Articles
Adolescent Development
What Went Wrong With MTV?
by Adam McLane Posted in Adolescent Development
By Adam McLane All through my adolescence no organization was cooler than MTV. They literally defined what was cool for my generation, as Frontline documented in The Merchants of Cool, MTV wasn't just lucky to hit a specific trend at a specific time for 20 plus years. My jaw dropped as I learned that MTV's programming hits were the results of intense and prolonged ethnographic study of their target audience.
Mary Christmas: Reaching Out To Teen Moms
by Ginger Sinsabaugh MacDonald Posted in Adolescent Development
By Ginger Sinsbaugh MacDonald Okay. We’ve heard the story a zillion times. Even those of us who are Chreasters (those who only show up for church on Christmas and Easter) know the story about the pregnant teen named Mary. She and her fiancé Joe didn’t have reservations at the Red Roof Inn so they spent the night in a stable, where Mary’s water broke and she ultimately gave birth to the reason for the season, and all those balls of holly, Butterball turkeys, Chia pets, TV specials and Christmas plays, but…Read More
Advice
Adding Creativity to Your Ministry
by Mike Kupferer Posted in Advice
Being part of a creative youth ministry is what most new youth workers desire. Creative youth ministries (and congregations in general) are glamorized by magazines, websites, conventions and the youth ministry world. Being creative is the goal, or at least that is how it is portrayed when the pedestal of "ministry success" is placed under these ministries. And since having the most creative youth ministry garners the attention, the young youth worker seeks after the magic chalice of creativity. What usually happens is that youth worker cannot match the…Read More
How Do You Respond When Someone Has Offended You?
by Brian Ford Posted in Advice
By Brian Ford How do you respond when someone has offended you? I was hurt deeply once as I was accused falsely and faced harsh insults. To this day I have not shared with anyone other then my wife what took place. Bottom line I was offended and became angry and bitter as the offense grew based on misinformation (rumors). Let me make it clear right from the get go, the purpose of this article is NOT to point out the offense or the offenders, but rather share with you…Read More
High School
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Beyond Career Counseling to Vocational Discernment
by Will Penner Posted in High School
Why and how we can use systematic intellectual and spiritual processes and principles to help young people sift through possible college majors and career paths in light of their gifts, passions, temperaments, and Christian faith—helping students examine what they should do in light of who they are.
Leading Others Into… Worship? Critiques of Many Student-led Worship Teams
by Janice Thompson Posted in High School
Thompson outlines many dangers associated with leadership that seem to elevate students above their peers. Nowhere is this more evident than in the role of student worship leader.
Middle School
Middle School Leadership: An Untapped Resource
by Cliff Olson Posted in Middle School
This year marks our seventh year of middle school leadership. Many students from that first class are now seniors in high school. It's awesome to have incoming freshmen each year with two years of leadership and missions under their belt, as well as a heart to continue to learn and develop. It has allowed us to take students even further in their walk with God and allow them to serve the Lord in some very dynamic ways.
What Lurks Behind Those Fish, Toilet Paper, and Pantyhose Games?
by Kara Eckmann Powell Posted in Middle School
Wild and crazy junior high ministry activities... and the developmental and theological reasons why they make sense.
Music Reviews and Interviews
Review: Revelation By Third Day
by Patti Gibbons Posted in Music Reviews and Interviews
When a veteran -- can we say legendary? -- Christian band is set to release its 10th studio album, it just might be safe to say that there will be a consistent classic sound. If you were to play it safe that way in the case of Revelation, Third Day's latest, you just might be blown away by the new height of bigger, bolder, harder-rocking classic they achieve.
What Juno Didn’t Tell You
by Ginger Sinsabaugh MacDonald Posted in Music Reviews and Interviews
By Ginger Sinsabaugh MacDonald I’ve owned a lot of weird stuff over the years. A life-size sumo wrestler made out of foam rubber. A Malibu Barbie that my kid sister beheaded. A lizard, a lava lamp, a collection of snow globes, even an electronic whoopee cushion. But there is one thing that has never been in my possession. I never owned a diaper bag. My Barbie didn’t even own a diaper bag.
Programming
Awaken the Creative Genius in Your Ministry
by Jonathan McKee Posted in Programming
It’s Wednesday night, 7:15 p.m., and 22 kids fill the small youth room. According to the evening agenda (scribbled in ballpoint on a napkin), it’s time to “pull everyone together” and start. What’s next? Announcements, Worship, Talk, Dismiss. Zzzzzzzzzzzz.
Adding Creativity to Your Ministry
by Mike Kupferer Posted in Programming
Being part of a creative youth ministry is what most new youth workers desire. Creative youth ministries (and congregations in general) are glamorized by magazines, websites, conventions and the youth ministry world. Being creative is the goal, or at least that is how it is portrayed when the pedestal of "ministry success" is placed under these ministries. And since having the most creative youth ministry garners the attention, the young youth worker seeks after the magic chalice of creativity. What usually happens is that youth worker cannot match the…Read More
Resource and Book Reviews
Review: To Save A Life
by Todd Porter Posted in Resource and Book Reviews
Have you ever longed for a movie to be made by a Christian that depicted life in a much more realistic way? Where people who began a relationship with Christ didn’t suddenly have it all together, score the winning touchdown, get the girl, have their parents relationship suddenly get better and then find themselves tiptoeing through the tulips in a pain free life? If this describes you then the movie To Save a Life is just what you have been looking for.
