As I reflect on twenty years of student ministry, several principles that have helped me maintain a healthy ministry rise to the surface. But first… know that these principles emerge from an ongoing, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus. It is foundational and critical to seek the Lord’s guidance and wisdom constantly through prayer, studying the…
student ministry
The Best Fundraisers Ever
It’s that time! If you serve in a church where students do fundraisers for missions and conferences, conversations to plan the year’s events have likely started. Fundraisers can become an effective part of your ministry’s path of discipleship. Leadership and community-building grow out of these events! Here are the best ones I’ve found over the years: After-church…
Who to Help?
You are a student ministry pastor. You want to reach out to the youth in your community. Where to start?? The needs are abundant! Time is short. Through social media and other conversations, we learn about the joys and struggles in the lives of our students and their friends. Early in my years of ministry,…
Walking with Your Short-term Missionary
In the coming weeks, short-term mission teams will head out to partner with missionaries across the globe. If your son, daughter, grandchild, cousin or friend will be serving on a team, consider how you can walk alongside him or her in the coming weeks. As a short-term missionary, they will experience new cultures, close relationships…
How the Church Showed Up One NYC Evening
Dusk fell. City lights flickered on. We walked to Triangle Park … small bit of park between several converging NYC streets. Patches of weeds broke through the hard-packed dirt, thick urban-patina covered the three benches. A couple scraggly trees canopied the whole place. Chris, one of our church members, pulled out his guitar and began…
Moving Student Ministry into Mission Mindset
She came because a friend invited her. She stayed because she liked to serve. She grew because the Lord worked in her heart. Students get connected to our church community in many different ways. One of the most effective has been through missions and outreach … not being the “evangelized” but being involved in the…
