Parent meetings & seminars can be one of the most effective ways to impact the life of a teenager. Trust us! As parents of teenagers, we know how challenging it can be and how we need all the help we can get. Doing them well and getting parents to show up, however, can be a challenge... a big challenge.

In this episode of the Longer Haul Podcast, we share ideas from our 20+ years of failing and succeeding in doing meetings & seminars with parents. We share tips, how to do them when you're not yet a parent of a teenager and some very specific 'what not to dos'.

Links mentioned:

The Super Secret Longer Haul Podcast Facebook Group (that you should join)

Resources mentioned:

Must Haves for your Parent Meetings

Ridgecrest Conference Center

Screenflow

Camtasia

In this particular episode, you will learn:

What to do if you're not a parent

How to actually get parents to show up to your parent seminar

What to do when you have a lot of parents in your ministry who aren't believers

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

Chris is back this week and is joined by his lovely wife Wendy.  After just celebrating 25 years of marriage they're giving wisdom they've learned along the way by way of 25 tips from 25 years of marriage while serving in youth ministry.

In this episode you'll hear honest and transparent keys that Chris and Wendy have learned over the years.  Whether you're married, want to be one day, know people who are, or just have seen people on TV who are married you'll find these 25 tips to be useful.

Links mentioned:

The Super Secret Longer Haul Podcast Facebook Group (that you should join)

Resources mentioned:

Conclave

Consider This: A Youth Pastor's Guide to Longevity

In this particular episode, you will learn:

Key principles for a healthy marriage

How to navigate the unique challenges that marriage and ministry present

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

Chris Trent is away this week celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary so...Ed Braswell and Phillip Higginbotham, who are a couple of youth pastors from the Super Secret Longer Haul Podcast Facebook Group join the show this week to tackle the topic of essentials for a youth worship service.

In this episode we cover what you must have for your youth worship services, paying worship leaders, and how to make the most of your worship times with your students..

Links mentioned:

The Super Secret Longer Haul Podcast Facebook Group (that you should join)

Resources mentioned:

It by Craig Groeschel

In this particular episode, you will learn:

What are the must haves for youth worship

Do you have to pay someone to lead worship and if so how much?

Is it ok if your Wednesday night activities aren't your larger outreach driven ones?

Quotables:

"You can do youth ministry without a guitar."

"Youth ministry is not about ministering to youth.  It's about teaching youth to minister."

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

Chad Poe joins the Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast this week to talk about effectively communicating with teenagers.  Chad brings a ton of knowledge to the table this week all while keeping you laughing.

In this episode we cover what it takes to really communicate well, what it is really like to be a full-time speaker, why illustrations matter, and the four keys every sermon and lesson should have.

Links mentioned:

The Super Secret Longer Haul Podcast Facebook Group (that you should join)

ChadPoe.com

@chadpoe

Resources mentioned:

Clear Conference

In this particular episode, you will learn:

The key to illustrating well

The real challenges to being a full-time speaker

The four keys every sermon should include

What Jody and Chris think is always in a green room

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you like what you find at The Longer Haul.  Consider supporting it to provide even more for as little as a $1 per month...and get some cool rewards.

Support the Show

This week we're diving into the subject of youth ministry interns.  Maybe you have an intern or a few interns, but just don't know what to do with them.  Maybe you just feel you could be doing better with utilizing your interns.  Well, we've got you covered in this week's episode all about youth ministry interns.

In this episode we cover how to go about hiring an intern, what to do with an intern once you've hired them, some must haves for your interns, and some words of caution.  PLUS we give you a way to utilized interns even if you have zero budget to put towards having them.

Links mentioned:

The Super Secret Longer Haul Podcast Facebook Group (that you should join)

Resources mentioned:

Evernote

Google Docs

Trello

Ring Doorbell

In this particular episode, you will learn:

How to hire the right intern

What to do with your intern once you've hired them

What to do if you have no budget to pay an intern

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you like what you find at The Longer Haul.  Consider supporting it to provide even more for as little as a $1 per month...and get some cool rewards.

Support the Show

The importance of a youth ministry network and community for your longevity can't be overstated.  Ministry can be a lonely place and having others around you who get where you are and what you're dealing with can be extremely helpful.

