Meetings, planning, and forecasting. These are all things a great leader does on top of everything else. However, sometimes, when we are in our planning mode, it can be hard to know who to have in the meeting, what to do, and how to do it. In this video, we will look at how to plan an effective brainstorm meeting. A chance where you get to dream, build, create, and innovate. You want to get this right and make sure you have the right people and parameters set for this meeting.

No matter the size of your ministry. No matter how long you’ve been there or what type of church you participate in, chances are, you’ve had experiences with parents who may be a little bit more “needy” than other families in your ministry. These are the families who are a little more opinionated or maybe more willing to share their opinions with you (and everyone else) more than the rest. We’re talking about the families whose emails you leave unread just a little bit longer because, honestly, you’re not totally sure how to respond. The families that call your phone you may send them to voicemail because you want to hear what they have to say before you answer or call back. It’s the family that on a Sunday after service, you’re standing in the lobby, and you see somebody walk into you, and you go, “Ohh man, that’s so and so, and I’m not sure I’m ready to have this conversation.” We all have families in our ministry who we just struggle with, right? We don’t hate them. We don’t dislike them. However, at the end of the day, they just make life a little bit more difficult for you, and we want to know how to navigate, how to engage, and how to care for these families really well because God has entrusted us with that task. God has placed those families in our church, so we don’t just want tactics or tips and tricks to figure out how to avoid these families or just pass them off to someone else. We want to be pastors. In fact, God has invited us into this as pastors, and we have a responsibility and, hopefully, a desire to care well for the people that God has placed in our ministry context. So, in this single-session Masterclass, Josh talks about difficult parents and five things to consider when choosing to pastor them well.

In this single-session Masterclass, Josh addresses a leadership topic that is oftentimes frustrating for people. We love the joys of student ministry. We love it when we can cast a vision for something that sticks and that people get excited about and want to follow us to see it come to fruition. But what about those other seasons where we cast vision, and nothing happens? What about those times when you get super excited about something—a new program a new idea, a new initiative, whatever it is—and we cast that vision to church leadership or families or our volunteers or our students, and they look at us with a little bit of confusion like we have four heads? So, let’s talk about what to do (and not do) when our vision doesn’t stick.

Do you ever find it odd that, as student ministry leaders, one of the things that so many of us struggle to do well is celebrate with/alongside the students in our span of care? You’d think that with the word “student” or “youth” being half of our job title, celebrating with/alongside students would come more naturally…or that we would at least be more intentional with it. In this single-session Masterclass, Josh points out four important spiritual milestones and three easy personal milestones that we need to pay attention to. He also provides some thoughts as to how we can be more intentional in celebrating with/alongside the students we serve.

Welcome to the “The Ultimate Guide to Harnessing the Power of Summer Interns for Church Success.” In the first session of this dual-session Masterclass, we dive into strategies and tips that will help you and your church recruit, develop, and maximize the potential of summer interns and achieve results that are a win-win for everyone. Nick will also share a list of “do’s” and “don’ts” of leading interns from the mouths of some of his own interns. In session two, Nick will talk about moving from summer interns to having your own residency program and the phases of a residency. He will also discuss how to equip a resident to leave their experience prepared for ministry. Lastly, Nick will cover what to do when you have to let an intern or resident go. If you have interns and/or residents in your church (or you would like to), these videos will both challenge and equip you to do it well.

Teaching teenagers the Word of God is both an incredible privilege and a weighty responsibility. Scripture itself says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness (James 3:1 ESV).” So, how do we best honor the Lord, His Word, and His calling upon our lives to teach and disciple His sheep? In this two-session Masterclass, we will discuss tips and methods to effectively teach teenagers the Word. In session one, I will share eleven tips for teacher preparation and spiritual preparation. I’ll also point out a few helpful resources that you can use. In session two, we will discuss lesson planning and explore seven different teaching models that you can utilize in your youth ministry.

