What if some of the most life-changing moments in youth ministry don't happen in the chruch building—but on a mountain, in the snow, or around a shared experience?

In this Christmas-season episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards reflects on 35 years of student ministry and shares why retreats, trips, and shared adventures have consistently been one of the most powerful tools for evangelism, discipleship, and long-term spiritual impact.

Starting with the Christmas story from Luke 2:8–14, Doug reminds youth pastors, volunteers, and parents that the message of Jesus brings great joy—and that joy can be experienced through generosity, service, and intentional ministry moments beyond the walls of the church.

In this episode, Doug breaks down:

✅ Why Christmas is the perfect season to refocus students on generosity and service ✅ How organizations like Samaritan's Purse help students live out their faith ✅ Why retreats and trips create spiritual openness students rarely experience elsewhere ✅ Practical timing strategies for middle school, high school, and college retreats ✅ Why convenience and excitement matter more than being "as cheap as possible" ✅ How ski trips, winter retreats, and mission experiences led countless students to Christ ✅ Why your enthusiasm as a leader directly affects student buy-in and transformation

Doug also shares behind-the-scenes wisdom from decades of organizing winter retreats in places like Colorado, Gatlinburg, West Virginia, and the East Coast, offering realistic insight for leaders considering trips in the future.

Whether you're a youth pastor, volunteer, educator, parent, or grandparent, this episode will challenge you to think differently about how students encounter Jesus—and why some of the most meaningful ministry happens when you simply get them out of their normal environment.

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Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book "Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder's Guidebook" here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy

Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq

EPISODE CREDITS

Email us at: [email protected]

Hosted by: Doug Edwards

Theme Song: "The One and Only" by The 808 : Listen to more at https://bit.ly/3FTYIAJ

Intro/Outro Voiceover: Michael Helms: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelTheSoundGuy

Edited by: Secret Roots Music House

PODCAST EPISODE TOPICS:

Youth Ministry Student Ministry Youth Pastor Life Ministry Encouragement Leadership Skills