“Out beyond ideas of wrong and right, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” When Rumi was writing poetry, there was no binary right way or wrong way to do things. There was simply expression. And the outward expression of what’s rolling around inside is a universal experience amongst poets. The interesting truth is,…
Youth ministry is hard. Whether you’ve been in the game for years, like Ministry Architects, or you’re just getting started, you’ve felt this. And finding good youth ministry resources – for free – can feel like just one more challenge to add to the list. But you’re not alone! Ministry Architects is here to help…
It’s a tough road to walk as a children’s or youth worker when the church you’re serving is dragging you backwards into days gone by. “We used to have #100 kids every Sunday!” “We took two buses on every choir tour!” “This church grew because of all the youth that used to come!” Comments like…
Youth Ministry is tough, and can often be really lonely. As youth leaders, we face challenges that are unique and different. It’s all too easy to feel alone and powerless, and that’s exactly where the enemy wants you to be. I’ve been serving in youth ministry for over 13 years now, and I can’t tell…
Introduction Last night my neighborhood sponsored a hayride for our neighborhood trick-or-treaters who, like children all over the country, raked in the treats, sorted and traded, then ate themselves sick and bounced off the ceiling all night on a Halloween-induced sugar high that unofficially proclaimed the beginning of an annual holiday season packed to the…
I have hidden Your Word in my heart… Psalm 119:11 (NIV) The children were huddled together in little clumps around each table, talking excitedly among themselves as they began the activity. On the otherwise empty table were several chocolate pudding cups and a package of wet wipes. This lesson was about to get very messy…
Every youth leader I know wants to get better and grow their ministry. What’s crazy is many youth workers talk about growing their ministries, but do the things that break them. Odds are you want your ministry to grow. You want to reach as many students as possible. Here’s the deal though, if you’re not intentional you might to do the opposite….
There are a lot of different youth ministry models to choose from. Different youth ministries do different things well, and we can all learn from each other. Regardless of the size of your ministry, we all have something to learn from one another! I learned a powerful youth ministry lesson from watching other youth ministries. As I’ve traveled and…