TikTok. Marijuana use. Anxiety. Flexitarian diets. Text message therapy. These are just a few of the Gen Z trends emerging in 2020. But what do trends like these mean for our ministries going forward? Should they impact what we're doing week to week as youth leaders? This week, join us as we discuss why we should care about cultural trends as youth leaders, where this next generation of students is heading, and what we can do to better connect and engage with the students we lead along the way.

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This week we’re closing out the year with a special episode, where we turn the microphone over to you—our youth ministry community! Join us as we take time to reflect on and share some of the stories that have made 2019 a year to remember in ministry. We hope these stories help remind you of the impact of what you do and inspire you to keep going as we gear up for another exciting year of ministry.

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YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, and research tells us that about 90% of Gen Z uses YouTube on a daily basis. What started as video hosting platform years ago has become an unprecedented opportunity for youth ministries to connect with students in unique and exciting ways. In this episode, we’re talking with social media experts and ministry leaders about some of the ways we can begin to leverage YouTube to engage students in our communities and around the world.

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If you work with students, you're probably aware of the mental health crisis happening in student culture today. At the same time though, sometimes it's easy to forget that these issues don't end when we become adults. In other words, as youth ministry leaders, we are not immune to issues regarding mental health. This week, we sit down with Dr. Chinwé Williams to discuss how mental health can impact our ministries and what we can do as youth leaders to take care of our own mental health.

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Discipling students doesn’t happen from a stage—it happens in the context of relationships. That’s why creating a healthy small groups culture is such a vital part of youth ministry—but one that takes a lot of hard work. On this episode, youth leaders and small group leaders chat about the ins and outs of what it takes to create, sustain, and grow a healthy, relationship-based small groups culture in your youth ministry.

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Whether you've already had some tough conversations with some students in your ministry, or whether you haven’t walked that road yet, here’s the truth: Tough conversations are bound to happen at some point for everyone who works with students. That's why it's crucial for us to be prepared and equipped for those moments when they come up. In this episode, we’re talking about what to do when a student comes to you with something difficult, how to respond, and the best way to maintain their trust.

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As youth ministry leaders, we spend a ton of our time and energy creating environments, refining messages, and organizing events—all with the goal of helping students discover who Jesus is. But once a student decides to follow Jesus . . . then what? In this episode, we talk about what it looks like to lead students AFTER they've placed their faith in Jesus. In our conversation, we discuss the role of SGLs, how to talk to parents, and what’s at stake if we let students fall through the cracks.

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Most of us have big ideas and plans when we begin working in the world of youth ministry. We have programming ideas, series ideas, retreat ideas, outreach event ideas, and more. And while we probably implement some of those creative plans, over time, the creativity and innovation muscle in us tends to wane. On this episode, we’re talking about the dangers of becoming stagnant creatively, what to do when you’re stuck in a creative rut, and how to bring creativity back to your youth ministry.

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If there's one thing virtually all youth ministries and youth ministry leaders have in common, it's this: We like to play games and have FUN! But are we just having fun for fun's sake, or is there more to it than that? In this episode, we talk about why having fun is a CRUCIAL part of every youth ministry. We also discuss how, as ministry leaders, we can lean into FUN to help students break down walls and grow in relationships, leading to deeper, potentially life-changing moments and conversations down the road.

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