I have been in my current position for a few years now. Recently, during a conversation with one of our youth leaders, he remarked, “It’s like we have a whole new group of people and values.” Indeed, the atmosphere has shifted significantly compared to four years ago, and this transformation has been intentional. Throughout the year, we have diligently worked towards altering the culture of our Wednesday nights to one that actively seeks Jesus, embraces committed leadership, and fosters a spirit of enjoyment. Our efforts are beginning to yield results. So, how did we achieve this? Reflecting ..read more

May is just around the corner! That means seniors are moving on, 7th-grade students are going into high school, and 5th or 6th-grade students are getting ready to enter youth group! With all this change? What should you get each grade or class to help them mark the occasion? Bibles for Seniors I love gifting Bibles to students moving out of the youth group and into the next season of life. Even better, though, is giving them a Bible with highlighted verses and notes written from the important people in their lives. You can do this all in one go at a Senior focused youth group night or hand th ..read more

Springtime might be tough for a Youth Pastor, but it can also be difficult for a Youth Ministry volunteer! These are the people we rely on to help make ministry happen. We can’t do this thing by ourselves! So, how can you show volunteers appreciation and ensure they feel valued as a part of your team? I’ve got three quick ideas! Send them a text Sending a quick text message to a volunteer is a great way to show them you appreciate them! Normally, we text volunteers when we need supplies for a game or for them to put out a fire in the youth room. But if you spent the next 10 minutes texting ..read more

In October 1911, Roald Amundsen set out on the first-ever expedition to the South Pole. It took him and his team almost 2 months to make the journey, and when they got there, you know what they saw? Snow… They saw lots and lots of snow. Well, our developers have also been hard at work over the last 2 months, and quite frankly, we think they have a little more to show for it than tiny bits of frozen water. That’s right, today is the day that we proudly announce TWO MAJOR UPDATES to Sidekick! The first new Sidekick feature is one that youth workers have been asking for since we first unveiled ..read more

Hey there, youth pastor! So, you’ve got a conference coming up, huh? Awesome! These events are like fuel for our ministry engines—full of ideas, inspiration, and, let’s be real, a little bit of overwhelm too. But fear not, I’ve got some tips to help you rock that conference like a pro. Take Notes: Scribble, Type, Whatever Works! First things first, bring something to take notes with. Whether you’re a pen-and-paper purist or a digital note-taker, just make sure you’re jotting down those gems of wisdom that speakers drop, those lightbulb moments during workshops, and maybe even the occasional d ..read more

DYM Gold Members Rejoice! Sidekick is included in your membership! 1000’s of your youth ministry friends are using it every week. If you haven’t poked around yet and tried out Crowd Voting, the FREE section, the one-click integration to DYM products you already own, the “presenting from your phone or iPad”… there’s so much. And, we’re making it better every day. Here’s how to log-in: Let us know what you think and what you’d want for us to include in the ever-growing FREE category next. Even 100’s of your recent DYM purchases are instantly available in Sidekick to insert in 1-click!. Let us ..read more

Have a cereal night at youth group with this fun, 6-week cereal elimination bracket! Use one poll each of the next 6 weeks to reveal the final top 6 cereals in your youth ministry. Be sure to write down the winner each week so you can input them into the Grand Final week 7 poll … to reveal the best cereal of all time! You could also easily modify this to play all in the same service or at an event as well! Sidekick is DYM’s brand-new presentation software! With interactive elements like live voting, name picker, wheels, and weekly free premium content, Sidekick is the future of presenting ..read more

AMAZING DEALS ONLY IN APRIL! Our team at DYM is made up of youth workers! We have hundreds of years of combined experience and a heart that wants to make your life easier and better. Andt that’s not all. We want to save you time so you can do what we can’t do: disciple your students… care for your parents… and spend time with your volunteers. We’ve combined some of the best deals we’ve ever had and we’re offering ALL of them to you in the month of April! We’re here to help you win! Check Out All Of Our April Deals Here We’ve made the DYM Membership EVEN better. Gold NOW gets 25 voting conn ..read more

I asked AI what youth ministry and the solar eclipse share in common. This is what it told me! “Blinded by the Light”: In both youth ministry and during a solar eclipse, there’s a risk of being “blinded by the light.” In youth ministry, it might be a metaphorical blinding by the sheer enthusiasm and energy of the young people you work with, while during a solar eclipse, it’s quite literal – staring directly at the sun during an eclipse can be blinding! So, in both cases, it’s essential to proceed with caution and wear appropriate eye protection! “The Eclipse of Coolness”: Just as the moon te ..read more

DYM Gold Members… rejoice. Not only is the fabled solar eclipse happening this coming week, but as usual Download Youth Ministry has a hilarious and bleeding-edge relevant game for you to play. 1000’s of your youth ministry friends are using this game on Sunday or Wednesday, and you can just go get it FREE in Sidekick. Thanks for being a gold member … just login to Sidekick.tv, click FREE and it’s yours! Doug & Josh   The post Use DYM’s FREE Solar Eclipse Game THIS WEEK! appeared first on Blog | Download Youth Ministry Blog ..read more