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How to Avoid Awkward Student Ministry Small Groups 😬

By Growth

How do you avoid awkward student ministry small groups?

We all know that huge life transformations can happen in the context of small groups…but creating the right atmosphere for students to connect can be a challenge.

The last thing you want is to pour your heart and soul into hyping up small groups just for your students to show up and have the vibe totally off.

We want to help you out.

Here are the 3 things every small group needs to thrive 👇

1️⃣ Every small group needs a good playlist

Music in the background always eliminates the awkwardness that silence can bring. Especially as students are walking in the door, you want them to feel like they’re walking into something fun — a place where they want to be. Music breathes life into the space and makes students feel more comfortable.

(Don’t know what to add to your playlist? Anything from our friends over at Elevation Rhythm will be the perfect vibe for a small group playlist!)

2️⃣ Every small group needs a good icebreaker

One of the worst moments in a small group is when you bring everyone together to start the conversation, you ask the first question, and you’re met with the sound of crickets. Absolutely no one wants to chime in. The best way to get the students used to sharing in a small group context is with an icebreaker that’s guaranteed to get them to contribute. Don’t leave this moment up to spontaneity — have a plan going in so you (or your leaders) are prepared to get the room going.

(Looking for an icebreaker that’s fun, gets everyone involved, and can be used over and over again? Play a few rounds of Cards Christians Like. Your students will love it and it’s clean fun!)

3️⃣ Every small group needs a leader who’s set up for success

Your students are smart. They know when you’ve come prepared and they respect when their leaders show up to the group fully ready for the discussion at hand. Conversely, they know when their leaders are winging it. Your students deserve the best. They deserve leaders who have put time and attention into every group. Make sure your leaders are prepared with all the tools they need to lead the discussion well.

Discover More about Small Groups with Youth Pastor Co

Wondering the best way to prepare your leaders to lead small groups? Every series from Youth Pastor Co comes with corresponding small group questions so your leaders are ready to lead the group and nail home the point from your message.

Our Youth Pastor Co sermon series library has more than 100 sermon series on a comprehensive list of topics. We’re here to make sure you’re equipped to walk your students through the biblical worldview of virtually any topic in culture or in Scripture. 

Every new series includes:

✅ Sermon Series Graphics

✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum

✅ Sermon Bumper Video

✅ Small Group Materials

✅ Social Media Graphics

GET ACCESS NOW

These three things — a good playlist, a solid icebreaker, and prepared leaders — can make or break your students’ small groups. Make sure you get them right and avoid awkward student ministry small groups this semester! 

Have you found any other great ways to keep students engaged in small groups? Let us know!

P.S. Here’s a bonus 4th thing that will help you win with small groups — food! The way to your students’ hearts is through their stomachs. Even if it’s as small as cookies that you peel and bake yourself, get some food on the table!

The 3 Best Youth Ministry Sermon Series on Friendship 🤝

By Growth

As your students start a new school year, surrounded by new opportunities and new people, the fall is the perfect time to preach on friendships.

Looking for the perfect sermon series on friendship? We’ve got you covered 🤝

Here are our favorite three youth ministry sermon series on friendship👇

1️⃣ Best Friends

Everyone has a best friend — that one person who is like family. They raid your fridge, wear your clothes, share plenty of weird inside jokes, and are incredibly important in your life. More than just comfort and jokes, being a best friend takes intentional work and selfless love. This four-week series unpacks what Scripture has to say on the topic of friendship from the friends we choose and how we love and serve them to how we cultivate a friendship with Jesus. This series will challenge your students to grow in their understanding of true God-honoring friendships.

DOWNLOAD BEST FRIENDS

2️⃣ W Friends

What is a true friend, or as the young people say, a “W” friend? The right kind of friends are special to the soul. Scripture has a lot to say about the kind of people we call friends. In this four-week series, we examine the qualities of biblical friendship and how we can choose the right people and be the right people!

DOWNLOAD W FRIENDS

3️⃣ Thick As Thieves

As human beings created in the image of God, we were never meant to do life alone. We were created for community and relationships. This three-week series dives into three types of relationships God has for our lives — relationships with people who pour into us, relationships with people who walk right by our side, and relationships with people who we pour into. 

DOWNLOAD THICK AS THIEVES

Explore the Youth Pastor Co Sermon Series Library

Our Youth Pastor Co sermon series library has more than 100 sermon series on a comprehensive list of topics. We’re here to make sure you’re equipped to walk your students through the biblical worldview of virtually any topic in culture or in Scripture.

Every new series includes:

✅ Sermon Series Graphics

✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum

✅ Sermon Bumper Video

✅ Small Group Materials

✅ Social Media Graphics

GET ACCESS NOW

We hope these youth ministry sermon series on friendship equip you to disciple your students on a deeper level!

If you’re not yet a subscriber to Youth Pastor Co, why wait? Sign up today to get access to the sermon series library!

And if there’s anything we can do for you, just reach out or schedule a meeting with a team member today!

P.S. Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use. Not a member yet? Join us today!