Review: Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
by Justin VanRheenen Posted in Resource and Book Reviews
Review of Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris.
Training
I Knew Better
by Len Evans Posted in Training
By Len Evans Our textbook leadership retreat involved planning, training, worship, playing and eating. (We are Baptist after all.) We were wrapping up our last training session when I remembered that I hadn't mentioned appropriate boundaries between students and adult staff. At my previous church I had some college students on my volunteer staff and it was always discussed and demanded that volunteer staff can never, under any circumstances, date, like or be attracted to a student.
A Spiritual Coup in South America: Convencion de Liderazgo Juvenil
by Lucas Leys Posted in Training
"Things that U.S. youth workers would take for granted at a Youth Specialties Convention seemed radical in Argentina-casual clothes, no VIP chairs for the head honcho pastors, the diversity of speakers (even speakers who disagree with each other!), late-night forums where opposing ideas could be expressed and discussed, and the variety of dancing and worship styles."
Youth Worker Development
Get Back To The Garage
by Adam McLane Posted in Youth Worker Development
Last night I was listening to the latest episode of This American Life about origin stories of new industries and companies. Many well-known companies have a myth that they started in a garage. Even if it really isn’t true, people want to believe that their company was created by someone with a crazy idea who invested her last $2000 on an idea and got started in their garage. For some companies, like Hewlett-Packard and Apple, there is truth to it and the garage has become a corporate icon for…Read More
The Trust Business
by Adam McLane Posted in Youth Worker Development
By Adam McLane Have you ever been bitten by a sheep? I have. Of course, by sheep I mean a church member so for any farmers who might read this we're talking about church members as sheep. In my first full-time ministry experience I trusted that the church leaders would tell the truth and share their expectations up front. More importantly, I hoped that these same leaders would help me not get bitten by mean-spirited sheep who wanted to test a new shepherd.
Recent Articles
Awaken the Creative Genius in Your Ministry
by Jonathan McKee Posted in Featured ArticleProgrammingIt’s Wednesday night, 7:15 p.m., and 22 kids fill the small youth room. According to the evening agenda (scribbled in ballpoint on a napkin), it’s time to “pull everyone together” and start. What’s next? Announcements, Worship, Talk, Dismiss. Zzzzzzzzzzzz.
Review: Revelation By Third Day
by Patti Gibbons Posted in Music Reviews and InterviewsWhen a veteran -- can we say legendary? -- Christian band is set to release its 10th studio album, it just might be safe to say that there will be a consistent classic sound. If you were to play it safe that way in the case of Revelation, Third Day's latest, you just might be blown away by the new height of bigger, bolder, harder-rocking classic they achieve.
Review: To Save A Life
by Todd Porter Posted in ArticlesFeatured ReviewResource and Book ReviewsHave you ever longed for a movie to be made by a Christian that depicted life in a much more realistic way? Where people who began a relationship with Christ didn’t suddenly have it all together, score the winning touchdown, get the girl, have their parents relationship suddenly get better and then find themselves tiptoeing through the tulips in a pain free life? If this describes you then the movie To Save a Life is just what you have been looking for.
Review: Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
by Justin VanRheenen Posted in Resource and Book ReviewsReview of Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris.
Review: Choose Your Top 3 by Brian Schulenburg
by Mike Kupferer Posted in Resource and Book ReviewsA review of Choose Your Top 3, a discussion starter resource.
Adding Creativity to Your Ministry
by Mike Kupferer Posted in AdviceFeatured ArticleProgrammingBeing part of a creative youth ministry is what most new youth workers desire. Creative youth ministries (and congregations in general) are glamorized by magazines, websites, conventions and the youth ministry world. Being creative is the goal, or at least that is how it is portrayed when the pedestal of…Read More
Exploring the Art of Bible Storying
by Michael Novelli Posted in Featured ArticleProgrammingAfter 10 years in youth ministry, I felt as though I’d tried everything to help my students connect with the Bible. Then when an American missionary to Africa taught me the art of Bible Storying, I realized it was more than just a new way to teach. It was a complete shift in how I could help students with their spiritual formation. It was about helping students become learners and observers of the Bible and life.
Get Back To The Garage
by Adam McLane Posted in Youth Worker DevelopmentLast night I was listening to the latest episode of This American Life about origin stories of new industries and companies. Many well-known companies have a myth that they started in a garage. Even if it really isn’t true, people want to believe that their company was created by someone…Read More
The Trust Business
by Adam McLane Posted in ColumnsYouth Worker DevelopmentBy Adam McLane Have you ever been bitten by a sheep? I have. Of course, by sheep I mean a church member so for any farmers who might read this we're talking about church members as sheep. In my first full-time ministry experience I trusted that the church leaders would tell the truth and share their expectations up front. More importantly, I hoped that these same leaders would help me not get bitten by mean-spirited sheep who wanted to test a new shepherd.
Success Matters
by Adam McLane Posted in ColumnsYouth Worker DevelopmentThat title might turn a lot of people off. So, let me state the hypothesis of this right away: God cares greatly that you and your ministry are succesful. He wants to see you be great. He wants you to succeed in the position in which He has placed you.
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Creative Bible Lessons in Essential Theology
12 Lessons to Help Your Students Know What They Believe
