Beyond the Event: A Youth Ministry Podcast

Christ In Youth
  • 5.0 (21)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Biweekly

Bringing together influential voices from the CIY community to walk alongside you in your journey to maintain momentum between the mountaintop experiences of youth ministry.

  1. 4d ago ·  Bonus

    BTE 6.BONUS: Con Mis Manos Behind the Scenes with Kurt Hoffmann

    We sit down with filmmaker Kurt Hoffmann to unpack the Con Mis Manos film and the Deaf ministry in Matamoros, Mexico, that helped shape MOVE and MIX programming this summer. We talk through calling, collaboration, and the creative choices behind telling a story where language becomes dignity, and the gospel becomes personal.  We discuss: • Kurt’s path from Hawaii to joining CIY in Missouri  • first impressions of Con Mis Manos and why Michelle’s story anchors the narrative  • building mission partner content into the program rather than treating it like an add-on  • shifting from a three-part plan to a four-part documentary series late in the process  • directing choices that prioritize faces, hands, and a slower pace shaped by sign language  • why aspect ratio, framing, lenses, and color help students feel the story  • what it’s like watching the films with students and letting go of outcomes  • forming a prayer team around production and trusting God in the edit  • stories that did not fit the runtime but reveal the deeper impact of language and identity  To watch the film: https://store.ciy.com/products/con-mis-manos If you'd like to reach us, you can email us at podcast@ciy.com or reach out on the CIY Community Facebook group.

  2. Oct 12

    BTE 6.03 Sunday School is So Back with Flint Spencer and Lane Moss

    On this episode of Beyond the Event, we sit down with Student Minister Flint Spencer to talk about why Sunday school can be the most overlooked and most strategic hour in youth ministry. We unpack a simple plan for junior high that builds Bible literacy, repeatable study skills, and Scripture memory that can last for decades.  We discuss: • building a youth ministry rhythm with Wednesday nights, D-groups, and a Bible-focused Sunday morning  • treating Sunday school as mind formation, not an afterthought  • using inductive Bible study to help students observe, interpret, and apply Scripture  • structuring class time to fit wide maturity levels in grades 5-8  • teaching Scripture memorization with practical tools and light incentives  • designing for inconsistent attendance so students can jump back in  • celebrating wins that connect students to the whole church  If you'd like to reach us, you can email us at podcast@ciy.com or reach out on the CIY Community Facebook group

  3. Oct 5

    BTE 6.02 Building a Vocational Ministry Pipeline with Trey Hardimon and Korey Klein

    Churches need leaders and students want purpose, but in many communities vocational ministry still doesn't seem like a real career path. In this episode, we talk about how to make that path visible and practical, and how to root it in discipleship instead of hype. First, we share updates to CIY SuperStart. The biggest one is a tighter link between session content and small group time. That means less scramble in the handoff from worship to discussion, and preteen leaders leave with clear, gospel-centered questions and a next step. Then Trey Hardiman, NextGen Minister at LeClaire Christian Church, walks through a student ministry pipeline built for a mid-sized church without a big budget. He talks about naming the call to ministry from the stage and pointing out gifts in students. He also covers getting them serving early and using CIY's Follow-Through app so they keep growing. We get into the "Bible college is taboo" mindset, how to bring parents into the conversation well, and LeClaire's use of a two-year cohort. In it, students learn to study the Bible, build habits of faith, and write and preach a sermon. Registration for 2027 opens TOMORROW!! MOVE registration opens at 9 a.m. CST. SuperStart and MIX registration opens at 11 a.m CST.  If you'd like to connect with us, you can email us at podcast@ciy.com or reach out on the CIY Community Facebook group.

  4. Sep 21

    BTE 6.01 Teaching By Topic While Staying in the Text with Noah Brooke and Brittany Shoemake

    Beyond the Event is back! On this episode, we catch up on a whirlwind season of Engage and the surprising ways global stories at MOVE and MIX can open students’ eyes to how big God’s church really is. Then Noah Brooke joins us to share a sermon-planning approach that blends book-by-book teaching with clear topics, plus a small-group model that drives deeper discipleship.  • Engage growth and the behind-the-scenes reality of year-round trip registration  • Turning global church wonder into next steps for students  • Why the creative choices in the Con Mis Manos film land so deeply  • A Spain Engage trip recap through English camp and peer-to-peer gospel conversations  • Expository and topical preaching as complementary tools, not opposing teams  • Building mini-series inside 1 Corinthians to meet real student needs  • Planning teaching calendars far ahead while staying flexible to culture  • T Groups as 3 to 5-person discipleship spaces that increase ownership and honesty  • Leader multiplication and student invitation as a paired strategy  • Required topics we make sure students hear regularly, like purpose and service  Mark your calendars. Registration for 2027 opens October 6th! MOVE registration opens at 9 a.m. CST. SuperStart and MIX registration opens at 11 a.m CST.  If you'd like to connect with us, you can email us at podcast@ciy.com or reach out on the CIY Community Facebook group.

