The most recent round of gas price increases has brought renewed attention to hybrid cars. Hybrids combine a traditional gas-powered engine with an electric motor. Teenagers are hybrids, too. Each one is a trad...

Syler Thomas has been writing YouthWorker Journal's "Managing Your Ministry" column for years, so he was our first choice to write a feature for this issue.There are some days when I feel like I'm completely in...

I have this sneaking suspicion that right about now you are gearing up for your annual summer mission trips. These trips are a highlight for me, as they allow me to get out of my normal routine, out of my comfo...

Spring brings many changes and opportunities.Here in the Chicago area, spring typically arrives in early June and lasts a good three or four hours before we move right into the next big season, which is Constru...

Being direct in your communication is not always the path of least resistance. In fact, it often invites more resistance, and youth ministry is hard enough without unnecessary conflict, isn't it? While the path...

Who are you? It's a simple question, yet it's one of the most difficult questions to answer.There is no right or wrong answer; only an honest look inside yourself will result in a truthful and helpful answer.Mo...

Whenever people tell me they can't read through the Bible because of tedious passages in Leviticus, I say, "That's ridiculous! The final chapters of Exodus are worse. At least Leviticus offers a 'gross out' fac...

How many times have you asked a student, "How are you doing spiritually?" How many times has a student responded, "I'm doing OK—I mean, I haven't been reading my Bible as much as I'd like…" Do you see...

As a student in youth group, I sometimes would get some warm-fuzzy feelings when we sang, but my relationship with God was very shallow. What changed me was when one of my leaders began bringing a guitar to mee...

A while back in my ministry, I had a group of students that just doesn't come along very often—seven or eight senior guys who really seemed like they wanted to grow. They were from strong families and had...