January 9, 2025 • 38 mins
Are you ready to grow the size and health of your youth ministry? Check out
GrowYourYouthMinistry.com *** New Year, New You? Hopefully...but either way, this is the time to kick off your youth ministry off in a positive direction! Start the new year right by mastering strategies that will transform your student ministry in 2025. Ever wondered how to support your youth group leaders in a way that truly matters? We explore the untapped potential of leader discipleship, ensuring that their spiritual and personal growth are prioritized alongside the students'. By fostering a culture where leaders feel supported, we can cultivate a dynamic volunteer environment. Learn to embrace authenticity and vulnerability in leadership, fostering genuine respect and collaboration. Join us as we take a look at 5 things every youth pastor should be doing to start the new year!
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You may also enjoy these episodes:
(#151) Youth Ministry Planning: Weekend Service vs. Mid-Week Program
(#177) How to Get Better Results in Youth Ministry - Start the Year Strong!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is a brand new year, and so today we're going
to talk about five things thatevery youth pastor should be
thinking about as we head into2025.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome to the Ministry Coach Podcast, where we
give you weekly tips andtactics to help you fast-track
the growth and health of youryouth ministry.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
My name is Jeff Laskola and this is Kristen
Laskola, and it is so good to beback with you guys Happy.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
New Year.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Happy New Year.
We are about to go into the newyear.
It is about to turn into 2025.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
And when you're listening to this or watching it
, it is 2025.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
But it's not for us quite yet.
We are from the past.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yes, what's happening in the future?
Tell us about it.
Comment below what's the futurelike?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
So what we're going to do today is get you ready for
the new year, kind of like.
What should you be putting yourattention to?
And so the topic for today isfive things every youth pastor
should be doing to kick off 2025.
So, number one these are, bythe way, all very practical,
like we always do, right,everything's practical,
(01:17):
practical things that you can bedoing this week, next week when
you go back to work, getstarted.
Number one this was an absolutegame changer for us and I wish
I had done it sooner, but it wasplanned to get video footage
and photos of every single eventthat you do.
I'm not talking about everysingle youth group or every
(01:40):
single midweek, but the specialevents that you do.
You need a little bit of thatbut I'm not saying every single
midweek, but the special eventsthat you do.
You need a little bit of that,but I'm not saying every single
one.
I mean, yes, for your socialmedia reels.
If you do that, you want to geta little bit of footage each
night.
But I'm talking about somethingslightly different than just
the weekly post.
What I'm talking about is themajor events that you do all
year round.
(02:00):
So we do one major event permonth and what I realized a long
time ago is when I'm trying topromote that event and tell the
kids you should come to theGlover Niter.
Well, without them seeing it,the promotion, I think, is about
50% of what it could be, and Iso for so many years.
I was like kicking myself, like, ah, last January, why didn't I
(02:23):
record this event?
Because then we could have cutit up and shown a cool little
commercial for the event thenext year when we announce it.
But it's like, oh, that feelsfar away.
Who cares?
We don't need it until you arethere.
Like you know, they always saywhat would your future self
thank you for?
So do that.
And here's where it's not onlyfor your future self.
(02:45):
I think.
Another benefit of this isshowing recap videos after your
event.
So let's say like the followingweek yeah.
so let's say we do our glovernighter in january, we film it
and then the next week at youthgroup we start off the night by
watching a recap of the GloverNiter, like hey how many of you
(03:05):
guys came to the Glover Niterand they're like, yeah, raising
their hand, all right, well,here's a little recap of what we
did and then you play it.
Lights go down, super fun andthings relived in video with
music.
It is a bonding experience ofmemories and it kind of creates
warm fuzzies and excitement andit really does give momentum to
(03:27):
your events.
So if everyone just talks aboutit like, oh, so fun, we played
glow-in-the-dark dodgeball andhad face paint and
glow-in-the-dark scatterball,that's one thing and it is cool
and even reliving it in pictures.
But having someone who can justcut it up a little bit and show
like a 30 to 60 second recap isfantastic.
And then you save that and thenyou show it maybe in a
(03:50):
different, shorter version nextyear for like a commercial for
the event.
So just make that kind of astaple of what you do.
Okay, we're having an event inFebruary.
Who can film?
And that might be the questionyou're asking yourself who's
going to film this?
Well, find somebody.
It could be a student, you know.
(04:10):
Like everyone has a phone nowso you don't have to like, oh,
all this video equipment.
Like, we have a video team atour church and they have really
nice stuff and those videos areincredible, but in a pinch we
have a kid film it on theirphone Right If somebody has a
phone they have purchased withinthe last five years.
(04:30):
So you're not talking about me.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
It's probably really good quality video.
Yes, like no spill wouldn't beable to tell the difference, and
good enough for the purpose.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Like this is not something you're selling, like
it's just a little thing to showto get everyone hyped Right.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So parent even.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Okay, that was my next no.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
I'm moving ahead.
Yeah, you are.
You're in the future, jeff.
Future locked in hoverboards,flying cars, teleports.
See you then, jacket.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah, like a parent or I was thinking a leader who
is into that kind of stuff andwho comes to most of the events.
So, yeah, just find someone whoand they don't have to like
just have their phone out allnight long Just say get a little
bit of this game, get a littlebit of that game, get a little
bit of like us eating getsometimes we like to do funny
(05:23):
interviews get a few kids oncamera answering a silly
question and then call it a day.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Just use the term variety, just get a variety of
shots, even if it's like film acouple of the game, but don't
just do the same standing spot.
Move around a little bit and itcould be someone in a different
ministry.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
So sometimes because we split junior high and high
school as God intended, justkidding, so I'll have a high
schooler come and they will filmfor us special events and stuff
like that.
And if you have the money andthe budget, it's always nice to
throw them a $25 gift card toAmazon and just say thanks so
(06:04):
much for coming to the event andfilming for us.
You know, and some kids theylike want to come back to junior
high ministry, so bad they'relike I'll do whatever you need
and they just love being thereand it's nostalgic for them and
you don't even have to pay them,they just they'll do anything
to get there.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
So what would you do for, let's say, you're kicking
off a new event this year for,let's say, march, but you have,
you haven't done it before, sowhat would you do to kind of
hype that with a video?
Well, let me tell you what youcan do.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I don't have the footage, I don't know.
Google image search cool eventwell there are.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
You can use some stock footage of you know, just
kind of like hype it up withmusic.
I like I'm answering my ownquestion here.
I thought you'd have a good one.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I froze I don't know.
Make a pro.
Presenter slide you can.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, I mean you could do that.
Just put it some cool music,but you can get some stock
footage just free.
Royalty free or ai stuff iscool too, but just can.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe like this is what you guys
are going to be doing in thisevent.
Hey, that's not me, that's notus, but it could just be like
anybody with 17 fingers.
And in the future that'sallowed.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
The lamp looks weird.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
No, but you can just use some stock footage and kind
of make it look cool, Put somecool music to it and just sort
of get the the just the hype up.
a event which is going toprobably be an event placeholder
, which will be a placeholderuntil you can actually have
footage for that, becausethere's.
I mean, it's so much betterwhen you can use some kind of
hype video for, like you'resaying, a commercial
(07:38):
advertisement for an event,versus just standing up on stage
.
Hey, in March we're going to bedoing this and there's nothing
that goes with it.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
So anyways, any other questions you want to?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
ask, ask myself.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Why are you so weird?
Answer that one.
Why are you so annoying?
Speaker 2 (07:59):
No idea, no answers for that.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Why are you so cute?
All right, Enough of thatNumber two, make a plan for your
leader discipleship.
Jeff, how would you make a?
Plan for your leaderdiscipleship.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I would go to the Ministry Coach podcast and
listen to what Kristen has tosay.
All right, yes, yes, what doyou have?
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Oh my gosh, oh, oh, give me a sec so leader
discipleship, I think, is areally big deal.
We talk a lot aboutdiscipleship in ministry and a
lot of times our mind goesstraight to our students.
How are we discipling them, howare we growing them in the lord
?
What tools are we giving them?
And I think hopefully you'rethe kind of youth pastor that
(08:46):
doesn't neglect that sameprocess in your leaders.