How much does it cost to create a sermon series? 🤔

By Growth

What is the true cost of a sermon series?

If you’ve been in ministry for any amount of time, you know that creating sermon series is costly. Creating great sermon series costs you time. The ideation takes time. Communication with graphic designers and video professionals takes time. Curriculum and small group material writing takes time. 

Creating great sermon series is also costly financially.

How costly? Let’s break it down.

When creating a sermon series, your church pays for…

😩 graphic design

😩 social media assets

😩 custom bumper videos

…and that’s not to mention the time and effort spent on sermon and small group prep.

If you do it on your own, the cost of producing one sermon series is on average more than $500.

At this evaluation, a year’s worth of sermon series would cost your church more than $6,000 😱

Meanwhile, a yearly subscription to Youth Pastor Co is $397…and it comes with access to a library of more than 100 sermon series for your youth group.

We think that’s a pretty exceptional savings 😎

Your students deserve the best. Each month we bring together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use.

And our sermon series graphics? Top of the line 🤌 Check out some of our recent favorites!

And it doesn’t stop at awesome graphics. The sermon series bumper videos are awesome as well.

Thinking Youth Pastor Co is the right fit for your youth group?

GET ACCESS NOW

If you’re not yet part of the Youth Pastor Co community, now’s the time to get involved. Gain access to our diverse sermon series library and empower your teaching with impactful resources that resonate with students in today’s world. Elevate your ministry with tools designed to foster spiritual growth and understanding.

A sermon series graphic for "Bullies In My Brain," a youth ministry sermon series on mental health.

3 Effective Strategies to Kickstart a Strong School Year 💪

By Growth

As a youth pastor, it can feel impossible to find the right back-to-school resources for youth ministry. The beginning of the school year can feel overwhelming as you transition from the summer youth group activities back to full-throttle teaching mode. However, embracing the right strategies can transform this transition into a foundation for the upcoming months as your students get back into the rhythms of school. In this article, we’ll delve into three essential approaches to empower both you and your students for a strong and productive school year.

 

Three effective strategies to kickstart a strong school year in youth ministry 👇

 

  1. Foster Discipleship by Getting Your Students Reading the Bible

First, one of the best things you could do for the students in your youth group is to get them in God’s Word themselves. As an educator or youth leader, your pivotal role is to guide and nurture young minds. Beyond organizing weekly gatherings and fun activities, your ultimate purpose is to guide them in their relationship with Jesus. This season’s outset is the perfect juncture to establish a structured discipleship plan. Start by encouraging students to participate in a Bible reading plan available on the YouVersion app. Make their engagement rewarding by introducing incentives for consistent scripture exploration.

 

  1. Streamline Your Systems

Next, it’s time for a systems overhaul. Juggling various responsibilities as a youth pastor can be demanding. From mentoring students and orchestrating events to handling personal commitments, it’s easy to become overwhelmed without efficient systems in place. Now, at the commencement of the school year, take the opportunity to recalibrate your workflow. Reflect on your current strategies: What’s effective? What needs improvement? Identify tasks that can be delegated, and create a plan to reallocate your time. Set clear goals and map out the daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly actions necessary to achieve them.

 

  1. Choose the Right Curriculum

Lastly, selecting the right curriculum is paramount to effectively shaping your students’ spiritual growth. Your teachings should resonate with their everyday challenges and offer guidance rooted in God’s Word. That’s why, at Youth Pastor Co, we prioritize offering impactful sermon series packages that address contemporary issues in a relatable manner. For instance, our latest series, “Bullies In My Brain,” addresses mental health, a critical concern among students returning to school. Equip your students to conquer anxiety and embrace their divine purpose with this comprehensive four-week series. Check it out 👇

DOWNLOAD BULLIES IN MY BRAIN

Discover the Benefits of Youth Pastor Co

The Bullies In My Brain sermon series is the beginning. Youth Pastor Co has a collection of over 100 sermon series covering a wide range of cultural and scriptural topics, and we add two new sermon series on the first of every month. Every series comes complete with:

✅ Sermon Series Graphics

✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum

✅ Sermon Bumper Video

✅ Small Group Materials

✅ Social Media Graphics

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY

So, we hope these three strategies and back-to-school resources for youth ministry equip you to head back to school with your students stronger than ever before! 

P.S. Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use. Not a member yet? Join us today!

3 Perfect Back-to-School Sermon Series ✏️

By Growth

Are you looking for the perfect back-to-school sermon series? With your students headed back to school next month, they’re set to encounter new people, new challenges, and new opportunities.

As you prepare what you’re going to preach going into the new school year, we thought we’d compile 3 of our favorite series to preach at the start of school.

Here are the three best sermon series you could preach at the start of the school year 👇

 

1️⃣ Climb the Mountain

A sermon series on seeking God.

The start of school is the perfect time to talk about seeking God. When we seek God, we not only find Him, we find ourselves. Over and over again in Scripture, God encourages His people to seek Him. In this four-week series based in Psalm 24, we unpack what it means to truly seek the face of God, and what we will find when we decide to go after Him with all of our hearts.

