Christmas break is coming soon and students are ready! Certainly, they are ready for Christmas, but the stress on students through the end of semester projects and exams will leave them needing physical and emotional breaks as well. This does not mean they want to sit at home and do nothing. In fact, this is […]
When Nick Saban joined the University of Alabama as the head football coach, Saban told the Athletic Director that they didn’t necessarily get the best coach in the country, but they got the best recruiter. Since then, Saban has reached unprecedented success, winning five national championships over a span of eleven seasons. No matter where your […]
Budgeting can be a real time consuming and can require a good bit of work. A great budget will reflect your vision and the opportunities you plan to pursue in the coming church year. Your budget speaks directly to what you want to do. It answers the question, what do we beleve we are called […]
I love engaging students in Gospel conversations, working diligently to organize and promote the next event, and showing up at a football game to support students and families. The pace and thrill of ministry motivate every student ministry leader to stick to the grind. On the flip side, it is the administrative details that often get […]
James Dean, who played a troubled teenager in the 1955 movie, “Rebel Without a Cause,” said, “Dream as if you will live forever; live as if you will die today.” You’ve probably seen it on a teenage girl’s Instagram bio. It’s a nice thought, and for James Dean, who tragically died in a car crash […]
Acts 2:16 “But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel” We know that God has mandated that we share His message of redemption to the world. We desire to obey God, but the fear that invades our body and mind when we begin a conversation with a stranger about Jesus or the Bible can […]
I have earth-shattering news; Life is busy! The life of a minister is no exception, whether you are full-time, or full-time work but part-time pay, or an excellent volunteer (which is free labor) a minister’s life is busy. There are meetings to attend, bible studies to plan for, games to visit, and weekly services. If […]
There are four keys to a successful next generation ministry. As a leader, you’ll have a variety of opinions and situations you will need to work through. Criticism Leadership without intentionality will fall to criticism. Everyone has an opinion. We have all have heard this expressed in various ways. Feel free to finish this though yourself, “You know […]
As long as there are people, there will be conflict. I am 15 years now in student ministry. There is nothing that has opened up my thinking of leaving ministry more than conflict. It has paralyzing venom. Through my networking circles in ministry so often I heard of pastors and ministry leaders pushing up the […]
Generational researchers have suggested that Generation Z, those born in 1995 and later, are uniquely different from generations past. Comprising of 25.9% of the U.S. population, the faces of this generation possess potential to be a formidable force for change. This has been made evident in the recent response to the Parkland school shooting. The […]
A great tool to use in mentoring students in their personal discipleship and in developing their ability to share their faith is the Student Speakers Competition. It helps 10th-12th grade students learn how to share their faith more passionately, become better communicators, and develops confidence. In addition to the Discipleship opportunity, our State Winner also […]
This material is the fourth in a series intended to help you understand the multiple generations of your congregation, their characteristics, preferences and the way they react as you lead your congregation. For the first time in history, our churches are facing the struggle of having four generations, and even in some situations as many […]
Here’s a novel idea, let’s release the church to serve the church! Believe it or not, this concept has been met with resistance due to a perception that the church does not have the maturity, experience, or leadership to serve. This is not a statement towards pastors or elders. In fact, this is a challenge […]
January – Cook soup or chili and take to a neighbor who needs cheering up, is elderly, or a family where there has been an illness/death/hospitalization. Let your children create cards/pictures for them. February – Send Valentine Cards to Senior Adults in your church, Military personnel serving oversees, someone who needs a friend, etc. Make sure you […]
You might be looking for a Christmas gift for your student leaders, or you might be a student leader. We talk often about why our students are leaving the church. Why They Stay is in an in-depth study on why students stay in church for the long haul. Pastors & parents have a huge influence… Order […]