If you have worked with middle schoolers for more than a week, I would bet my bank account that after you tell people what you do and who you serve, they look at you and say, “Oh bless your heart. I’m sorry. That’s a hard job that I’d never want.”
Early in my career of middle school ministry, I would just respond with a simple, “Oh yeah, thanks.” But over the years I have learned to respond differently.
Read MoreIn this episode I had the chance to chat with the one and only, Justin Knowles, about what volunteers really want from you as a leader. There are many times in which try and do all these random things to get our leaders on track or to make sure they are taken care of, but in this episode of the Youth Ministry Hacks Podcast, we talk about what they really desire.
Read MoreI have worked with middle school students in educational, athletic, and ministry settings for more than 14 years now. Although each context was uniquely different, there were still a few basic things about (most) middle schoolers that remained the same no matter what.
Read MoreWe asked middle schoolers from all over the country what their favorite YouTube channel was as of today (because we all know it changes in the blink of an eye). Here’s what they said…
Read MoreHow do you know if your students are actually growing in their faith?
How do you as the Youth Pastor, Sunday School Teacher, or Small Group Leader help students grow in their relationship with God?
Is it just about what you teach them?
Or is there more?
Read MoreDuring the first year I was in full-time ministry, I made a New Year’s goal to read 50 books that year. Looking back, I realize that’s a bit aggressive, considering they were all non-fiction for the most part.
At the time, it sounded like a great goal to me. I was transitioning out of the education system and a volunteer position and into full-time ministry. I knew I had a lot to learn, and I was motivated.
Over the years I have continued to read as much as I can. So I have put together a list of 50 of my favorite books that have been influential in my life over the last eight years.
Read MoreI think there are two types of people in this world.
There are some of us who pack the night before leaving for a trip.
And then there are others of us who start packing a whole month in advance, no matter where we are going or how long we will be gone for (which also includes packing, unpacking, re-packing, double checking, and then packing all over again.)
No matter where you fall on the spectrum, I’ve found is that, no matter where I am going, there are a few unique things I bring on every mission trip:
Read MoreEverything we are reading is saying somewhere between 80% – 95% of Generation Z uses YouTube more than any other social media channel. They visit YouTube to laugh, be entertained by funny content, and keep up to date with the latest and music and entertainment news. They also use it to search “real stories” or “day-in-the-life” videos, “behind-the-scenes” videos, and “how-to” videos. Turns out, teenagers prefer a low-quality video by an unknown person who seems real and authentic to a polished and produced video portraying something teenagers know isn’t reality.
Learning more about what this generation of teenagers connects with caused us to reimagine and rethink the way we do middle school teaching videos for our XP3 Middle School curriculum. After all, we have the best chance of reaching middle school students if we meet them where they already are, right?
Read MoreDon’t you love when people ask you this question:
“So what all do you need to do before you guys go on this mission trip?”
In your head you are probably thinking, the list is so long I don’t think you even want to know!
Amidst this gigantic list of to-dos, there are five things I have discovered that have made all the difference in mission trips I have been a part of.
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