Since January, I've been using Dare to Share's Gospel Journey Maui with my high school teens during Sunday school.

Initially, I was a reluctant to use this curriculum. Despite having heard other youth workers speak favorably about it for years,...

One common question I get when it comes to Student Leadership Teams is, “How many teens should be on your student leadership team?”

My answer often frustrates people.

It depends.

You see, when it comes to my student leadership team, I don't...

In recent years, much criticism has been lobbied at short-term mission trips and in particular, at their value; At whether they do more harm than good. To that end, books like When Helping Hurts have helped those of us in the church figure out...

I'm a big believer in the power of experiential learning. To this end, instead of giving a talk about prayer, I'd much rather create a series of prayer stations designed to give students the opportunity to pray in a variety of ways.

Over the next...

Once you know why you're creating a leadership team, what you're looking for in the students who are on your leadership team, and how you'll select your student leaders, the question still remains, how do you present the idea of a leadership team...

Over the weekend, I saw the movie McFarland, USA.

In so many ways, this is a youth ministry movie – a powerful example of the impact adults can have in the lives of teens.

In the movie, Mr. White – a teacher who's been laid off by several...

I am a big believer in the power of experiential learning. To this end, instead of giving a talk about prayer, I'd much rather create a series of prayer stations designed to give students the opportunity to pray in a variety of ways.

Over the next...

What the book's about: Creating a Lead Small Culture is about creating and maintaining healthy small groups that will help kids and teens find a place within the church to belong. 

Why I read this book: As a youth pastor, I want teens to...

When I first interviewed for my current position, I remember asking the pastors, “How are youth involved in worship?”

Their answer to this question was important to me because I was coming from a non-denominational setting wherein we had a...

Clear communication greatly contributes to effective ministry, especially when you're dealing with your ministry's leaders. When it comes to student leadership teams, one thing that can aid in this process is establishing a covenant.

A covenant is...

In response to last week's post about how a fear of offending people keeps teens from talking about their faith with others, a reader reminded me how at that age, even if he'd wanted to talk about his faith with others, he wouldn't have known how....

I am a big believer in the power of experiential learning. To this end, instead of giving a talk about prayer, I'd much rather create a series of prayer stations designed to give students the opportunity to pray in a variety of ways.

Over the next...

My high school youth ministry is currently in the midst of a series about “war and peace”. Thus far, we've discussed why religion seems to cause so many wars, genocide, and refugees.

As a whole, teens in my youth ministry have a pretty high...

In 2008, my husband and I began mentoring an Iraqi woman and her two sons.

They were refugees who'd been forced to flee for fear of their lives, casualties of a war the United States began.

As the year progressed and we got to know this family...

During my first year in youth ministry, the thing I looked for most in student leaders was spiritual maturity.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding teens who you could call spiritually mature.

This makes sense when you realize high school...

Throughout high school, I was actively involved in my congregation's youth ministry. This was, in many ways, the activity that was most important to me during that time period. Even so, I rarely invited friends from my high school to join me for...

I am a big believer in the power of experiential learning. To this end, instead of giving a talk about prayer, I'd much rather create a series of prayer stations designed to give students the opportunity to pray in a variety of ways.

Over the next...

It's been a long, COLD, snowy February in the Chicago area, making me extremely thankful I purchased a winter maternity coat. 

Reading: 

Cold, snowy nights have been perfect for curling up with a book by the fire. This month, here are...

What the book's about: From Moses to Jesus, in The Prophetic Imagination, Walter Brueggemann highlights the prophetic vision found in Scripture and explores what it means for us today. 

Why I read this book: After a friend recommended this...

There are typically three ways to choose your youth ministry's student leaders.

1. Vote. Similar to student council elections at school, peers elect those teens they want to be student leaders.

2. Select. The youth pastor or a team of people...