The FYI on Youth Ministry

When it comes to mission trips, lasting discipleship happens when leaders intentionally teach students to reflect and prayerfully integrate what they're learning. But we know that's not always easy. Tune in as Rachel Dodd talks with experts Andrea Kroeze, Dario Lariosa, and Keegan Lenker, who share insights and tips on planning faith formation practices that disciple teens as they serve.

About this Season: This season explores mission trips, serving local communities, and why these remain a valuable part of youth ministry. But planning them well takes more than good intentions. This season is brought to you by FYI's On-The-Go youth leader resources Faith & Mission Collection (Discussion Guides, Prayer Activities, Youth Leader Guides), and created through support from Tenx10.

Mentioned in today's episode:

• Youth Leader Guide on Intergenerational Mission Projects
• Faith & Mission curriculum: Discussion Guides, Prayer Activities, & Youth Leader Guides)
• Touch The World mission trip resources: Devotionals and Re-Entry Journal
• The Missions Academy: Online and downloadable pre-trip training curriculum and training

Want to help teens develop cultural competence as they serve at home and abroad? This conversation is for you! Brad Griffin talks with three experts on reimagining older missions and service paradigms to approach this work with cultural humility.

Guests:

• Dr. Jennifer Guerra Aldana: Professor of Christian Ministry and Practice at PLNU
• Corey Greaves: President and founder of Mending Wings and SLAM trips
• Dr. David Wang: Psychologist and the Penner Chair for the Formation of Emotionally Healthy Leaders at Fuller Seminary

About this Season: This season explores mission trips, serving local communities, and why these remain a valuable part of youth ministry. But planning them well takes more than good intentions. This season is brought to you by FYI's On-The-Go youth leader resources Faith & Mission Collection (Discussion Guides, Prayer Activities, Youth Leader Guides), and created through support from Tenx10.

Mentioned in today's episode:

• Free Youth Leader Guide on Intergenerational Mission Projects

• Faith & Mission curriculum: Discussion Guides, Prayer Activities, & Youth Leader Guides

• SLAM trips: Students Learning about Missions (The invitational trip Corey Greaves mentions)

Local service can help teens become aware of needs in their own community and ways they can help. FYI's managing editor, Rachel Dodd, sits down with youth ministry pros Erik Cave, William Leung, and Abigail Olds to discuss tips and ideas for youth groups serving their community close to home.

About this Season: This season explores mission trips, serving local communities, and why these remain a valuable part of youth ministry. But planning them well takes more than good intentions. This season is brought to you by FYI's On-The-Go youth leader resources Faith & Mission Collection (Discussion Guides, Prayer Activities, Youth Leader Guides), and created through support from Tenx10.

Mentioned in today's episode:

• Get the free Youth Leader Guide on Intergenerational Mission Projects

• Faith & Mission curriculum: Discussion Guides, Prayer Activities, & Youth Leader Guides

• Tenx10: "Make Faith Matter More to 10 million young people over the next 10 years in the spirit of John 10:10."

• Bible Project video on Justice

00:00 - Introductions

03:45 - Why serve locally?

10:44 - Journey to Mosaic - learning about justice locally

15:23 - A free youth leader guide on intergenerational mission projects

15:48 - What is the long-term impact?

21:03 - Starting local service with your youth ministry

Mission trips and service projects can be meaningful for students—but planning them well takes more than good intentions. Brad M. Griffin chats with Carlos Piñero of YouthWorks and youth leaders Dick Lee and Jen Bradbury about why mission trips still have value in youth ministry today, and what the caveats are to that statement! They share real-world examples of some of their best practices from over the years, and what they are continuing to learn.

This season explores mission trips, or service trips, and why they can still be a really valuable part of youth ministry. But the key, as we hear from youth pastors and ministry leaders, is that planning them well takes more than good intentions. Episodes in this season will explore cultural humility, alternative ideas to a trip, and how to process a trip with your students. This season is brought to you by the On-The-Go Youth Leader resources Faith & Mission Collection (Discussion Guides, Prayer Activities, Youth Leader Guides), and created through support from Tenx10.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Get the free Youth Leader Guide on Intergenerational Mission Projects
• Youth ministry resources: Faith & Mission Collection (Discussion Guides, Prayer Activities, Youth Leader Guides).
• YouthWorks: Immersive service experiences across North America

00:00 - Introductions

05:33 - Why still do trips?

15:00 - How to prepare students to enter communities with humility

22:05 - Free Youth Leader Guide for Intergenerational Service Projects

22:32 - Practices for long-term discipleship vs. quick emotional highs

31:50 - Preparation, processing, and follow-up

40:33 - Final word: Why are mission trips still valuable?

