Youth Ministry

Maybe lighter theology and heavier bass could help suppress the exodus of youth from Western churches. Or maybe the youth are missing roots.

What our kids need most right now isn’t another Wednesday night filled with games and a quick lesson about why God says this or that is bad. Our kids need their parents willing to talk about their personal relationship with God and how God still loves this world—no matter how messy it seems.

I know you’ve said it before – or at least thought it: “I wouldn’t want to be raising children right now with the direction this world is going.” “I worry what my grandchildren will grow up believing.” “If Jesus doesn’t come soon, who knows what the next generation of believers will be like?”And yet, I remember hearing my parents – and grandparents – expressing those same fears as I was growing up in the 1970s.The older we get the more fearful we can be for the generations coming after us. But what if we turned that concern into specific prayers for them, just as you and I most assuredly had prayers said for us by our parents and grandparents and those before them? We serve the same God today that the First Century Christians did. And the Holy Spirit can still draw hearts to Himself, convict hearts of sin, and help others find that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).In John 17:20-21, Jesus prayed for you and me when He said “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (NASB).And just as His prayers long ago have drawn us to Himself, and preserved us through the generations as the victorious body of Christ, our prayers are effective in helping the next generation thrive in Him, too.Here are five important prayers for the next generation of believers.

While under-parenting can throw our kids to the wolves, is it possible that over-parenting can turn our kids away from faith?

It’s evident our children are hurting, and parents are struggling to do their best. And maybe, like me, you are holding on to a bit of guilt or regret. Perhaps you feel lost on how to parent in this day and age, leading you to want to run and hide from all the dreary headlines, the negativity, the fear-mongering, the craziness - everything.

Let me share some things maybe purity culture didn’t that could be helpful. Here are five ways you can better address purity culture with your youth, in addition to the Biblical teaching.

How can youth ministers do an effective job of making disciples? Here are six hardships of youth ministry and how to overcome them.

The need continues for older spiritual mentors to come alongside younger believers in their unique journeys. It is a joy and privilege.

There are no two ways about it—the teenage years are rough.Teenagers are beset with insecurities, peer pressure, and heartbreak over bad friendships and romantic relationships alike. With stress on the rise among young people, it’s more important than ever for parents to teach their teens how to manage nerve-wracking situations before those situations become overwhelming.One way your child can find stable footing during the turbulent teen years is to point them to books of the Bible that can help them navigate their daily circumstances. While all of Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching (2 Timothy 3:16), there are some books that may resonate with your teen more so than others.Below are 4 such Biblical books that may speak volumes to your teen.Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Angelica Reyes

We are often surrounded by little ones we love — kids or grandkids, nieces or nephews, or children of our hurting friends who are also dealing with pain, hard things, and big feelings. And there are several, tangible ways we can help little kids with big feelings.

How do we as leaders get youth–especially those who are on the brink of adulthood—to prioritize their faith? Here are six amazing ways to teach them how to do that.

If you find yourself struggling to muster up the strength and humility to pray for someone who has been an aggressive figure in your life, you can turn to Scripture for help. Here are 3 Bible verses that can help you pray for your bully.

Praying for our older kids gives us something to do with our worries about them. It turns our inward thoughts upward and hands them off to our children's Creator, whose plans for them are good, whose knowledge of them is complete, and whose love for them is even greater than our own.

Thirty years ago this fall, I fell onto my knees in my dorm room and gave my life to Christ. He used his church to turn a stubborn, confused teenager from darkness to light. As a young believer, the church was my greenhouse where I grew in faith and intimacy with God. It’s where I discovered my place in the family of God.All these years later, church still feels like home. It offers belonging as I find encouragement and community among those who know me best. In times of stress and trouble, I find comfort and rest. My days find purpose as the church enables me to serve. Godly leaders provide biblical teaching and an example to follow. My heart’s needs for friendship, wisdom, and worship are met within the church’s walls.As parents, we’re eager for our children to experience the priceless gift of church for themselves. We feel grief and frustration when our teens resist attending services as a family. The arguing, eye-rolling, and negative attitudes turn Sunday mornings into a battleground. How can we help our kids move toward the church instead of running for the door? Here are seven ways to help teens break down their barriers to the church.Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Kadirdemir

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.” Paul tells us this in Philippians 4:12, and it was the first thing that came to my mind when considering what we need to teach in youth ministry. I’ve been a part of youth groups rich in programs, offerings, and outreaches, and I have also been a part of youth groups that are bare-bones Sunday gatherings and that’s it.Neither is necessarily better than the other, as both offer deep benefits if you look at them the right way. The ones with great numbers and impact can reach the masses and have a larger reach in the community or even global missions. The smaller ones can have a very tight group of people sharing the deepest encouragement imaginable.Whether your youth ministry is large or small, is rich in curriculum or outreach programs or not, or has the flashy stage and band or not, the real heart of youth ministry is (and always should be) deep-rooted Godly teaching and guidance for the youth involved. Here are seven lessons that stood out to me the most during those formative years.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/DMEPhotography