Youth ministry leaders aren’t exempt from the tougher moments and seasons of life. And whether it's a difficult relationship, financial mess, unexpected illness of a loved one, or something else, when life gets hard and we want to check out, we still have students who need us to show up week after week. Join us this week as we talk about what it looks like to lead a youth ministry well and navigate life's difficult moments at the same time—and in a healthy way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are tons of differences between a 6th grader and a senior in high school. Can they both thrive in the same environment? Can they both thrive in the same environment? That's the question we're wrestling with this week. In our conversation, we discuss the developmental differences between MS and HS students, the importance of varied communication styles, and unique ways we can connect with each phase inside and outside of large group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many of us, the word “marketing” conjures up unsettling, slightly slimy images of trying to sell people things they don’t need. But the truth is, marketing doesn’t have to be this way! That’s why this week, we’re talking about a different kind of marketing—the generous kind that invites people to be a part of something great. In our conversation, we discuss why your ministry needs to start marketing and how it can help you spread the message of God’s love to more people than ever before.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anxiety among middle school and high school students has been rising rapidly in recent years. In fact, anxiety disorders are now the most common mental illnesses among students, affecting about 25 percent of all teens—and these are just the reported cases. That’s why this week, we sit down with Licensed Professional Counselor, Kayla Lin, along with Sara Shelton and Marquise Cox, to talk about why student anxiety is on the rise and what we can do as youth leaders to walk with and support students struggling with anxiety right now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Youth ministry leaders face unique challenges in their first year at a new church. From connecting with students to managing expectations from leadership to getting to know the church’s culture, it can be tough to acclimate, let alone feel confident making decisions. In this episode of Rethinking Youth Ministry, we unpack these challenges and more as we discuss steps youth leaders can take to adapt more quickly and make the most of the earlier days.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On average, how often are your students showing up to youth group? Once a month? Twice a month? Once every six weeks? The truth is, attendance numbers aren’t the most important measures of success in youth ministry—but they still matter. That’s why this week, we’re talking about ways we can start encouraging our students to show up more frequently by engaging them in specific ways through our programming and throughout the week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, as we kick off Season 3 of Rethinking Youth Ministry, we’re joined by founder and CEO of Orange, Reggie Joiner, and Orange’s Executive Director of Student Strategy, Crystal Chiang. Together, they’ll unpack and discuss several things they’re thinking—or rethinking—about the world of youth ministry today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the school year comes to an end and with summer quickly approaching, it’s easy to become a little more relaxed in our youth ministries. But is that a good thing? Should we really be slowing things down over the summer, or is this the time to invest more in our connections with students? In this episode, join ministry leaders as they discuss the pros and cons of summer programming and what it looks like to implement an effective summer strategy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economic diversity exists everywhere. Which means, if we’re hoping to connect with every student in our community, we must consider the unique ways we can support and serve students of various economic backgrounds—including those from lower-income families. On this episode, join us for an honest conversation about what it looks like to minimize assumptions, partner with parents, and best serve students in lower-income situations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.