Ministry Coach: Youth Ministry Tips & Resources

Kristen Lascola
  • 5.0 (103)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

Kristen Lascola from North Coast Church gives weekly insight and tips on how to grow the size and health of your Youth Ministry!  With over 20 years in Student Ministry, Kristen shares her knowledge and experiences and frequently features guests from various ministries, churches and leadership roles so that you can use proven strategies to increase your impact from your leadership role. This podcast will help you grow your leadership skills, enhance your youth group, learn new youth group games, put on impactful youth ministry events, build a thriving volunteer staff, grow your influence and create a healthy environment so that you can help take the ministry God has you in to the next level. Hit subscribe and get ready to advance your youth ministry!  https://www.growyouryouthministry.com/

  1. 20h ago

    How to Build Trust When Partnering with Parents in Youth Ministry

    Send us Fan Mail Start the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info - or feel free to email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com with any questions *** In this episode, we discuss two surprisingly powerful ways to earn real parent buy-in in your youth ministry and break down each one into multiple aspects of trust.  We get practical about “early and often” communication: weekly parent emails, leader updates, an always-current website and calendar, social media that actually answers questions, and using a church app or targeted messages so the right families get the right info. We also talk about planning ahead like publishing camp dates far in advance, plus a simple test for your system: if parents are constantly texting basic questions, your other communication channels may not be clear or consistent yet.  If you want more volunteers, smoother events, stronger camp sign-ups, and fewer frustrated emails, this is the leadership muscle to build. Then we shift to professionalism in youth ministry, not as a stiff corporate posture, but as maturity. We share how to create “no surprises” when incidents happen, and why owning mistakes quickly builds credibility. We also unpack the owner mindset: being prepared, starting and ending on time, handling conflict directly, and holding students accountable with kindness so parents see real leadership. If you’ve ever felt the tension between being fun and being trusted, this conversation will help you lead both ways. Subscribe for weekly youth ministry coaching, share this with another youth pastor and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. What’s one change you can make this week to earn more trust with parents? ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#256) Best Practices for Emailing the Parents of your Youth Ministry Students (#047) Youth Pastors and Parents - Best Communication Tips (#057) Getting Parents Involved in Youth Ministry (#025) Best Practices to Handle an Upset Parent ======= We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com! If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach ========= 🔄 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 📱: Ministry Coach Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryCoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ministrycoachpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministrycoachpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ministrycoachpodcast Kristen Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klascola/ Jeffrey Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmasterbengal/ *This episode is not sponsored. Some of the links are affiliate links which simply means, if you buy something, we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) Thank you!* Support the show

    39 min

  2. Jun 25

    How to Start a Christian Club at Your Local School (Youth Pastor Tips)

    Send us Fan Mail Start the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info - or feel free to email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com with any questions ***  A Christian club at school can be one of the most effective ways to connect with students in your youth ministry and to reach students who maybe wouldn't normally come to church.  We talk through how to start a student led Christian club that feels welcoming, simple, and sustainable, especially during a tight lunch period where you have only 20-30 minutes to build community, share a short message, play a quick game and still let kids eat. In this episode, we will be discussing Christian Club resources (links below), benefits to partnering with organizations like Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). If FCA is not active in your area, we walk through what it looks like to launch from scratch and build a healthy student leadership team with the right adult mentoring.  We also talk about various ways to be able to get on campus to reach students.  Finally, we give a simple “typical club” template / schedule to better utilize your time and give a bridge from school to church. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: FCA: https://resources.fca.org/P7: https://upciyouth.com/resourcesCRU: https://www.cru.org/sg/en/ready/resources.htmlIntervarsity: https://intervarsity.org/Decision Point: https://decisionpoint.org/If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach =======  If you found this helpful, subscribe for more youth ministry strategy, share it with a youth leader who wants to reach their campus, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more youth pastors can find the show. ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#040) How to Start a Student Leadership Team in Youth Ministry ======= We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com! ========= 🔄 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 📱: Ministry Coach Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryCoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ministrycoachpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministrycoachpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ministrycoachpodcast Kristen Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klascola/ Jeffrey Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmasterbengal/ *This episode is not sponsored. Some of the links are affiliate links which simply means, if you buy something, we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) Thank you!* Support the show

    29 min

  3. Jun 18

    Youth Group Event KILLERS ☠️ 3 Mistakes Youth Ministries Make with Events!

    Send us Fan Mail Start the school year with a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** Youth group event mistakes...we've all experienced the stress, the embarrassment, the pit in your stomach knowing you forgot something or the sinking feeling when youth ministry planning goes all wrong.  In this episode, we will walk through three common youth pastor mistakes in student ministry event planning, then break them into practical steps you can apply to your next youth group night, outreach event, retreat, or camp.  How many of these mistakes have you made?? Subscribe for more weekly tips, share this with a youth leader who plans events, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review with your biggest takeaway from this episode. ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#265) 3 Unacceptable Mistakes that Youth Ministries Make With Event Planning (#285) 3 Common Mistakes Youth Pastors MUST AVOID in Their Youth Ministry ======= We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com! If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach ========= 🔄 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 📱: Ministry Coach Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryCoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ministrycoachpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministrycoachpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ministrycoachpodcast Kristen Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klascola/ Jeffrey Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmasterbengal/ *This episode is not sponsored. Some of the links are affiliate links which simply means, if you buy something, we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) Thank you!* Support the show

    28 min

  4. Jun 11

    Final Planning Tips for Youth Ministry Summer Camp!