We talk a lot about the factthat our leaders need us as a
pastor as well.
Don't underestimate their needfor you and your contribution
and your speaking into theirlife, like it's happened so many
times now that I'm like, okay,this is just not a coincidence.
(09:08):
Leaders really do need us as ayouth pastor, cause sometimes
you're like, oh, wow, that likewas a really deep, great
conversation with a leader and Iused to just assume, oh, that
was just kind of like a one-offkind of thing, and then I
started to realize, like, don'tthink, these are exceptions,
this is your job as well, and sothinking critically about how
(09:33):
we're discipling our leaders Ithink adds immensely to the
overall health of your ministry,because leaders who are poured
into pour into students and sotangibly what that might look
like is, you know, pastoringthese leaders and these interns,
the adults you know make a listof them and see where you can
(09:55):
plug each one of them on yourcalendar in a month.
Depending how many you have, itmight take two months or you
know, you might be done in oneweek.
You know of the month, but Ilove to have this kind of vague
goal of, okay, getting everyoneon my calendar, and it usually
will take me about three months,you know, to get through them.
(10:16):
But like did I schedule acoffee with everyone?
Did I maybe take them to lunch?
Did I have them over for dinner?
Did we take them out to dinneror something like that.
Just like, is this happeningregularly?
Enough of me spendingone-on-one time and not like a
performance review kind of thing?
Speaker 2 (10:35):
of like.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
so like your small group attendance is going down
more like how are you Talk to meabout your life and how I can
be praying for you and how arethings going?
You know you could ask theministry questions of how's your
small group going?
Is there anything you need fromme to make your experience
(10:56):
better or easier or moreenjoyable?
Like how can I support you andyour role?
And keeping that mindset ofleaders aren't there for us.
They're not there to supportour ministry.
The youth pastor is there tosupport them doing the ministry.
So the more you hand that awayand equip and support people
(11:18):
doing that, the more dynamic andthriving the volunteer culture
comes.
Because here's the truth andthis sounds so rude to say, but
people are not that excited tohelp you accomplish your dreams,
you know it's not like yay, wejust want you to be the best
youth pastor you can be.
I think they would say that outloud.
(11:39):
But I think, deep down, whatmotivates someone over the long
haul is you helping supporttheir dreams, their
comfortability, their potential,their development spiritually
and in a ministry setting.
It was like is there anythingnew you want to try this year,
you know, is there any newresponsibilities you want to
have?
Is there an area you know thatyou see a problem in?
(12:02):
And we'll talk about that wholeconcept in a minute.
But changing that dynamic oflike you don't exist for me, for
my goals.
I exist for you because you arethe shepherds of these students
.
So, creating that plan fordiscipleship, I think a lot of
youth pastors are missing.
I think they just are like well, the leaders come, they have
(12:24):
their talk sheet, they know whatthey're talking about, bada
bing, bada, boom, let's move on.
But instead of, like, puttingthe emphasis of the discipleship
on the students than puttingthe emphasis of discipleship on
leaders and helping thoseleaders disciple their students,
if that makes sense, it does.
And I think if you are the kindof person youth pastor who's
(12:47):
like, well, I would love to, butI don't know how do I hang out
with a girl if I'm a guy and allof that and we've talked about
that before Don't let that stopyou.
If that's a concern orconsideration, solve the problem
.
You know, you know, and I thinkthat should be a new year's
resolution Don't be a person whogets bottlenecked by perceived
(13:07):
problems.
Find ways around them.
So, like you and I took acouple out to dinner and it was
a blast and it was kind of athank you for everything they'd
been doing.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
You know, if you're a single youth pastor you could
in your volunteer is married,you could take out that couple
as well.
I mean it doesn't have to be adouble date or anything.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
And I find that there's like casual settings
that aren't super weird, like,hey, like, do you have an hour?
We could grab coffee and justchat about ministry.
I mean, if you're uncomfortable, don't force it and just chat
about ministry.
I mean, if you're uncomfortable, don't force it.
But there are certain likepeople who I'm like I would
totally like just like oh hey,there's a busy coffee shop in
town.
Like you want to chat about, uh, your vision for your small
(13:47):
group for a little bit, and thenwe'll call it a day.
You know, but you have to workaround your comfortability.
But the point is, find a way.
You know, don't just say, well,I guess I just never will talk
to you or disciple you.
Like I just feel like, oh,we're missing out on so much and
we don't find ways to disciplethe people that we are to care
(14:08):
for.
You know what a, what a bummer,what a miss.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Number three.
You know it's funny on here itjust says one, one, one one.
I saw that when I was printingthose out.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Good thing I can count for myself, good thing.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Number three clean and organize your youth ministry
supplies.
The youth ministry closet whata wonderland of all kinds of
nonsense.
So a big value in our youthministry has been organization
of the things, because it's veryfrustrating when you're like
(14:43):
let's play glow in the darkdodgeball.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Where are the glow in the dark?
Speaker 1 (14:47):
dodgeball.
So keeping your stuff inlabeled bins or visible places
where you can see exactly whatyou have and it can be locked up
because people come in and takestuff.
So making sure you know whatyou have, you know where it is,
and then that gives you a greatidea of what do we have and what
do we need.
And then when you go to plan agame and you need the cones or
(15:12):
what costumes or something, youknow exactly where they are and
here's costumes or something.
You know exactly where they areand here's, here's the hard
part putting it back.
You know like, yeah, we, we havethe stuff where it's supposed
to be, and then someone willjust go throw it in the closet
and you're like, okay, now wehave to start all over, right.
And it's been a bummer becausesometimes I've set up like a
(15:33):
relay race or something and I'mlike, shoot, where's our puzzles
?
And it's like, well, we hadthem.
They were just on the floor andthe box got torn open and who
knows if all the pieces arethere.
So it's like keeping your stuffnice.
I've been convicted of it inthe past few years of that's
being a good steward of ourstuff and a good manager of the
(15:53):
things that we have.
So keep your stuff nice andtidy and your future self will
thank you for it and your teamwill thank you for it, because
things will be accessible and ingood condition and you won't
have to scramble at the lastminute because you can't find
your whatever ball pump.
Where's the ball pump?
(16:13):
Right the ball pump's neverwhere it's supposed to be, so
that's kind of a quick one there.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Not much to more to say on something like that quick
as in easy to say, much moredifficult to do, probably
depending on your closet.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
I mean, our closet was pretty darn bad and it took
hours to do.
And it's nice, because then youjust look through it you're
like why is there?
This isn't ours, why is?
This in here, you know, and youcould just keep things the way
that they should be.
I think that's a gift thatkeeps on giving itself all year
round.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah on the front and obviously you need to organize
it on the back end, like you'rementioning and this is this for
me is the hardest thing to do islike when I'm done with
something, a lot of times I'mlike I don't feel like putting
it, or where does it belong, Idon't know.
So it's gonna go here and thenthere it lies forever.
But if you can take that timeat the end and really discipline
yourself to say, okay, I needto put this away, so that
(17:06):
because you think I'll do ittomorrow, but tomorrow never
seems to happen, so you justdiscipline yourself to be able
to put that stuff where itbelongs, and then you won't have
to worry the next time you goyeah, a place for everything and
everything in its place is agood motto.
Said Dr Seuss.
I don't know who said that.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Sounds like something Maya Angelou, maya Angelou.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Eleanor Roosevelt once said something like that
she, her too.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
I can see that Number one Number four I could see
that Number one, number fourbrainstorm together.
So the beginning of the year isa great time to gather your team
and whatever that means for you.
Some of you, your only team isyour volunteers.
Some of you have a few interns,some of you might have some
staff members, but whatever yourteam looks like and whoever you
(17:56):
want to include, brainstormtogether.
And this is a great time of theyear to just sit down and say,
all right, everyone answeredthis question and they can write
it on the board or somethinglike that what's going well,
what's not going well and whatare some new ideas that you have
?
And it's so important to giveeveryone a voice.
Again, we've talked a lot aboutthis idea of don't be the
(18:20):
bottleneck of your own ministry.
Nobody expects you to knoweverything.
Have all the answers, have allthe creativity, have all the
ideas.