DOWNLOAD CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN

2️⃣ W Friends

A sermon series on friendship.

When students head back to school and are surrounded by so many new people, preaching on godly friendships is a great approach. What is a true friend, or as the young people say, a “W” friend? The right kind of friends are special to the soul. Scripture has a lot to say about the kind of people we call friends. In this four-week series, we examine the qualities of biblical friendship and how we can choose the right people and be the right people!

DOWNLOAD W FRIENDS

3️⃣ Open Book

A series on evangelism.

August is the perfect time to talk about evangelism with your students. It’s a time when they can take the passion for God they cultivated over the summer into the halls of their schools. One of the biggest action steps of our faith is sharing it with others. God has revealed Himself to us so that we might live as an example for others who He longs to bring into His family. In this three-week series, we explore what it looks like for students to truly know that Jesus is the reason for the hope that is within them and evangelize their world. As they head back to school this fall, this series will equip them to live out their faith boldly, knowing that God has called them to show His love to the people in their worlds.

DOWNLOAD OPEN BOOK

Discover more about Youth Pastor Co

Each sermon series includes 👇

✅ Sermon Series Graphics

✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum

✅ Sermon Bumper Video

✅ Small Group Materials

✅ Social Media Graphics

Our Youth Pastor Co sermon series library has more than 100 sermon series on a comprehensive list of topics. We’re here to make sure you’re equipped to walk your students through the biblical worldview of virtually any topic in culture or in Scripture.

GET ACCESS NOW

We hope these suggestions help as you nail down your back-to-school sermon series!

P.S. Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use. Not a member yet? Join us today!

Why youth pastors can’t change culture 😬

By Growth

Youth Pastors can’t change culture.

Actually, no one can.

That’s because culture isn’t changed — it’s created.

Do you want your students to live in a culture of heaven here on earth?

Then you have to create that culture.

Do you want your students to live in a culture of healthy relationships?

Then you have to create that culture.

Do you want your students to live sold out lives to Jesus Christ?

Then you have to create that culture.

Think about it — every major shift in culture has happened as a result of new culture being created, not the existing culture changing. The industrial revolution. The automobile. The internet. All impacted culture by creating new culture. They offered a better way.

Jesus does the same for us. He offers a better way.

And you create a culture for your students when you show them Jesus’s better way.

It’s no small task. In fact, it’s huge.

That’s where we come in to help. At Youth Pastor Co, we create sermon series that shape the next generation. Every single series points to Jesus’s way. It’s the only way we’re ever going to see culture impacted for the better — for the Kingdom.

And it starts with your students.

GET ACCESS NOW

This is a large mandate. We’re here to help.

If you’re not yet part of the Youth Pastor Co community, now’s the time to get involved. Gain access to our diverse sermon series library and empower your teaching with impactful resources that resonate with students in today’s world. Elevate your ministry with tools designed to foster spiritual growth and understanding.

P.S. Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use. Become a member today and gain access to our ever-growing library of sermon series. On a budget? Ask about our small church discount!

2 sermon series perfect to preach in August 🔥

By Growth

If you’ve found yourself asking “What should I preach in August?” you’ve come to the right place.

August is a crazy time for your students — it’s a season of transition as they’re headed back to school and getting back into a routine.

It’s also a new opportunity for them to bring their faith with them into the new school year.

That’s why August is the perfect time to equip your students for evangelism. They need tools to take the passion for God they found over the summer into their classrooms each day.

With that in mind, we gathered two person sermon series for August.

Here are two of our favorite series on evangelism, perfect for you to preach in August 👇

 

1️⃣ Open Book

A sermon series on evangelism.

One of the biggest action steps of our faith is sharing it with others. God has revealed Himself to us that we might live as an example for others who He longs to bring into His family. In this three-week series, we explore what it looks like for students to truly know that Jesus is the reason for the hope that is within them and evangelize their world. As they head back to school this fall, this series will equip them to live out their faith boldly, knowing that God has called them to show His love to the people in their worlds.

DOWNLOAD OPEN BOOK

2️⃣ Prepare The Way

A sermon series on repentance.

John the Baptist had an important role to play in the Gospel story — He prepared the way for God to move. His message of repentance was just as radical in his day as it is in ours, and today it’s just as necessary. This 4-week series explores John’s message of repentance, how it prepared the way for God to move in his time, and how this same message is still preparing the way for God to move in our own lives.

DOWNLOAD PREPARE THE WAY

Discover more about Youth Pastor Co

Each sermon series includes 👇

✅ Sermon Series Graphics

✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum

✅ Sermon Bumper Video

✅ Small Group Materials

✅ Social Media Graphics

Our Youth Pastor Co sermon series library has more than 100 sermon series on a comprehensive list of topics. We’re here to make sure you’re equipped to walk your students through the biblical worldview of virtually any topic in culture or in Scripture.

GET ACCESS NOW

We hope these help as you nail down your sermon series for August!

P.S. Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use. Not a member yet? Join us today!