So we're doing a deep dive into networks with why they're important, do's and don't for them, and how to start one if there isn't one near you.  We also let you in on a little secret...announcement if you will toward the end so make sure you stick around and check it out

Links mentioned:

The Super Secret Longer Haul Podcast Facebook Group (that you should join)

In this particular episode, you will learn:

Why networks are important for longevity

How to start a network if there isn't one in your area

Do's and Don'ts of a network

An announcement of something new at the Longer Haul to help you have community

Show Sponsor:

52 Threads & Fund the Nations -REALLY. AWESOME. SHIRTS.

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you like what you find at The Longer Haul.  Consider supporting it to provide even more for as little as a $1 per month...and get some cool rewards.

Support the Show

In this episode Dr. Richard Ross joins us to talk about maturing as a youth pastor.

Our primary aim is to help you as a youth pastor stay in youth ministry for the longer haul.  To do this means navigating maturing as a youth pastor.

And when it comes to this topic, there's no one better to bring wisdom than Dr. Richard Ross.  He's the real deal and you'll quickly tell that he has forgotten more about working with teens than most of us will ever learn.

So sit back and enjoy the ride today kids, because Dr. Ross is taking us to school.

Links mentioned:

RichardARoss.com

Youth Ministry Lab

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Resources mentioned in this Podcast:

The Senior Pastor and the Reformation of Youth Ministry

In this particular episode, you will learn:

Key steps to take if you're wanting to stay put for the long haul

Does seminary education really matter for the youth pastor?

Why working with teens really makes a difference

And...why you shouldn't actually honk your horn like Chris said to in the last episode...

Show Sponsor:

52 Threads & Fund the Nations -REALLY. AWESOME. SHIRTS.

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you like what you find at The Longer Haul.  Consider supporting it to provide even more for as little as a $1 per month...and get some cool rewards.

Support the Show

Great resources for youth ministry can be the difference between an effective youth ministry and a struggling one.  With so many out there is can be difficult to navigate them and find ones that are really helpful.

In this episode we're here to help with some of our top resources that we use in our ministries.  We love finding new and helpful tools and resources to use so we'll be doing some of these with updated tools from time to time.

For now we know you'll enjoy these and find them helpful.

Links mentioned:

Episode 002: Youth Ministry App

Resources mentioned in this Podcast:

Pensieve App

MinHub App

The Last Arrow by Erwin McManus

ScreenFlow (Mac)

Camtasia (PC)

Jing

Maxpedition Sitka

Born to Perform Card Magic

Sponge

My Pet Boris

In this particular episode, you will learn:

Chris and Jody's recent experiences with horn honking

Great apps and practical tools and resources to help your youth ministry

Magic...yeah for reals this time

Show Sponsor:

52 Threads & Fund the Nations -REALLY. AWESOME. SHIRTS.

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you like what you find at The Longer Haul.  Consider supporting it to provide even more for as little as a $1 per month...and get some cool rewards.

Support the Show

Getting and staying organized in Youth Ministry can literally be the key to staying put for the longer haul.

Since it is so important we're giving you some practical and helpful tips on getting organized in youth ministry.  For some of us (Chris) organization comes pretty easy.  For others (Jody) it doesn't.

But just because it doesn't come natural doesn't mean you get a pass on being organized.  It's okay though, we're here to help.

 

Links mentioned:

Youth Ministry Lab

Episode 39: Staying Organized in Youth Ministry with Evernote

Resources mentioned in this Podcast:

Evernote

Pensieve App

Unroll.me

In this particular episode, you will learn:

Why being organized matters

Why not being naturally gifted with organization isn't an excuse for not being organized

Helpful tips for getting and staying organized

Show Sponsor:

52 Threads & Fund the Nations -REALLY. AWESOME. SHIRTS.

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you like what you find at The Longer Haul.  Consider supporting it to provide even more for as little as a $1 per month...and get some cool rewards.

Support the Show

Youth camp is an essential part of any youth ministry.  Getting camp right can make all the difference for your ministry.

But it is the small things that can make or break you.  Since camp is so important, we've brought in the big guns on this episode!

Roger Davis from Generate Camps over at YM360 joins us today to talk ALL about youth camp.  We both seriously came away with a ton of personal notes on this one.

This episode is a bit longer, but it is PACKED with goodness.  You're going to want to give this one a couple listens.

Links mentioned:

@jrogerdavis

Generate Camps

Resources mentioned in this Podcast:

The Foundation Bundle from YM360

Games 4 Youth Ministry

In this particular episode, you will learn:

Keys to getting the most out of camp

Should you bring your family to camp with you?

Crucial things you MUST consider when planning your youth camp

HELP OTHER YOUTH PASTORS!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes, and please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They help others know the value of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you like what you find at The Longer Haul.  Consider supporting it to provide even more for as little as a $1 per month...and get some cool rewards.

Support the Show