So be honest: do you think Youth Pastors are Overrated? Do you think they get too much attention in churches today? When I mention Youth Pastors, do youth camp pranks, noisy kids in the sanctuary and the crazy colors they paint youth rooms come to mind? Whatever your reaction may be, perhaps you just don’t get all the fuss over…
Great communicators make profound concepts simple and simple ones profound. They are students of their audience. This allows them to predict and answer questions in the audience minds during the presentation. Don’t let that thought be too intimidating because it is a learned ability. Every student ministry leader can be an effective communicator if they are willing to spend time…
I love duct tape! My philosophy is “If you cannot fix it with duct tape…then throw it away.” Oh, and by the way, multi-colored duct tape is for sissies. I’ve been told it was created for heating/air condition vents but it did not work. So duct tape works on just about everything except what it was invented to do. I…
Matt’s eyes were huge as he entered the conference. The sea of youth leaders in one location exceeded his expectations. He felt confident this would be the place to discover the qualities of the "Perfect Leader for Student Ministry." The plan had been to interview enough student leaders in three days to build a profile of the “Perfect Leader.” His…
Matt quickly realized not everyone in his Youth Ministry Philosophy 101 class shared the same burden for students. This became crystal clear as he sat sipping his latte with several new friends after class in the school coffee shop. The conversation concerning future ministry opportunities was enlightening. Steve, one of the more animated students in the class, began the conversation.…
Matt settled into his Youth Ministry Philosophy 101 class and discovered many of his predetermined assumptions were being challenged. He began facing the realization that “doing student ministry” was more than simply running meetings and activities. Up until this point his ministry had just happened, now he was confronted with the truth of “Intentional Ministry.” He was open to this…
Matt arrived early for class brimming with anticipation. As a youth major he realized the importance of acquiring fresh educational insights along with practical experience. He desired to establish a balanced approach to student ministry. He knew every class would play a role in helping him become an effective student minister. Matt had spent time identifying the top two priorities…
Arriving at the Orlando Airport for my 7 pm speaking engagement, I checked my phone for a reply to my request for details. Neither of my emails to the 20-something coordinator had resulted in a reply. On the tram from the satellite terminal to baggage claim I tried the cell number again, but there was no answer. In my frustration…
When I was young I would visit my Grandmother, staying with her for days on end. I loved being there because she made me pound cake with chocolate syrup for breakfast. (Yeah, I have always been into health food.) She played the role of grandparent very well. I got away with things my parents would have never approved. However, her…
Understanding your audience is one of the first rules of communication. Yet we have all endured off-topic sermons or lectures which missed their target audience by a decade or two. It is vital we be conscientious in the research and preparation of our content. However, understanding the people to whom we intend to deliver the content is imperative as well.…