The Myth of the “Perfect Youth Leader”

Somewhere along the way, I think we created a mythical creature in the church called the Perfect Youth Leader. You know the one. They are always spiritually healthy, endlessly energetic, ridiculously creative, great at preaching, amazing with parents, loved by every student, organized enough to answer emails within five minutes, never go over budget…lol, never

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Showing Up Isn’t the Same as Belonging

We spend a lot of time in youth ministry trying to get students to show up. We plan events. We create great environments. We buy pizza. We play ridiculous games. We build programs that we hope teenagers will actually want to attend. And when a room is full of students, it’s easy to look around

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ASCENT 2027 Theme: SHINE

Something is happening in this generation, and we believe it creates an incredible opportunity for the Church. For years, much of the conversation around teenagers and faith has focused on young people walking away from Christianity, declining church attendance, and growing mistrust of institutions. And while some of those challenges are very real, they don’t

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SAVE THE DATE: ASCENT 2027! 🚨

It’s official… ASCENT is coming back in 2027! Mark your calendars, tell your youth group, start the countdown, and maybe begin mentally preparing yourself for unlimited Pepsi. 📅 June 26–30, 2027 📍 The Crossing Retreat Center — Lexington, Nebraska After an incredible ASCENT 2026, we’re heading back to The Crossing for another week of worship,

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