    Send us Fan Mail The time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** Summer camp can be the best week of the year for your youth ministry students while being the most stressful week for you and your team, and the stress usually comes from the simplest gaps: parents who missed an email, leaders who did not get fully aligned, and “tiny” forgotten details that turn into last minute problems. In this episode, we are sharing FIVE home-stretch youth group summer camp planning tips that keep logistics tight and ministry outcomes clear. We talk through a parent meeting that actually works, what to cover (itinerary, packing list, emergency contacts, spending money, expectations). Then we shift to a leader and driver meeting focused on safety, roles, communication, and wise decision making, including practical boundaries and the mindset that leaders are the stand-in parents on the trip.  We also dig into summer camp checklists and why shared leadership beats heroic solo prep. You will hear ways to review shopping lists, tech gear, rec supplies, and medical prep, plus a simple visualization tactic that helps you catch the "I can't believe we forgot that" type of mistakes before you leave.  If you want a smoother, safer, more spiritually focused youth ministry summer camp, hit play, share this with a student ministry leader, and then subscribe and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more youth pastors can find it. ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#063) How to Keep Your Youth Ministry's "Camp High" Momentum Going (#043) DIY Church Camp Planning - Youth Ministry Summer Camp CHECKLIST! (#044) Best Games for Summer Camp - 14 Fun Camp Games Ideas! (#053) How to Plan a Low Cost Summer Camp for Youth Ministry (#098) Get More Sign Ups for Your Youth Ministry Summer Camp! ======= We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com! If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach ========= 🔄 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 📱: Ministry Coach Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryCoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ministrycoachpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministrycoachpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ministrycoachpodcast Kristen Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klascola/ Jeffrey Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmasterbengal/ *This episode is not sponsored. Some of the links are affiliate links which simply means, if you buy something, we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) Thank you!* Support the show

    36 min

  5. Jun 4

    Strong Vision Casting in Youth Ministry: How to Identify, Implement & Inspire!

    Send us Fan Mail The time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** If your youth ministry calendar is packed but the room still feels flat, the problem might not be effort. It might be direction. Today we get painfully practical about vision casting in youth ministry and why a clear, God guided vision is often the dividing line between a youth group that feels alive and one that feels like it’s dead. We talk about the difference between a good idea and a real vision, then we show you how to turn vision into a simple filter for everything you do as a youth pastor: your events, your teaching plan, your leader meetings, your budget, and your weekly schedule. We share how our church frames mission around discipleship and a healthy church environment, and why focusing on health over growth keeps you from building a youth ministry that looks impressive but burns people out. From there, we get specific about what vision looks like on the ground. We unpack how to teach students to think biblically about everything, how to help teenagers know Jesus instead of just knowing about Jesus, and how student leadership teams can change the return rate for new and unconnected kids. We also share simple ways to communicate vision so volunteer leaders actually buy in, including quick “locker room talk” moments before youth group and redefining goals for tough small group dynamics. 📕 Book mentioned in this episode: "Lead Like 'IT' Matters" by Craig Groeschel If this helps you, subscribe for more youth ministry leadership and discipleship strategy, share this with a youth pastor friend, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more leaders can find the show. What’s the clearest vision you want your youth ministry known for? ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#292) Why do Some Youth Ministries Feel ALIVE & Others DEAD? ======= We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com! If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach ========= 🔄 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 📱: Ministry Coach Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryCoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ministrycoachpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministrycoachpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ministrycoachpodcast Kristen Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klascola/ Jeffrey Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmasterbengal/ *This episode is not sponsored. Some of the links are affiliate links which simply means, if you buy something, we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) Thank you!* Support the show

    29 min

  6. May 28

    Why Do Some Youth Ministries Feel ALIVE & Others DEAD?

    Send us Fan Mail The time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** Why is it that some youth groups immediately feel alive the second you walk in while others feel like a room full of students waiting for something to happen. In this episode, we are taking a look at what actually creates an “alive” youth ministry culture, not hype, not personality, not better snacks, but repeatable leadership decisions that build ownership and spiritual momentum.  📕 Book mentioned in this episode: "Lead Like 'IT' Matters" by Craig Groeschel If you want a clearer path to grow the size and health of your youth ministry, listen in, share this with a youth leader, and then subscribe and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more youth pastors can find the show. ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#040) How to Start a Student Leadership Team in Youth Ministry (#156) How to Minister to the 4 Different Types of Students in Youth Ministry (#207) How to Build a Youth Ministry Worship Team from Scratch ======= We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com! If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach ========= 🔄 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 📱: Ministry Coach Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryCoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ministrycoachpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministrycoachpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ministrycoachpodcast Kristen Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klascola/ Jeffrey Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmasterbengal/ *This episode is not sponsored. Some of the links are affiliate links which simply means, if you buy something, we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) Thank you!* Support the show

