Youth Ministry Booster Podcast

Send a textWhat actually makes a youth ministry fruitful? Bigger crowds? Flashier events? Viral moments? In this episode  Zac sits down with JP Black to wrestle honestly with those questions: presence, not popularity.From the moment you walk into JP’s student building—covered in photos, memories, and a “Trophy Wall of Awesome”—you can feel a culture of belonging. But the real transformation didn’t come from décor. It came from a deliberate shift away from event management toward spaces where students encounter God.JP shares how the post-COVID reset forced his team to rebuild from the ground up. Instead of chasing attendance as proof of “anointing,” they began measuring spiritual fruit through markers like confession, repentance, prayer, and resilient discipleship. The result? A ministry less driven by hype and more shaped by genuine transformation.One standout example is their redesigned Venture Weekend, now treated as a modern “stone of remembrance.” Students participate in a powerful concert of prayer, layi

Send a textWhen a student walked into the office during the pandemic asking whether his father would live long enough for a transplant, it exposed a gap many youth pastors feel but rarely name: we can teach Scripture and organize programs, but do we know how to shepherd teenagers when fear, grief, and uncertainty overwhelm them?We sit down with Dr. Randy Jackson to talk about a gospel-shaped approach to soul care that equips parents as the primary shapers of a teen’s faith. We trace his journey from a pandemic crisis to building a practical framework that deepens conversations at home and in small groups and why equipping parents remains the most strategic work in student ministry.This episode offers practical tools for youth pastors, volunteers, and parents who want to move beyond behavior management and into Christ-centered care for the inner lives of teenagers.

Send a textWhich snack would you like to popsicle? In this episode, Chad Daugherty joins Zac and the crew for a conversation that starts with dad-life fitness in the “llama lift lair” and ends with a practical blueprint for building a healthy, sustainable volunteer culture.Let's talk about the wild world of Gen Alpha — deodorant before rec, ball pumps on standby, and a suspicious loyalty to red Doritos. Then everything shifts when a middle schooler asks a deceptively deep question: Why does the Bible use so many bread images for God?Suddenly, frozen Uncrustables become a doorway to manna, the Bread of Life, communion, and daily dependence on God.That pivot — from silly to sacred — is youth ministry in a nutshell.

Send a textWhat if your calendar didn’t own your ministry — but served it?Welcome to the podcast garage Amanda Mejias! Lifeway Specialist for Girls' Ministry and Women in Youth Ministry. Check this pastoral note: We to need to make the move from submission (giving in after the fight) to surrender (choosing trust before the fight begins).In this episode, Zac and Amanda unpack a simple, repeatable framework to audit your year:Stop – Start – ChangeStop what burns energy without bearing fruit (even if it’s beloved).Start where your God is calling you out: only when you have conviction and capacity.Change the good-but-not-great by adjusting structure, timing, and goals to serve outcomes that actually matter.We talk:Anchoring your plans to your church’s missionWorking backward from your budget cycleDefining fruit before you planVolunteer buy-in and giving ideas real runwayWhy leaders must measure what mattersPlus, a live case study: Her Good Retreat — a focused gathering for women leading in youth and college

Send us a textTrade the contemporary hype for a deep concern with holiness! What if your youth ministry felt unmistakably sacred and still radically welcoming?In this episode of Youth Ministry Booster, Zac Workun sits down with Ribbin Dorado to explore a youth ministry model built on formation over frenzy, one that helps teenagers love the church they’re actually growing into.Together, we unpack a fresh durable, and repeatable,  youth ministry framework designed for long-term faith formation:A two-hour Sunday night gathering that prioritizes formation over gamesA monthly rhythm that includes a Student Sabbath at home, complete with table liturgiesA mid-month Worship in the Round, where students lead and testifySacred worship spaces using incense, kneelers, and iconography to signal reverence. Elements of signs, symbols, and wonder. Memorizing creeds, spontaneous testimonies, and students “fighting for the mic” to name where they see God at workTeaching shaped by the lectionary, offering a balanced diet of Scr

Send us a textWell well look who just sledded into town! Hi Joseph Kellogg! "Presence rises above parties every time."Joseph traces how one ordinary moment in a youth ministry service became a lifetime of discipling teenagers—with humility, consistency, and deep trust in what God does when leaders simply show up.We talk about Pre-iPhone youth ministry to the post-Christian reality: what’s actually changed (and what hasn’t)We explore the changes in student ministry: from lock-ins and flyers to algorithms and anxiety, and why presence still beats parties every time: Creating sustainable youth ministry rhythms  prevent burnout.Learning calendar competency (not just busyness)Real Sabbath, not “ministry-adjacent rest”Faithful presence in the in-between moments—ball games, car rides, late-night queso conversationsPartnering with parents who grew up in youth group starts by asking them what they remember and what they imagine.How to honor what parents loved about their own youth ministry experiencesActs 2