Here's what your job is as aleader to steward the ideas and
the suggestions and the visionsand the dreams for the ministry.
You know like you navigate them, help steward them, help
(18:42):
implement them.
You don't have to be themanufacturer of them all.
You know, because everyone'svoice makes things better.
And you know like we talkedabout this, I think, on a last
episode or a couple episodes ago, of just the youth pastor kind
of sifting through okay, there'sa million ideas.
What has our name on?
Speaker 2 (19:02):
it.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Which ones are worth implementing.
But giving your team a voicebecause, just remember, each one
of them sits at a differentposition and has a different
perspective is having differentconversations with different
kids and sees things that youmay not.
So never be afraid to open upthe floor and be like all right,
let's just really talk aboutour ministry.
(19:24):
And if you're afraid to do that, that should be a little
warning bell, right?
So if you're afraid to ask thequestion of how's our ministry
doing, what would I love askingthe question.
If you were me, what would youdo?
What would you do next If youyou know like were the youth
pastor and could implementanything or take away anything
(19:46):
like what would be a value toyou?
or what would be first order ofbusiness for you, cause I I'm
fully capable of missingsomething that is important,
like how could I possibly knoweverything?
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Right.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
So let yourself off the hook, for, yeah, how could
you possibly know everything?
So if you're afraid to ask thatquestion, a, it could be a
pride issue, or B it could be,you know, something's wrong and
you're afraid that, like, maybeif we just don't talk about it
it'll go away or nobody willnotice.
(20:22):
Uh, they notice and just bebrave.
And I think, oh, what doescraig rochelle say?
He always says people would.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Oh yes, I love this sorry, share it with the rest of
us please.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Oh, it's good, ah, there it was.
Um.
So he says people would ratherfollow a leader who's always
real than who's always right andI'm like yes, like I don't.
I think we overestimate peoplewill respect us if we have all
the answers.
I don't.
I think craig rochelle's right.
(20:56):
I don't think people justrespect us because we're right.
But it's that realness and thatvulnerability of like, hey, I
might need some help.
Or yeah, you're right, that isa problem.
Or hey, how can we worktogether to solve this, instead
of just like la la la, I'm agood youth pastor.
There's nothing wrong with myministry Well, there probably is
(21:21):
.
Just like I could do thingsbetter.
And I need my staff to say, hey, why do we do things like this,
like why can't we do that, orhow can we never do this, or we
need to change that?
And for the most part I'm justlike okay, like sure, like let
me see if we can make thathappen.
And then most of the time theywere right.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Yeah.
So if you had, let's say, fivevolunteers and they each had
like a new idea that they wantto bring the table?
Now, ultimately, you are theyouth pastor and you're kind of
like the gatekeeper of all theseideas.
It doesn't mean if they bringan idea that you have to
implement it, but it's reallyeasy, if there's a great idea,
to run with it and be like, ohmy gosh, I can't believe we
(22:00):
don't already have that.
We definitely need to do that.
How do you manage and handlethe ones that you're like that's
horrible or that's not feasibleor that's?
You know all these things.
You don't want to shoot themdown, but how do you navigate
that?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I mean my yeah, that's a great question case to
case but yeah, and maybe that'sanother reason why people are
afraid to ask is they're afraidto have to say no.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Right, because everyone would love to say well,
I shouldn't say everyone.
Most people would probably loveto say yes to a great idea,
yeah, but saying no to a bad one.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I've handled it a couple of ways.
I have knowingly let bad ideasgo and fly and be implemented.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Either.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Because I'm like this isn't going to cost me anything
.
And you will see, this isn'tgoing to work.
So if, or you could bemagically surprised, and exactly
so if it's and I I don't wantto be too specific here, but if
I have nothing, oh, here's agreat idea I kept on saying you
guys need to do, instead of anall-nighter.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
For years I was saying you need to do an
all-dayer, yeah, and you did, doit, I did, and then you stopped
.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Why I loved it.
The kids really missed theall-nighter.
Who cares about?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
the kids, the youth beneficiaries.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
For me, and me only, and my sleep and my sanity yeah,
they, they liked it, but it didnot get the rave response.
So here's how you figure thatout.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
No well, just while I'm on the thigh, I don't want
to leave.
Tell them the night before theevent to stay up all night, then
do an all day and you let themdecide if that was a good idea.
Let's see if anyone else hasany ideas.
Anyone Anyone?
Okay, go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Well, yeah, so if I have nothing to lose meaning if
it fails, it didn't really costas much, not anything in our
reputation or safety or money,whatever.
It just was like hey, you wantto do this, go for it, right, if
it fails and whatever.
If it succeeds, awesome win.
So I've had major hesitancies,not like in a red flag, but just
(24:08):
like I don't think that.
But you seem excited.
So I'm going to let you run withthis ball, Let me know how I
can help kind of thing, Otherthings that I can see more of a
red flag or just like oh no,because that's a really
extravagant yeah like that willbe a loss for us.
(24:29):
You know, I might say, hey, I'llmodify the idea to make it work
like ah, I like where you'regoing with that.
I want to keep the spirit ofthis, but let's talk through
some details of how we can makeit work for us.
And now we're a team and we'retalking about together.
(24:50):
It was your idea and I'm justgoing to help fix it up a little
bit.
And I think the leader has tohave some skin in the game too.
You know, it's very easy tobring ideas.
It's very hard to bringexecution.
So you could kind of put it intheir court hey, I'm here to
support you.
Let me know what you need, andthen we'll see if they really
liked the idea.
(25:11):
You know, it's not like you'rejust like, okay, yes, go and do
it, but they have to bringsomething to the table as well,
and people that are reallypassionate about their ideas
normally do.
They normally bring thenecessary resources to the
situation to make it happen.
So, yeah, I feel like modifyingit, or If possible.
(25:35):
If possible, or you know, anice no of like gosh.
You know, I bet that would worksomewhere else, so take it
somewhere else, buddy, no oflike, there's the door bye.
(25:55):
Just meaning like the ideaitself is not bad.
I just don't think I canimplement it here.
And you can give some reasons.
Like you know, we don't havethat in the budget, or yeah, man
, I wish we could do somethinglike that.
We don't have the bandwidth forthat, right, I don't know.
But there's nice ways to say nowithout crushing someone's
(26:17):
dreams.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
But I also you could even like proactively say before
we start throwing out ideas,most of these are not going to
probably happen.
And don't take it personally,we're just looking to maybe
fine-tune some things.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Here's what I will say most of them are good.
You know, I don't feel like, ohshoot, what a problem I have 10
horrible ideas in one.
I I feel like, for the most part, when leaders who are very
invested in the ministry haveideas, they know us enough to
know what would be a potentialgo.
You know like, hey, we shouldplay this game.
(26:52):
Like I saw this at anotheryouth group or I saw this online
.
I think this would be so fun inour group.
Oh yeah, cause you've been here, you know us, you know that
would work, would work.
Or hey, I wish we could getlike more kids, like in our
announcement videos, like whatshouldn't we schedule them?
And blah, blah, blah.
Yeah, of course yeah so most ofthe ideas in my experience are
(27:14):
good ideas and so that's a verylow, like it's very low concern
for me, like how, how do I crushtheir souls and tell them there
how do I crush you nicely, Ifeel like that doesn't come up
very often for me yeah, that'sgood, that's not a maybe a
concern.
And going with the mindset oftake a risk.
(27:36):
I've had people say I think weshould paint the walls pink in
our youth room and everyone saidwhat are you doing?
And I'm like he's got a vision,he has a plan.
We painted them pink and itlooks phenomenal.
You know, they're not all.
It's like pink, dark pink, gray, like we just redid our room
and that was not my idea andthat was a pretty large
(27:58):
investment.
Like those walls, repaintingthem and getting new logos and
things printed, and getting newlogos and things printed and
ordering new stuff.
I'm like what's wrong with ourold room?
And now I'm like, oh yes, thiswas a hundred percent.
But see, I would have neverdone that.
I would have left it green andblue forever you know.
So sometimes us as leaders, weneed a little nudge, like hey, I
(28:19):
have an idea, and you're likeif it's not broke, don't fix it
but you don't realize how muchbetter something could be if you
run with someone else's idea.
