Youth & Culture

Practical Ways to Navigate & Educate on Mental Health

by Emily Phoenix | Oct 14, 2021 | Adolescent Development, Crisis Ministry, Doing Ministry, Fall 2021, Youth & Culture | 0

We need to talk more openly and honestly about mental health, especially in the Church. Supportive adults can pause and educate ourselves and others about how to care for young people’s mental health in a Christ-centered way. Here are some practical ways to navigate & educate on mental health in your youth ministry.

8 Ways to Care for Yourself as You Care For Youth

by Blake Brockman | Oct 5, 2021 | Adolescent Development, Crisis Ministry, Doing Ministry, Fall 2021, Youth & Culture | 0

Serving in youth ministry professionally or as a volunteer is a awesome vocation, but it can also be incredibly difficult. This article has Eight tips to help maintain your mental health as you care for young people in your church.

What Teen Leaders Want Adult Leaders to Know

by Julianna Shults | Aug 26, 2021 | Doing Ministry, Fall 2021, Seven Practices, Student Leadership, Summer 2021, Supportive Adults, Youth & Culture, Youth Culture | 0

During the 2021 National Lutheran Youth Workers Conference, we asked our YouthLead participants what they wanted the adult leaders in their Youth Ministry to know. These were some of their responses. We are so grateful for how God is working through amazing teens in our congregation.

Social Media through the Filter of Christ

by Blake Brockman | May 26, 2021 | Doing Ministry, Hot Topics, Media & Technology, Spring 2021, Youth & Culture | 0

In ministry we might talk about social media as the boogieman. Instead, here are five ways we can talk to youth about how we process what we see and consume on social media through the filter of our faith and set Christ-centered boundaries.

Keep it Together!: Nurturing and Maintaining Connections with Youth

by Kristin Schmidt | Oct 19, 2020 | Doing Ministry, Fall 2020, Practical Youth Ministry, Youth & Culture, Youth Culture | 0

When working with young people, building trust and maintaining connections are always essential components of youth ministry. Teenagers need those solid relational dynamics now more than ever, as the challenges of Covid-19 have in many ways forced separation from peers. It is essential to demonstrate genuine concern and to create a sense of encouraging warmth for students struggling in the turbulent uncertainty of daily life.

Connected but Alone: Navigating the Curse of Social Media

by Cassie Moore | Oct 5, 2020 | Doing Ministry, Fall 2020, Practical Youth Ministry, Youth & Culture, Youth Culture | 0

Social media is both a blessing and a curse. It connects us and opens doors, but can create problems, quietly destroy people, and isolate us. As we seek to help young people navigate through the quagmire of social media, we must be mindful that perspective is key. We can use social media as a tool to connect us to each other and to the Gospel.

What One Teen Wants You to Know about a COVID-Impacted World

by Ariana Warner | Aug 28, 2020 | COVID-19, Doing Ministry, Fall 2020, Summer 2020, Youth & Culture, Youth Ministry Stories | 0

High School senior Ariana shares a heartfelt perspective on the impact of CoVid-19 on her life. She shares insight and encouragements for how adults, especially youth leaders, can disciple and care for young people in this time.

Start a Conversation about…College Prep

by Julianna Shults | Aug 25, 2020 | Campus Ministry, Fall 2020, Featured Young Adult, Hot Topics, Talk Sheets, Young Adult Ministry, Youth & Culture | 0

Transitions such as graduation are critical moments where congregations and parents can support a young person’s relationship with Jesus as they find a new church home or establish a new, adult relationship with their existing congregation. This talk sheet give you some direction on how you can form a discussion around the transition to college with your high school students.

Starting a Conversation about…Racism

by Julianna Shults | Jun 26, 2020 | Fall 2020, Free Resources, Hot Topics, Talk Sheets, Youth & Culture, Youth Culture | 0

One of the end goals of youth ministry that we list is that young people and the church embrace and value the diversity of ethnicity, language, and culture in God’s creation. It’s important to address issues of race and racism with your youth.

Lessons Learned: How a Pandemic is Shaping a Generation

by Cassie Moore | Jun 17, 2020 | COVID-19, Doing Ministry, Summer 2020, Youth & Culture, Youth Ministry Theory | 0

For those who will work with Gen Z for many years it’s crucial that we consider the ways this pandemic might affect a generation, and what we can do to continue to work with and reach them right now.

Forced Into A New Frontier: Youth Ministry In the Age of COVID-19

by Cassie Moore | Mar 24, 2020 | COVID-19, Crisis Ministry, Doing Ministry, Youth & Culture | 0

Coronavirus has fundamentally changed nearly aspect of our daily lives. It’s worth exploring how this is affecting our children and youth, how we can attempt to reach them in the midst of this crisis, and how we can take care of ourselves right now as we attempt to serve others.