How to Finish Your Summer in Youth Ministry Strong 💪

By Growth

July is here and you know that what means… you have just over a month left of the summer in youth ministry before your students head back to school. It’s time to think about how you’re going to finish this summer in youth ministry strong.

Often with one month in the summer left, the temptation is to bide your time until the school year comes back around and your students’ schedules are more regular again — but this isn’t the way to finish the summer strong or with momentum going into the school year.

In fact, this is how you lose momentum going into the school year.

Here’s the good news: you CAN finish the summer strong. There are a few things you can do right now to make the most of the rest of your summer and set yourself up for success going into the school year.

Here are three intentional steps to finishing your summer in youth ministry strong👇

1️⃣ Prioritize time for discipleship.

The first step to finishing the summer strong is to prioritize discipleship. So much of our students’ spiritual formation happens through discipleship. We all know it by now — discipleship happens in the context of relationship. Take advantage of the slower pace of the summer and create opportunities for students to get involved with projects you have going on at the church outside of your normal Sunday morning or Wednesday night service. Have a project you’ve been putting off for a while? Now’s the time. Get a small group of students involved and tackle it together. You’ll get some long-awaited projects tackled, your students will get the opportunity to serve, and discipleship will happen in the process.

 

2️⃣ Reach out to the students you haven’t seen in a while.

The next step to finishing the summer strong is to reach out to the students you haven’t seen in a while. Summer can be a weird time for students. Their schedules aren’t as consistent, some of them have summer activities that take them out of the group for a season. At the end of the day, each of your students wants to feel loved and known. This starts with noticing when they’re not there. Make a list of some of your students you haven’t seen in a few weeks and a reach out. You can even divide some of these students among your leaders and have them reach out. The goal is simple: let your students know they’re not forgotten.

 

3️⃣ Make sure you have the right curriculum going into the school year.

The final step to finishing the summer strong is making sure you’re using the right curriculum. Getting your tools right for the school year is the surest way to ensure momentum from the very beginning, and curriculum is the most important tool in your bag. That’s why we’re here: to take the heavy lifting of sermon structuring and research, graphic design, bumper videos, small group materials, and social media graphics off your plate so you can do what you’re called to do: reach more students with the gospel.

GET ACCESS NOW

Discover More About Youth Pastor Co

Our Youth Pastor Co sermon series library has more than 100 sermon series on a comprehensive list of topics. We’re here to make sure you’re equipped to walk your students through the biblical worldview of virtually any topic in culture or in Scripture.

Every new series includes:

✅ Sermon Series Graphics

✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum

✅ Sermon Bumper Video

✅ Small Group Materials

✅ Social Media Graphics

GET ACCESS NOW

If you’re not yet a subscriber to Youth Pastor Co, why wait? Sign up today to get access to the sermon series library!

And that’s it — now you know how to finish your summer in youth ministry strong! We hope this helps you walk into the school year with more momentum than ever before!

P.S. Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use. Not a member yet? Join us today!

The one thing every great leader has in common… a good coach.

By Growth

“Where can I find good coaching for youth pastors?”

If you’re a youth pastor who wants to grow, you’re asking the right question.

Youth Pastors are leaders, and if you’re a leader, the chances are you want to be a good one. Maybe you even want to be a great one.

But there is one thing every great leader has in common:

A great coach.

Do you have a great coach? This is someone who sees the vision, knows what it takes to get there, and keeps you accountable along the way.

When you’re in youth ministry, you’re a leader in the lives of many. You play a pivotal role in the lives of your students. It’s imperative you have the right coach speaking into your life.

That’s why we offer monthly coaching for youth pastors and leaders here at Youth Pastor Co.

We’re passionate about seeing you go further, and reach more students with the gospel than ever before, but we know you can’t go it alone. That’s why we put so much time and energy into coaching for youth pastors.

It’s not for everyone, we know that. But maybe it’s for you.

What’s a typical coaching session like?

  • An hour long, once a month.
  • 30 minutes of in-depth teaching.
  • 30 minutes of Q&A.
  • Each session includes a PDF of the coach’s notes and video playback in case you can’t attend.

And there’s no better time to sign up than now. We host a coaching call on the first Thursday of every month.

JOIN THE YOUTH PASTOR CO COACHING GROUP

What do you get with our coaching group?

✅ Access to an exclusive group of youth pastors from across America. 

✅ On-demand video playback of each coaching call.

✅ Downloadable pdf coaching notes.

✅ Individual coaching sessions available upon request.

✅ A private community to bounce ideas off of and collaborate with.

✅ A curated coaching rotation featuring the best leaders and brightest minds in the church today.

This coaching group for youth pastors isn’t for leader who’s only looking to get by or make friends. This is for the youth pastor who’s serious about growing as a leader, reaching lost students, and making a difference in their community.

3 Keys to Building Emotionally Healthy Students 🔑

By Growth

More than ever, it’s imperative you don’t shy away from conversations about mental and emotional health with your students…and yet good student ministry resources for emotional health can feel impossible to find.

Culture is loud when it comes to the messaging around mental and emotional health. That’s why, when it comes to your students, it’s imperative that you’re louder…but where do you start?

