The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers Chris Trent

042 - Summer Extravaganza

Join us in episode 42 for our SUMMER EXTRAVAGANZA. This week we are joined by Cameron Wilkins, who works with NextGen for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. We discuss the impact of summer events on youth ministry and the importance of volunteers. We also share tips for volunteers about how to stay connected to teenagers throughout the summer and how to respond to a student who makes a spiritual decision at a summer event.

Takeaways
Summer events, such as camps, mission trips, and vacation Bible school, have a significant impact on the spiritual lives of teenagers.Volunteers play a crucial role in making summer events successful and meaningful.Building relationships and creating a sense of community are key aspects of summer events.The church can provide a unique and powerful experience that goes beyond what secular organizations can offer.Investing time and effort in summer events can lead to lifelong memories and lasting spiritual growth. Volunteers have a long-lasting impact on youth ministry and should show up consistently to build relationships with students.Even if volunteers can't attend summer camps or mission trips, they can still make a difference by finding creative ways to be present and engage with students.Volunteers should offer support, mentorship, and encouragement to students who make spiritual decisions during these experiences.It is important for volunteers to help students find resources for studying the Bible and remind them of their identity in Christ.Volunteers should stay connected and continue to invest in the lives of teenagers, even when they can't be physically present.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:07 Overview of Summer Events
05:14 The Impact of Move Conference
09:11 Personal Stories of Summer Camp
12:10 The Importance of VBS
14:00 Building Relationships and Community
16:30 Finding Creative Ways to Engage with Students

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at YouthMinistryPodcast@GaBaptist.org to share show ideas or give us feedback.

041 - What to do when your students are too busy to come to church

In this episode, we discuss what to do when students are too busy to come to church. We discuss the importance of not reacting negatively or making students feel guilty for not attending. Instead, we talk about how to celebrate the things that are keeping students busy and reminding them that they are on a mission in those places. We also encourage listeners to show up where students are and be creative in finding ways to connect with them outside of church. The episode concludes with a preview of the upcoming Summer Spectacular episode.

Takeaways
Don't react negatively or make students feel guilty for not attending churchCelebrate the things that are keeping students busyRemind students that they are on a mission in their extracurricular activitiesShow up where students are and be creative in finding ways to connect with them outside of church
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
02:49 Preparing for Summer and Introducing the Topic
03:07 Recognizing the Drop in Attendance 
05:06 Don't React Negatively or Make Students Feel Guilty
08:02 Celebrating Students' Commitments
11:29 Training Students to Be Missionaries
14:17 Showing Up and Connecting Outside of Church

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at YouthMinistryPodcast@GaBaptist.org to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Podcast 040 | Three Things Every Teenager Needs to Hear You Say

Join us in episode 40 as we discuss 3 things every teenagers needs to hear from a volunteer. While we’re not trying to oversimplify what it takes to work with teenagers, we do discuss what are the absolute basic things a teenagers needs to hear. 

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at YouthMinistryPodcast@GaBaptist.org to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Join Chris Trent, Jennifer Fletcher, and Tim Kilgore in episode 39 as they discuss ministering to teenagers disconnected from church-involved parents. Discover the importance of patience, grace, and mindful communication in reaching out to these youth. Learn how to navigate relationships with both teens and their non-church parents with respect and compassion. Gain valuable tips on pointing these teenagers towards Jesus and fostering connections with their families. Stay tuned for a heartfelt reminder to keep these families in your prayers as they journey together in faith.

Takeaways
Be patient and show grace to teenagers who may not be familiar with church culture.
Be mindful of the language used when communicating with both teenagers and their parents.
Respect non-church parents and understand that they love their children.
Point teenagers to Jesus and minister to the whole family.
Get to know the parents and seek opportunities to connect with them.
Pray for the teenagers and their parents.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:02 Ministering to teenagers without involved parents
04:37 Chapter 1: Remember they likely don't know church culture
06:46 Chapter 2: Be careful with the language you use
09:26 Chapter 3: Non-church parents are not the enemy
10:34 Chapter 4: Point them to Jesus
12:35 Chapter 5: Get to know the parents
14:11 Bonus: Pray for the kids and their parents
16:04 Conclusion

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com


We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at YouthMinistryPodcast@GaBaptist.org to share show ideas or give us feedback.

In this episode, Chris and Jennifer are joined by Angela Sanders to discuss girls ministry. They talk about the importance of girls ministry and why churches should consider having a separate ministry for girls. They also provide tips for volunteers who are interested in starting a girls ministry in their church. In this conversation, Angela Sanders shares insights on how to effectively run a girls ministry. She emphasizes the importance of assessing the specific needs of the girls in your context and avoiding a cookie-cutter approach. Angela also provides practical steps for starting and maintaining a successful girls ministry.

You can find Angela’s book here: https://www.angelasanderswrites.com/shop


Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:13 Excitement about Girls Ministry
06:31 Why Churches Should Consider Girls Ministry
07:17 Tips for Starting Girls Ministry as a Volunteer
19:16 Avoiding Fluff in Girls Ministry
21:24 Preparing Girls for the Future
23:52 Teaching Girls to Turn to Scripture
25:35 Creating an Intentional Environment
27:05 Including Girls in Leadership
28:27 Making Incremental Changes
29:19 Bringing Girls on the Team
30:18 Adding and Evaluating Ministry Elements
31:30 Starting Small and Casting Vision
32:12 Finding the Book and Connecting on Social Media
33:46 Joining the Student Ministry Network Facebook Group
34:13 Preview of Next Episode: Ministering to Kids with Uninvolved Parents

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com


We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at YouthMinistryPodcast@GaBaptist.org to share show ideas or give us feedback.

Episode 37 | Why are teenagers so lonely an how can we help?

Join us as we discuss the issue of loneliness among teenagers and how volunteers can help. We highlight the fact that despite being more connected than ever through technology, teenagers are experiencing high levels of loneliness. We also take a look the reasons behind this, including shallow relationships and lack of genuine connection. We provide four key strategies for volunteers to address this issue. And of course we emphasize the importance of volunteers in building meaningful relationships with teenagers and making a positive impact in their lives.

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

Takeaways
1. Teenagers today are experiencing high levels of loneliness, despite being more connected through technology.
2. Volunteers can help teenagers by helping them reframe their self-talk and fight the lies with truth.
3. Focusing on relational ministry is crucial for volunteers, as building meaningful relationships with teenagers can help combat loneliness.
4. Volunteers can connect students with other students, breaking down social barriers and fostering genuine connections.
5. Volunteers should go beyond church programs and show up in various aspects of teenagers' lives, such as attending their events and sending encouraging messages.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
04:01 The Loneliness Epidemic Among Teenagers
09:05 Helping Teenagers Reframe Their Self-Talk
12:06 Focusing on Relational Ministry
15:55 Connecting Students with Other Students
23:09 Upcoming Episode and Conclusion

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at YouthMinistryPodcast@GaBaptist.org to share show ideas or give us feedback.