Hey Volunteers: The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers

Podcast 040 | Three Things Every Teenager Needs to Hear You Say

Join us in episode 40 as we discuss 3 things every teenagers needs to hear from a volunteer. While we’re not trying to oversimplify what it takes to work with teenagers, we do discuss what are the absolute basic things a teenagers needs to hear. 

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Join Chris Trent, Jennifer Fletcher, and Tim Kilgore in episode 39 as they discuss ministering to teenagers disconnected from church-involved parents. Discover the importance of patience, grace, and mindful communication in reaching out to these youth. Learn how to navigate relationships with both teens and their non-church parents with respect and compassion. Gain valuable tips on pointing these teenagers towards Jesus and fostering connections with their families. Stay tuned for a heartfelt reminder to keep these families in your prayers as they journey together in faith.

Takeaways

Be patient and show grace to teenagers who may not be familiar with church culture.

Be mindful of the language used when communicating with both teenagers and their parents.

Respect non-church parents and understand that they love their children.

Point teenagers to Jesus and minister to the whole family.

Get to know the parents and seek opportunities to connect with them.

Pray for the teenagers and their parents.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:02 Ministering to teenagers without involved parents

04:37 Chapter 1: Remember they likely don't know church culture

06:46 Chapter 2: Be careful with the language you use

09:26 Chapter 3: Non-church parents are not the enemy

10:34 Chapter 4: Point them to Jesus

12:35 Chapter 5: Get to know the parents

14:11 Bonus: Pray for the kids and their parents

16:04 Conclusion

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

In this episode, Chris and Jennifer are joined by Angela Sanders to discuss girls ministry. They talk about the importance of girls ministry and why churches should consider having a separate ministry for girls. They also provide tips for volunteers who are interested in starting a girls ministry in their church. In this conversation, Angela Sanders shares insights on how to effectively run a girls ministry. She emphasizes the importance of assessing the specific needs of the girls in your context and avoiding a cookie-cutter approach. Angela also provides practical steps for starting and maintaining a successful girls ministry.

You can find Angela’s book here: https://www.angelasanderswrites.com/shop

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:13 Excitement about Girls Ministry

06:31 Why Churches Should Consider Girls Ministry

07:17 Tips for Starting Girls Ministry as a Volunteer

19:16 Avoiding Fluff in Girls Ministry

21:24 Preparing Girls for the Future

23:52 Teaching Girls to Turn to Scripture

25:35 Creating an Intentional Environment

27:05 Including Girls in Leadership

28:27 Making Incremental Changes

29:19 Bringing Girls on the Team

30:18 Adding and Evaluating Ministry Elements

31:30 Starting Small and Casting Vision

32:12 Finding the Book and Connecting on Social Media

33:46 Joining the Student Ministry Network Facebook Group

34:13 Preview of Next Episode: Ministering to Kids with Uninvolved Parents

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Episode 37 | Why are teenagers so lonely an how can we help?

Join us as we discuss the issue of loneliness among teenagers and how volunteers can help. We highlight the fact that despite being more connected than ever through technology, teenagers are experiencing high levels of loneliness. We also take a look the reasons behind this, including shallow relationships and lack of genuine connection. We provide four key strategies for volunteers to address this issue. And of course we emphasize the importance of volunteers in building meaningful relationships with teenagers and making a positive impact in their lives.

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

Takeaways

1. Teenagers today are experiencing high levels of loneliness, despite being more connected through technology.

2. Volunteers can help teenagers by helping them reframe their self-talk and fight the lies with truth.

3. Focusing on relational ministry is crucial for volunteers, as building meaningful relationships with teenagers can help combat loneliness.

4. Volunteers can connect students with other students, breaking down social barriers and fostering genuine connections.

5. Volunteers should go beyond church programs and show up in various aspects of teenagers' lives, such as attending their events and sending encouraging messages.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

04:01 The Loneliness Epidemic Among Teenagers

09:05 Helping Teenagers Reframe Their Self-Talk

12:06 Focusing on Relational Ministry

15:55 Connecting Students with Other Students

23:09 Upcoming Episode and Conclusion

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Episode 36 | A Senior Pastor’s Perspective on Youth Ministry Volunteers - In this episode, we talk with Ricky Smith about his journey from youth pastor to senior pastor as he emphases the vital role of volunteers in ministry. Ricky shares his personal connection to the church and the importance of volunteers in the church's mission. He also shares about his own upbringing in a church where his father served diligently as a volunteer, and highlights the invaluable contributions of volunteers not just in organizational terms but from a biblical perspective. 

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at StudentMinistryNetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Episode 35 | Why are Teenagers So Anxious and What Can We Do to Help - In this episode, we dive into an important topic: anxiety in teenagers. We explore the rising prevalence of anxiety among teens, particularly post-pandemic, where one in three teenagers is affected. We also discuss how anxiety doesn't discriminate by gender, impacting both boys and girls. We also address the challenge of recognizing anxiety in teenagers and distinguishing it from typical teenage stressors. 

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Episode 34 | Current Trends Youth Ministry Volunteers Need to be Aware of at the Start of 2024 with Walt Mueller - Join us as we dive into the latest trends in youth ministry with Walt Mueller from the Center for Parent Youth Understanding. In this episode, Walt shares important insights for volunteers to be aware of in 2024. Discover practical tips for balancing trend-awareness with a busy schedule, enhancing your effectiveness in youth engagement. A must-listen for all youth ministry volunteers!

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Episode 33 | If a youth ministry volunteer were to set goals -  Happy New Year! Can you believe it is 2024? Like so many of you, we’re thinking about how we can improve in 2024. That got us thinking about what it would look like for a volunteer to set goals for how they work with students. In this episode we share 5 potential goals to set for 2024.

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at StudentMinistryNetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Episode 32 | Christmas Spectacular 2023

Get ready for festive fun! Jennifer is back in this jolly episode where we share some great ideas on how to connect with students during Christmas. From fun activities to way you can encourage them spiritually, it's a must-listen for a memorable youth ministry Christmas season. Merry Christmas! #youthministry #studentministry #nextgen #nextgenministry  

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at https://gabaptist.org/nextgen

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Episode 31 | Fun Ice Breakers for Your Small Group

When it comes to leading a group of teenagers in a small group, one thing we’ve learned is that doing a good ice breaker before the lesson can really help get teenagers engaged in the conversation. In this episode, we talk about why ice breakers are important and then share 5 solid ideas that you can use in your next small group meeting.

Book Mentioned:

The Complete Book of Questions: 1001 Conversation Starters for Any Occasion

https://a.co/d/cib5f5K

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at https://gabaptist.org/nextgen

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share show ideas or give us feedback.