I mean, when you're orderingall that pink paint you really
do question what are you doing?
And pink is my favorite colorand I was like oh no, what are
we doing here?
(28:39):
Looks great All right Numberone.
Number five.
You already said that joke.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
I wanted to make sure I got it in.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Yeah, in case you didn't hear the first time, did
everyone hear his joke?
Speaker 2 (28:51):
So you see in the future repetitive.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
I love this one Reflect on your big prayers for
your ministry and ask your team,your prayer team, your church
staff, whoever, to prayalongside you for that.
So I just really realized inthis many years of ministry that
we do our due diligence of work, but the Holy Spirit makes like
(29:16):
, lights it on fire like, makesour work become more like
spiritual work.
You know what I mean.
There's only like.
I think we talked about thisquote maybe a few episodes ago.
They all just mix in my head.
I don't know what one, whatepisode we talked about what.
But our senior pastor asked usonce if the Holy Spirit were to
(29:40):
leave your ministry, how longwould it take you to notice?
And he's like I would nevernotice because I was running on
my gifts and my know-how and mytalents alone, you know.
And so a good question to askourselves as we enter this new
year is how involved is the HolySpirit in my planning and my
problem solving and my?
Because leaders get burnt out.
(30:03):
I think for a lot of reasons,but one reason is you're trying
to do spiritual work without thework of the Spirit and it
becomes a very dry place and avery hard and arduous and
hopeless place and inviting theHoly Spirit into our work
because, we have to remember, itgets mechanical but our work is
(30:26):
spiritual, so don't ever leavethat part out, so that weekly
and daily commitment to prayingfor your ministry and bringing
others in on it.
So one thing I love at ourchurch our prayer team.
They started doing this thingwhere they ask each ministry
like what do you need prayer forthis month month?
(30:48):
And we share that with them andthey send it out to the prayer
team and those people arecommitted to praying for your
ministry.
So I had sent out a prayerrequest to them two months in a
row.
I like I cannot explain this,but the two requests I have, not
only were they answered, but,like, overflowingly answered,
(31:12):
and I was just like, whoa, like,and I couldn't have, I could
not have done that myself.
You know, it wasn't thingswhere it's like, well, yeah,
cause you just put an extra hour.
No, it was stuff that I'm likeI could have never, ever made
that happen.
That was the Holy Spirit.
So not only yourself prayingbut getting like.
If your church doesn't have aprayer team, that would be a
(31:34):
great idea to suggest that yournext staff meeting of hey, these
people could be praying for ourministries, like, do we need
volunteers?
Let's pray or let's send thatto the prayer team.
I mean, obviously we arepraying for it too.
But getting a multitude ofpeople to be praying over our
ministries and our students andour families, and the challenges
and like bringing, just don'tneglect bringing the Holy Spirit
(31:58):
into your work space and intoyour ministry space and we know
that because we're pastors.
Of course we know that.
But our jobs sometimes getmechanical and they become jobs
and we forget how deeplyspiritual our work is and that
we alone can't do the work thatneeds to be done.
(32:18):
We can do the maintenance of it, but the deep soul,
life-changing, soul-changingwork that needs to be done,
that's beyond our grasp.
Hey friend, I just wanted tointerrupt this episode for a
second to let you know about anawesome opportunity for you and
your youth ministry.
So last year we launched ourcourse and coaching program
(32:40):
called Youth Ministry GrowthAccelerator and the response has
been amazing.
So we've helped tons of youthpastors grow the size and health
of their youth ministry and wewant to invite you to be a part
of that as well, because maybeyou're just sort of feeling
stuck in a rut.
Maybe you don't know what to donext.
Maybe you just have a vagueplan in your mind of what you're
(33:01):
doing and you want some realhelp to get you from where you
are to where you want to go.
So if that sounds likesomething you've been looking
for, go togrowyouryouthministrycom and
check it out for more details.
All right, let's get back tothe episode.
You know, what my staff and Idid once that I really liked.
I kind of forgot about this,but we did a 24 hour prayer and
(33:23):
fast for our ministry too.
We were in some dire straitsand I was like Lord, have mercy
on us.
I cannot do this anymore,because these kids are so bad.
They were like ruiningeverything all the time and I
was like what is my job?
I felt like I was like a Prisonward.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
Yeah, what do they call those?
Speaker 1 (33:45):
people Like the like working at a yeah, Detention
facility, Something like that.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Prison guard yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
All of those things and I was like getting.
I was getting out of steam, youknow, and so Zookeeper animal
trainer.
We just stopped what we weredoing and I'm like, okay, guys,
every hour I'm going to sendlike a different prompt over
like our text message everyonefast as much or to the best of
your ability.
And we fasted together and weprayed for 24 hours, and
(34:18):
sometimes our church will host a24 hour prayer thing and people
like can come and pray allhours of the night, and you know
.
So, yeah, I mean that's a greatidea starting off your ministry
, if you have leaders who wouldbe into something like that with
you, of like, let's pray forthese students, let's fast
together, let's like start theyear knowing, okay, this is not
(34:42):
just like let's get back in theroutine of youth ministry, but
let's set our hearts and ourminds straight on.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
This is spiritual work 2025, this is your year, so
we're gonna do a question ofthe day, because that's the most
logical thing to do.
We shot down several ideas forthe question of the day One of
them.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
I think we'd already done.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Yeah, if you guys have any questions that you
think would be fun for otherpeople to answer put it in the
comment section below.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
The one we came up with was if there was any
non-biblical point in historythat you would love to have been
a witness all history isbiblical, true, I know?
Speaker 2 (35:18):
yeah, it's the next comment someone will make uh put
that in the comment sectionbelow.
We see you, yeah, so what wouldthat be for you?
Speaker 1 (35:27):
okay, obviously the biblical ones are like those are
the most amazing.
So nothing like particular tothat.
Um, I want to see how they madethe pyramids because I used to
think I knew and then I've heardso many theories about it of
like that technology didn'texist and there's no way that
(35:48):
timeline works and you know, I,I just I'm like I need to, just
I want to see it because I feellike there's so much speculation
around it and mystery that thatwould be fascinating no, that's
a good one.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
I am just gonna pick off the top of my head.
I thought it would be cool tobe when they landed on the moon.
We've landed on the moon.
One, to make sure it really didhappen, because there's those
people that think it was justtotally made up, and two, I just
think that'd be a really coolexperience they sang jingle
bells on the mountain.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
I heard this christmas trivia.
What was the first song ever?
Played on the moon and theysaid jingle bells, so this, and
they took communion which isalso a urban legend?
Speaker 2 (36:32):
I don't know that's certain things you definitely
need to fact check, and we atone point.
Had a time to fact checksomeone read or say on stage
that the first thing that theastronauts did when they landed
on the moon was take communion,which was like wow, that's so
cool.
Turns out that was not true.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Careful when you add stuff into your sermon from
Google or Wikipedia.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
I remember the person who's like.
I told them that story.
I don't even know if it wastrue, but then they just went up
on stage and just announced it,and so that was what was really
happening I hope it's true, butso always fact check yeah so
put in the comment section below, that's so random like okay,
(37:17):
like a list of things we need todo.
What's the first card game we'regonna play?
When on the moon these thingsdid not happen.
They did bring a golf club upthere, though, because I
remember there's like a video ofthem hitting a golf ball, so
that I could say the first sportplay.
Anyways, I would like to bethere and I can answer all your
questions.
What?
(37:38):
are the comments actually low.
Is there a non-biblicalhistorical moment that you would
have loved to have been awitness to?
And also second question of theday are there any questions you
think would be fun for us orother people to answer?
Please share them below.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
All right.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
The community comment of the day first of the year
comes from Brandwise Gamgee.
Love the name, all right.
He says there are so manythings I've gained over the
years from your videos.
I began pursuing studentministry full-time since
listening to your your podcast.
As a volunteer in my church'sstudent ministry At this moment,
I was able to use the practicesmentioned in each and every
(38:13):
episode as a sort of standardfor how healthy our ministry is
and the ministry has becomebetter for it.
So thank you guys for theamazing content.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
So thank you so much.