Do you want to get on the good side of your finance committee? Are you tired of coming back from camp or D’Now Weekend celebrating incredible spiritual highs, only to be scared to face the incredible lows of having a meeting about all the money that you’ve spent? Are you ready to never go over budget again? In this two-session Masterclass, we dive deep into the essential aspects of mastering your youth ministry finances. In session one, we will explore the art of planning and navigating a solid operating budget, discover the power of operating out of your church’s purpose, and enable you to take complete control of your financial situation and get the most out of the budget you’ve been given. In session two, I will share the principles behind a solid budgeting technique and my sure-fire negotiating tactics that will save you money on those trips/camps. Oh, and I’m also giving you my “Ultimate Trip Calculator” (100% FREE) so you’ll never blow out your budget again.

Have you ever had the thought or said out loud behind a closed door (after checking for listening devices, of course), “Youth ministry would be soooooo much easier if I could just get parents out of the way and actually do ministry with the students!” Don’t worry, you aren’t alone (and I won’t tell them you said that). Youth ministry leaders and parents often seem like baking soda and vinegar; mix the two, and you’re going to get a reaction. But this doesn’t have to be the case. In this single-session Masterclass, I will share eight thoughts that can help you turn the parents in your church from foes to friends (and maybe even your biggest cheerleaders).

Youth ministry leader, how are you going to lead students well if you aren't leading yourself well? In this single-session Masterclass video, you will learn ten critical principles for leading yourself and leading others.

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.

Have you ever wondered if you are truly being effective at multiplying disciples? You know you are running programs but you just aren’t sure those programs are creating the disciple-making results you are intending to produce. The Disciple’s Journey training from Dave Rhodes will jumpstart a healthy conversation for you and your team around what effective disciple-making looks like and lead you to evaluate your ministry based on the time tested process of discipleship that we see Jesus use with followers.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

If we don't reach them the next generation by the time they turn the tassel, the likelihood they will ever come to Jesus drastically drops. Now is the time to make sure your students both know Jesus and are equipped to make Jesus known. In this training, we will discuss the practical whys, hows, and whats of moving the evangelistic needle in your youth ministry.

When was the last time someone asked you, “How is your soul?” When was the last time you asked yourself that question? Maybe most importantly, when was the last time you slowed down long enough to honestly answer or do something about your answer to that question? Let’s spend some time together talking about caring for our souls because only healthy leaders can lead healthy ministries.

Our world has changed. The pandemic has reshaped every aspect of our culture, including the rhythms surrounding our faith. When preaching the Bible to teenagers, some best-practices are timeless and unchanging. And there are also new variables that must be considered. In this session, Andy will walk youth ministry leaders through the non-negotiables of effectively preaching the Word to students in a culture that is radically changing around us.

Nobody in ministry does it alone; we need volunteers, parents, students, and staff around us. While a staff team is not a guarantee in every youth ministry context, if and when you end up leading a staff team (or a volunteer team), they are worth taking care of. What are some things you need to consider when it comes to leading, growing, and caring for your staff? Let's talk about it.

As a youth ministry leader, it's so easy to get focused on all the things (preaching, recruiting, training, partnering with parents, event planning, meetings, etc.) that we can neglect the most important thing; the state of our own souls. We are called to minister out of the overflow of our own hearts. Instead, we often find ourselves ministering out of the overflow of our own exhaustion, frustration, and emptiness. This is not sustainable or healthy ministry! So in this On-Demand Masterclass, let's talk through 11 tips to keep your soul healthy while leading a youth ministry.

You have a group of dedicated volunteers. They show up when they are supposed to, and they do what is asked of them. . .for the most part. But how do you develop that group to serve others well? How do you motivate them to approach serving teenagers as more than just being dutiful to the Lord? How do you lead, train, and support that group so that they go from a "group of individuals" to a team? Join Dr. Jody Dean in this two-session Masterclass on-demand to hear how he's training students at New Orleans Baptist Seminary to develop a team that serves.

