These are difficult times for all of us. At no time in many of our memories has a single event touched every person on Earth. And let’s be honest: the gravity of this current crisis can feel overwhelming—especially when even our worship gatherings are canceled. But no matter what circumstances we’re ...
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A few weeks ago, I shared with you how life-changing counseling has been for me. These are uncharted waters we are navigating, and it can feel heavy to shoulder the responsibility of suddenly shepherding your flock virtually. Now—maybe more than ever—is the time to keep a close eye on your own ...
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In this episode, Ben, John Paul, and Julie talk with Kara Powell of the Fuller Youth Institute about the rise of anxiety among students. You can find more information and Kara Powell's new study Faith in an Anxious World here. Show Notes and Quotes: The A, B, C, D, E of Helping Anxious ...
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Youth Ministry in 2020 will be marked by several things, none of which we had thought of in 2019. It can feel like we need to reinvent youth ministry, but we don’t—we just need to reinvent how we use the tools. Youth pastor friends, you are creative. You have always been creative, and now your ...
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A lot of us are now turning to technology as our sole means of communicating with students and families. We are all familiar with video in some way, whether it’s from Instagram stories or TikTok, or maybe you’ve even created a sermon series video yourself. But you might find yourself asking how to ...
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Ministry friends, it would be insensitive to not acknowledge the current state of the world and the immediate challenge facing us due to COVID-19. How do we continue to reach students and families while we are physically separated? At LifeWay Students, we are trying to answer that question with ...
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I have a garden in my backyard because I enjoy seeing something move from seed to seedling to growing plant to fruit (or vegetable, as the case may be). It’s a process that fascinates me and draws me back every year to see what I can grow—but it isn’t easy, and I think that’s part of the beauty. I ...
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In this episode, Ben, John Paul, and Julie talk about how to respond in a time of crisis. Show Notes and Quotes: Showing and modeling how to respond to a crisis to students can help them during the next crisis situation. Students deal with crisis situations differently. Know what you can ...
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In this episode, Ben, John Paul, and Julie talk about the importance of taking time to plan and be intentional about the culture that you create. Show Notes and Quotes: Culture is going to happen with or without you.  As a leader, you have to drive culture.  Be consistent. It has to be ...
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In this episode, Ben, John Paul, and Julie talk about the habits of highly effective leaders and give three action steps that leaders can take today to improve their effectiveness. Show Notes and Quotes: "Your calendar has to match your priorities." - Ben "Listen to content that ...
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