When the official business of a congregational meeting is complete, does it go against church order to allow members of the congregation to ask questions about matters not on the agenda?
It seems like yesterday that I received a call asking me to help in setting up the CRCNA Youth Ministry NETWORK page ... In some unique ways the NETWORK, guides and all the readers, have become like family.
But this is our reality right now and the thought is ‘God, when is enough, enough?' Has that thought ever run through your mind when it comes to youth ministry? You have a group of kids that show up at school drunk and they get expelled. A mother tells you, just before you walk into church on a Sunday morning, that her daughter tried to commit suicide...
This article entitled "The Distraction Model of Youth Ministry" by Brian Kirk should give reason to question how you're doing youth ministry in your church and what the long term effect will be on your youth.
In mid-December I received a call from Mags Storey and she introduced herself as a writer for the newspaper Christian Week. She wanted to do a write-up about the Soul Care Retreats. When I asked her why, she said they are unique in meeting the needs of youth workers across North America...
I find myself asking the hard questions as I open the door to each room in my life — what needs to go into the garbage bag? What needs to be moved into another room and what room needs to be locked for good?
As a paid youth worker, what gold nugget of advice can you give to the volunteer in a volunteer-driven church to encourage them in ministry?
If you have been in ministry for more than 24 months, in one church, what are you doing on a regular basis that keeps you motivated to continue in youth ministry?
Youth Unlimited is offering its quarterly magazine to you, friends of the NETWORK, for FREE! Equip Magazine is intentional about equipping today's volunteer youth worker for ministry to today's youth.
Most of our work as youth pastors is a challenging work made up of continuous interactions with youth, parents, pastors, council members and our own families. But for the next 15 minutes give yourself permission to let it all loose and just laugh—it's great soul care!
Want a great way to introduce the Heidelberg Catechism to your youth group? Check out this Rap from Curt “Voice’ Allen. It may just give a new appreciation for the 129 Questions and Answers.
Have you wondered if you’re in youth ministry for the ‘right’ reasons? How do you know if you really care for the youth you are ministering to? These are tough questions. These are questions that every youth worker, either paid or volunteer, should consider a few times a year. It’s not redundant but rather a reality check.
Are YOU willing to take the challenge? Here are 15 things you can do with your youth group over the next month.
Our friends, family and others who are close – deserve to be known by their names. Our youth deserve to be known by their names because it is simply who they are. It lets them know that we are truly interested in them. It lets them know that we wanting to know who they really are.
How often do we know what is right, but choose to set our life by the worldly clock that tells us a different truth?
"... For society to attempt to solve its desperate problems without the full participation of even very young people is imbecile." - Alvin Toffler
Why do we need to send our youth all over the globe to build something when the national people can build it just as well?
Do you ever have this—parents coming to you first and telling you that you need to fix the problem? What did you do?
I came out of the meeting with a strong sense that God is a God of Action, not a God of inaction. The Lord desires you to be moving forward in your life, and especially in your faith. He wants you to be doing something, to be bettering yourself for His purposes, so that your righteousness will surpass that of the Pharisees.
Here are seven things that might help if you struggle with your Council.
Is the faith life of our young adults a mile wide and an inch deep? Why are so many young people leaving the church? This article "Young adults spirituality is 'wide, shallow, compelling': Pollster" in USA Today shares some interesting facts about young adults.
Is your church set up to be sensitive to the needs of those with disabilities? Do your youth understand what is it like to live with some form of disability? Check out this awesome activity that your youth can do during an evening.
How do you get volunteers to serve in ministry along side you? Brian Bierenga, Youth Pastor at Brookside CRC, shares his approach by using the internet. He suggests three things: Use email, Use template, Track Smarter.This is a fantastic blog to equip you as a Youth Ministry Leader in recruiting volunteers.
Mentorship—Jesus chose 12 people to be in His inner circle. Who will be in your inner circle? Who will be in your dedicated volunteer’s inner circle?