Equipping Small Group Leaders to Minister to Their Few
Wednesday September 12, 2018 | Orange LeadersGoogle search the word pastor (I know what you’re thinking: Why would anyone do that?), and the first thing you will find is this definition: “a minister in charge of a Christian church or congregation.” Merriam-Webster’s definition while similar, adds an important component: “a spiritual overseer; especially: a clergyman serving a local church or parish.” […] Read more
Leading Small May be the Most Important Thing You do for the Kids in Your Church
Tuesday June 19, 2018 | Orange LeadersLast night while at a youth ministry camp I was reminded of a universal truth. Kids cheat. Especially when trying to dominate everyone else during a round of dodge ball. I tagged one high school guy out at least three times before he kind of, sort of acknowledged that he had been hit. I couldn’t […] Read more
Worship Leaders: One Thing To Stop Doing
Thursday April 5, 2018 | Orange LeadersI’ve noticed something about supervillains recently. They’ve got massive resources. Their genius is boundless. They always have a carefully crafted plan and focused vision. But still, they’re always brought down in the end by the same thing: the monologue. You know what I mean, right? They’ve finally got the hero right where they want them, […] Read more
Three Keys for Finding Great Volunteers
Thursday March 22, 2018 | Orange LeadersWe’re all in need of volunteers. If we’re going to build a great student ministry—the one that we believe God wants us to build—we’re not going to be able to do it alone. We’re going to have to find great people to help. In fact, I would argue that your student ministry will rise and […] Read more
Alignment Isn’t Optional
Thursday January 18, 2018 | Orange LeadersWe’ve all had experiences where our team wasn’t aligned. It’s hard to make progress. It can lead to frustration and at times it can make us question our calling. A lack of alignment is exhausting. I’m not suggesting being aligned as an organization is easy, in fact, I would say alignment requires a lot of […] Read more
Women in Ministry: A Spectrum of Positions
Tuesday December 5, 2017 | Orange LeadersIn Episode 14 of Rethinking Youth Ministry, we talked about the unique challenges that women face in ministry and leadership. Our goal wasn’t to argue the theology surrounding women in leadership or define what roles women could/should serve in, but to acknowledge the real tension that female leaders face—whether they’re employed by the church or […] Read more
Strategy for Volunteer Recruitment and Retention
Thursday August 31, 2017 | Orange LeadersI remember my first day on staff as Preschool Coordinator at the church my family and I had been attending for a year. “Good morning how are you? Are you serving anywhere?” I asked this very assertive looking woman checking in her kids. She looked at me like I had lost my mind. She then […] Read more
How to Lead Better in This Phase—Starting Now!
Wednesday July 19, 2017 | Orange LeadersWhether it simply lurks at the back of your mind during infrequent moments of insecurity or it keeps you up at night, you probably worry at times that you don’t measure up as a leader. You see social media posts from peers and experts that are “killing it,” and you silently wonder when (or if) […] Read more
Having Faith Conversations With Kids
Monday February 20, 2017 | Orange Leaders“Well, like one time I forgot to study for a test. So on my way to school I prayed to God to help me do good on the test… and I did!” Out of the mouths of second graders, right? Has one of your few ever made a statement about faith in group that you […] Read more
Prioritizing Relationships in Your Small Group Culture
Friday February 10, 2017 | Orange LeadersSunday Mornings . . . or Wednesday nights, or Sunday evenings. Whenever you meet, it’s essential to provide children and students with consistent weekly small group leaders. If you say small group relationships are a priority, this is how you act like it. I grew up in a church where everyone was on a rotation, […] Read more