Get (and keep) a calendar. You can’t plan the year ahead if you don’t know what the year looks like. Start big. Write down all the big, important, we-do-them-every-year, this-isn’t-going-to-change-unless-the-rapture-happens dates first (Easter,...
WHAT IS YOUTH MINISTRY? This is the proverbial question. For many of us involved in day-to-day ministry, we might answer with comments like, Sunday (or Wednesday) night programming, relationships,” or discipleship, but these answers tend to skip important...
Jesus made it clear that children matter to God. He values them not only for what they will become in the future but for who they are today. Jesus even told his disciples that to understand God’s Kingdom, they needed to become like little children. We can all agree...
If you’re a small-church children/youth worker, you’re not alone. In America, 65% of churches have fewer than 100 members, and the average youth group in America has 7 to 8 students. The good news is that you can still do sustainable children/youth ministry. Some of...
Why Did It All Change? Two weeks ago, we rolled out a new name, a new mission, vision and structure, a new logo. You’re probably wondering why. Let me give you a little background. Until a few years ago, the South Carolina Synod Youth Ministry Task Force was...
Change isn’t easy. If your body doesn’t work the way it used to, a change in diet, exercise or life pace can be difficult. When you lose your job and stare long and hard at a budget that doesn’t work, fear and anxiety can set in. And when a loved one dies, and the...