Brand wise Gamgee Appreciatethat.
We love that.
Well, thank you guys forwatching Brand Wise.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
Gamgee Appreciate that.
We love that.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
Well, thank you guys for watching and listening and
we'll see you next time.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
It is a brand new year, and so today we're going
to talk about five things thatevery youth pastor should be
thinking about in this time.
What are their names?
Speaker 2 (38:44):
I'm just kidding Huey Dewey Lewis and Huey Dewey
Lewis, louis, as quickly.
It is a brand new year, and so today we're going
to talk about five things thatevery youth pastor should be
thinking about as we head into2025.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome to the Ministry Coach Podcast, where we
give you weekly tips andtactics to help you fast-track
the growth and health of youryouth ministry.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
My name is Jeff Laskola and this is Kristen
Laskola, and it is so good to beback with you guys Happy.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
New Year.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Happy New Year.
We are about to go into the newyear.
It is about to turn into 2025.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
And when you're listening to this or watching it
, it is 2025.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
But it's not for us quite yet.
We are from the past.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yes, what's happening in the future?
Tell us about it.
Comment below what's the futurelike?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
So what we're going to do today is get you ready for
the new year, kind of like.
What should you be putting yourattention to?
And so the topic for today isfive things every youth pastor
should be doing to kick off 2025.
So, number one these are, bythe way, all very practical,
like we always do, right,everything's practical,
(01:17):
practical things that you can bedoing this week, next week when
you go back to work, getstarted.
Number one this was an absolutegame changer for us and I wish
I had done it sooner, but it wasplanned to get video footage
and photos of every single eventthat you do.
I'm not talking about everysingle youth group or every
(01:40):
single midweek, but the specialevents that you do.
You need a little bit of thatbut I'm not saying every single
midweek, but the special eventsthat you do.
You need a little bit of that,but I'm not saying every single
one.
I mean, yes, for your socialmedia reels.
If you do that, you want to geta little bit of footage each
night.
But I'm talking about somethingslightly different than just
the weekly post.
What I'm talking about is themajor events that you do all
year round.
(02:00):
So we do one major event permonth and what I realized a long
time ago is when I'm trying topromote that event and tell the
kids you should come to theGlover Niter.
Well, without them seeing it,the promotion, I think, is about
50% of what it could be, and Iso for so many years.
I was like kicking myself, like, ah, last January, why didn't I
(02:23):
record this event?
Because then we could have cutit up and shown a cool little
commercial for the event thenext year when we announce it.
But it's like, oh, that feelsfar away.
Who cares?
We don't need it until you arethere.
Like you know, they always saywhat would your future self
thank you for?
So do that.
And here's where it's not onlyfor your future self.
(02:45):
I think.
Another benefit of this isshowing recap videos after your
event.
So let's say like the followingweek yeah.
so let's say we do our glovernighter in january, we film it
and then the next week at youthgroup we start off the night by
watching a recap of the GloverNiter, like hey how many of you
(03:05):
guys came to the Glover Niterand they're like, yeah, raising
their hand, all right, well,here's a little recap of what we
did and then you play it.
Lights go down, super fun andthings relived in video with
music.
It is a bonding experience ofmemories and it kind of creates
warm fuzzies and excitement andit really does give momentum to
(03:27):
your events.
So if everyone just talks aboutit like, oh, so fun, we played
glow-in-the-dark dodgeball andhad face paint and
glow-in-the-dark scatterball,that's one thing and it is cool
and even reliving it in pictures.
But having someone who can justcut it up a little bit and show
like a 30 to 60 second recap isfantastic.
And then you save that and thenyou show it maybe in a
(03:50):
different, shorter version nextyear for like a commercial for
the event.
So just make that kind of astaple of what you do.
Okay, we're having an event inFebruary.
Who can film?
And that might be the questionyou're asking yourself who's
going to film this?
Well, find somebody.
It could be a student, you know.
(04:10):
Like everyone has a phone nowso you don't have to like, oh,
all this video equipment.
Like, we have a video team atour church and they have really
nice stuff and those videos areincredible, but in a pinch we
have a kid film it on theirphone Right If somebody has a
phone they have purchased withinthe last five years.
(04:30):
So you're not talking about me.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
It's probably really good quality video.
Yes, like no spill wouldn't beable to tell the difference, and
good enough for the purpose.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Like this is not something you're selling, like
it's just a little thing to showto get everyone hyped Right.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So parent even.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Okay, that was my next no.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
I'm moving ahead.
Yeah, you are.
You're in the future, jeff.
Future locked in hoverboards,flying cars, teleports.
See you then, jacket.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah, like a parent or I was thinking a leader who
is into that kind of stuff andwho comes to most of the events.
So, yeah, just find someone whoand they don't have to like
just have their phone out allnight long Just say get a little
bit of this game, get a littlebit of that game, get a little
bit of like us eating getsometimes we like to do funny
(05:23):
interviews get a few kids oncamera answering a silly
question and then call it a day.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Just use the term variety, just get a variety of
shots, even if it's like film acouple of the game, but don't
just do the same standing spot.
Move around a little bit and itcould be someone in a different
ministry.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
So sometimes because we split junior high and high
school as God intended, justkidding, so I'll have a high
schooler come and they will filmfor us special events and stuff
like that.
And if you have the money andthe budget, it's always nice to
throw them a $25 gift card toAmazon and just say thanks so
(06:04):
much for coming to the event andfilming for us.
You know, and some kids theylike want to come back to junior
high ministry, so bad they'relike I'll do whatever you need
and they just love being thereand it's nostalgic for them and
you don't even have to pay them,they just they'll do anything
to get there.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
So what would you do for, let's say, you're kicking
off a new event this year for,let's say, march, but you have,
you haven't done it before, sowhat would you do to kind of
hype that with a video?
Well, let me tell you what youcan do.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I don't have the footage, I don't know.
Google image search cool eventwell there are.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
You can use some stock footage of you know, just
kind of like hype it up withmusic.
I like I'm answering my ownquestion here.
I thought you'd have a good one.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I froze I don't know.
Make a pro.
Presenter slide you can.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, I mean you could do that.
Just put it some cool music,but you can get some stock
footage just free.
Royalty free or ai stuff iscool too, but just can.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe like this is what you guys
are going to be doing in thisevent.
Hey, that's not me, that's notus, but it could just be like
anybody with 17 fingers.
And in the future that'sallowed.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
The lamp looks weird.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
No, but you can just use some stock footage and kind
of make it look cool, Put somecool music to it and just sort
of get the the just the hype up.
a event which is going toprobably be an event placeholder
, which will be a placeholderuntil you can actually have
footage for that, becausethere's.
I mean, it's so much betterwhen you can use some kind of
hype video for, like you'resaying, a commercial
(07:38):
advertisement for an event,versus just standing up on stage
.
Hey, in March we're going to bedoing this and there's nothing
that goes with it.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
So anyways, any other questions you want to?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
ask, ask myself.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Why are you so weird?
Answer that one.
Why are you so annoying?
Speaker 2 (07:59):
No idea, no answers for that.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Why are you so cute?
All right, Enough of thatNumber two, make a plan for your
leader discipleship.
Jeff, how would you make a?
Plan for your leaderdiscipleship.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I would go to the Ministry Coach podcast and
listen to what Kristen has tosay.
All right, yes, yes, what doyou have?
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Oh my gosh, oh, oh, give me a sec so leader
discipleship, I think, is areally big deal.
We talk a lot aboutdiscipleship in ministry and a
lot of times our mind goesstraight to our students.
How are we discipling them, howare we growing them in the lord
?
What tools are we giving them?
And I think hopefully you'rethe kind of youth pastor that
(08:46):
doesn't neglect that sameprocess in your leaders.
We talk a lot about the factthat our leaders need us as a
pastor as well.
Don't underestimate their needfor you and your contribution
and your speaking into theirlife, like it's happened so many
times now that I'm like, okay,this is just not a coincidence.
