Five Minutes with Marko

Mark Oestreicher
  • 5.0 (9)
  • RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

5 Minutes with Marko might be the shortest youth ministry podcast ever; but that doesn’t mean it’s shallow. Marko (Mark Oestreicher, of The Youth Cartel) gets right to the point, sharing thoughts and insights about some aspect of church work with teenagers.

  1. 11/04/2025

    Why Are Youth Workers So Often Mistreated?

    After hearing the story of another youth worker couple booted for unclear and seemingly unfair reasons, Marko reflects on why this is so common.

    5 min

  2. 10/28/2025

    The 12-Year-Old Loser

    Marko reflects on a comment from a youth worker that there’s no such thing as a 12-year-old loser. Visit https://theyouthcartel.com to learn more about our coaching program.

    6 min

  3. 10/21/2025

    Why You Need a Team

    As much as we’d like to think that developing an adult team for youth ministry might be a universal practice, Marko finds it’s still WAY too common for youth workers to be lone rangers.

    5 min

  4. 10/14/2025

    When to Leave

    Marko responds to a question he’s asked all the time: How do I know when it’s time to leave my youth ministry role?

    6 min

  5. 10/07/2025

    An Open Letter to a 14-Year-Old Girl

    Marko was asked to write a letter to the daughter of a friend. He shares this letter both as an encouragement to you, and a reminder of what we should be speaking into the lives of teens. Learn more about the Youth Cartel coaching program at https://theyouthcartel.com.

    4 min

  6. 10/01/2025

    Is Youth Ministry Biblical?

    This question was louder 15 years ago; but there’s still some lingering pushback on any and all age-specific ministry in churches. Marko shares where this question came from, and responds to it.

    7 min

  7. 09/23/2025

    When to Separate MS and HS

    Marko’s thinking on this question has shifted quite a bit on this question over his many years in youth ministry — in some ways, the answer is clearer than ever, and in other ways, it’s much more blurry. To learn more about Marko's coaching program, visit https://www.theyouthcartel.com/the-youth-ministry-coaching-program.

    6 min

  8. 09/16/2025

    Young Adult Youth Ministry Volunteers

    Neuroscience tells us that young adult brains aren’t yet fully developed when it comes to decision making and wisdom. Does that mean we should boundary them more as volunteers in youth ministry, or maybe just the opposite?

    8 min
See All (140)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

5 Minutes with Marko might be the shortest youth ministry podcast ever; but that doesn’t mean it’s shallow. Marko (Mark Oestreicher, of The Youth Cartel) gets right to the point, sharing thoughts and insights about some aspect of church work with teenagers.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Oestreicher
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    140
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mark Oestreicher
  • Show Website
    Five Minutes with Marko