We put together a 3-step list to get you started on the journey toward emotionally healthy students:

1️⃣ Set the example.

Like anything else, if you’re talking to your students about it, you should be living it. What does your life look like? What do your relationships look like? How’s your boundary setting? Do you have good routines? Do you ask for help when you need it? These are key questions to ask yourself before you go any further. Your students respect you the most when you live what you preach. And just a thought, when you lead with vulnerability, your students are more apt to respond with vulnerability.

2️⃣ Encourage them to stay connected to godly community.

Loneliness and isolation are often the root of many mental and emotional health problems. When your students are surrounded by people who love them, accept them, and call them higher, they are more likely to lead mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthier lives. God created all of us for community. Challenge your students to get plugged in on a deeper level.

3️⃣ Don’t be afraid to go there.

This can be an intimidating topic, but it’s an important one. Don’t be afraid to get loud about this topic. Our culture has a lot of opinions about mental, emotional, and spiritual health, but God’s Word holds the Truth our students are hungry for. Bring them back to God’s Word  — it will never return void!

Wondering how to best approach this topic with your youth group? Our 4-week series “In My Feelings” tackles this topic head-on and is one of our favorite student ministry resources for emotional health.

In My Feelings…a sermon series on emotional health & the heart. Check it out 👇

DOWNLOAD IN MY FEELINGS

We hope these three keys help you as you disciple your students in their mental, emotional, and spiritual health!

P.S. Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use. Not a member yet? Join us today!

How To Talk To Your Youth Group About Gender From A Biblical Perspective

By Growth

“How do I talk to my students about gender from a biblical perspective?”

This is a question so many youth pastors are asking right now — and it’s a great question to ask!

Do you feel equipped to talk about gender with your students?

It’s a prevalent topic in our culture right now, especially this month. This is exactly why it’s important you, as a youth pastor, find your voice in this area. Your students need to know what God’s Word says about the things they are encountering all the time.

We get it — topics like this can feel challenging to tackle. That’s why we’re here to help.

Our new series on sexuality, “Don’t Say” tackles some of the most prevalent topics in culture right now — gender, purity, pornography, and homosexuality — from a biblical perspective.

Check it out 👇

One of the most relevant yet uncomfortable conversations that your students are having is around sex and sexuality. Sometimes these topics become so taboo that the church doesn’t speak about them. Scripture, however, has a lot to say about sexuality. In this four-week series, we’ll address the topic of sexuality that your students are facing in their culture.

Our Youth Pastor Co sermon series library has more than 100 sermon series on a comprehensive list of topics. We’re here to make sure you’re equipped to walk your students through the biblical worldview of virtually any topic in culture or in Scripture.

Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use.

Every new series includes:

✅ Sermon Series Graphics

✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum

✅ Sermon Bumper Video

✅ Small Group Materials

✅ Social Media Graphics

If you’re not yet a subscriber to Youth Pastor Co, why wait? Sign up today to get access to the sermon series library!

3 Student Ministry Summer Sermon Series 😎

By Growth, Preaching

Trying to nail down what you’re going to preach to your youth group in June? Getting your student ministry summer sermon series right is crucial — it sets the tone for you summer.

We’re here to help you get your summer off on the right foot.

These are three of our favorite student ministry summer sermon series that are perfect for you to preach in June ☀️

 

Sermon Series #1️⃣  — Don’t Say

A series on sexuality.

One of the most relevant yet uncomfortable conversations that your students are having is around sex and sexuality. Sometimes these topics become so taboo that the church doesn’t speak about them. Scripture, however, has a lot to say about sexuality. In this four-week series, we’ll address the topic of sexuality that your students are facing in their culture.

DOWNLOAD DON'T SAY

Sermon Series #2️⃣ —  Are We There Yet?

A series on waiting.

Waiting can be hard. Whether we’re waiting on a person, a circumstance, or waiting on God, waiting seasons come with a particular set of challenges — but God is working even while we wait. This four-week series dives into four different waiting seasons in Scripture. Through the stories of Abraham, Hannah, the parable of the servants, and the prodigal son, we see how God’s plan plays out specifically in seasons of waiting, and how we can honor and obey Him along the way.

DOWNLOAD ARE WE THERE YET?

Sermon Series #3️⃣ —  Excuse Me

A series on divine interruptions.

We’ve all had interruptions that have caused us to say: “Excuse me?” Sometimes these interruptions are divine! God interrupts our lives in ways that can often confuse us, but He ultimately leads us to our healing and growth. In this four-week series, we’ll look at four biblical examples of divine interruption and what God’s purpose is for us today when He interrupts our lives!

DOWNLOAD EXCUSE ME

Our Youth Pastor Co sermon series library has more than 100 sermon series on a comprehensive list of topics. We’re here to make sure you’re equipped to walk your students through the biblical worldview of virtually any topic in culture or in Scripture.

Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use.

Every new series includes:
✅ Sermon Series Graphics
✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum
✅ Sermon Bumper Video
✅ Small Group Materials
✅ Social Media Graphics

GET ACCESS NOW

If you’re not yet a subscriber to Youth Pastor Co, why wait? Sign up today to get the access to the sermon series library!

