By Jay Holland Youth ministry isn’t crowd control. It’s not a babysitting service. It’s not just games and pizza (though there’s plenty of both!). At its core, youth ministry is one of the most strategic mission fields on the planet.
By Jay Holland, Youth Ministry CoachThere’s no shortage of tips and tricks for youth ministry. But when the pizza’s gone, the students have moved on, and the energy fades… what’s going to keep you faithful and fruitful for the long
By Jay Holland, Youth Ministry Coach In youth ministry, it’s easy to carry more than we were meant to. We love our students deeply. We pray hard, we plan events, we invest hours into discipling them. But if we’re not
By Jay Holland, Youth Ministry Coach When you step into youth ministry, it’s easy to get swept up in the logistics — planning the next event, recruiting volunteers, keeping kids from setting things on fire (literally or spiritually). But underneath
By Jay Holland, Youth Ministry Coach One of the biggest sources of discouragement in youth ministry is this:“Why aren’t they getting it?” You’ve poured your heart into teaching, prayed hard over small groups, seen glimpses of growth… and then
By Jay Holland, Youth Ministry Coach If you lead students, you’ve been entrusted with something sacred. Youth ministry isn’t just about fun games, solid teaching, or building community — it’s about protecting the students God places in your care. That
By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor In our last post, we talked about protecting students — something we take seriously in youth ministry. But today, I want to flip the focus. Because the truth is:
By Jay Holland Youth ministry plays a huge role in protecting the church. No, we’re not talking about covering up sin. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Protecting the church means living with integrity, planning with foresight, and creating an
By Jay Holland Have you ever walked away from a youth night wondering, “Did that even matter?” Maybe your small group didn’t open up. Maybe you served snacks or ran slides and barely talked to a student. Maybe you’re just
By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor In youth ministry, it’s easy to get distracted by events, schedules, and how many students showed up last week. But at the end of the day, discipleship isn’t about numbers —
https://youtu.be/DlVG47wZn-c By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor Whether it’s a tricky Bible issue, a hard theological tension, or a deep personal question you’re not sure how to handle — you don’t have to panic.You just need to
https://youtu.be/zpnNte6z_LA By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor Whether you’ve got a group that’s always quiet, or your usually chatty crew is suddenly flat — let’s talk about how to respond well and keep your group healthy. 1.
https://youtu.be/0LXVUb3O9zc By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor Discipleship doesn’t end when the small group circle breaks up.Some of your most powerful ministry moments won’t happen in group — they’ll happen after. When you follow up with a
https://youtu.be/Nb0SbNKJJdA By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor What makes students stick with your group?It’s probably not your flawless theology or the brilliance of your discussion questions. More often than not, students stay for community — not curriculum.
https://youtu.be/j9wW17iFc70 By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor You’ve probably been there… Your group is flowing. A student shares something. Then another adds on.Suddenly, the conversation takes a left turn. Someone cracks a crude joke.Another starts gossiping about
https://youtu.be/3xUwAIqk8lU By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor If you’ve led a youth small group for more than 15 minutes, you’ve probably encountered the quiet kid. They sit in group.They listen.They rarely speak. And if you’re a well-meaning
https://youtu.be/041xmAuXK9g?feature=shared By Jay Holland – Student and Family Ministries Pastor Every small group has one.That student who’s eager, passionate, and just… won’t stop talking. They mean well. But their enthusiasm can make it hard for anyone else to share —
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