Youth Pastor Training and Leadership

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The experience of living as a teenager is, in some ways, the same as it's ever been. But in other ways, that experience has dramatically changed (and not only because of social media; and not only because of the pandemic). Marko will provide youth ministry leaders with a quick overview of the history of modern youth culture, highlighting the Belonging lens through which most teenagers now view everything (with a bunch of implications and applications).

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.

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.