(09:08):
Leaders really do need us as ayouth pastor, cause sometimes
you're like, oh, wow, that likewas a really deep, great
conversation with a leader and Iused to just assume, oh, that
was just kind of like a one-offkind of thing, and then I
started to realize, like, don'tthink, these are exceptions,
this is your job as well, and sothinking critically about how
(09:33):
we're discipling our leaders Ithink adds immensely to the
overall health of your ministry,because leaders who are poured
into pour into students and sotangibly what that might look
like is, you know, pastoringthese leaders and these interns,
the adults you know make a listof them and see where you can
(09:55):
plug each one of them on yourcalendar in a month.
Depending how many you have, itmight take two months or you
know, you might be done in oneweek.
You know of the month, but Ilove to have this kind of vague
goal of, okay, getting everyoneon my calendar, and it usually
will take me about three months,you know, to get through them.
(10:16):
But like did I schedule acoffee with everyone?
Did I maybe take them to lunch?
Did I have them over for dinner?
Did we take them out to dinneror something like that.
Just like, is this happeningregularly?
Enough of me spendingone-on-one time and not like a
performance review kind of thing?
Speaker 2 (10:35):
of like.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
so like your small group attendance is going down
more like how are you Talk to meabout your life and how I can
be praying for you and how arethings going?
You know you could ask theministry questions of how's your
small group going?
Is there anything you need fromme to make your experience
(10:56):
better or easier or moreenjoyable?
Like how can I support you andyour role?
And keeping that mindset ofleaders aren't there for us.
They're not there to supportour ministry.
The youth pastor is there tosupport them doing the ministry.
So the more you hand that awayand equip and support people
(11:18):
doing that, the more dynamic andthriving the volunteer culture
comes.
Because here's the truth andthis sounds so rude to say, but
people are not that excited tohelp you accomplish your dreams,
you know it's not like yay, wejust want you to be the best
youth pastor you can be.
I think they would say that outloud.
(11:39):
But I think, deep down, whatmotivates someone over the long
haul is you helping supporttheir dreams, their
comfortability, their potential,their development spiritually
and in a ministry setting.
It was like is there anythingnew you want to try this year,
you know, is there any newresponsibilities you want to
have?
Is there an area you know thatyou see a problem in?
(12:02):
And we'll talk about that wholeconcept in a minute.
But changing that dynamic oflike you don't exist for me, for
my goals.
I exist for you because you arethe shepherds of these students
.
So, creating that plan fordiscipleship, I think a lot of
youth pastors are missing.
I think they just are like well, the leaders come, they have
(12:24):
their talk sheet, they know whatthey're talking about, bada
bing, bada, boom, let's move on.
But instead of, like, puttingthe emphasis of the discipleship
on the students than puttingthe emphasis of discipleship on
leaders and helping thoseleaders disciple their students,
if that makes sense, it does.
And I think if you are the kindof person youth pastor who's
(12:47):
like, well, I would love to, butI don't know how do I hang out
with a girl if I'm a guy and allof that and we've talked about
that before Don't let that stopyou.
If that's a concern orconsideration, solve the problem
.
You know, you know, and I thinkthat should be a new year's
resolution Don't be a person whogets bottlenecked by perceived
(13:07):
problems.
Find ways around them.
So, like you and I took acouple out to dinner and it was
a blast and it was kind of athank you for everything they'd
been doing.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
You know, if you're a single youth pastor you could
in your volunteer is married,you could take out that couple
as well.
I mean it doesn't have to be adouble date or anything.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
And I find that there's like casual settings
that aren't super weird, like,hey, like, do you have an hour?
We could grab coffee and justchat about ministry.
I mean, if you're uncomfortable, don't force it and just chat
about ministry.
I mean, if you're uncomfortable, don't force it.
But there are certain likepeople who I'm like I would
totally like just like oh hey,there's a busy coffee shop in
town.
Like you want to chat about, uh, your vision for your small
(13:47):
group for a little bit, and thenwe'll call it a day.
You know, but you have to workaround your comfortability.
But the point is, find a way.
You know, don't just say, well,I guess I just never will talk
to you or disciple you.
Like I just feel like, oh,we're missing out on so much and
we don't find ways to disciplethe people that we are to care
(14:08):
for.
You know what a, what a bummer,what a miss.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Number three.
You know it's funny on here itjust says one, one, one one.
I saw that when I was printingthose out.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Good thing I can count for myself, good thing.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Number three clean and organize your youth ministry
supplies.
The youth ministry closet whata wonderland of all kinds of
nonsense.
So a big value in our youthministry has been organization
of the things, because it's veryfrustrating when you're like
(14:43):
let's play glow in the darkdodgeball.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Where are the glow in the dark?
Speaker 1 (14:47):
dodgeball.
So keeping your stuff inlabeled bins or visible places
where you can see exactly whatyou have and it can be locked up
because people come in and takestuff.
So making sure you know whatyou have, you know where it is,
and then that gives you a greatidea of what do we have and what
do we need.
And then when you go to plan agame and you need the cones or
(15:12):
what costumes or something, youknow exactly where they are and
here's costumes or something.
You know exactly where they areand here's, here's the hard
part putting it back.
You know like, yeah, we, we havethe stuff where it's supposed
to be, and then someone willjust go throw it in the closet
and you're like, okay, now wehave to start all over, right.
And it's been a bummer becausesometimes I've set up like a
(15:33):
relay race or something and I'mlike, shoot, where's our puzzles
?
And it's like, well, we hadthem.
They were just on the floor andthe box got torn open and who
knows if all the pieces arethere.
So it's like keeping your stuffnice.
I've been convicted of it inthe past few years of that's
being a good steward of ourstuff and a good manager of the
(15:53):
things that we have.
So keep your stuff nice andtidy and your future self will
thank you for it and your teamwill thank you for it, because
things will be accessible and ingood condition and you won't
have to scramble at the lastminute because you can't find
your whatever ball pump.
Where's the ball pump?
(16:13):
Right the ball pump's neverwhere it's supposed to be, so
that's kind of a quick one there.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Not much to more to say on something like that quick
as in easy to say, much moredifficult to do, probably
depending on your closet.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
I mean, our closet was pretty darn bad and it took
hours to do.
And it's nice, because then youjust look through it you're
like why is there?
This isn't ours, why is?
This in here, you know, and youcould just keep things the way
that they should be.
I think that's a gift thatkeeps on giving itself all year
round.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah on the front and obviously you need to organize
it on the back end, like you'rementioning and this is this for
me is the hardest thing to do islike when I'm done with
something, a lot of times I'mlike I don't feel like putting
it, or where does it belong, Idon't know.
So it's gonna go here and thenthere it lies forever.
But if you can take that timeat the end and really discipline
yourself to say, okay, I needto put this away, so that
(17:06):
because you think I'll do ittomorrow, but tomorrow never
seems to happen, so you justdiscipline yourself to be able
to put that stuff where itbelongs, and then you won't have
to worry the next time you goyeah, a place for everything and
everything in its place is agood motto.
Said Dr Seuss.
I don't know who said that.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Sounds like something Maya Angelou, maya Angelou.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Eleanor Roosevelt once said something like that
she, her too.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
I can see that Number one Number four I could see
that Number one, number fourbrainstorm together.
So the beginning of the year isa great time to gather your team
and whatever that means for you.
Some of you, your only team isyour volunteers.
Some of you have a few interns,some of you might have some
staff members, but whatever yourteam looks like and whoever you
(17:56):
want to include, brainstormtogether.
And this is a great time of theyear to just sit down and say,
all right, everyone answeredthis question and they can write
it on the board or somethinglike that what's going well,
what's not going well and whatare some new ideas that you have
?
And it's so important to giveeveryone a voice.
Again, we've talked a lot aboutthis idea of don't be the
(18:20):
bottleneck of your own ministry.
Nobody expects you to knoweverything.
Have all the answers, have allthe creativity, have all the
ideas.
Here's what your job is as aleader to steward the ideas and
the suggestions and the visionsand the dreams for the ministry.
You know like you navigate them, help steward them, help
(18:42):
implement them.
You don't have to be themanufacturer of them all.
You know, because everyone'svoice makes things better.
And you know like we talkedabout this, I think, on a last
episode or a couple episodes ago, of just the youth pastor kind
of sifting through okay, there'sa million ideas.
What has our name on?
Speaker 2 (19:02):
it.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Which ones are worth implementing.
