Small Groups Articles

Discipleship, Middle School, Volunteers, Small Groups
mark.eades@newcovenantbible.org's picture

An Interesting Thought

Mark Eades Wednesday, February 1, 2012
It had been a rough night with our middle school youth. I was talking it through with some of my adult leaders when I had an interesting thought. Often we want kids who already “get it.” They don’t talk back; they do what we ask them to do, etc. But often...
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Leadership, Volunteers, Small Groups, Programming, Outreach

Debriefing For Dummies

Kurt and Josh Wednesday, February 1, 2012
You wake up exhausted. Was that overnighter a dream? Where did your black eye come from? Why is your arm in a cast? Why are there 13 missed calls from various parents? What speeding ticket? If you’re like us, after a big event or activity the last thing you want to do is re-live all the details. If... read more
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Leadership, Volunteers, Small Groups, Programming, Outreach

Planning a Big Youth Ministry Event

Kurt and Josh Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Most youth workers like events. We may have mixed emotions about their overall effectiveness, but they aren’t going away anytime soon….we simply won’t let them! And while we all like events, we aren’t all great at planning them from start to finish. As a result, many events are tossed together at... read more
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Discipleship, Worship, Speaking, Volunteers, Small Groups, Programming

The Best Part of a Youth Ministry Conference

Kurt and Josh Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Yesterday we got a surprisingly high response to “How to Get the Most Out of a Youth Ministry Conference” and are beyond excited that many of you are joining us for SYMC 2012. Today we wanted to highlight the very best part of a youth ministry conference, but we couldn’t limit it to just one! Here’... read more
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Families, Leadership, Discipleship, Speaking, Volunteers, Small Groups, Programming

3 Things That Are Changing in Youth Ministry

Kurt and Josh Tuesday, December 20, 2011
There has been a lot of talk this year about the changing shape of youth ministry. As we wrap up one of our last articles of 2011, we thought it was a good idea to talk about a few of these changes … and point out a few things that don’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Up today, a few ways youth... read more
Small Groups

Why Go To Small Groups?

Ronald Long Tuesday, November 22, 2011
“Honestly, I thought you were crazy.” I’m not the first youth minister to hear that. I’m fairly certain I’ll hear it again. At the church I’m serving at, this was a phrase I heard several times during my first few years there. My predessor was the youth minister for 26 years. Yes, you read that... read more
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Discipleship, Volunteers, Small Groups

Training Your Volunteers

Kurt and Josh Wednesday, October 12, 2011
One of the keys to keeping new leaders and continually improving the skill set of your volunteer team is to keep them trained. Here are a few ideas to help you get your team ahead: Take everyone to a conference Few youth budgets in the world can handle the strain of flying a team of volunteers... read more
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Drama, Discipleship, Culture, Middle School, Small Groups, College

Irritated On Purpose

Bridgette Murphy Thursday, October 6, 2011
(The conversation in my head went something like this...) Going off on her in your mind didn’t help. Not getting any sleep didn’t help. Stressing out because the situation seems out of your control didn’t help. Putting in your complaint about her seeming obsession with control surely didn’t do... read more
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Leadership, Small Groups

Small Groups are Worth it/Extreme Calling...A Response

Patti Gibbons Thursday, September 15, 2011
Having walked in their shoes, I always feel for the small church youth worker when I read articles. A lot of the time the best intentioned, really great insight about our vocation can seem overwhelming. For those with smaller youth ministries the extremes can feel even more extreme. “Of course... read more
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Small Groups

Why Small Groups Are Worth It

Kurt and Josh Tuesday, September 13, 2011
•Small groups are messy. Really messy. •Small groups are a logistical hassle. Meeting in homes only adds to the chaos. •Small groups require lots of leaders. •Small groups need constant attention and maintenance. •In short...small groups are a BIG pain. But … Small groups are totally worth it... read more
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Families, Leadership, Drama, Discipleship, Worship, Culture, Middle School, Missions, Speaking, Volunteers, Small Groups, Programming, Outreach, College

Called to Youth Ministry

Kurt and Josh Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I remember hearing a pastor once talk about his “calling to ministry” – my first thought was how mystical it all sounded; that God would pick out some normal person and make them super special for ministry.  Would God’s calling be accompanied by bright light, an audible voice, smoke and lasers... read more