Josh Griffin and Brandon "Blarg" Smart talk about principles on starting right at your next church after you say yes. Be sandpaper, not the saw. Build relationships and be a learner first, changes at a later date. Enjoy the show and learn to start strong!

Josh Griffin and Brandon "Blarg" Smart talk about his decision to leave a church, and how to interview your next church before you say yes. Some laughter and practical insights into what to ask your next church youth worker position.

In this episode of the Download Youth Ministry Podcast, Josh Griffin, Doug Fields, and Jessica Sanchez reflect on youth ministry in the nineties and what today's leaders can learn from it, especially when it comes to volunteer training. They also share details about DYM's National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training and Youth Ministry University, two practical resources to help you equip your team. Oh, and producer Travis is never allowed to take vacation again.

Do you love soccer? Josh doesn’t, but knows the importance of the upcoming World Cup as a possible opportunity to share the Gospel. Heather Reddy, chaplain of the US Women’s team, shares about her ministry Victory Beyond the Cup with Cru and Athletes in Action to reach people around the world’s most popular football event reaching over 5b people!

https://victorybeyondthecup.com/

In this episode, we talk with Jonathan Donald-Kornelsen, author of Youth Ministry Blueprint, about guiding a youth ministry with clarity and purpose. We explore practical strategies, leadership insights, and how to build a Christ-centered ministry that lasts. Tune in for wisdom that helps you lead with confidence and heart and a fresh blueprint for ministry!

AMAZON: https://amzn.to/4rVqino https://amzn.to/4tLDTiL

Introducing PAKA: Small Group Toolkit! It's a PACK'a tools that are perfect for taking your small group to the next level! It's one app with a bunch of tools that PACK a punch!

It's totally FREE in the iOS Apple App Store!

Get it here

🧊 Ice-Breaker Questions
Get students talking! From fun and silly to deeper questions about faith.


🤔 Would You Rather?
Hundreds of dilemmas guaranteed to spark laughs, debates, and surprisingly real conversations.

🎮 Low-Prep Games
Fun games you can run instantly with zero setup. Perfect for filling time or kicking off a great night.

🎡Spinning Wheel
Add chaos to any decision or game. Spin to pick someone, choose a topic, or just watch your group stress out.


👆People Picker
Fair, random, and drama-free. No one can argue with the app when it picks who goes first.


🏆 Scorekeeper
Track points for any game or challenge without juggling a whiteboard or scraps of paper.

🍕 Pizza Calculator
Finally — a scientific answer to how many pizzas you need. Your group will thank you every time.

🦗Awkward Silence Detector
Nobody answering? Set a timer — the longer the silence, the louder the crickets get. Someone will speak up eventually.

In this episode, Josh Griffin interviews Grant Byrd & Rusty Wheelington, veteran youth workers and coauthors of the new book: Following Your Call to Ministry: Recognizing and Responding to God’s Call. How teens can hear, discern, and respond to God’s call through prayer, Scripture, and authentic relationships. It’s a great conversation about our own calls to ministry, too and will be an encouragement to you as well!

AMAZON LINK: https://amzn.to/4s2BQp5
 
GROUP DISCOUNTS: https://www.buildgroups.net/online-store/BULK-Following-Your-Call-To-Ministry-Recognizing-And-Responding-to-Gods-Call-p808325269

Josh Griffin talks with Anthony Hunt - author of “The AI-Powered Church” to discuss how today’s church can embrace artificial intelligence without losing its soul. We explore practical tools, ethical considerations, and ways to use AI to serve ministry, deepen discipleship, and stay grounded in Christ. It’s not a threat, more of a tool, better yet … a teammate!

AMAZON: https://amzn.to/40rD8hn

Josh sits down with Tim Timmons, whose powerful story is part of the upcoming film "I Can Only Imagine 2", in theaters February 20th!

In this conversation, Tim opens up about his journey of faith, suffering, hope, and trusting God through seasons he never expected. They talk honestly about pain, perseverance, calling, and what it looks like to keep believing when life doesn’t go according to plan. It’s a raw and encouraging conversation about finding purpose in the middle of the struggle and holding onto hope no matter the outcome.

Hey DYM Insiders! In this special sneak peek of the DYM Members Only Podcast (which is what you call it when you just record one podcast and post it twice...to uh, save the planet etc.) we don't even MENTION the great stuff members get. But we DO dive into a bunch of other stuff... Like Josh's "less sugar" New Year resolution (yeah right), Jessica's horrifying ailment, and Doug's utter embarrassment at how shameless Josh is at trying to get free stuff. Tune in!

Oh and if you ARE looking for a HOT DEAL on becoming a DYM Gold Member, NOW IS THE TIME!

Head to Downloadyouthministry.com and get $50 off the Gold Membership and join the club! 
35% off the entire store, $20 in store credit every month, $100 in free resources, and more. Make 2026 the year of doing less and making more impact.