But giving your team a voicebecause, just remember, each one
of them sits at a differentposition and has a different
perspective is having differentconversations with different
kids and sees things that youmay not.
So never be afraid to open upthe floor and be like all right,
let's just really talk aboutour ministry.
(19:24):
And if you're afraid to do that, that should be a little
warning bell, right?
So if you're afraid to ask thequestion of how's our ministry
doing, what would I love askingthe question.
If you were me, what would youdo?
What would you do next If youyou know like were the youth
pastor and could implementanything or take away anything
(19:46):
like what would be a value toyou?
or what would be first order ofbusiness for you, cause I I'm
fully capable of missingsomething that is important,
like how could I possibly knoweverything?
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Right.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
So let yourself off the hook, for, yeah, how could
you possibly know everything?
So if you're afraid to ask thatquestion, a, it could be a
pride issue, or B it could be,you know, something's wrong and
you're afraid that, like, maybeif we just don't talk about it
it'll go away or nobody willnotice.
(20:22):
Uh, they notice and just bebrave.
And I think, oh, what doescraig rochelle say?
He always says people would.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Oh yes, I love this sorry, share it with the rest of
us please.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Oh, it's good, ah, there it was.
Um.
So he says people would ratherfollow a leader who's always
real than who's always right andI'm like yes, like I don't.
I think we overestimate peoplewill respect us if we have all
the answers.
I don't.
I think craig rochelle's right.
(20:56):
I don't think people justrespect us because we're right.
But it's that realness and thatvulnerability of like, hey, I
might need some help.
Or yeah, you're right, that isa problem.
Or hey, how can we worktogether to solve this, instead
of just like la la la, I'm agood youth pastor.
There's nothing wrong with myministry Well, there probably is
(21:21):
.
Just like I could do thingsbetter.
And I need my staff to say, hey, why do we do things like this,
like why can't we do that, orhow can we never do this, or we
need to change that?
And for the most part I'm justlike okay, like sure, like let
me see if we can make thathappen.
And then most of the time theywere right.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Yeah.
So if you had, let's say, fivevolunteers and they each had
like a new idea that they wantto bring the table?
Now, ultimately, you are theyouth pastor and you're kind of
like the gatekeeper of all theseideas.
It doesn't mean if they bringan idea that you have to
implement it, but it's reallyeasy, if there's a great idea,
to run with it and be like, ohmy gosh, I can't believe we
(22:00):
don't already have that.
We definitely need to do that.
How do you manage and handlethe ones that you're like that's
horrible or that's not feasibleor that's?
You know all these things.
You don't want to shoot themdown, but how do you navigate
that?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I mean my yeah, that's a great question case to
case but yeah, and maybe that'sanother reason why people are
afraid to ask is they're afraidto have to say no.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Right, because everyone would love to say well,
I shouldn't say everyone.
Most people would probably loveto say yes to a great idea,
yeah, but saying no to a bad one.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I've handled it a couple of ways.
I have knowingly let bad ideasgo and fly and be implemented.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Either.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Because I'm like this isn't going to cost me anything
.
And you will see, this isn'tgoing to work.
So if, or you could bemagically surprised, and exactly
so if it's and I I don't wantto be too specific here, but if
I have nothing, oh, here's agreat idea I kept on saying you
guys need to do, instead of anall-nighter.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
For years I was saying you need to do an
all-dayer, yeah, and you did, doit, I did, and then you stopped
.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Why I loved it.
The kids really missed theall-nighter.
Who cares about?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
the kids, the youth beneficiaries.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
For me, and me only, and my sleep and my sanity yeah,
they, they liked it, but it didnot get the rave response.
So here's how you figure thatout.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
No well, just while I'm on the thigh, I don't want
to leave.
Tell them the night before theevent to stay up all night, then
do an all day and you let themdecide if that was a good idea.
Let's see if anyone else hasany ideas.
Anyone Anyone?
Okay, go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Well, yeah, so if I have nothing to lose meaning if
it fails, it didn't really costas much, not anything in our
reputation or safety or money,whatever.
It just was like hey, you wantto do this, go for it, right, if
it fails and whatever.
If it succeeds, awesome win.
So I've had major hesitancies,not like in a red flag, but just
(24:08):
like I don't think that.
But you seem excited.
So I'm going to let you run withthis ball, Let me know how I
can help kind of thing, Otherthings that I can see more of a
red flag or just like oh no,because that's a really
extravagant yeah like that willbe a loss for us.
(24:29):
You know, I might say, hey, I'llmodify the idea to make it work
like ah, I like where you'regoing with that.
I want to keep the spirit ofthis, but let's talk through
some details of how we can makeit work for us.
And now we're a team and we'retalking about together.
(24:50):
It was your idea and I'm justgoing to help fix it up a little
bit.
And I think the leader has tohave some skin in the game too.
You know, it's very easy tobring ideas.
It's very hard to bringexecution.
So you could kind of put it intheir court hey, I'm here to
support you.
Let me know what you need, andthen we'll see if they really
liked the idea.
(25:11):
You know, it's not like you'rejust like, okay, yes, go and do
it, but they have to bringsomething to the table as well,
and people that are reallypassionate about their ideas
normally do.
They normally bring thenecessary resources to the
situation to make it happen.
So, yeah, I feel like modifyingit, or If possible.
(25:35):
If possible, or you know, anice no of like gosh.
You know, I bet that would worksomewhere else, so take it
somewhere else, buddy, no oflike, there's the door bye.
(25:55):
Just meaning like the ideaitself is not bad.
I just don't think I canimplement it here.
And you can give some reasons.
Like you know, we don't havethat in the budget, or yeah, man
, I wish we could do somethinglike that.
We don't have the bandwidth forthat, right, I don't know.
But there's nice ways to say nowithout crushing someone's
(26:17):
dreams.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
But I also you could even like proactively say before
we start throwing out ideas,most of these are not going to
probably happen.
And don't take it personally,we're just looking to maybe
fine-tune some things.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Here's what I will say most of them are good.
You know, I don't feel like, ohshoot, what a problem I have 10
horrible ideas in one.
I I feel like, for the most part, when leaders who are very
invested in the ministry haveideas, they know us enough to
know what would be a potentialgo.
You know like, hey, we shouldplay this game.
(26:52):
Like I saw this at anotheryouth group or I saw this online
.
I think this would be so fun inour group.
Oh yeah, cause you've been here, you know us, you know that
would work, would work.
Or hey, I wish we could getlike more kids, like in our
announcement videos, like whatshouldn't we schedule them?
And blah, blah, blah.
Yeah, of course yeah so most ofthe ideas in my experience are
(27:14):
good ideas and so that's a verylow, like it's very low concern
for me, like how, how do I crushtheir souls and tell them there
how do I crush you nicely, Ifeel like that doesn't come up
very often for me yeah, that'sgood, that's not a maybe a
concern.
And going with the mindset oftake a risk.
(27:36):
I've had people say I think weshould paint the walls pink in
our youth room and everyone saidwhat are you doing?
And I'm like he's got a vision,he has a plan.
We painted them pink and itlooks phenomenal.
You know, they're not all.
It's like pink, dark pink, gray, like we just redid our room
and that was not my idea andthat was a pretty large
(27:58):
investment.
Like those walls, repaintingthem and getting new logos and
things printed, and getting newlogos and things printed and
ordering new stuff.
I'm like what's wrong with ourold room?
And now I'm like, oh yes, thiswas a hundred percent.
But see, I would have neverdone that.
I would have left it green andblue forever you know.
So sometimes us as leaders, weneed a little nudge, like hey, I
(28:19):
have an idea, and you're likeif it's not broke, don't fix it
but you don't realize how muchbetter something could be if you
run with someone else's idea.
I mean, when you're orderingall that pink paint you really
do question what are you doing?
And pink is my favorite colorand I was like oh no, what are
we doing here?
(28:39):
Looks great All right Numberone.
Number five.
You already said that joke.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
I wanted to make sure I got it in.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Yeah, in case you didn't hear the first time, did
everyone hear his joke?
Speaker 2 (28:51):
So you see in the future repetitive.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
I love this one Reflect on your big prayers for
your ministry and ask your team,your prayer team, your church
staff, whoever, to prayalongside you for that.
