Teenagers are hard. They are not complex; they are just hard. You can anticipate mood swings, an incredible amount of energy, an incredible lack of energy, an envious amount of eating, and the on-again-off-agai...

The world of youth ministry is filled with liabilities. From a kid getting a cut in a game at youth group to a child breaking an arm while wrestling at camp, the world of youth ministry can be a potentially dan...

You don't have to do youth ministry very long to see that people don't understand what you do. • "So, you just prepare a little lesson for the kids once a week?" • "Do you get paid for that?" ...

Quick Backdrop Maybe you've heard this phrase: Be in the world, but not of the world. After hearing the phrase maybe you've thought, "Huh?" It's a catchy phrase that tries to explain a balance that God...

It is youth group night. You've just finished pouring out yourself once again for what you love. You've had the range of emotions that a night with teenagers can bring. Then...you spot them. You see them...

How do we help people understand what serving in youth ministry is really all about? I think a major hurdle in getting people to step up and invest in youth is their perception of what being a youth leader enta...

What is your theology of suffering? My personal Bible study tells me that suffering will happen. My life experiences back support that. Suffering should not catch us off guard, but a spot check of any ch...

The Internet and social media was filled with many opinions, disagreements and hate-filled posts about the recent murders in Charleston at Mother Emanuel by white supremacist Dylann Roof. It was the hot topic f...

Each June, we graduate about 35 seniors from the youth ministry. At the same time, we also have approximately 35 seventh graders enter the youth ministry. With them, 35 new parents flood in, many who have no id...

When I was 19, I left the church. I can tell you the exact day I walked out: I had returned from a college retreat and had reached my limit. I wasn't just burned out, but was frustrated with so many things w...