When you first move to a new town, how do you find out where all the teenagers are "hanging out"? When was the last time you privately invited a small group of students to help you brainstorm or launc...  Read More

Does your ministry need a shot in the arm? Here are a few simple steps you can use to generate or re-generate excitement about your ministry.1. Have one leadership meeting that you build to fan passio...  Read More

If I could give only one gift to the ministry leaders of today, it would be a fresh dose of passion for the calling we are privileged to live out. It was once said, "The worst bankruptcy in the world ...  Read More

On a cold December night, I said farewell to the youth ministry I'd led for 13 incredible years in Rockford, Illinois. On my last night at the church, the team members I was leaving behind organized a...  Read More

Have you ever felt the sense of being helpless? You know, you don’t have enough emotional energy to go anywhere or do one more thing. All your normal motivation and your coping skills are letting you ...  Read More

Want to take a guess at the excuse I've heard most often by teenagers who stop attending local youth meetings? It's two simple words: “It's boring!"Granted, youth leaders aren't going to keep up with ...  Read More

It's the secret, unspoken fear of many of youth ministry's finest and most experienced leaders...they are concerned that they are getting "too old." Since I myself am a part of the Baby Boomer crowd w...  Read More

Contrary to popular belief, staying up all night with teenagers, jumping on trampolines, driving bumper cars, playing basketball with a raw turkey, and chasing pigs no longer entice me. Yes, as you la...  Read More

Most churches are not large enough to have separate ministries for their youth so they have the challenge of creating harmony in a group of energetic junior highers, high school students and sometimes...  Read More

If you have been around me for any length of time, then you know that I am a woman on a mission to leave a legacy that honors Christ. So let me take a few minutes and share with you 6 thoughts on what...  Read More

"I can live for two months on one good compliment." – Mark TwainWe live in a pretty ungrateful society. From your boss, to the parents you try to please, to the students you love, rarely will you ever...  Read More

You know you're a success when you fight to remain a voice, not an echo.There are many echoes in youth ministry...people who merely mimic the culture's values rather than fight to be a distinct voice ...  Read More

You know you're a success when you've been in one place long enough to have "remember when" stories.Persistence is the greatest revenge on hell. In our dysfunctional society, where complete family uni...  Read More

Gossip isn’t the only dangerous enemy in our youth groups. It has an ugly cousin that I call sarcasm or “scar-casm.” Because our youth culture so loves humor, it is often viewed as a friend rather tha...  Read More

Late one night my phone rang and before I could finish saying, "Hello," the voice on the other end frantically spoke."I'm so sorry to call you late. I don't know what to do. I love where I'm at. I jus...  Read More

Being a broken youth pastor, keeps us connected to our kids, but understand in a moment what is perceived as one of your strengths can soon become one of your greatest weaknesses. Daily our hearts rea...  Read More

The last group in the leader's "Friendship Trinity" is your COMRADES.These people are not for YOU, nor are they for WHAT YOU ARE FOR. Instead, they are simply AGAINST WHAT YOU ARE AGAINST. Thus, they'...  Read More

Second in the "Friendship Trinity," you have CONSTITUENTS.They are FOR WHAT YOU ARE FOR. And as long as you are "for what they are for," they will walk with you. They will stay in the ministry trenche...  Read More

As I write this, we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This significant event has brought the entire world to its knees. I remember so well where I was 19 years ago, when America was in shock ...  Read More

Navigating Your Friendships In MinistryThere are 3 basic categories of people that you'll interact with if you are a leader.First in your leadership "Friendship Trinity," there are CONFIDANTS.They are...  Read More

In the world of ministry, the path you travel consistently provides you with the opportunity to build one of two kingdoms: Yours or God's. When you start to build your own, you become the hero and any...  Read More

It's that time of year! Schools are back in session and life in youth ministry will be in full swing! That means the quiet halls of the summer will now be full of the life and energy. As a youth pasto...  Read More

If you've never read Jim Collins' bestselling leadership book, Good To Great, I highly recommend it. In his book, he tells a story that is very profound and gives us wisdom as we look at our current t...  Read More

Sometimes going through some of life's "dark tunnels" with God can feel like one of those creepy amusement park rides…the further you go in the tunnel the darker it gets and you just want to say, "let...  Read More