Developing the next generation of young leaders

Part 2 of our small group conversation

Is it the best way to reach young people?

We promised you some updates this month and to be honest, when we said that, we weren't sure yet what those updates would be. Reggie and I (Brian) were in the midst of making some decisions about our professional lives and over the course of the last 4 weeks we have both made some significant changes.

In this episode we'll share what those changes are for each of us and what we're looking forward to as we wrap up our time together on The Ministry Leader Podcast.

This has been an incredible journey for us and we are grateful for everyone who has been a part of it. Thank you for listening. Thank you for engaging. But most of all, thank you for loving Jesus and loving the young people in your community.

This episode from June 2021, kicked off a series focused on the cultural attributes of Youth For Christ. The conversation revolves around how we define a Christ-centered culture. The other episodes in the series are linked in the notes below.

Original show notes from June 28, 2021:

This episode kicks off a 6 part series on culture, or more specifically, the culture that defines our minstry at Youth For Christ. We call these defining characteristics our cultural attributes and today we're talking the most important one from which all the others flow, Christ-centeredness.

Biblically Calibrated. Missionally Focused. Vigorously Pursued. Preeminently Important.

What attributes define the culture of your ministry?

140. Humility that Endures

This episode from August 2021 was one of our favorites, not just because it was a fun conversation to have, but because of the value it communicates to a young person when you remember their name. And as you will hear, we're not always good at it. So since we needed the reminder, we thought it might not hurt to share it again with our listeners as well.

Original show notes from August 30, 2021:

As the new ministry year begins, you and your team will likely be in contact with a lot of new students which can present some challenges if you are unsure how to engage. In this episode we're talking about how to start conversations and remember names.

What is your strategy for remembering names of new students?

Spring Break trips have been a staple for our ministry in Northern Indiana for years. But we've recently had to rethink that experience and consider new opportunities to engage young people in smaller groups. In this episode from March of 2021 we brainstormed some new ideas that could be helpful for you as you plan small group Spring Break outings now or in the future.

Original show notes from March 22, 2021:

Spring Break is just around the corner and for young people this is a great time to get away from school and experience something different. However, the events and experiences our ministries are able to provide may look a little different than normal. In this episode we're exploring 3 spring break ideas for small(er) groups.

This month we are going back in time to revisit some or our favorite and most listened to episodes.

In this episode we revisit a conversation we had (a little prematurely) in May of 2020 about youth ministry programming in a post-COVID world. Though we're technically still not living in a world beyond COVID, there's not doubt that our ministry models and methods have changed.

Listen again with us and let us know how far off or right on you think what we discussed in this episode has been in the context of your local ministry.

Visit us on Facebook and join the discussion.

Original show notes from May 18, 2020:

One of the most common concerns voiced by youth workers through the COVID crisis is a major drop in "attendance" as programming moved to online venues. The question that is commonly asked is, "what do I do when students don't show up?" However, we think the question we really need to ask is, "Why are we expecting them to show up to our online programs?" In this episode we share what we've learned about youth ministry programming through this crisis and what it could mean moving forward.

Having an appointment with a student is one of the best ways to connect with them, hear their story, address their needs, and even share the gospel. But there are a few things to keep in mind as you plan your next appointment. In this episode we don't talk about any of those. Instead we want to tell you about the worst appointment ever and hope that you can avoid these mistakes... seriously please don't do these things!

Reggie and I have noticed that there has been a common thread of discouragement and overwhelm in so many of our recent conversations with others. And we recognize that many of you may be experiencing similar feelings. So we wanted to take an opportunity to share a few thoughts that have been encouraging to us over the past year. We hope that you might be encouraged as well.

For more on the Healthy Mind Platter check out these resources: