Youth Ministry Sherpas

YMS Episode 51 -- Crossover with Youth Ministry Booster

Two youth pastors from different churches in the same town develop a friendship. Their relationship is so encouraging to each other that they begin to wonder if perhaps it could also be an encouragement to other youth workers. They decide to start a podcast, which leads to all kinds of cool things, not the least of which is an even deeper friendship and sharpening as youth workers.

Sound familiar?

Yes, it's our story. But it's also the story of Zac Workun and Chad Higgins from Youth Ministry Booster in Tulsa, OK. About four years ago, Zac and Chad leveraged their friendship to start what was then known as the After 9 podcast. That eventually morphed into a entrepreneurial endeavor known as Youth Ministry Booster. YMB has become a multi-faceted, much-needed resource. Youth workers from all over the country seek out YMB to find mutual encouragement, sharpening, coaching, and of course, podcasts.

We have been fans of YMB from afar, and met them briefly last fall at the National Youth Workers Convention. We thought it would be fun to connect our shows. Chad was unable to join us, but we had a great conversation with Zac about the value of networks, the joys of longevity, the differences in ministry culture from the Bible Belt to the East Coast, and the mountain of sherpa-related metaphors that can be used in one episode. We especially want to thank Zac for giving us an idea for a new show: "Sherpas on Love." It's going to be big!

We hope you enjoy this podcasting union.

Episode 51 -- Crossover with Youth Ministry Booster

 

Check out all the amazing, Sherpa-approved resources at Youth Ministry Booster:
Youth Ministry Booster

They have several podcasts, available on all platforms.
Youth Ministry Booster Podcasts

There really is a Gotebo, OK. Population 226.
Gotebo, OK

You can hang out with the Youth Ministry Sherpas and the Youth Ministry Boosters at the Youth Leader Summit, May 22-24 at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference in NJ!
Youth Leader Summit

YMS Episode 50 -- The Foolish Things We've Done

It's hard to believe we made it to 50 episodes!

Actually, it's harder to believe we made it to 50 years, including all these years in youth ministry, especially when you consider all the foolish things we have done.

Its fitting that Episode 50 should be released near April Fool's Day, a holiday which holds a special place in the heart of any good youth worker. Maybe it's because we thought the day was created in our honor? Or maybe it's because we all love a good  opportunity to watch students cry when we tell them Chris Tomlin isn't actually coming to lead worship and Taco Bell isn't really the new corporate sponsor of our snack bar.

Since everybody makes mistakes, we thought it might be helpful to tell a few tales about the foolish things we've done as youth pastors. The list is long. Whether it was allowing something to happen that we were too dumb to stop (like dodge ball with basketballs or a nearly-burlesque stage performance), or actually doing something beyond stupid (like using students as an object lesson without warning or sanctioning a 36-hour van ride), we have made our fair share of blunders. Thankfully, we received forgiveness in equal measure to our stupidity.

We all do foolish things. The key is to admit our mistakes, learn our lesson, and move on with wisdom and good counsel. Hopefully we haven't caused too much damage along the way.

It's Episode 50 -- our half-century episode -- Foolish Things We've Done!

Here's a link to the Youth Leader's Summit at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference in New Jersey, May 22-24. We'll be there. Better yet, Josh Griffin will be there.
https://hcbcyouthleadersummit.com

Speaking of wisdom, you must bring your whole volunteer team to the National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training, created by Download Youth Ministry and coming to a city near you on September 21! You can bring as many volunteers as you wish for one low price! It's an offer you can't (and shouldn't) refuse--unless you are truly a fool!
http://trainmyvolunteers.com

YMS Episode 49 -- Youth Ministry Thought Bubbles (Part 2)

(Warning: Rated "IM" for "Immature")

Being a youth worker requires restraint. People say things to us that drive us nearly insane with frustration. We've heard every excuse, criticism, and pathetic justification for lack of involvement. But because we represent God, the church, and perhaps even the decent side of humanity, we can't say what we are really thinking. But what if we could? What if our thought bubbles became actual declarations?! Oh, what fun we would have!

It's our youth ministry fantasy, and today we let it out for a run!

In this episode, we say what we are really thinking when we hear students say things that drive us nuts. "I can't understand why I don't feel close to God right now (even though I haven't read my Bible in 11 months." "I can't come tonight because I have homework (even though I spent all day yesterday playing Fortnite)."

And then there are the comments we hear from people in the congregation. "Is this your real job?" "When do you plan to become a real pastor?" "Can you control those kids in the back row?" "Can you give us a list of babysitters?" and our favorite, "The kids are the church of the future." 

In the end, even though we can't say what we are thinking, there are nuggets of truth in our thought bubbles. Perhaps we can find a way to constructively, with grace, say what needs to be said so that people can hear the truth in a way that changes them.

