The Dark Side of Social Media
The "anonymous-ness" of Cyber-Bullying is such a problem because it is an easier form of hurting someone. If you see someone targeting another person online, hold them accountable!
Join the conversation! Whether you're a youth pastor, church staff or volunteer here's the place to share ideas, hopes, dreams and resources for youth ministry.
The "anonymous-ness" of Cyber-Bullying is such a problem because it is an easier form of hurting someone. If you see someone targeting another person online, hold them accountable!
It is tempting to be quick to vilify technology that I do not understand. A better solution for me is to let my youth take the lead in helping me navigate a culture that is daunting.
What are we, as digital natives and immigrants, supposed to do when the digital reality intersects with youth ministry?
Is social media helpful or hurtful to our teens? How can we claim the square inch that IS social media to be glorifying to God in our own lives, and in our ministries?
Are we investing the time needed to disciple young Christians? And, what type of model is needed to ensure that we are doing a God-honoring effort?
Youth ministry becomes less initmidating when we think of it in terms of movement and direction. Movement: getting them started or involved. Direction: pointing them in the right direction.
Young Adults are increasingly hesitant to stand in front of a congregation and commit to a community of faith because there are other churches and doctrines that they have yet to explore.
Recent youth ministry studies suggest that we may not be acting intentionally enough about helping kids transition through our programs. How can we facilitate better transitions?
We need help composing biblical guidelines that can be understood by the typical teen, are based on respectful behavior toward the leaders and one another, and aren't a list of "don't" rules.
Normally youth ministry staff are paid based on the hours they work planning youth activities. What are guidelines for compensation when they are with the youth 24 hrs per day?
When churches are feeling overwhelmed and under-resourced it might be time to return to the ABCD’s: Asset Based Church Development.
Here's a great, thought-provoking activity for your youth group, small group, family devotions, or even for yourself.
Perhaps we need to consider that the "current" in which we are doing youth ministry is changing. As the denomination engages a new model for direction and vision our ministry will inevitably change.
Sometimes in ministry we set a course for a destinatation but drift further away despite our best efforts.
Christians are perceived as being prideful and critical towards others. How did we acquire this image of a judgemental character?
So you would like for your tween or teen to be a Christian? What are you doing in your church or at your home that will support your child? If you have high expectations, then you need to give high support.
By now it is universally accepted that people – especially young adults are leaving the church in masses. One reason, it seems, is because Christians are perceived out of touch with reality...
Anima: The Forum for Worship and the Arts is a project concerned with including our youth and young adults in worship leadership. Training videos available on their website could be used as discussion fodder at worship committee meetings or planning groups.
I believe that many of our churches can still turn the tide on the youth and young adult exodus--even though these feel like anxious times.
Listening to others and what they experience in their lives makes us better and more productive tools of God; ones that can carry out His purposes.
Christians are often perceived as hypocrites. How can we reverse this impression and squash moral superiority in our lives?
Much like a race car driver needs to slow down through the corner enabling him to go faster in a different direction, so to a youth worker who is making changes needs to go about it at a slower pace...
No one wants to be a volunteer drop out. One tool I use to make sure volunteers feel successful in their roles is a chart of the volunteer lifecycle specifically with youth ministry in mind.
Over 100 ministry leaders from across North America gathered in Grand Rapids, MI, for an afternoon of discussion and learning about doing ministry with students living with autism; hearing, visual, and mobility impairments; mental health challenges; and other disabilities.