"Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valley."
Youth Ministry
The Billy Graham Crusades Were Good, Right?
The Christian life was never meant to be an exclusively personal experience.
A Youth Ministry From Scratch
So, I'm starting a youth ministry from scratch.
A Brief Plea for Sunday School
"As Sunday School is slowly replaced with small groups, this vital element of the Christian "faith-diet" has been phased out. The hour of biblical knowledge growth isn't being replaced with something equal."
Youth Ministry “Monsters Under the Bed”
Here's the thing about monsters under the bed: we don't like to talk about them. We prefer to turn off the light, run to the bed, and pull the covers over our eyes. But, if you are ever going to rid yourself of the monsters, you need to clear what's under the bed.
Retreat with Purpose
Retreats are necessary and should be intentional. But, the intent of a retreat matters. In other words, it should have a clear and identifiable purpose.
Youth Leaders: Surviving Upheaval
Upheaval and chaos are realities in our fallen world. As such, the church should expect these disruptions, both physical and spiritual. The pandemic has taught us that we cannot depend on "the norm" forever, and as such, much be equipped for storms when they arrive. The calling of ministry is to feed the flock, and the conditions will not always be ideal.
Taking Over After the “Last Person”
Sometimes student ministry leaders are hired to follow the local church "legend." But, more often than not, youth directors are hired to replace a previous youth director who was less-than-legendary. How you pick up the pieces matters.
“Rollercoaster” Doesn’t Do It Justice
Please don't allow your teen's weather to change your climate. Be the stability they need. Please be hesitant to label their storms as climate. When you do so, you provide them an excuse to ignore learning how to cope.
The Next Culture Shift in Student Ministry
But, in the past two years, COVD-19 has sent a shockwave through youth ministries around the world. For every youth ministry that thrived, two others fell apart. That shouldn't be shocking news. The shocking news should be the decline in school attendance.
Weston Blaha 