Youth Ministry Podcast

Youth Ministry is important, difficult work. It's easy to get so focused on daily tasks that you forget the ways you make a difference. This week, Jake and Erik invite you to take a deep breath and reflect on the moments your ministry inspires and encourages people.

Committees can be a burden and a blessing for people in ministry. Ideally, they provide accountability, support, and inspiration for staff and programs. But sometimes they feel obligatory and directionless. In this episode Jake and Erik draw on their experiences and offer some best practices for healthy youth committees.

Communication is a crucial element in any relationship, especially among church workers and congregation members. But how can youth ministers effectively communicate with all the people about all the things? Which forms of media are best suited for which events? How to strategies change depending on the audience? How often should you be reaching out? Jake and Erik offer their thoughts on some of their communication successes and failures. (And they crown a Youth Ministry Madness winner!)

The next several weeks are filled with "lasts" for high school seniors – exams, performances, dances, parties, and commencement. These are exciting and time-consuming experiences for your teens. How can you stay connected with kids who are busy doing important activities outside of church? Jake and Erik offer some ideas for how the church can come along side graduates and their parents to nurture them through these special moments.

The fastest growing religious group in America is called "The Nones" – people who self-identify as having no religious affiliation. The Nones are now the same size as Evangelicals and Catholics and twice the size of Mainline Christians. What does this mean for people in youth ministry? Jake and Erik offer their thoughts about ways to faithfully nurture young people's faith in this current context.

These next few months can be incredibly busy and stressful for youth ministers. It's important to take care of yourself as you prepare for Holy Week, wrap up the program year, and coordinate all the special summer events. Join Jake and Erik for a conversation about the benefits of self-care, what it is (and isn't), and how you can begin to establish helpful habits in your daily life.

Spring is finally here, so it's time for Erik and Jake to spring open the ministry mailbag and answer questions from you, the listener. Topics discussed include retreats, vocation, and innovation fatigue. Also, be sure to join in the fun and fill out your Youth Ministry Madness bracket.

It's March, and that can only mean one thing. (Nope, not Lent.) Time for March Madness, baby! Sparkhouse is once again bringing you Youth Ministry Madness, a bracket-style game where you pick your favorite youth ministry clichés, leader tips, challenges, and oops. In today's episode Erik and Jake go through each region, discuss the matchups, and make their predictions. You can participate in Youth Ministry Madness by going to go.wearesparkhouse.org/youthministrymadness

Like it or not, fundraisers are a regular part of youth ministry. This week Jake and Erik discuss their favorite way to generate money for youth trips: auctions. You'll hear lots of practical advice about how to plan, promote, and implement this all-church fundraising event.

One of the best ways to connect with young people is to meet them in a public place like a coffee shop or bakery. Why is this approach to ministry so important? How do you go about having meaningful and grace-filled conversations with young people? And most important of all—who's buying? Jake and Erik address these questions and more, but first they discuss a recent article about kids who are inheriting a pre-existing online identity.