Shaping Student Ministry Podcast

Fall is here, and with it comes packed calendars, high expectations, and the pressure to hit the ground running. But what if starting strong doesn’t mean doing more? What if the most important things for your ministry this fall are the ones that often get ignored?

In this episode of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, John and Ian unpack a better way to lead this season. Whether you’re full-time, bi-vocational, or volunteering, t...

We’ve all said it.

“We want our students to grow.”

“We’re about depth, not hype.”

“Parents are the primary disciple-makers.”

“Volunteers are essential.”

But if you don’t have a plan to make it happen, it’s not a conviction—it’s a catchphrase.

In this episode, John and Ian unpack the probl...

How do you keep your heart soft when students you poured into walk away from the faith?

In this episode of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, John and Ian have a raw, pastoral conversation about the deep grief many student pastors carry, especially when students who once seemed “all in” lose their way. They talk through the emotional weight of those moments, how to grieve well, and how to keep showing...

What if discipleship was never meant to be one size fits all?

In this episode, we sit down with Daniel Howell—a pastor, doctoral researcher, ropes course trainer, and 20-year student ministry veteran—to talk about what it really looks like to disciple neurodivergent students. From ADHD to autism and everything in between, Daniel offers honest insights from both his personal journey and years of ministry ...

Is summer where student ministry goes to die or is it the secret weapon for a better fall?

In this episode, John and Ian dive into the reality of summer chaos:

camp injuries, mission trip fails, and the pressure to “keep things going.”

But what if summer isn’t about just surviving? What if it’s your best shot at building real momentum for the fall?

We talk:

• Why some families (and staff) expect you to vanish for the summer, and ho...

This is the episode that changes everything.

Shaping Student Ministry (SSM) and Youth Pastor Central (YPC) have merged into one unified network.

Why? Because student pastors need more than content—they need connection, coaching, and community. And now, you’ll get it all in one place.

In this episode, John, Ian, and Christopher walk through:

• Why we’re merging: What brought SSM and YPC together

• What changes for you (and what does...

What do you wish someone told you when you started in ministry?

In this episode, John Oliver is joined by Mark Santana from First Baptist Statesboro to reflect on the early days of leadership in the local church. From building trust with parents and volunteers to navigating expectations, they share honest lessons and encouragement for anyone just getting started or anyone guiding the next generation of leaders.

Whether you are lead...

Summer camp is not just a spiritual high point. It is a strategic opportunity for gospel impact. In this episode, John and Ian walk through what it means to lead students well before, during, and after camp. From setting expectations to creating margin, they share hard-earned wisdom for making the most of camp season.

They also dive into one of the most debated questions in student ministry: Should we ba...

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 4 of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast — where we believe every student pastor should get better, not just busier.

In this episode, Ian and John unpack what it means to be a tone-setting leader. What kind of atmosphere do you create when you walk into a room? How do you influence your team’s energy, your students’ sense of belonging, and your ministry’s culture over time?

Whether you lead with boldne...

Your lesson is prepped, your leaders are ready, the snacks are out… but the students? Scattered. Travel ball, AP homework, rehearsals—and let’s be real, some just don’t show.

In this episode, John and Ian dive into one of the most relatable challenges in student ministry: how to disciple students in a culture of inconsistent attendance. You’ll walk away with ideas to shift your mindset, refocus your stra...

Is Senior Sunday just a slideshow and a gift bag… or something more? In this episode, John and Ian talk through how to transform Graduation Sunday into a spiritually meaningful moment for your students, families, and entire church. From cap and gown walk-ins to commissioning prayers and student-led blessings, this conversation is packed with practical ideas and stories that will challenge you to reimagine what this milestone could ...

Not every hard boss is toxic, but not every hard boss is healthy either. In this episode of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, John and Ian dive into the complicated world of church leadership dynamics. What do you do when your pastor is hard to work with? How do you know if the issue is them… or you? From micromanagers and ghost leaders to trust issues and toxic patterns, this conversation is real, raw, and practical.

If you’r...

Welcome to Season 2 of the Shaping Student Ministry Podcast! We’re kicking things off with a game-changing conversation featuring Dave Coryell, President of Christian Endeavor and author of Less Like Hippos, More Like Honeybees. (WE ENCOUNTERED SOME RECORDING ISSUES... POWER THROUGH!)

In this episode, we dive deep into:

- Why your discipleship strategy needs more than just curriculum

- The danger of treating content as the end goal...

You poured time, energy, and resources into your big event… now what? In this episode, John and Ian unpack why what happens after the event may be more important than the event itself. Drawing from years of student ministry experience, they tackle questions like:

• How do you capture spiritual momentum without overloading the calendar?

• Why are relational follow-ups better than reactionary ones?

• What does it look like to follow ...

In this episode, we sit down with Jordan Francis of Reframe Youth Ministry—licensed clinician, former youth pastor, and curriculum creator—for a conversation that will shift how you think about student ministry.

We talk about:  • What technology is really doing to students’ minds and bodies  • Why presence, not performance, is the secret sauce of ministry  • How to build trust by letting students say the “wild stuff”  • Why compass...

Are you really burnt out… or are you just deeply discouraged?

In this episode of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, John and Ian tackle the confusion between burnout and discouragement — and why understanding the difference could keep you from walking away from something God has actually called you to do.

🔍 In this episode, we cover:

• The signs and symptoms of discouragement vs. burnout

• Why burnout has become a “badge of hon...

In this episode, we sit down with Benjamin Crawshaw from TrueFace to tackle one of the biggest challenges in student ministry today:

ministering to Gen Z and fostering authentic discipleship. From navigating identity struggles to overcoming a culture of self-diagnosis, we explore why Gen Z craves authentic relationships and how we can move past surface-level faith to guide students into deep, transformative discipleship.

Benjamin s...

Most student pastors focus on students—but what if the real key to a thriving youth ministry is partnering with their parents?

In this episode of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, Steve John from The Youth Pastor Conference joins us to talk about why parent ministry isn’t optional—it’s essential. Youth pastors often see parents as obstacles, but when we equip, communicate with, and bu...

Student ministry camps can be incredible moments—but are they actually launching students into lasting faith, or just creating short-lived emotional highs? This week on The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, Ian Dunaway and Mark Santana sit down on the way to the airport to talk about rethinking how we approach camps. Instead of treating them as the ultimate goal, what if we made them a starting point for real, ongoing discipleship?...