Merry Christmas from the Youth Ministry Answers team! In this short holiday episode, Brooklyn and Damean take a moment to say thank you, wish you a merry Christmas, and share a quick preview of what’s coming up next on the podcast.

Whether you’re wrapping up a busy season of ministry or finally getting a chance to rest, we hope you’re able to slow down, celebrate, and enjoy time with the people you love. We’ll be back soon with more practical conversations and ideas for kids ministry leaders.

Ask a Question:

Have a youth ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at YMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:

Subscribe to Youth Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more practical ideas, creative activities, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Christmas is one of the biggest seasons in student ministry—and coming up with fresh ideas every year isn’t always easy. In this episode, Damean and Brooklyn team share 10 of our favorite Christmas ideas for youth ministry, straight from the Stuff You Can Use team.

Ask a Question:

Have a youth ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at YMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:

Subscribe to Youth Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more practical ideas, creative activities, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

Christmas Bundles from Grow Students — Each bundle includes a teaching series, an event, and an original Christmas song from Grow Music. Available at growcurriculum.org

Volunteers are the heart of your kids ministry — but celebrating them consistently (and creatively) can be tough. In this special crossover episode, Elle Campbell, co-founder of Stuff You Can Use, joins Damean and special co-host Dr. Linda Moon of the Kids Ministry Answers podcast to share practical and meaningful ways to appreciate your team all year long. You’ll learn how to celebrate volunteers for what they do and for who they are — without breaking your budget or burning yourself out. 

What We Cover:

• How to celebrate volunteers annually, monthly, and weekly
• Creative ideas that build culture (not just hype)
• Why “boring but consistent” matters more than big gestures

Ask a Question:
Got a question you want answered? Send it in at yma.show — your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Youth Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for youth ministry ideas, small group strategies, and ministry tools you can use right away.
 
If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Volunteer Kick-Off
• Volunteer Tools
• Volunteer & Parent Celebrations

Making genuine connections with students isn’t always easy. Awkward silences, dead-end questions, and the pressure to sound “cool” can make conversations feel more forced than fun. In this episode, Brooklyn and Damean share four types of questions you can ask to build real connections with your students!

What We Cover:

• How to move past surface-level conversations with students
• Simple questions that build trust and open the door to deeper connection
• Why curiosity and listening are more powerful than perfect answers

Ask a Question:
Got a question you want answered? Send it in at yma.show — your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Youth Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more youth ministry ideas, small group strategies, and relationship-building tools you can use right away.
 
If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Grow Students Curriculum: Every week comes with discussion questions to help you lead conversations with your students!

Between sermon prep, volunteer training, and everything else on your plate, ministry can get chaotic fast. In this episode, Brooklyn and Damean break down four practical steps to help you get organized, plan smarter, and stay on top of all the great things you’re doing!

What We Cover:

• How to plan your year using a clear structure for every area of ministry
• Practical ways to plan your week and stay focused on what matters
• The best tools to keep your schedule organized and your team aligned

Ask a Question:
Got a question you want answered? Send it in at yma.show — your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Youth Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more youth ministry ideas, planning tools, and leadership strategies you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Weekly Planner from Grow Curriculum

Great small group leaders don’t just lead discussions — they build trust, ask good questions, and actually show up for students. But helping them get there? That’s the tricky part. In this episode, Brooklyn and Damean share three simple ways to train your small group leaders so they feel confident in their roles and ready to lead your students.

What We Cover:

• How to help small group leaders understand their role
• What it looks like to clarify the goal of discipleship
• Why ongoing learning helps volunteers grow stronger over time

Ask a Question:
Got a question you want answered? Send it in at yma.show — your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Youth Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more youth ministry ideas, volunteer training tips, and small group strategies you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Volunteer Meetings from Grow Curriculum

Every youth pastor wants to help students grow in their faith, but how do you know when it’s really happening? In this episode, Brooklyn and Damean walk through four steps to spot spiritual growth, track it over time, and build a strategy that helps students grow all year long.

What We Cover:

• How to identify spiritual growth in your students
• Simple ways to build consistent discipleship habits
• Practical tools to help you track and celebrate progress

Ask a Question:
Got a question you want answered? Send it in at yma.show — your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Youth Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more youth ministry ideas, student discipleship tools, and leadership strategies you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Spiritual Growth Surveys from Grow Curriculum