Student Ministry Conversations

When it comes to summer mission trips, they are often an all-in-one package. Some groups will set you up building wheelchair ramps, leading a Vacation Bible School, or any variety of other tasks. You begin your week with them, and they have it all planned out.

But what if you are looking for something different? What if an organization worked with local missions in the city they are a part of and then would connect you with those agencies? Then you could plan the rest of your trip however you liked.

Come join the conversation this week as Russell sits down to talk with Don Marsh, leader of Service Learning Camps. They take a unique approach to mission trips, creating opportunities for your group to serve while truly helping already existing ministries in the area.

You can listen to this episode on all your preferred podcast providers.

Show notes can be found on our website: www.studentministryconversations.org

Video for this episode can be found here: https://youtu.be/fnC1UCC2xXo

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While many of us walk into a church with a youth program that is already started, sometimes we aren't so lucky. What happens when you walk into a church that doesn't have a youth program at all and you are asked to get it started? What does that look like? What are the challenges? 

Come join the conversation as Russell sits down with Kevin McMachen, the Pastor at Highlands UMC in Highlands, Texas, as they talk about what is needed to get a youth ministry going from the ground up.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of formats including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Youtube, Breaker,  Pocket Casts and Radio Public.

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Video for this episode can be found here:

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A common desire for all youth pastors is to witness their students stepping up in leadership and stepping out in boldness as they learn to serve within the group, church and local community, but we all have different ways of finding and speaking life into the students that have leadership potential. 

Come join the conversation as Brent sits down with Ty Lust, the Youth Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Midland, Texas, as they talk about what to look for in students that have leadership potential, how to develop those leaders and how they can incorporate into the larger body of the church as a whole.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of formats including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Youtube, Breaker,  Pocket Casts and Radio Public.

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Video for this episode can be found here:

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Have you ever been talking with students and asked something simple as, "you remember Moses right?", only to be met by blank stares? 

Once we could assume a level of Biblical familiarity, however that is often no longer the case. In this episode we talk with Jeff Roberts on some practical tips to reconnect students with the Bible, and ways to work with parents and the children's ministry to ensure at least a basic level of Biblical literacy in your youth.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of formats including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Youtube, Breaker, Pocket Casts and Radio Public.

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Video for this episode can be found here:

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We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus to everybody that we come in contact with but what happens when that also should convict us to be reaching out to the foster community that is in all of our own backyards?

Come join the conversation as Brent sits down with Crystal Leake, a licensed professional counselor/supervisor for the state of Texas with New Horizons, as they talk about how to reach out and minister to students in the foster system.

You can listen to this episode in a variety  of formats including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts,  Amazon Music, Youtube, Breaker, Pocket Casts and Radio Public.

Show notes can be found on our website by clicking here

Video for this episode can be found here:

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It is the middle of Summer and things might have caught up to us! With both of our hosts being knee deep in mission trips and church camps this month, they didn't have a guest fit the lineup for this upcoming week. Please take a moment and listen to this short encouragement from Brent about keeping on with fighting for students and how to help us out as we continue to get more episodes out for you!

You can listen to this episode in a variety of formats including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Youtube, Breaker, Pocket Casts and Radio Public.

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Video for this episode can be found here: 

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It can be very easy to fall into the tiring practice of finding the newest games, trends and everything else that can lead to comparison in Youth Ministry but what would happen if we didn't have to do that in our ministry?

Come join the conversation as Brent sits down with Devin DiGuilio as they talk about what it means to keep Student Ministry "simple". 

You can listen to this episode in a variety of formats including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Youtube, Breaker, Pocket Casts and Radio Public.

Show notes can be found on our website:

Video for this episode can be found here: 

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While we all look forward to the excitement and spiritual opportunities that Summer brings with service projects, mission trips, retreats and church camps we also hate how the spiritual high disappears so quickly from students after they return to their normal lives. What if that could be different? What if their experiences this Summer would allow them to grow and continue to strengthen and develop without losing that passion?

Come join the conversation as Russell sits down with Blake Dellacer as they talk about how to continue the spiritual high from church camp and mission trips through discipleship practices.   

You can listen to this episode in a variety of formats including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Youtube, Breaker, Pocket Casts and Radio Public.   

Show notes can be found on our website:

Video for this episode can be found here: 

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As the school year ends and the hectic mess of Summer begins, it can be very easy to over do yourself and commit to too many things or just run yourself to exhaustion with camps, trips and other activities… but are you allowing yourself time to recharge? Are you paying attention to the signs in your life that warn you of running low? What are those signs?

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