In episode 26 of The Student Ministry Podcast, I interview Ben Patterson. Ben is currently the lead student pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Parker, Colorado. He's been at his current church for a couple years and has already had to lead through a few changes. He also has his own youth group at home … Continue reading Leading through Change with Ben Patterson (The Student Ministry Podcast – Episode 26)
Steve’s Blog
3 Important Components of Regular Student Ministry Meetings
One of the most important parts of student ministry is equipping and empowering others. There are many ways to go about this, but one of simplest ways is through regular meetings. We have them once a month. And because I don't like long meetings and I value people's time, I keep them to one hour … Continue reading 3 Important Components of Regular Student Ministry Meetings
Reflections on the Life and Ministry of Billy Graham
Today, one of the greatest modern evangelists has passed from this life into eternity with our Heavenly Father. Only God knows how many people Billy Graham helped to know Jesus over his 99 years on Earth, and I can say with certainty that he is one of the people I'll be so glad to meet … Continue reading Reflections on the Life and Ministry of Billy Graham
Give Back by Volunteering at The Orange Conference
Over the years, I've really enjoyed going to conferences and other events where I get the opportunity to learn, but I also enjoy connecting with others. In fact, I might even like that more. I was just talking to a friend the other day about another event, though, in which I'd really like to take … Continue reading Give Back by Volunteering at The Orange Conference
Don’t Forget about Yourself (YMLX 2018)
As the Youth Ministry Leadership Exchange came to a close, the team from Orange, DYM, and Fuller urged us to turn our focus inward. While we all probably agree that we should put God first and others second by serving them, so often in ministry, we completely about ourselves. And yes, we should be serving, … Continue reading Don’t Forget about Yourself (YMLX 2018)
Creating Safe Places in our Ministries (YMLX 2018)
Day 3 at the Youth Ministry Leadership Exchange started to bring it home and get a lot more practical. Tom Shefchunas and an expert panel talked about the real parts of ministry -- how are we creating safe environments for students to share their struggles? Tom started by sharing some of the questions he has been … Continue reading Creating Safe Places in our Ministries (YMLX 2018)
Partnering with Parents (YMLX 2018)
As day 2 of the Youth Ministry Leadership Exchange came to a close, we moved to the topic of parents. Specifically, we talked about the importance of partnering with them in our student ministries. It all started with a comedy routine from Andy Stanley's son, Andrew, who was hilarious. Then, Kara Powell, Kristen Ivy, Reggie Joiner, … Continue reading Partnering with Parents (YMLX 2018)
Keys to Connecting with our Culture (YMLX 2018)
One of the topics the leadership beyond the Youth Ministry Leadership Exchange felt it was important to tackle was that of culture. More specifically, before we headed to dinner on day 2, we talked about how to connect with the culture around us. Jeremy Del Rio, Jon Acuff, Dave Adamson, and a panel of experts … Continue reading Keys to Connecting with our Culture (YMLX 2018)
Building, Equipping, and Empowering a Student Ministry Team (YMLX 2018)
Day 2 was packed with great information and encouragement at the Youth Ministry Leadership Exchange. On top of change, we also talked about our teams and the importance of equipping and empowering them in order to set them up for success. Student ministry is much larger than just me, the lead youth worker. We need … Continue reading Building, Equipping, and Empowering a Student Ministry Team (YMLX 2018)
Navigating Change in Church & Student Ministry (YMLX 2018)
Day 2 at the Youth Ministry Leadership Exchange was packed with amazing content. It all started off with several sessions on the topic of change. It's something with which many people in student ministry are familiar, but we don't always do the best job of implementing it and/or navigating it. So, Doug Fields, Charles T. Lee, … Continue reading Navigating Change in Church & Student Ministry (YMLX 2018)
Steve Cullum 