P.S. Looking for more student ministry sermon series that could you work for your youth group? Check out our sermon series library.

Four Sermon Series That Are Perfect to Preach at the Beginning of the Year

By Growth

Do you know what you’re preaching to your students to kick off the year?

When you start a new year in youth ministry, you never want to feel like you’re behind before the year even starts.

You want to start the year ahead so you can set the vision and start running with it — that’s why it’s important to lock in your preaching calendar as early as possible.

But what should you be preaching at the beginning of the year?

We’re here to help you nail it down.

Here are 4 perfect sermon series to preach at the beginning of the year 👇

1. Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire

A sermon series on God’s Presence.

Scripture refers to the presence of God in many ways, like fire. The age-old adage of “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” rings true with God’s presence: if it’s visible, the signs are present. In this four-week series, we see the ways in which God’s presence is symbolized by fire and the “smoke” that should show in our lives because of it.

DOWNLOAD WHERE THERE'S SMOKE THERE'S FIRE

2. Climb The Mountain

A sermon series on seeking God.

When we seek God, we not only find Him, we find ourselves. Over and over again in Scripture, God encourages His people to seek Him. In this four-week series based in Psalm 24, we unpack what it means to truly seek the face of God, and what we will find when we decide to go after Him with all of our hearts.

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3. The Youth Will Always Win

A sermon series on being used by God.

More often than not, young people are overlooked, but that’s precisely who Jesus handpicked to carry the Gospel forward. In this series, we’ll take a look at some of the common barriers your students experience that keeps them from being used by God. Scripture will create a context for discovering how God has called us to overcome these perceived limitations.

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4. I Can’t See

A sermon series on vision.

Without vision, the people perish. The problem for many students is they don’t have spiritual vision for their lives. In this series, we’re going to be taking students through Scripture so they can learn the truth about God’s vision for their lives, how to stay strong when the journey gets tough, and what it means to walk by faith and not by sight.

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Each sermon series includes 👇

✅ Sermon Series Graphics

✅ Sermon Builder Curriculum

✅ Sermon Bumper Video

✅ Small Group Materials

✅ Social Media Graphics

Our Youth Pastor Co sermon series library has more than 100 sermon series on a comprehensive list of topics. We’re here to make sure you’re equipped to walk your students through the biblical worldview of virtually any topic in culture or in Scripture.

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We hope these suggestions help as you nail down your beginning of the year sermon series!

P.S. Each month, Youth Pastor Co brings together the most creative minds in youth ministry to build sermon series packages that are powerful, relevant, and easy to use. Not a member yet? Join us today!

Learning To Fail Leads To Success

By Growth

Failure is no bueno.

I don’t like it.

It makes me feel devalued and incompetent.

I feel like a 5th grader is smarter than me…

I am not trying to downplay 5th graders, but I am a graduate of elementary. It’s a pretty big deal.

For years, I thought I did not fail. I might have said something like “I am not perfect” or “I don’t know everything.” When deep down I thought, I was close to perfection and I knew almost everything. I might have been blind to arrogance in my life. Let’s just say I failed at humility.

The more I succeeded, the more I ignored failures. I maintained this way of thinking for years. Until I went through a season of failures. Back to back. One after the other. I made almost every kind of failure. The biggest failure I made, was being blind to it all.

So, I took a hard look at my track record and asked three questions:

1. How did I not see the failures coming?

2. How could I have prevented the failures?

3. Why didn’t anyone tell me?

The answers to those questions were not very fun.

Like I said, I don’t like to fail.

Actually, the more I think about it…

I don’t know many people who like to fail.

We all fail. There is no way around it. We fail in relationships. We fail in school. We fail at work. We fail at budgeting. We fail at communication. We fail. Plain and simple. No one is perfect (except Jesus).

But failure actually presents an irreplaceable season of opportunity.

When we fail, we have an opportunity to grow. When we fail, we need to first recognize it and own it. If we do not own it, we will quickly rationalize it away and miss an opportunity for growth. To achieve success, you have to grow. Truthfully speaking, successful people stand on a pile of failures like they have climbed a huge mountain that others thought was impossible to climb!

You and I can improve and get better through three practices:

1. Anticipate Failure

Failure is inevitable, so we need to anticipate and prepare for it. One of the best ways to anticipate failure is to look at a track record. Sit down and make a list assess all your failures from your profession to your personal life.

Solve a problem before it is a bigger problem. Unsolved problems lead to failures. If you can make a list of all your failures, you are one step closer to succeeding at what you do!

Craig Groeschel says, “The difference between a good leader and great leader is that great leaders learn to anticipate rather than react.” Click HERE to check out his podcast

2. Evaluate Failure 

Failure is the result of an absence of consistent evaluation. When you consistently evaluate your failures, you will grow in your anticipation of failures.

Now take the list you just created and with laser focus evaluate and analyze your failures. Ask questions like: When did this problem arise? What can I control? What can I improve and do better next time? Why did I fail? What would a win look like? This list will quickly turn into your self-improvement strategy. You will only get better if you evaluate your failures.

