Communicating Theology to Teens

Communicating Theology to Teens

When it comes to communicating theology to teens, the real question is what is your own theology? And then, what is the Vineyard’s theology? When you spit out a generated “pat” answer to one of your teen’s questions, are you pausing to see if you even believe it? I...
The Challenge of Leading Your Own Kids

The Challenge of Leading Your Own Kids

This is probably the hardest article for me to write as it pokes at a pain that runs deeper than anything I have encountered as a youth leader. The problem: My children in youth group are the kids that are the hardest to lead and those that I fear I am failing. As I...
A Culture of Worship

A Culture of Worship

How do we instill culture? I think of culture as the unspoken truths apparent in our lives, but often never talked about.  Most families don’t have a code of conduct that is typed up and signed with a blood covenant. Yet, values are instilled and regularly reinforced...
3 Tips for Creating a Plan for Your Youth Group

3 Tips for Creating a Plan for Your Youth Group

Are you much of a planner? Sometimes the thought of trying to plan a year for youth ministry is overwhelming – I’ve tried to distill what we do annually into a three step process. This hopefully helps! The first step… Why do you want or need a plan? Is it...
What do you do when your group shrinks?

What do you do when your group shrinks?

I have found that youth are attracted to each other. What I mean by that is if your youth group size is less than 10 it can be hard on a night that only 4 make it. One reason they come to youth group is to see each other and be around other youth. If they perceive “no...