VY Blog
Written by vineyard youth workers,
for vineyard youth workers.
Lice, Puke, and the Power of God
Summer camp is my favorite event of the year. I love planning for it, I love promoting for it, and I love the buzz that comes the week before when our team all comes together to finish off the last minute details. But at the end of the day, there is always something...
4 Ideas for Working with Middle Schoolers
Every other Sunday evening I lead a small group of middle school boys. It’s 45 minutes long, and it’s one of my favorite times of the week. I grab the 5 or 6 boys and bring them into my office. They stop by the mint jar immediately upon entering and grab a Life Saver,...
YP FAIL: A game of tears and sadness, or how to be a jerk to your students
Many youth workers speak sarcasm as a second language. I know because I’m one of them, as are most of the youth workers I have met. If you find yourself in that group, you know it can get you into some trouble in a ministry setting. The line, “Sorry, that was...
Soul Care: Can we be friends?
There was a time in my life several years ago when I was talking to my wife about how I wasn't sure if I had any friends who weren't teenagers. When you spend so much of your "free time" hanging out with teens as a youth worker, it easily starts to feel that way! I...
When is a Leader Ready to Lead Leaders?
Releasing wild animals is a fascinating concept. In Montana, we live, work and play on the grounds claimed by all manner of animals. From the cuddly ones that can’t decide which way to run and end up flat on the highway, to the ones that taste great and the ones that...
Sticking with Student Leadership
My experience working with student leaders has been a bit of a roller coaster. There have been times when I’ve seen student leaders really get the relational side of ministry and form a strong relationship with a middle school students, and that has been incredibly...
How is Your Soul?
No one sets out to diminish the health of their own soul… but let’s face it — it happens. - soulcare.com This June I will have been in full time pastoral ministry for 20 years. I love my calling and have enjoyed the highs of ministry and managed to stay sane through...
Youth Pastor Fails: 5 Failures, 5 Lessons
Coming into ministry one of my biggest fears was the fear of failure. I remember fearing that I would mess up the kids, make a huge mistake in my personal life, or just not be able to cut it when it comes to pastoring. 8 years later and I have failed so many times and...
The Need for Student Leadership: From the Perspective of a Former Student Leader
Most of the people you’ll read on this blog have a wealth of youth ministry experience. That’s something I don’t have. I’m only a couple years removed from seminary and, outside of internships and volunteer positions, I’m less than two years into my first legitimate...
What do you do when your group shrinks?
I have found that youth are attracted to each other. What I mean by that is if your youth group size is less than 10 it can be hard on a night that only 4 make it. One reason they come to youth group is to see each other and be around other youth. If they perceive “no...
Recent Comments