Send us a textNew Year, New Episode.Welcome special guest Wyatt Pennington everybody! A new father, emerging and awesome youth ministry leader Wyatt walks us through a practical reframe: treat parents as partners, not an inbox. He details quarterly parent nights that include worship, teaching for adults, prayer, and a genuine response, plus simple series-based resources that turn “What did you learn?” into real conversations around the table. The result: families feel pastored, not processed—and students keep growing after Wednesday night ends.We also tackle the screen-shaped world teens inhabit. Instead of declaring tech the enemy, Wyatt models a wiser way: analog alarm clocks, physical Bibles that never ping, printed workbooks, and clear boundaries that make space for God. We unpack how algorithms disciple kids with precision and why embodied practices and honest witness can out-form what big tech outspends. Finally, we get granular on communication: preach shorter sermons with one sticky point, yup just on

Send us a textWant a youth ministry that outlasts the hype cycle and survives staff turnover without losing momentum? Oh for sure, eh! This week's conversation with Canadian veteran youth pastor Jonathan Kornelsen dives into the shift from big events to spiritual formation, equipping teens to lead, and building a ministry that actually gets healthier over time.Jonathan outlines nine core convictions from his Youth Ministry Blueprint—clarifying mission and priorities before any program, crafting a discipleship strategy with measurable wins, protecting leader health as the true foundation, building a volunteer pipeline with strong onboarding, and designing gatherings that are excellent without becoming the point. We connect those principles to biblical models: Nehemiah’s prayerful planning, Moses’ detailed tabernacle instructions, Paul’s leadership structures, and Jesus’ focus on disciples over crowds. The result is a practical path for ministries of any size to create belonging, sustain growth, and hand o

Send us a textCleaner, Braver, More Effective: Youth Ministry in 2026In this episode of Youth Ministry Booster, Zac and Chad lay our cards on the table, personal stakes, ministry wins we’re chasing, habits we’re cutting, and the simple shifts that actually build momentum with teenagers.

Send us a textMerry Christmas Adam & Eve everyone! The holiday calendar swirls, the phone notification buzzes, and suddenly December is deciding everything for you. We pressed pause to talk about the real pressure of ministering well at church and home.Our gift this year to share is presence. Chad and Zac share practical ways to build margin without dropping what matters. There’s a tender side to all this too. The holidays carry joy and grief in the same pew. We talk about walking slowly enough to notice the first Christmas after a loss, the newcomer who needs a name remembered, and the family who only shows up in December. With clear expectations at home and a plan for attention—yes to phone-free days—you can serve your church without sacrificing your people• mapping service schedules and roles before crunch time• choosing “Christmas Adam” and micro-traditions to free family time• weekly and twice-weekly family meetings for clarity• device boundaries, batching messages, phone-free days• moving prep earli

Send us a textunderstand your words. We sat down with the Champion Forest student team to unpack how a “one church, two languages” model becomes one student ministry that actually belongs to everyone. If your context includes Spanish-speaking parents, English-dominant teens, and first-generation families navigating two worlds, this conversation offers a blueprint that’s both practical and hopeful.We share how one student ministry serves Spanish-speaking families and English-dominant students without splitting community. From staffing to services, we explain the model, the mistakes, and the practical moves that make unity real.• one church in two languages with one student ministry• culture valued over vocabulary in programming• integrated Wednesdays with bilingual worship moments• Sunday hours aligned with adult services for families• intentional staffing across student, admin and production• communication to parents in both languages at once• planning events together to avoid silos• defining success as conne

Send us a textWhat if the fastest way to build a strong student ministry isn’t a bigger stage, but a crowded living room? We pull back the curtain on our biggest do-overs: why we’d start with relationships, not programs; why a right-sized room beats a flashy setup; and why coaching volunteers weekly will outperform any event on your calendar.• starting in homes to build belonging• coaching volunteers rather than just filling roles• using the 80 percent rule for room choice• fast handoffs from staff to leaders and peers• connecting new families to adult community quickly• becoming the storyteller to senior adults• reframing criticism with real student wins• choosing joy and hospitality as strategyMake sure to drop a comment below or email us at chad.higgins at lifeway.com your stories of what it's like to be ministry in the new place that you are, or the wisdom that you would give to be featured on an upcoming episodeSupport the showJoin the community!

