The holidays are coming and there is a lot to be done in the next couple of months. So with that in mind, we wanted to start the season off with little challenge to help us all be a little more thankful. In this episode we are inviting all our listeners to focus on a specific area of your lives each week and to share what you are thankful for in that regard. We'd love to read your posts so use the hashtag #givethanksTMLP.

Here's the weekly "thanksgiving" plan...

Week 1: Be thankful for who you are (who God made you to be)

Remember to post your thoughts on why you're thankful using #givethanksTMLP.

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Trips and events can be a strategic way to both engage new students and deepen relationships with those you currently serve. Those experiences and those memories can last a lifetime, but it's the relationships developed on those trips that have the potential for long term impact. In this episode, we're discussing a few ways leaders like you can leverage your time with students while serving on trips and events that can help you develop those transformational relationships.

What's your favorite trip you've taken either as a student or youth worker? We'd love to hear about it! Visit us on Facebook and join the discussion.

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Healthy youth ministries recognize the value of developing young leaders and are intentional in how they pursue it. While there are plenty of models to choose from, in our experience the majority of them fall into one of two categories, developing leaders of programs or developing leaders of people. One is more about what they do and the responsibilities they fulfill; the other is about the influence they have and how they leverage it. In this episode, we'll explore both and offer our thoughts on how each could be of benefit to your ministry, and your leaders.

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Last week we discussed what small groups are and why they are so valuable to your ministry. This week we jump right into the midpoint of a conversation about how to form small groups. This episode begins quite abruptly so if you missed last week's episode you may want to go back and catch up so you know where we left off.

Share your best small group experience. Visit us on Facebook and join the discussion.

Small groups are near and dear to our hearts and we talked a lot about them. This episode is the first half of that conversation and covers what small groups can be and why they are so valuable. Next week we'll pick up with the rest of the conversation where we discussed the nuts and bolts (the how-to) of small groups.

How have small groups been beneficial to you or your ministry? Visit us on Facebook and join the discussion.

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It's crazy to think we've been at this podcast for nearly 3 years now. In that time, we've learned a lot about podcasting, grown a ton as leaders, and hopefully helped you engage more effectively in relational ministry is some small way. This episode happens to the the 150th episode of the show and we thought we'd take some time to reflect, celebrate, and have some fun.

Give it a listen OR watch the episode here for a more complete experience.

We'd love to know your favorite moments, guests or topics from the first 149 episodes. Visit us on Facebook and join the discussion.

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One of the best ways to get to know someone is simply by sitting down with them and having an intentional conversation to get to know their story. In this episode we're discussing a few conversational skills every youth worker needs to have great appointments with students.

Next week we are releasing our 150th episdoe and we are responding to your questions! Send us your thoughts and/or questions about the podcast, youth ministry, or anything else you want to talk about to [email protected]. We'd love to hear your voice and play it on air as well. Send us a 20-30 recording letting us know who you are, where you serve and what your question is and we'll share as many as we can.

One of the best ways to get to know someone is to spend time with them engaging in some type of shared experience. At Youth for Christ we call these experiences building times an in this episode we're discussing how these intentional actions can set you up to learn more about a young person's story in order to better serve them.

What is the best building time you've ever had? Visit us on Facebook and join the discussion.

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? Visit us on Facebook and join the discussion.

Download this list of discussion starter questions.

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As youthworkers seek to build healthy relationships with young people, we have to know where to go and how to initiate those relationships. In this episode we'll talk through the contacting process to help you and your team meet more young people as the school year kicks off.

What tips do you have for meeting new students? Visit us on Facebook and join the discussion.

Episode 145: Countdown to Kickoff

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