3. Receive Feedback 

Receiving feedback is not easy at first, but once you embrace this practice, you will begin to have one success after another. When you are ready to receive feedback from your boss, your peers, and your family, you will not only be able to anticipate failures before they arise on a big scale, you will be able to lead others through their failures. Click HERE to learn more about Receiving Feedback.

Everyone fails. You. Me. Your Neighbor. Your boss.

Don’t worry. You are not alone.

People have been failing for thousands of years.

Check out what Paul said to the church in Corinth.

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

— 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Paul said it best. Weaknesses and failures are a window of opportunity to let the power of Christ work through you and me.

— Abe Haley

https://abehaley.com

How My Youth Ministry Tripled In Size

By Growth, Spiritual

Three months into becoming a student pastor my church asked me if the  youth were going to do a disciple now. They had always done a disciple now. I casually said I would pray about it and let them know by Friday. I had full intentions of doing a disciple now. Besides, they had always done a disciple now.

That Friday morning I was about to leave for work, and the thought popped into my mind, “you didn’t pray about the disciple now.” So I went to my room, shut the door, and quietly asked God about the disciple now. Almost instantly I had the idea, “do a student revival.” In 2012 and in my limited experience I had never seen a student revival. This was also before Hillsong Young and Free had released their “Youth Revival” album. But I decided to do a four-night revival service for students.

It was electric. 

Many were saved. Many were set free. And there was a lot of chatter in the schools about our church. Needless to say, we grew — a lot.

I’m a huge fan of strategy, excellent leadership, and amazing content but there is another factor that goes into growing a ministry. The x-factor.

What is the x-factor? The favor of God. 

Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.”

I fear that sometimes we can get so caught up in building the ministry that we fail to ask God for His input. I’m convinced that, when invited, God brings divine ideas, strategies, and conversations into our meetings. 

Unless the Lord grows your ministry, it won’t grow.

When the hand of God is on your ministry, it’s unstoppable. So I want to encourage you, seek God. Pray and ask God directly about your series, events, and outreaches. You might not get a “word from God,” but the invitation is all He needs to help you reach more students.

-Daniel Maddry

www.danielmaddry.com

Make Defeat Your Fuel

By Growth

I saw a Gatorade commercial recently. It started with Michael Jordan telling a story of how he missed the varsity basketball team in high school. It’s followed by other well-known players telling their story of failure. The commercial wraps up with Matt Ryan doing drills, he was the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons who blew the biggest lead in super bowl history and lost to the Patriots.

He said DEFEAT was his FUEL.

If all you do is WIN WIN WIN (insert song here) you won’t have a depth and strength to overcome when the challenging seasons come. And trust me the seasons will come where all you know is DEFEAT and LOSS.

Winning is amazing, I love it. I hate losing but I can tell you from personal experience that my best successes have come from the hardest DEFEATS.

No character in the Bible succeeds without sacrifice or defeat — our lives are no different. The story goes that one of the greatest basketball players of today, Steph Curry, grew up going to games with his Dad, who also happened to be a professional basketball player.

His dad played a few seasons in Toronto. Another great player happened to be on the team, Vince Carter, who will go down in NBA history. Most nights after warm up Vince would play Steph in a game of one on one. He never let Steph win — or score a point.

Now Steph is arguably the best shooter and has changed the game as we know it. I wonder how many of his now victories are found in the defeats of his youth?

I believe it’s the same for you and me — our past defeats aren’t fatal but they are the proving ground for success.

So I agree with Gatorade. Make DEFEAT your FUEL.

— Joel Bennett

3 Things I Wish I Would Have Known Before Going Into Ministry

By Growth

Hey there, I know you probably have no idea who I am. If you are like me, then you are asking yourself, “Who is this guy? What does he have to prove? What can I learn from him?” I totally understand the skepticism and thought process. Honestly, I welcome it and appreciate it. Although there is a part of me that desperately wishes people would see my credibility because God has approved me.

Can you relate? Be honest.

We live in a word where people’s lips say one thing, but their lifestyle say’s something else. I don’t want to be that type of person anymore. I want to be a man that is real, honest, and wise. I want to be real about myself, be honest with others, and be wise with what I share.

To get to know me briefly, I was born and raised in the church. The type of church I was a part of prayed until people started falling down. I was raised in a church with dynamic worship. I am talking about the kind that you sweat during “Deep Cries Out” by Bethel and then bawl your eyes out during “With Everything” by Hillsong.

The same church I grew up in, I was employed at for four years as a Co-Director of Student Ministries to Director of Student Ministries. In Fall of 2017, I got the opportunity to be a part of a global ministry called Elevation Church with Pastor Steven Furtick for eight months. It was such a frustrating, but fruitful time. It’s interesting that most of our fruit or productivity comes from frustration or pain.

My hope isn’t to try and give you three points on how to be successful or build a ministry. I hope to share three areas that I struggled with. Three areas I wish I would have just “got” when I was just starting in ministry. I am still learning and do not have it all figured out, but I hope these lessons can speak to you.