So I just really realized inthis many years of ministry that
we do our due diligence of work, but the Holy Spirit makes like
(29:16):
, lights it on fire like, makesour work become more like
spiritual work.
You know what I mean.
There's only like.
I think we talked about thisquote maybe a few episodes ago.
They all just mix in my head.
I don't know what one, whatepisode we talked about what.
But our senior pastor asked usonce if the Holy Spirit were to
(29:40):
leave your ministry, how longwould it take you to notice?
And he's like I would nevernotice because I was running on
my gifts and my know-how and mytalents alone, you know.
And so a good question to askourselves as we enter this new
year is how involved is the HolySpirit in my planning and my
problem solving and my?
Because leaders get burnt out.
(30:03):
I think for a lot of reasons,but one reason is you're trying
to do spiritual work without thework of the Spirit and it
becomes a very dry place and avery hard and arduous and
hopeless place and inviting theHoly Spirit into our work
because, we have to remember, itgets mechanical but our work is
(30:26):
spiritual, so don't ever leavethat part out, so that weekly
and daily commitment to prayingfor your ministry and bringing
others in on it.
So one thing I love at ourchurch our prayer team.
They started doing this thingwhere they ask each ministry
like what do you need prayer forthis month month?
(30:48):
And we share that with them andthey send it out to the prayer
team and those people arecommitted to praying for your
ministry.
So I had sent out a prayerrequest to them two months in a
row.
I like I cannot explain this,but the two requests I have, not
only were they answered, but,like, overflowingly answered,
(31:12):
and I was just like, whoa, like,and I couldn't have, I could
not have done that myself.
You know, it wasn't thingswhere it's like, well, yeah,
cause you just put an extra hour.
No, it was stuff that I'm likeI could have never, ever made
that happen.
That was the Holy Spirit.
So not only yourself prayingbut getting like.
If your church doesn't have aprayer team, that would be a
(31:34):
great idea to suggest that yournext staff meeting of hey, these
people could be praying for ourministries, like, do we need
volunteers?
Let's pray or let's send thatto the prayer team.
I mean, obviously we arepraying for it too.
But getting a multitude ofpeople to be praying over our
ministries and our students andour families, and the challenges
and like bringing, just don'tneglect bringing the Holy Spirit
(31:58):
into your work space and intoyour ministry space and we know
that because we're pastors.
Of course we know that.
But our jobs sometimes getmechanical and they become jobs
and we forget how deeplyspiritual our work is and that
we alone can't do the work thatneeds to be done.
(32:18):
We can do the maintenance of it, but the deep soul,
life-changing, soul-changingwork that needs to be done,
that's beyond our grasp.
Hey friend, I just wanted tointerrupt this episode for a
second to let you know about anawesome opportunity for you and
your youth ministry.
So last year we launched ourcourse and coaching program
(32:40):
called Youth Ministry GrowthAccelerator and the response has
been amazing.
So we've helped tons of youthpastors grow the size and health
of their youth ministry and wewant to invite you to be a part
of that as well, because maybeyou're just sort of feeling
stuck in a rut.
Maybe you don't know what to donext.
Maybe you just have a vagueplan in your mind of what you're
(33:01):
doing and you want some realhelp to get you from where you
are to where you want to go.
So if that sounds likesomething you've been looking
for, go togrowyouryouthministrycom and
check it out for more details.
All right, let's get back tothe episode.
You know, what my staff and Idid once that I really liked.
I kind of forgot about this,but we did a 24 hour prayer and
(33:23):
fast for our ministry too.
We were in some dire straitsand I was like Lord, have mercy
on us.
I cannot do this anymore,because these kids are so bad.
They were like ruiningeverything all the time and I
was like what is my job?
I felt like I was like a Prisonward.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
Yeah, what do they call those?
Speaker 1 (33:45):
people Like the like working at a yeah, Detention
facility, Something like that.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Prison guard yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
All of those things and I was like getting.
I was getting out of steam, youknow, and so Zookeeper animal
trainer.
We just stopped what we weredoing and I'm like, okay, guys,
every hour I'm going to sendlike a different prompt over
like our text message everyonefast as much or to the best of
your ability.
And we fasted together and weprayed for 24 hours, and
(34:18):
sometimes our church will host a24 hour prayer thing and people
like can come and pray allhours of the night, and you know
.
So, yeah, I mean that's a greatidea starting off your ministry
, if you have leaders who wouldbe into something like that with
you, of like, let's pray forthese students, let's fast
together, let's like start theyear knowing, okay, this is not
(34:42):
just like let's get back in theroutine of youth ministry, but
let's set our hearts and ourminds straight on.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
This is spiritual work 2025, this is your year, so
we're gonna do a question ofthe day, because that's the most
logical thing to do.
We shot down several ideas forthe question of the day One of
them.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
I think we'd already done.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Yeah, if you guys have any questions that you
think would be fun for otherpeople to answer put it in the
comment section below.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
The one we came up with was if there was any
non-biblical point in historythat you would love to have been
a witness all history isbiblical, true, I know?
Speaker 2 (35:18):
yeah, it's the next comment someone will make uh put
that in the comment sectionbelow.
We see you, yeah, so what wouldthat be for you?
Speaker 1 (35:27):
okay, obviously the biblical ones are like those are
the most amazing.
So nothing like particular tothat.
Um, I want to see how they madethe pyramids because I used to
think I knew and then I've heardso many theories about it of
like that technology didn'texist and there's no way that
(35:48):
timeline works and you know, I,I just I'm like I need to, just
I want to see it because I feellike there's so much speculation
around it and mystery that thatwould be fascinating no, that's
a good one.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
I am just gonna pick off the top of my head.
I thought it would be cool tobe when they landed on the moon.
We've landed on the moon.
One, to make sure it really didhappen, because there's those
people that think it was justtotally made up, and two, I just
think that'd be a really coolexperience they sang jingle
bells on the mountain.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
I heard this christmas trivia.
What was the first song ever?
Played on the moon and theysaid jingle bells, so this, and
they took communion which isalso a urban legend?
Speaker 2 (36:32):
I don't know that's certain things you definitely
need to fact check, and we atone point.
Had a time to fact checksomeone read or say on stage
that the first thing that theastronauts did when they landed
on the moon was take communion,which was like wow, that's so
cool.
Turns out that was not true.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Careful when you add stuff into your sermon from
Google or Wikipedia.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
I remember the person who's like.
I told them that story.
I don't even know if it wastrue, but then they just went up
on stage and just announced it,and so that was what was really
happening I hope it's true, butso always fact check yeah so
put in the comment section below, that's so random like okay,
(37:17):
like a list of things we need todo.
What's the first card game we'regonna play?
When on the moon these thingsdid not happen.
They did bring a golf club upthere, though, because I
remember there's like a video ofthem hitting a golf ball, so
that I could say the first sportplay.
Anyways, I would like to bethere and I can answer all your
questions.
What?
(37:38):
are the comments actually low.
Is there a non-biblicalhistorical moment that you would
have loved to have been awitness to?
And also second question of theday are there any questions you
think would be fun for us orother people to answer?
Please share them below.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
All right.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
The community comment of the day first of the year
comes from Brandwise Gamgee.
Love the name, all right.
He says there are so manythings I've gained over the
years from your videos.
I began pursuing studentministry full-time since
listening to your your podcast.
As a volunteer in my church'sstudent ministry At this moment,
I was able to use the practicesmentioned in each and every
(38:13):
episode as a sort of standardfor how healthy our ministry is
and the ministry has becomebetter for it.
So thank you guys for theamazing content.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
So thank you so much.
Brand wise Gamgee Appreciatethat.
We love that.
Well, thank you guys forwatching Brand Wise.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
Gamgee Appreciate that.
We love that.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
Well, thank you guys for watching and listening and
we'll see you next time.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
It is a brand new year, and so today we're going
to talk about five things thatevery youth pastor should be
thinking about in this time.
What are their names?
Speaker 2 (38:44):
I'm just kidding Huey Dewey Lewis and Huey Dewey
Lewis, louis, as quickly.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.