    41 min

  7. May 21

    Youth Group Games for REALLY SMALL Youth Ministries

    Send us Fan Mail **FOR A PDF OF THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL OF THE GAMES - EMAIL US AT MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com - and put in the subject or description "Games for SUPER Small Youth Groups" and we will send it over to you!** We have done game episodes in the past in regards to youth group games for small youth ministries, but what about REALLY small youth ministries?  Today, we will be going over the instructions for 5 super fun, no prep & low prep youth ministry games that work great for super small youth groups.  We will walk through how to run each game, how to ref it, and how to adjust the rules when your group needs more challenge or less chaos. Subscribe, share this with a youth leader friend, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more small youth ministries can find practical help! ======= We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com! If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach ========= Shopping List: Ball Pit Balls - https://amzn.to/3Kc9beA Kiddie Pool (or Large Plastic Bin) - https://amzn.to/4e3Kw8J Buckets: https://amzn.to/3izZdT1 (you can get these cheaper at the dollar store) Painter's Tape: https://amzn.to/40Qll58 Cones: https://amzn.to/2BtSp9K Blindfolds: https://amzn.to/4uQYMca Pool Noodles - https://amzn.to/3V26dhh Soccer Style Socks: https://amzn.to/3lfcS4N Bulk Candy: https://amzn.to/3wkGYNJ Playground Balls:  https://amzn.to/49bYNPB =========== You may also enjoy these episodes: 7 Youth Group Games for Smaller Youth Ministries 4 Icebreakers for Smaller Youth Groups 5 NO COST Youth Ministry Games - FREE YOUTH GROUP GAMES 5 Simple Youth Group Games - Last Minute Games for Youth Ministry ICEBREAKER GAMES Dodgeball Variation Games Up Front Games 7 Low Prep Youth Group Games 7 NO PREP GAMES for Youth Ministry ======= 🔄 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 📱: Ministry Coach Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryCoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ministrycoachpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministrycoachpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ministrycoachpodcast Kristen Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klascola/ Jeffrey Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmasterbengal/ ======= Audio Equipment: Microphones https://amzn.to/3V9GrrT Microphone Preamp https://amzn.to/3QVB3WQ Digital Recorder https://amzn.to/3eXmvkj *This episode is not sponsored. Some of the links are affiliate links which simply means, if you buy something, we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) Thank you!* Support the show

    31 min

  8. May 14

    What Does Reaching the Next Generation Look Like in Youth Ministry? (Beyond The Numbers Collaboration)

    Send us Fan Mail How do we reach the Next Generation in youth ministry?  Gen Z can spot a fake a mile away, but they respond fast to something rarer: an adult who is fully present. In this episode, we have collaborated with Josh Williams from Beyond the Numbers podcast to talk about what healthy youth ministry looks like when the goal is real discipleship, not just a full room. We dig into the myths that keep churches stuck, what great volunteers look like and then we get concrete about vision, strategy, and program. Adding events can feel productive, but program for program’s sake does not fix a discipleship problem. We talk about creating a culture that “drips” the mission into everything, building space for deeper worship experiences, and helping students grow in a relationship with Jesus that outlasts youth group. If you lead a student ministry, coach volunteers, or care about the future of the church, this conversation will give you practical next steps you can use this week. Subscribe, share with a youth leader, and leave a review then reply with your biggest next gen challenge so we can talk about it together. What’s one change you want to make in your ministry right now? Be sure to check out, like and subscribe to Josh's podcast: Beyond the Numbers Podcast and also watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheNumbersPodcast/videos ========== The time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together to make it happen! Check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com for more info *** ========== You may also enjoy this episode: (#029) How Can Youth Pastors Reach Gen Z? ======= We love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need. If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com! If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoach ========= 🔄 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 📱: Ministry Coach Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryCoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ministrycoachpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministrycoachpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ministrycoachpodcast Kristen Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klascola/ Jeffrey Lascola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmasterbengal/ *This episode is not sponsored. Some of the links are affiliate links which simply means, if you buy something, we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) Thank you!* Support the show

    37 min
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About

Kristen Lascola from North Coast Church gives weekly insight and tips on how to grow the size and health of your Youth Ministry!  With over 20 years in Student Ministry, Kristen shares her knowledge and experiences and frequently features guests from various ministries, churches and leadership roles so that you can use proven strategies to increase your impact from your leadership role. This podcast will help you grow your leadership skills, enhance your youth group, learn new youth group games, put on impactful youth ministry events, build a thriving volunteer staff, grow your influence and create a healthy environment so that you can help take the ministry God has you in to the next level. Hit subscribe and get ready to advance your youth ministry!  https://www.growyouryouthministry.com/

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