VULNERABILITY.
Early on, I was so afraid of people seeing my struggles that they wouldn’t want to follow me. I was so nervous to let people into seeing my weakness. Who wants to follow a weak leader, right? Who wants to go into battle with someone who isn’t bold and courageous? I led out of insecurity and let it get the worst of me. Something I wish I would have done is let people in on my struggle. I am not saying the struggles your supervisor should know, I mean things like administration, consistency, and…hard conversations.

I tried too hard to carry this vibrato of having it all together, but underneath that, I was scared. I was afraid. What if people really knew that I hate when people don’t like me? What if people really knew I want to live in my comfort zone? What if people really knew I don’t like inviting people to church because I am so scared of being rejected?

If you haven’t, don’t be afraid to let people into your struggle. Something I am learning is that people connect to your weaknesses, and are led by your strengths. Be vulnerable!

ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability is a love/hate relationship. I love that I am held to a standard that is set by my supervisor or me, but I hate when I miss the mark and am reminded I am really not “killing it.” Something I wish I did more wasn’t so much have accountability, but hold others accountable to what they promised me. You know…like telling a volunteer if they show up late again, they will be asked to step into a different role, but you kept extending grace because they were all you had to lead worship. Then you were wondering why all your volunteers are always late and not on time.

If you set a standard, learn to stand on that standard. Do it YOURSELF. If what you are demanding out of others is not set by YOU, then people might begin to question your leadership. If you want to be on time, show up fifteen minutes early. If you don’t hit the standard you set (it’ll happen), own up to that first before you say anything else. Trust me, this builds trust with the people around you!

AVAILABILITY
Don’t forget that you are a local church pastor in some sense. We are never too busy to be interrupted. Get involved in people’s world! They may never step into your world, so why not jump into theirs? Jesus didn’t wait for us to come to heaven, he left heaven to come to us. Therefore, go to their games, presentations, hospital rooms, or anything else to show that you are available. God used Moses because he was available, not because he had a Masters Degree in Theology and Biblical Studies. It’s funny how you see faith work when you actually work it!

My prayer is that these are three things you can learn from me that I have not mastered, but am continually learning. Keep going, youth pastor; you are making a bigger difference than you know!

— Ryan Martinez

One Reason We Fall (And How To Get Back Up)

By Growth

Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of  the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance.” Luke 22:54

Most of us know the narrative. 

It’s a cold night, and Jesus has just been betrayed by Judas. In an effort to do what is right, Peter follows Jesus as He is being taken away and interrogated. And there, around the comfort of a fire, Peter denies knowing Jesus three times.

The rooster crows. The guilt comes. And Peter runs away weeping bitterly.

Although none of us have been in this exact situation, I feel many of us can identify with Peter. We’re trekking with Jesus daily, maybe even involved in ministry, and seemingly from nowhere, we fail. Maybe we fail miserably. Our instinct is to run and hide. But Jesus teaches us a better a way.

I want to cover two areas of failure that I think we can learn from this story.

1. Why do we fall?

The scriptures say, “but Peter was following at a distance.” I believe that if Peter had been in the same room as Jesus, he wouldn’t have denied Him. And if Jesus would have been sitting around the fire with Peter, he wouldn’t have denied Him.

When you follow Jesus from a distance, you position yourself to fail.

A major key to holiness is living with an awareness that Jesus is with you at all times. And your proximity to following Jesus will directly affect your ability to stand strong in the midst of temptation. 

That’s why I love the promise that Jesus gives the disciples at the last supper, “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.” John 16:7.

It’s to our advantage to live with the Holy Spirit in us rather than the physical Jesus beside us. There’s never a separation, and the power to walk in righteousness is always there.

2. How do we get back up?

Rather than learning from Peter’s experience, let’s look to Jesus for this one. Jesus prophesied that all would desert Him then immediately says, “But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.” This is when Peter speaks up about never denying Him — we all know the story.

Let’s fast forward to the fall, Luke 22:61, “The Lord turned and looked at Peter…” This is when Peter runs away weeping. It would be easy to confuse this look with a, “I told you so” but this look was no doubt one that was full of grace and mercy. The actual character of Jesus. 

Once Jesus is resurrected he says to Mary, “tell the disciples and Peter, I’ve gone ahead of them to Galilee.” Jesus will always look at you with eyes of love and tell you in the midst of your failures, “I’ve gone ahead of you.

  • You messed up big time — Jesus has gone ahead of you.
  • You fell miserably — Jesus has gone ahead of you.
  • You broke your promise to Him — Jesus has gone ahead of you.

So what happens when they meet up at Galilee?

Peter recognizes Jesus on the shore and immediately jumps into the water, clothes and all. He’s no longer satisfied with following at a distance. Once on shore, he has breakfast with Jesus around a new campfire.

And everything is alright.

I want to encourage you. If you’ve failed miserably, Jesus knew and has already gone ahead of you. Close the distance gap and choose to follow him closely.

He’s waiting to see you again, with breakfast.

— Daniel Maddry