Ministry Coach: Youth Ministry Tips & Resources

Kristen Lascola
  • 5.0 (109)
  • 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. 1d ago

    Youth Pastor Leadership Training - 5 Tips for Success!

    Send us Fan Mail 🎉 300th Episode Giveaway Info!! 🎉 (Details below!) The fastest way to burn out in youth ministry is simple: make yourself the bottleneck. When every decision, every problem, and every awkward moment has to run through you and only you, your leaders stop leading and you start carrying a student ministry you were never meant to carry alone.  In this episode, we share five leadership tips that help youth pastors build a youth ministry that can thrive in a healthy church environment. We break down what “trust” actually means on a volunteer team, beyond character and good intentions. Trust looks like initiative, confident decision-making, problem-solving inside your ministry culture, and leaders who can act on your behalf without going rogue. We also talk about the underrated youth ministry leadership filter of chemistry: having people on your team you actually like. When the tasks are hard, relationships are what keep the mission fun, sustainable, and healthy. If you got value from this, subscribe, share it with a fellow youth ministry leader, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  review so more youth pastors can find the show.  ======= 300th Episode Giveaway!!  To enter the giveaway, email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com and put "FREE300" in the subject line or body of the email.  Also, please include your name, church and location as well.  Full giveaway details, extra entries, rules and regulations can be found in the description of this episode's YouTube version here: https://youtu.be/YJYC8_uMYok ======= 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! ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#058) Leadership Skills for Youth Pastors - 9 Effective Leadership Traits (#080) Youth Pastor Leadership: 8 Skills You Need to Master (#131) How to Level Up Your Leadership Skills in Youth Ministry (#224) 5 Leadership Habits of Highly Effective & Visionary Youth Pastors ======= 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

  2. Jul 23

    How to Inspire Your Youth Group to READ & UNDERSTAND the BIBLE

    Send us Fan Mail 🎉 300th Episode Giveaway Info!! 🎉 (Details below!) Guilt can get your youth group students to open a Bible once, but it rarely builds a habit that lasts, and it almost never produces understanding because it lacks desire & inspiration.  The discipline of reading your Bible is not about volume, streaks, or checking a box, it’s about connecting with the God who made you through the words He has already spoken. In this episode, we will get tactical with Bible reading habits for your youth ministry students and discuss tools teens will actually use and how to teach for “aha” moments so students learn to connect the dots on their own.  We will be giving you 3 practical ways to help students read the Bible and understand Scripture on their own to last them a lifetime. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a youth leader or youth pastor friend, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review so more student ministries can find it. ======= 300th Episode Giveaway!!  To enter the giveaway, email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com and put "FREE300" in the subject line or body of the email.  Also, please include your name, church and location as well.  Full giveaway details, extra entries, rules and regulations can be found in the description of this episode's YouTube version here: https://youtu.be/YJYC8_uMYok ======= 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! ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#259) Top 10 Bible Study Resources for Youth Ministry (#016) How Do You Help Your Youth Group Fall in LOVE With Jesus? ======= 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

  3. Jul 16

    How Your Youth Ministry Can Build Trust in the Community (PLUS 300th Episode Giveaway Info! 🎉)

    Send us Fan Mail 🎉 300th Episode Giveaway Info!! 🎉 (Details below!)  Your youth ministry already has a reputation.  The opinions of the community about you the youth pastor, about your youth group program and about your church have already been formed.  So the question is who’s carrying it for you?  In this episode, we focus in on the hidden force behind trust in church leadership: your volunteer team. When the right adults wear your youth ministry name in the community, they become walking proof that your ministry is safe, healthy, and worth joining. When the wrong adults do it, you end up explaining things you never should have to explain. We talk through practical youth ministry leadership moves you can make right now to make sure your student ministry has the right reputation and trust within your local community. We also unpack what it means to define success for small group leaders so they stay encouraged when ministry feels messy, plus why celebrating wins and correcting problems early keeps your culture strong.  We also share simple ways to invite parents into the youth ministry at different levels, how to receive feedback without pride, and why communicating student wins matters as much as solving problems.  ======= Subscribe for more youth ministry coaching, share this with a leader on your team, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review.  ======= 300th Episode Giveaway!!  To enter the giveaway, email us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com and put "FREE300" in the subject line or body of the email.  Also, please include your name, church and location as well.  Full giveaway details, extra entries, rules and regulations can be found in the description of this episode's YouTube version here: https://youtu.be/YJYC8_uMYok ======= 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! ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#297) How to Build Trust When Partnering With Parents in Youth Ministry (#057) Getting Parents Involved in Youth Ministry (#180) Do You Need to Improve the Reputation of Your 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

  4. Jul 9

    4 Things You Should Avoid Before Stepping on Stage to Preach 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 walk through four things to avoid before preaching in youth ministry.  Youth ministry sermons land best when our hearts are fully engaged, not just our notes. We talk about surrender, staying with the people in the room, and leaning on the Holy Spirit instead of trying to carry the moment ourselves.  If you care about student ministry preaching, sermon preparation, and spiritual leadership that’s more than stage presence, this conversation will help you refocus on what matters and lead with humility and power of the Holy Spirit.  Subscribe, share this with another youth pastor or youth leader, and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review with your best pre-message routine! ======= You may also enjoy these episodes: (#241) 3 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Youth Ministry Sermons (#107) How to Deliver Better Sermons - 5 Youth Pastor Tips (#089) How to Get Better Engagement During Sermons in Youth Ministry (#218) Steal These 5 Tips to NEVER RUN OUT of Sermon Ideas for 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

  5. Jul 2

    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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

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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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