This one got us so worked up, we needed goat yoga afterwards.

Episode 49 -- Youth Ministry Thought Bubbles (Part 2)

 

 

Sherpa Legends -- Josh Griffin

Our Third Legend -- Josh Griffin 

We all know Josh Griffin as one of the leading voices in youth ministry with over 20 years experience in the trenches, most recently as the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church. He's the co-founder of DownloadYouthMinistry.com and been in 300+ episodes of the DYM Podcast with Doug Fields. He's created more than 50 youth ministry resources and authored several books including 99 Thoughts for Small Group Leaders. Josh and his wife Angela have 4 kids, which now includes 2 teenagers of their own.

What you may not know is that before he went to Saddleback (the "Mecca" of youth ministry), Josh was at a church with 30 kids in the farmlands of Michigan, working a job he almost quit two years in. So how did a young man who had never worked in a "big church" become the successor to Doug Fields at Saddleback? It's an amazing story, and one that provides a lesson we all can learn about being open-handed with what God has entrusted to us.

The Josh we see on stage at the National Youth Workers Convention is the real Josh. He's fun, enthusiastic, optimistic, wise and approachable. His quick laugh and genuine love of youth ministry and youth workers is a blessing to youth workers everywhere. We are thankful for his support and friendship. 

Check out the new YouTube Show Josh and Doug just started!
More Than Dodgeball

Mentioned on today's episode:
Download Youth Ministry is the best resource ever. Seriously. If you aren't a member yet, you need to be! Incredible resources for youth workers, created by youth workers.
Download Youth Ministry
DYM100
DYM Facebook Community

Doug Fields is the author of Purpose Driven Youth Ministry, Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry, Speaking to Teenagers, and many many more. He's also the co-founder of DYM!
Doug Fields

September 21, 2019 at over 200 locations (including Mountain View Community Church in Frederick, MD)! You can bring your whole volunteer team for just $99 for a whole morning of training from the best teachers in the youth ministry world (including our first Sherpa Legend, Heather Flies)
National Day of Youth Ministry Volunteer Training

 

 

 

YMS Episode 48 -- Youth Ministry Thought Bubbles (Part 1)

(Warning: Rated "IM" for "Immature")

Being a youth worker requires restraint. People say things to us that drive us nearly insane with frustration. We've heard every excuse, criticism, and pathetic justification for lack of involvement. But because we represent God, the church, and perhaps even the decent side of humanity, we can't say what we are really thinking. But what if we could? What if our thought bubbles became actual declarations?! Oh, what fun we would have!

It's our youth ministry fantasy, and today we let it out for a run!

In this episode, we say what we are really thinking when we hear the most aggravating, discouraging, ridiculous comments from parents. "My kid doesn't have any friends here. The group is cliquey. I didn't know about that. My kid says it's not meeting his spiritual needs." Pul-leeeaaase! We are't going to lie -- it felt really good to let it out.

In the end, even though we can't say what we are thinking, there are nuggets of truth in our thought bubbles. Perhaps we can find a way to constructively, with grace, say what needs to be said so that people can hear the truth in a way that changes them.

You might want to sit down for this one. It left us breathless. We hope you enjoy this cathartic experience.

(Next episode in part 2 we will share our thought bubbles about students)

Episode 48 -- Youth Ministry Thought Bubbles

 

 

YMS Episode 47 -- Our Senior Pastors

Today's in-studio combination is more rare than the Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat. (Look it up!) -- two old youth pastors and two founding pastors with 84 years combined in our churches.

In today's episode, we invited our senior pastors to join us. Paul Abbott is senior pastor of Cedarbrook Community Church, which he founded 30 years ago. Guy Kneebone is senior pastor of Mountain View Community Church, which he founded 21 years ago. Add in Mathew and Steve, who have been in our positions as youth pastors for 15 and 18 of those years, and you have a unique level of partnership, longevity, and investment in a local church.

In this candid interview, Paul and Guy share how they found us (we weren't their first choices) and how they've managed to put up with us for so long. Paul didn't freak out when he arrived to find a man-sized hole in the wall of the sanctuary. Guy lets Steve exhibit his inner-maverick ("Steve likes to do what Steve likes to do"). We're glad we haven't been fired.

Paul and Guy share their perspective on youth ministry as senior pastors of growing churches. What do they need from us as youth pastors? What is the value of youth ministry within the church? How can we support them?

We also discuss some of the issues that often cause trouble -- communication, perseverance, visibility, trust -- these are things that often cause rifts in the senior pastor/youth pastor relationship. By the grace of God, we've managed to forge relationships that have lasted all these years. Are there any secret formulas that might transfer to enable others to experience this kind of longevity? 

