Today kicked off the very first Youth Ministry Leadership Exchange, the product of a combined effort between Orange, Download Youth Ministry, and Fuller Youth Institute. Approximately 500 youth workers have come together for a one-of-a-kind event focused on exchanging ideas to become better leaders. The first couple sessions were all about the importance of strategy. … Continue reading The Importance of Strategy in Student Ministry (YMLX 2018)
Steve’s Blog
Youth Ministry Hacks with Justin Knowles (The Student Ministry Podcast – Episode 25)
In episode 25 of The Student Ministry Podcast, I interview Justin Knowles, the Student Ministries Pastor at Christ's Church of the Valley in San Dimas, California. Over the year's, Justin has gotten some great experience in student ministry working with some amazing veterans, but now he's leading up his own ministry right where he grew up. … Continue reading Youth Ministry Hacks with Justin Knowles (The Student Ministry Podcast – Episode 25)
Going Back to the Dominican Republic
Soon after I arrived at my new ministry at LifeBridge Christian Church in Longmont, CO, last year, God allowed me to go on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic with LifeBridge and GO Ministries. It was great, and now I get to lead a student and parent trip from March 24-31, 2018. During our … Continue reading Going Back to the Dominican Republic
Now Connecting Youth Workers Across Colorado
A couple years ago, I posted on here about a new volunteer role I was taking with the National Network of Youth Ministries. I was the co-coordinator for the state of New Hampshire. When I moved, though, it didn't make sense to continue that role since I wouldn't live there anymore. After a few conversations, … Continue reading Now Connecting Youth Workers Across Colorado
Plan to Plan Ahead
In the world of student ministry, there are many stereotypes. And several of them are negative. I don’t know if it’s just how I am wired, but one of my goals has been to break those wide open, doing my best to represent this ministry well. Near the top of that list of stereotypes is the … Continue reading Plan to Plan Ahead
Communicate Early and Communicate Often
There's a funny saying about voting: Vote early and vote often! Clearly it's a tongue-in-cheek statement, but I do think the phrase is incredibly applicable to communication, especially within student ministry. In a world with many stereotypes about youth pastor who fly by the seats of their pants and don't have a plan, you can … Continue reading Communicate Early and Communicate Often
GameChurch Shares Jesus with Gamers
Do you have gamers in your youth group? Are you a gamer yourself? If so, make sure you check out GameChurch! I've been associated with this great organization for a couple years now as a writer for their website. But the first time I heard about them was many years ago at either E3 or … Continue reading GameChurch Shares Jesus with Gamers
Trust and Student Ministry Magic with David Wood (The Student Ministry Podcast – Episode 24)
In episode 24 of The Student Ministry Podcast, Steve interviews David Wood, the Jr. High Director at Shelter Cove Community Church in Modesto, California. From a teenager, David knew God wanted to use him, but it wasn't always a clear path to where God has him today. Along the way, he served in the military and also … Continue reading Trust and Student Ministry Magic with David Wood (The Student Ministry Podcast – Episode 24)
New Year’s Resolutions for 2018
Happy New Year! Can you believe it's 2018? When I was little, I found it hard to believe we'd ever be out of the 1900s. Now, here we are 18 years into this new millennium. While 2017 was not as difficult as some past years, it was definitely filled with some big things, specifically big … Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions for 2018
Let’s Take Christmas to the World!
This year, I keep getting reminded that not everyone thinks of Christmas in a positive light. In fact, many people get depressed around the holiday season. The amount of people who commit suicide even goes up before, during, and right after Christmas. If this is you, I just want to offer a sincere and heartfelt … Continue reading Let’s Take Christmas to the World!
Steve Cullum 