A student pastor is a leader of teams. This is true in every context and in every church size. Sure, there are some “Lone Ranger” type student pastors out there that want to do everything on their own but they usually don’t last long and they aren’t doing true biblical ministry. Just as the ...
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Key Players
I’ve been waiting for this day since November. It is a day on the calendar that marks the beginning of a new season. In the middle of the bitter cold for much of the country, this day reveals something warmer on the horizon. To many, today is just another day, but for the baseball fan you know today ...
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What Parents Really Need from You
One of the most talked about issues in student ministry over the last ten years has been parent ministry. You may be one of the thousands of student ministers who asked the question regularly, “how can I better connect with my parents?” It is definitely a question worth asking and when you figure ...
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Episode 5: Key Relationships – Part 2
In the fifth episode of the Lifeway Student Ministry Podcast, Ben and Chris continue the discussion of the key relationships you should have in your student ministry. The final two of the five key relationships are covered.
About Ben Trueblood
Ben Trueblood serves as the Director of ...
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The New Kid – Part 2: From Kids Ministry to Student Ministry
For kids, parents, and student pastors, the transition from kids ministry to student ministry is a BIG deal! I’ll never forget seeing the 5th graders in our kids ministry march into our student center for the first time. Every year I would make the same comment, that “these must be 3rd graders not ...
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Extracurricular – Part 3: At Home
Great student pastors across the world are fighting a weekly battle for the attention of their students. The problem is that the time that we have to influence our students is extremely minimal in comparison to the time students spend in other environments. As I travel the country and train student ...
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Extracurricular – Part 2: Vacation
At some point this summer you will have volunteers, students, and parents from your ministry take a vacation. More than likely these vacations will cause them to miss something that you feel is important. At that moment you will be confronted with a decision in how you will respond. Here are some ...
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Extracurricular – Part 1: Sports
I remember a mother once telling me that her son would not be able to attend camp. I was surprised because he was pretty involved in our group and I hated to know he would miss a great week of ministry. I offered to help if it was a financial issue but she told me that wasn’t the case and we moved ...
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Big Gains – Part 1: Small Groups
Your small groups can be the growth engine of your ministry. Your small group ministry, when done correctly, is the most effective way for you to connect students to your ministry, to each other, and to see them grow in their relationship with the Lord. There’s no coincidence that your small group ...
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Connecting Camp with Families
Something special takes place over the course of a week at camp when students are taken out of their normal habitat, along with the distractions, and placed into an environment that is clearly focused on Christ. I’ve often heard a week of camp described as a process of “starving the flesh and ...
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