Youth ministry never stops! Every new student, new family, new volunteer, or new ground taken in your ministry starts a new plate spinning. Not to mention all the added responsibilities that, for some reason, didn't seem to make it on your pre-hire job description. Before you know it, your potential success in youth ministry can be overtaken or completely undermined by your inability to get it all done. In this two-session masterclass, you'll learn how to take the reins of your time and personal management by implementing the C.R.A.M. strategy.

As someone called to youth ministry, you're passionate about discipling teenagers. You're passionate about pouring into students and their families. You love the work you do with youth and the local church. You spend countless hours and sacrifice much to live out that calling and that passion. However, sometimes in the living out of that passion and calling, we find ourselves pouring out more than we are filling up. Sometimes we can find ourselves beginning to waver in our walk with the Lord. So in this training, we're going to be taking a look at some of those spiritual disciplines we need to be regularly practicing to be filled and renewed as we live our ministry calling. In session one, we will cover the inward disciplines of prayer, study, fasting, and meditation. In session two, we will cover the outward disciplines of servanthood and simplicity, solitude, and submission. Lastly, in session three, we will walk through the corporate disciplines of worship, celebration, guidance, and confession.

I once heard it said that youth leaders should spend 1/3 of our time reaching and discipling students, 1/3 of our time developing leaders, and 1/3 of our time equipping parents. This is a great model and a healthy approach to youth ministry. But what if leadership development was an intensional part of your discipleship process? What if, as we were making student leaders, we were simultaneously training them to be disciples who make disciples? This is a one-session master class on how to engage, equip, and empower your students to do that very thing.

Have you ever heard of the saying, "Do it right or do it over?" Flying by the seat of your pants and surviving in ministry due to the grace of the do-over is a typical caricature of a youth ministry leader. However, no matter how charismatic the personality of the ministry leader is, there comes a time when second chances run out, and your misteps lead to your termination. This is especially true with errors and oversites in the areas of organization, communication, systems, wisdom, conflict resolution, and change. But there is another way. In this On-Demand Masterclass, we will look at seven critical aspects of ministry that you really need to get right this year so that you can lead, grow, thrive--and still be employed—in the next year.

If you desire to be an effective youth ministry leader, effective communication is a skill set that has to be mastered. This On-Demand Masterclass will do a deep dive into helping you build a more effective communication strategy by identifying your audiences, exploring a central hub model, and generally upping your communication game with students, parents, and volunteers in your ministry.

It has been said that leaders have the power to change or affect the lives of others, and therefore, leadership is sacred work. If this is true of leadership in general, it must be infinitely more true for ministry leaders. But how can we expect to participate in this sacred work of leading others if we are incapable or sorely lacking when it comes to the ability to lead ourselves well? In this two-part master class, we are going to look at six big areas of self-leadership—self-discipline, health, time management, saying no, boundaries, family first—and all the things that we struggle with that make up these six areas. These two sessions will offer tips, suggestions, and things for you to consider about self-leadership. But most importantly, they will cause you to ask some hard questions of yourself about the way you lead yourself and consider how those choices impact everyone/everything around you.

No youth pastor takes a ministry role expecting things to go poorly or with an internal time clock of when they know that God will call them to something new. But inevitably, it happens. Something changes. Something goes wrong. Something happens outside of your control but impacts you, your ministry, or your family. Maybe something goes particularly right. Or God, in His perfect timing and will, moves you on or over to something else. In this masterclass, we will look at when to leave, how to leave well, and the things you need to thoroughly investigate/ask before saying yes to your "next."

As school returns, the summer heat begins to fade, and another ministry year starts to ramp up, two things are on the minds of a majority of youth pastors: 

1) Oh no, is Halloween on a Wednesday this year? 
2) I need to plan the Fall Retreat! Planning retreats are often daunting as they require attention to detail across many different areas simultaneously. 

This masterclass series in planning and programming a fall retreat will walk through everything you need to get right with creativity and programming, the questions you need to ask and answer about logistics, and will help you eliminate the potential pitfalls so many make when planning.