First things first: How do you prepare for a mission trip? I’m not talking about the logistics – the fundraising plans, coordinating the ubiquitous big white youth vans – I’m talking about how you, in the midst of all that, prepare your heart, your spirit, for the... Read More...
Over the past year, various people from youth ministry backgrounds have offered their collective voices to the content of this Youth Ministry Network blog. We hope you have found it to be helpful and encouraging. For April we will continue the conversation but have invited some new... Read More...
We, here at Austin Serve, were excited when we saw “The Other 51” theme for 2015 because it’s sort of what we’ve been doing here ever since we started in 2011. One of our stated goals for our site is to be a launching pad for young people to... Read More...
In our town of Alamosa, Colorado, we are set in the San Luis Valley, surrounded by purple, majestic mountains and green fields where the farmers raise alfalfa, barley, oats and potatoes. Along with the landscape, there is a community where people look out, take care of and... Read More...
Catching a glimpse of what God is doing across North America would be instantly overwhelming. It could be like what Moses experienced on the mountaintop (Exodus 33) when he asked to see God’s glory. In that passage, God agreed to show himself to a man, to a... Read More...
Having just finished a humongous fudge-like brownie one night around 10:00pm, I was inspired to write about youth conventions, high school mission trips, camps, retreats and the like. Earlier that day, I had a well-balanced meal complete with a side salad, broccoli and a great main course... Read More...
Missional experiences to urban areas have been popular for years. Why is that? What attracts suburban student ministries to reach into the city for a week? Is it because they’ve noticed the strength of urban churches and desire to learn from their creativity, uniqueness and diversity? I... Read More...
Happy (almost) New Year! At Youth Unlimited, 2015 is all about “The Other 51”, our theme for Live It and Serve this year. We are so excited for the many students whose lives will be changed through these faith-forming experiences and their interaction with The Other 51. To learn more about... Read More...
Brighton’s Serve Journey begins 10 years ago when our youth went on a Serve youth mission trip in 2005 – It’s amazing how the Lord works! He has been preparing us for the last 10 years to now come to this point of hosting Serve in Brighton.... Read More...
Fulfilling the Great Commission is the desire of most churches. After all, what church would say they didn’t want to reach out to the lost? However, fulfilling the Great Commission is easier said than done. How does a church become part of the community rather than just reaching into... Read More...
I’m often asked how many students participate in Serve each summer. Here’s the short but powerful answer: First, recognize that students and adults participate in Serve and the three major points of impact include: The Host Church- The Host Church prays about how to creatively share the... Read More...
Unity, worship, power, witness… those and many more words could be used to describe some of what God is doing in Peterborough, Ontario. A few years ago, our church and youth group set out to extend our ministry and our presence into the community by loving... Read More...