Send us a textTen years in and we’re still showing up, still laughing about late-night Taco Bell runs, and still fighting for youth pastors to feel seen on that drive home after midweek. We rewind to the After Nine roots—two friends comparing notes before weekend trainings—and trace how a simple idea to be a caring voice turned into a decade of community, practical help, and honest talk about the inner life of ministry.We mark ten years by tracing our start as a late-night voice for youth pastors, then share honest, practical ways to celebrate volunteers and students without adding noise to busy calendars. The thread is clear: what we honor out loud is what our ministries become.• origin of After9 and the late-night drive home vibe• why healthy ministers create healthy ministries• celebrating too quietly and how to fix it• practical leader appreciation ideas that scale• milestone moments for teens with simple spiritual markers• training your heart to notice wins, not just problems• building community with low

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Send us a textHey buddy...Are your teaching methods actually connecting with how today's students learn? I mean they love Roblox, Minecraft, and Cedarwood Scents.In this conversation, Chad and Zac challenge youth ministry leaders to move beyond traditional sermon-style approaches to create more engaging, effective learning experiences.The disconnect is clear: while schools have changed their teaching methods to include more group work, technology integration, and interactive learning, many youth ministries still rely on one-way communication models that don't match how students absorb information the other five days of the week. As Chad notes, "If modern day teachers are trying to shorten lessons to be more engaging and hands-on, why are we trying to defend a longer sermon?"• Teaching approaches should differ based on room size, audience age, and learning context• Students learn differently in school than previous generations, with more group work and interactive methods• Fill-in-the-blank

Send us a text"It's all about the numbers." Ever feel like your ministry's is trapped by attendance numbers? What if the most powerful metric isn't quantitative at all?The stories unfolding in your student ministry reveal far more about God's work than any statistical report. We mean it! We want you to measure in stories! This webinar replay reveals why stories are a better scorecard for ministry success than numbers, showing how collecting and sharing transformation narratives creates lasting impact. Chuck Peters joins Zac and Chad to talk about the importance of story in leading your ministry. Show Notes• Stories are already happening in your ministry whether you're collecting them or not. We just need systems to collect and share them! • What you treasure is what you measure; focus on transformation over attendance. Stories elevate VALUES.• Creating systems to collect ministry stories helps combat our natural forgetfulness. Become a JOURNALIST for your ministry. • Be stra

Send us a textEver wondered if there's a way to make meetings less painful and more productive? Kate Downing pulls back the curtain on what makes ministry team gatherings work—or fail spectacularly.Returning guest Kate Downing shares practical strategies for transforming team meetings from dreaded time-wasters into valuable, engaging experiences that build team culture and advance ministry goals.Kate's Great Tips• Starting meetings with celebration time (20-30 minutes) focused on relationship building and recognizing God's work• Using language like "what are you praising God for" instead of "wins" to avoid creating competition• Creating and sharing detailed meeting agendas that serve as both roadmaps and historical records• Incorporating professional development through theological training and guest experts• Maintaining focus on relevant topics while knowing when to take detailed discussions "offline"• Ending meetings 15 minutes early for "15 minutes of fun&q

Send us a textBroncos, Gameboys, Doves... er uh Pigeons? Join Zac for an interview with Shane Pruitt. As they discuss how our culture has shifted to embracing a distorted version of a personalized Jesus while rejecting biblical authority, and why youth ministers must help students discover the authentic Jesus of Scripture.SHOW NOTES• Culture has shifted from accepting God-talk but rejecting Jesus-talk to accepting Jesus-talk but rejecting Bible-talk• People reshape Jesus into their own image, creating an idol with Jesus' name• The Jesus many claim to follow often aligns perfectly with their preferences and prejudices• False views of Jesus lead to incorrect evangelism, discipleship, and mission• The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are where we rediscover the authentic Jesus• If our understanding of Jesus never challenges us, we might be following a false version• The new "Not My Jesus" Bible study is available for both teens and adults to study together• Jesus makes the invisible God visible

Send us a textHave you ever wondered why it seems so many youth ministers quit or leave around the three-year mark? In this candid conversation with longtime youth ministry veteran and author Jody Livingston, we talk the secret to youth ministry longevity. It's 2 old friends with personal stories, hard-earned wisdom, and practical insights that are meant to encourage youth ministers young and old. Fresh and wizened. In Staying Power, Jody Livingston shares his journey of ministry longevity through the lens of his passion for Volkswagen buses and how he navigated challenging seasons to build a sustainable youth ministry career.Grab a copy of Staying Power by Jody here.https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/staying-power-P005850004Key Points From This Interview• Personal connection between father-son relationship and Volkswagen obsession• The critical "2.5-3 year mark" where most youth ministers face their greatest challenges• How unrealistic or unclear expectations from various church stakeholders c

Send us a textJay Winn shares how his youth ministry at Riverpoint Church is shifting toward a more relational approach in response to changing student needs. Despite having fewer resources following leadership transitions, Jay is finding success by investing deeply in authentic connections with students rather than focusing primarily on programs and events.• Returning to "old school youth ministry" with a focus on authentic relationships and personal discipleship• Making small groups optional rather than mandatory, resulting in more engaged participation• Moving midweek gatherings to Thursday nights with a discussion-based format that has grown from 30 to 85 students• Creating systems where youth staff have specific students to check on regularly, making relationships a measurable part of ministry• Recognizing Gen Z students' increasing need for one-on-one mentoring amid rising anxiety and information overload• Structuring Sunday morning as the ministry's "front door" with high-