Quick fixes sound appealing, but ultimately, the pace of meaningful growth in leaders or ministries is slow and deliberate. In this conversation, Kara Powell and Rich Villodas discuss Rich's latest book, "The Narrow Path," and the impact that our spiritual formation has on our leadership.

1:00 - Are we scuba diving or snorkeling in our spiritual formation?

6:40 - The importance of our hidden life and spiritual practices

15:40 - How do we keep the long-view in mind in the midst of the urgent, everyday challenges?

20:00 - A healthy church culture

25:16 - A need for integration for the next generation & encouragement for youth leaders

About this Season: The Future-Focused Leadership podcast season is hosted by Dr. Kara Powell, author and executive director of FYI. Kara invites pastors and leading voices to share leadership principles, lessons, and skills that will keep us future-focused and rooted in Christ. Every episode brings practical ideas and encouragement.

Sign up for our email list: https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/subscribe

Related FYI resources:

BOOK: Future-Focused Church: Leading Through Change, Engaging the Next Generation, & Building a More Diverse Tomorrow.

BLOG: "What you need to know about Gen Alpha in 2026"

Kara Powell and Lisa Fields (Jude 3 Project) share about how listening is an important precursor to being heard. Lisa shares the story of why she founded an apologetics organization and about Jude 3 Project's latest initiative, the "Ask Initiative." Kara and Lisa get practical about potential barriers to listening and how we can listen for a young person's real concerns, which may be hiding under their surface questions.

About this Season: The future-focused leadership podcast season is hosted by Dr. Kara Powell, author and executive director of FYI. Kara invites pastors and leading voices to share leadership principles, lessons, and skills that will keep us future-focused and rooted in Christ. Every episode brings practical ideas and encouragement.

Sign up for our email list: https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/subscribe

Related FYI resources:

BOOK: Future-Focused Church: Leading Through Change, Engaging the Next Generation, & Building a More Diverse Tomorrow.

BLOG: "What you need to know about Gen Alpha in 2026"

Kara Powell invites Skye Jethani from the Holy Post Podcast to share how he approaches challenging conversations. Listen in as Kara and Skye discuss how to approach difficult topics and why it is worth finding ways to bring those discussions into our local, embodied expressions of the church and youth ministry.

About this Season: The Future-Focused Leadership season is hosted by Dr. Kara Powell, author and executive director of FYI. Kara invites pastors and leading voices to share leadership principles, lessons, and skills that will keep us future-focused and rooted in Christ.

BOOK: What if Jesus was serious about Justice? by Skye Jethani

Sign up for our email list: https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/subscribe

Related FYI resources:

BOOK: Future-Focused Church: Leading Through Change, Engaging the Next Generation, & Building a More Diverse Tomorrow.

BLOG: "What you need to know about Gen Alpha in 2026"

Kara Powell and Christine Caine explore leadership and spiritual practices for flourishing in life and ministry. They discuss Christine's new book, "The Faith to Flourish," and the metaphor of the olive tree as a symbol of deep roots and fruitfulness. Christine shares insights on the role of young people in shaping the future of faith communities and highlights global movements of teens seeking authentic faith. The conversation emphasizes the need for divine interruptions, the importance of learning from younger generations, and the balance of structure and openness in ministry.

About this Season: The Future-Focused Leadership podcast season is hosted by Dr. Kara Powell, author and executive director of FYI. Kara invites pastors and leading voices to share leadership principles, lessons, and skills that will keep us future-focused and rooted in Christ. Every episode brings practical ideas and encouragement.

Sign up for our email list: https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/subscribe

Related FYI resources:

BOOK: Future-Focused Church: Leading Through Change, Engaging the Next Generation, & Building a More Diverse Tomorrow.

BLOG: "What you need to know about Gen Alpha in 2026"

Cultivate leadership wellbeing! Let's explore personal practices that can sustain youth leaders for the long haul. In this episode, we break down the habits that build resilience in ministry. Whether it's seeking mentorship, engaging in creative outlets, or simply stepping outside for fresh air, this conversation reminds us that small, intentional steps can lead to lasting impact. 🎧 Tune in for practical wisdom, encouragement, and a renewed vision for sustainable youth ministry. Hosts: Roslyn Hernández, LaTasha Nesbitt

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Related FYI resources:

The FYI Report on Youth Leader Burnout & Wellbeing

Feeling the weight of ministry stress? According to youth leaders, prayer is the top go-to spiritual practice to help prevent burnout. This 5-minute guided prayer meditation is designed to help youth leaders process stress, reflect on their calling, and connect with God. So, close your eyes in a quiet place or go on a short uninterrupted walk, take 5 minutes toward ministry health! Learn more from our report on Youth Leader Burnout and Wellbeing.