We think so, and we think this interview is not only a rare combination, but something worth striving for.

Episode 47 -- Our Senior Pastors

 

10 Mistakes Leaders Make by Hans Finzel

Cedarbrook Community Church

Mountain View Community Church

Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat

 

YMS Episode 46 -- How to Handle Criticism

Nothing takes the steam out of our passion for youth ministry like criticism.

Criticism is a reality for anyone in leadership. Youth pastors might even be in a position to receive more than most, since we have so many people groups (parents, students, senior pastors, elder) to answer to. We've both had our share, and we never like it, but somehow we are still around and loving student ministry.

In this episode, Steve and Mathew talk about our own failures to handle criticism well. Steve has a reputation for being defensive. Mathew has been known to answer before he should have. Both of us are getting better. We've even learned a few tips along the way that might help you put out the fire, not start a bigger one.

So put on your Big Boy Pants, and get ready to ask yourself some hard questions, like, What can I learn from the criticism I'm receiving?

Episode 46 -- How to Handle Criticism

YMS Episode 45 -- Cleaning Up Other People's Messes

Pizza, popcorn, M&Ms, Skittles, shaving cream wars, games involving pudding and eggs and mini marshmallows... youth ministry gets pretty messy sometimes. We've all done our share of messy activities, and more than often we are the ones who have to clean it all up.

But what happens when the mess is more than spilled soda? What happens when it's a moral mess, a devastating failure, or a mistake that throws the whole church into a whirlwind of toxic cleanup? What happens when it's a co-worker or friend who is the one who caused it? How will that affect us personally, and how will it affect the ministry we care so much about?

In today's episode, Steve and Mathew talk about the impact that other peoples' messes can have on our lives. Having experienced this in our current ministries, we understand how hard it can be to deal with it. We somehow have to play the part of friend, church leader, and youth worker all the same time, even while we deal with our own anger and grief. Messy situations can suck up all our energy and time, and leave us exhausted and cynical. But it doesn't have to end that way.

How can we work through these times and find something good and healing on the other side for ourselves, our churches, and our students?

Episode 45 -- Cleaning Up Other People's Messes

 

Sherpa Legends -- Greg Speck

Welcome to our new show, SHERPA LEGENDS!

Each month, we will present a conversation with a Youth Ministry Legend. Our conversations center around their story. How did they get into youth ministry, what has kept them in it, and what were some of their favorite adventures along the way? We hope you will tune in each month for the next SHERPA LEGEND!

 

Our second legend: GREG SPECK

A post-college job at a home for emotionally-disturbed teenagers led Greg Speck into a nearly 40-year career in youth ministry. For the past 30 years, Greg has been speaking full-time to students around the world. From camps and weekend retreats to mission trips and international conferences, Greg's special blend of humor, storytelling, sincerity, and love for students have provided him with opportunities to share the Word of God with hundreds of thousands of middle- and high-school kids. 

Sherpa host Steve Anderson first encountered Greg at an outreach in Pennsylvania many years ago when he was a new youth volunteer. Since then, Steve has heard him speak many times at various student conferences and retreats, and just last year saw middle-school students impacted by Greg's "Dad Hugs" after another powerful retreat. God's incredible favor on Greg for these years of speaking and traveling is a testimony to Greg's integrity and reliance on the Bible as his authority. 

Greg is the author of several books for students, including Living for Jesus Beyond the Spiritual High. His latest book, Mustard Seeds on Youth Ministry, is a fountain of direct, clear, spiritual and practical counsel for young youth workers who want to build a ministry that will last.

You can interact with Greg on Facebook and Twitter, or by emailing him at gregospeck@gmail.com. For books and bookings, you can find him at:

http://www.gregspeck.com/

Greg and his wife Bonnie have been married for over 40 years and are the proud parents of four grown children. They live in Rockford, IL.

 

 

YMS Episode 44 -- How to Not Be Boring

*Yawn*

Another week of school.

Another Sunday (or Wednesday).

Another youth group.

So much of our students' lives are driven by school, by sports, by academics, and by expectations. To many of them, life is a boring routine, or a constant preparation for the next thing. Do we treat church the same way? Do you ever worry that we are getting boring?

We sat down the day after the MBSBE (Most Boring Super Bowl Ever) to talk Student Ministry. After wasting four hours of our lives watching the battle of the punters and a weird halftime show from Maroon Five and Big Boi (not to be confused with Bob's Big Boy, which serves great hamburgers), we thought we'd spend thirty minutes of our time in a conversation about how not to be boring in youth ministry. By being winsome, by being surprising, and by being transcendent, we think youth ministry offers something nobody else can offer.

We hope this episode doesn't bore you. It's definitely better (and shorter) than the MBSBE.

 Episode 44 -- How to Not Be Boring