Christmas can be a very busy and stressful time of the year for those of us in youth ministry. James and Todd share some tips on how you can stay healthy and experience some Christmas cheer. Connect With The Show: Webpage - https://ymsoulkeeper.carrd.co Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088943467640&sk=followers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ymsoulkeeper/ Youtube (watch pod vids here) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqvY3ftXO8-8poUuRYUZ8w Twitter - https://twitter.com/YMSoulKeeper Connect with James: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ymsoulkeeper ..read more

Summary: We all know Spring is an exciting time, and in youth ministry the pace is picking up as we are looking toward our summer calendars and summer camps. James and Todd are also feeling the squeeze a bit and wanted to share some ideas they are using to help during this time. Show Notes Connect With The Show: Webpage - https://ymsoulkeeper.carrd.co Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088943467640&sk=followers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ymsoulkeeper/ Youtube (watch pod vids here) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqvY3ftXO8-8poUuRYUZ8w Twitter - https ..read more

The Kingdom of God is all about small beginnings. Jesus taught that the Kingdom of Heaven works like a mustard seed. It starts small and grows. We should expect youth ministry to be the same, and we should see small beginnings as something to be excited about and not disappointed in. Show Notes Connect With The Show: Webpage - https://ymsoulkeeper.carrd.co Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088943467640&sk=followers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ymsoulkeeper/ Youtube (watch pod vids here) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqvY3ftXO8-8poUuRYUZ8w Twitter - htt ..read more

Episode 30: Is It All Worth It? Summary: What do we do when our students move from following Jesus to following the world? When we see kids who were full of joy and consistently showed up to our youth programs, they are now jaded and hurt from their decisions and consistently don't show up. How do we keep from becoming discouraged ourselves after all we have tried to do to help them walk with Jesus? Show Notes Connect With The Show: Webpage - https://ymsoulkeeper.carrd.co Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088943467640&sk=followers Instagram - https://www.instagram.c ..read more

Summary: What is currently fueling your ministry? Is it the fear of failure or the desire to be successful? Is it a need for affirmation or is it peace that comes from being confident in God and His faithfulness? We all minister from fuels, the big question is are they clean or dirty? Show Notes Connect With The Show: Webpage - https://ymsoulkeeper.carrd.co Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088943467640&sk=followers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ymsoulkeeper/ Youtube (watch pod vids here) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqvY3ftXO8-8poUuRYUZ8w Twitter - ht ..read more

Episode 28: Care Over Criticism Summary: What do we do as Youth workers when the people we have been called to care for become the objects of our criticism? In this episode, James and Todd discuss that very thing and what we can do to avoid falling into this trap. Show Notes Connect With The Show: Webpage - https://ymsoulkeeper.carrd.co Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088943467640&sk=followers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ymsoulkeeper/ Youtube (watch pod vids here) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqvY3ftXO8-8poUuRYUZ8w Twitter - https://twitter.com/YM ..read more

Summary: James introduces the new relaunch for the podcast and introduces good friend and new co-host, Todd Pearage. James and Todd discuss what to expect in future episodes and how the podcast hopes to encourage the souls of youth workers as they minister to the souls in their ministries. Connect With The Show: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088943467640&sk=followers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ymsoulkeeper/ Youtube (watch pod vids here) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqvY3ftXO8-8poUuRYUZ8w Twitter - https://twitter.com/YMSoulKeeper Connect with Ja ..read more

Our students' lives and schedules are overwhelming, high-paced, and filled with all sorts of pressures and expectations. As youth leaders, we can program retreats and camps that can help our students experience the rest for their souls that Jesus promises. In this episode, we are challenged to ask a question, "How can we program and plan our retreats so that they are not a continuation of their already hard-pressed and busy lives, but a true retreat from them?" The goal is for our retreat and camp programming to be intentional so that we all can experience the margin and rest needed. Retreat ..read more

Let's just say it. A healthy growing ministry is not the indicator of a healthy growing ministry leader. In this episode, James talks about how our love for ministry, and even the people we are ministering to, can be a distraction and even an idol that causes our affection for Jesus to become misplaced. We look at some questions we may need to ask ourselves so that we can be spiritually healthy for the long haul. Books mentioned in this podcast: Unhurried Leader - Alan Fadling (link: https://amzn.to/2XVlrtT) Blessed Broken Given: How Your Story Becomes Sacred in the Hands of Jesus - Glenn Pac ..read more

Youth ministry comes with all sorts of joys and hardships. When times are good, we think we want to stay at a church forever, and when times become more difficult, we can begin to look for reasons and excuses to leave. As strong as our emotions can be during times of struggle, we need to be able to have some stoppers in place that will help create clarity so we don't do something we regret and cause more hurt. In this episode, James and co-host Eben talk about some of those stoppers, so that when we are tempted to get out, we make sure we are being called out instead. Connect with Us... Pers ..read more