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Events are a pretty big deal for most youth ministries. They’re a way to have fun, connect with students and their families, get new people in the door, and create some excitement. Events matter, but we’ve got to keep things in perspective. That’s why we’re fans of...
Teaching
If you've spent any time in youth ministry, you've probably asked yourself this question—Are they learning anything? It's a question that drives youth pastors everywhere to adjust and refine their programs. It's pretty easy to tell when teenagers...
If you've spent any time in children's ministry, you've probably asked yourself this question — Are they learning anything? It's a question that drives kids pastors everywhere to keep adjusting and refining their programs. It's pretty easy to tell...
Let's say you've got a video you want to show during your teaching time. How do you go about doing it? If you didn't know, there are many rules and laws around what's legal and not concerning playing music, videos, and other media in your church...
Volunteers
When we think about training and communicating with our volunteers, we often picture in-person meetings or big events. And those moments matter. But if we want to keep our vision in front of our volunteers all year long, we need to think about training and support in...
We recently asked thousands of church leaders about their biggest struggles in ministry. Their answer? Volunteers. And not like, "We wish we had more!" (They do.) But more like... "We wish we knew what to do with them." Finding great volunteers is its own challenge,...
The first time you're in charge of a small group of kids, you might feel pretty intimidated. It's a big responsibility, and there's so much to remember—names, talking points, and rules to your icebreaker. Beyond that, there's the stuff you can't always prepare for,...
Discipleship
When we talk with ministry leaders about their biggest challenges, a few themes always come up... Growth. Volunteers. Time. But one topic rises to the top again and again: parents. How do I work with them? How do I talk with them? How do I get them connected to what...
There are so many great reasons why many of us stepped into youth ministry. Maybe it was the promise of regular pizza parties, the unmatched chaos of dodgeball, or the strange joy of watching a teenager actually laugh at one of your jokes. These are all valid...
We all want to help kids grow — it's why we said "yes" to Kids Ministry to begin with. All of us want to be a part of helping kids make the decision to follow Jesus and then get them started on a path towards growing and living out their faith. But that's easier said...
Leadership
January brings a funny mix of emotions for ministry leaders. On one hand, there’s fresh hope... You have a nice clean calendar. There's the opportunity to build some new working rhythms. And a sense that this could be the year things really click. On the other hand,...
Designing a teaching calendar for your ministry can feel overwhelming. There's no shortage of Bible stories to choose from, holidays to plan around, and spiritual habits you want to reinforce. It’s tough to know where to start — or how to make it all work together....
Your big event is coming up, and you're so ready. You've spent hours tweaking the schedule, designing and testing new games, and writing your lesson. And then you see a text message that replaces that feeling of preparedness with a sense of panic. Hey, what time am I...
Author: Elle Campbell, Co-Founder Here at Stuff You Can Use (the people who make Grow Curriculum), our team is committed to creating something good — not just good products for the churches we serve, but a behind-the-scenes company culture that is good for our...
Families
Let's be honest, we can all do a better job connecting with the families in our ministry. They're a vital part of what we do, and we love being around their kids and students. In your heart, you know families are worth investing in, but choosing the right date,...
When we think about connecting with families, we often picture in-person conversations or family-focused events. And those moments matter. But if we want to keep our vision in front of families all year long, we need to think about communication in a more consistent,...
Engaging with parents is a vital part of kids and youth ministry—and it isn’t always easy. Parents and caregivers play a huge role in the faith development of their kids, which means the way we communicate, support, and partner with them really matters. When we work...
Events
If you’ve ever watched students open up around a bonfire or heard a breakthrough story during a small group session, you already get it—retreats can be amazing. A weekend retreat helps students break out of their routines, bond with each other and their leaders, and...
For a well-rounded and holistic approach to your ministry events, there are 10 different kinds of events we recommend including in your annual event strategy. That's because different kinds of events can help you achieve different goals. We'll get to those 10 kinds of...
Looking for actually-fun Easter crafts for kids that don’t make your volunteers cry or your preschoolers melt down halfway through? Well, you’re in the right place. Whether you're planning for a Sunday morning, a community egg hunt, or a classroom activity, these...
Environments
The Christmas season is here, and it’s the perfect moment to fill your kids’ ministry with the joy of Christmas music—but you might be looking for something new this year. That’s why we’re so excited to introduce our newest song, Jesus, It's Your Birthday! This...
If you're looking for a way to help your teenagers and volunteers grow together, a great board game might be what you need. Keeping a few board games around your meeting space is always a good idea. While a board game might not be our first thought...
If you're looking for a way to help your kids and volunteers grow together, a great board game might be what you need. Keeping a few board games around your meeting space is always a good idea. While a board game might not be our first thought when...
Popular Posts
When we think about training and leading others, we might picture an environment where one person is at the front of the room sharing their knowledge with others — like a teacher in a school. While this is a necessary part of our volunteer strategy, it's not the only way to train and lead others. What if we took a step back and recognized the wisdom our volunteers could share with each other and you? That's where Discussion Groups come in. A Discussion Group is a gather with a small group of...
When we think about training and leading parents, we might picture an environment where one person is at the front of the room sharing their knowledge with others — like a teacher in a school. While this is a necessary part of our parent strategy, it's not the only way to train and lead others. What if we took a step back and recognized the wisdom our parents could share with each other and you? That's where Discussion Groups come in. A Parent Discussion Group is a gathering with a small group...
You want every parent to trust you. Each time they drop off their kids or teenagers with you, you'll want them to feel secure and safe knowing you'll take care of kids and that you have their best interests in mind. One of the best ways to show parents you care about who they are and how they're engaging with their families is by offering an annual Parent Workshop. A Parent Workshop is a training event for the parents of the kids and teenagers in your ministry. Your main audience is the...
Your big event is coming up, and you're so ready. You've spent hours tweaking the schedule, designing and testing new games, and writing your lesson. And then you see a text message that replaces that feeling of preparedness with a sense of panic. Hey, what time am I supposed to drop my kid off for that event? You sent the emails. You announced it in your weekly program. You printed RSVP cards and handed them out as families picked up their kids. You even held a parent meeting about your event...
For a well-rounded and holistic approach to your ministry events, there are 10 different kinds of events we recommend including in your annual event strategy. That's because different kinds of events can help you achieve different goals. We'll get to those 10 kinds of events in just a second, but let's start by talking about our goals. When planning an event, it's important to know what your goals are. For every event you plan, we recommend choosing no more than 3 goals from this list....
Author: Elle Campbell, Co-Founder Here at Stuff You Can Use (the people who make Grow Curriculum), our team is committed to creating something good — not just good products for the churches we serve, but a behind-the-scenes company culture that is good for our team members, too! Stuff You Can Use is committed to a culture defined by goodness. The Hebrew word for "goodness" you'll see often in Scripture is tov. In the book A Church Called Tov, it’s described like this: a culture of...
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