  5. Season 6 Trailer

    BTE Season 6 Trailer

    Season 6 is here! We're excited to talk to youth ministry leaders and pastors from around the country—some well-known, some names you may not have heard before—who are doing the hard work on the ground every day. An exciting twist this season: Dealer's Choice episodes! Rather than assigning topics, we let each guest choose subjects that feel important to them in the youth ministry space right now. Be on the lookout for our first episode on September 21.

  6. May 4

    BTE 5.15 Summers Off vs. Regular Programming: Part 2 with Hannah Helwege and Lane Moss

    Summer can either empty out your youth ministry calendar or expose what was never sustainable to begin with. We sit down with Hannah Helwege from New Life Church in Colorado Springs to get specific about what actually works when school gets out, sports and theater shift, and families finally have breathing room. If you’re a youth pastor trying to build summer programming that keeps students engaged and keeps leaders healthy, you’ll hear practical rhythms you can borrow immediately. Hannah serves in a multi-congregational church where each congregation has real autonomy, which means student ministry can be shaped around local schools and real family schedules. We break down her baseline weekly plan for middle school and high school, why they meet when they meet, and how she thinks about consistency versus flexibility. Then we zoom out to the bigger summer moments like conferences, serving opportunities, and CIY MOVE, including how she’s using camp as a launchpad for incoming freshmen and a capstone option for seniors. The heart of the conversation is follow-up. We talk about testimony nights right after returning, one-on-one and small-group conversations in the weeks that follow, and how to mobilize volunteer leaders so students don’t come home from a “mountaintop experience” and get dropped back into isolation. We also cover long-range planning outside the summer rush, simplifying teaching to create margin, and protecting Sabbath with a church culture that treats rest as obedience, not a luxury. Subscribe wherever you listen, share this with a youth pastor who’s building their summer calendar, and leave a review with the one summer rhythm you’re committing to this year.

  7. Mar 23

    BTE 5.14 Summers Off vs. Regular Programming: Part 1 with Tyler Lane and Brittany Shoemake

    Summer doesn’t just disrupt student schedules, it disrupts your ministry’s rhythm. And when families are already juggling travel, sports, camps, and changing routines, adding a calendar full of one off events and long breaks can quietly drain momentum. We wrestle with a simple question: if Wednesday night is the one predictable thing you can offer, why would you remove it? Tyler Lane, next gen pastor at Valley Real Life in Spokane, shares how his team is rethinking summer youth ministry programming around consistency. We talk about what teenagers actually need when life gets chaotic, how to keep meeting even when volunteer availability drops, and why “unplugged” summer nights can drive more relational ministry than a rigid school year format. Tyler also gets practical about simplifying worship and teaching, planning early, and empowering key volunteers and students to lead so the ministry doesn’t depend on staff doing everything. You’ll also hear about Engage mission trips and the reality of leading across time zones, plus travel tips that only come from experience. If you’re deciding whether to pause youth group for summer, radically change it, or keep it steady, this conversation gives you a framework, not just ideas. Subscribe, share this with a youth leader on your team, and leave a review. What does summer look like in your ministry right now?

  8. Mar 2

    BTE 5.13 Phones on Trips vs. No Phones on Trips: Part 2 with Matt Stevens and Korey Klein

    Confiscate every phone or teach teens how to use them well? We invite Matt Stevens from Calvary Christian Church in Omaha to unpack a wiser middle path that keeps safety high, communication clear, and discipleship at the center. Matt walks us through how his team uses a shared channel to coordinate hundreds of students on campus, why parents relax when there’s a direct line to their kids, and how simple expectations—phones away in session, focused small groups, presence over scrolling—turn devices from a distraction into a tool. We dig into the moments that test any policy: late-night scheming, social media spirals, and the ever-present risk of missed messages. Matt’s answer isn’t a lockbox; it’s culture. He loops parents in early, treats issues as relational not punitive, and empowers student leaders to model the standard and nudge peers back to attention. That self-policing is gold, because it builds ownership that lasts long after the bus ride home. We also explore how school restrictions have already trained students to respect time-and-place phone rules, making ministry expectations more natural than many adults assume. Along the way, we trade stories from the Superstart tour, celebrate the hospitality of host churches, and name practical guardrails any group can adopt this summer: one communication hub, clear non-negotiables, visible leaders during free time, and a consistent “if it becomes a problem” pathway. The goal isn’t to win a tech debate; it’s to form disciples who can live wisely in a digital world they won’t escape. If you’re building your trip policy now, this conversation offers a workable framework you can adapt to your context. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a ministry friend, and leave a review. Your feedback helps more leaders find practical ideas they can use this week.

See All (77)

Trailer

5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Bringing together influential voices from the CIY community to walk alongside you in your journey to maintain momentum between the mountaintop experiences of youth ministry.

Information

You Might Also Like