These posts are geared toward leaders of summer church camps, conference weekends and teams that serve in them.
Follow-up is one of the best-kept secrets of ministry. Too often, we talk and talk about something to publicize it, then once it’s over, it’s over. Ministry leaders need to take the days and weeks following a ministry event to help solidify the work that’s been done. It’s part of the nurturing process and it’s … Read more
Summers fly by. And if life is going to indeed be that busy, we need to switch to thinking about how we are investing our time. It’s no longer about looking for something to fill our time. It’s now about which of these things are going to make the most impact in our lives and … Read more
Pastors, worship leaders, and next-generation ministry leaders build the culture of attitude – positive or negative – in the leaders and the church. Your attitude is contagious. No ministry or leader is perfect and you will experience tough seasons and situations. But it’s important to keep a positive attitude. As Winston Churchill said, “I am … Read more
If the only thing standing between you and the vision is money, then go out and raise some. I heard this quote the same day I read the story of Jesus, the temple tax, and the fish. It all came together to remind me of a powerful part in funding ministry – our part. The … Read more
New ideas are great. They are the seed to possibilities. If you have 50 new thoughts or ideas this year and say, only 12 of them come together and pan out to something – that’s one amazing possibility a month! So, begin practicing getting new ideas! Here are nine proven ways to get started: 1) Assessment of your life … Read more
Did you realize the walking on the water miracle happened between being with the large crowds? In Matthew 14:22, they had just fed 5000 – an incredible gathering and miracle. After the meal, Jesus strategically sent his disciples off while he dismissed the crowd. The next few verses tell of the disciples in their boat … Read more
As we march closer to the summer church camp months, it’s looking more and more like we’re in for a different sort of season. I’ve received emails from several conferences and regions who are suspending the 2020 camping season. This obviously is a tough decision, but one that has to be made one way or … Read more
I know there are a million things to think about in ministry! If you are full a time student ministry worker, a role that is diminishing (according to Barna), you have lots of obligations and details. If you are a part-time student ministry worker or a volunteer leader, you’re wearing several hats and trying to … Read more
Faith development in a teenager varies with each student. Thankfully God can move whether things go right in the home and life or not. Parents are going to fail – that’s a given. There’s no way around it. On top of that, there has never been a totally smooth transition from youth to adulthood – … Read more
Generally speaking, student ministry retreats come in two varieties. One is a retreat in which the student ministry from a single church (or maybe two or three local groups) travels away from their home area for time apart, learning, growth and faith formation. The second most common way for a retreat to happen is when … Read more