20 Proven Fundraising Ideas
If you’re a youth worker in a smaller church trying to get students to camp like ASCENT, you already know: Budgets are tight. Families are stretched. Your youth group doesn’t have 200 students to sell 10,000 candy bars. Good news: you don’t need a megachurch to raise meaningful money. You need creativity, ownership, and a
- Published in ASCENT, Ideas, Parents, usmb nextgen
How ASCENT Creates Space for God to Speak in a Noisy World
If you spend any time with teenagers, you already know this: silence is rare. Between group chats, streaming, sports schedules, school pressure, social media, and don’t forget the constant pull of notifications, most students live in a world that is loud all the time. And if we’re honest, youth workers and pastors aren’t that different.
- Published in ASCENT, usmb nextgen, Youth Worker Life
Free Youth Ministry Training
Where you’re at in youth ministry right now — both the challenges you’re facing and the areas where you feel confident. What feels heavy or unclear? Where do you wish you had more training, support, or perspective? At the same time, what’s going well? What strengths or skills do you feel are already in your
- Published in Adult Volunteers, Leadership, Leadership Pipeline, Resources, usmb nextgen
You Don’t Have to Be Loud to Lead: Redefining Leadership for Gen Z
For a long time, leadership in the church has been associated with the loudest voice in the room. The confident speaker. The outgoing personality. The person who always seems sure of themselves and ready to take charge. Personally, I am constantly in front of people teaching, leading, even giving announcements, and for far too long
- Published in Adult Volunteers, ASCENT, Leadership, Leadership Pipeline, Resources, Student Leaders, Teaching, Training, usmb nextgen
Behind the Scenes: Planning a Camp Like ASCENT
If you’ve ever attended ASCENT, you know it feels like the kind of week that just works (hopefully). But what most people never see is the massive amount of planning that happens long before the first student arrives on site. As the ASCENT Planning team, we want to pull back the curtain a bit and share
- Published in ASCENT, Senior High, Training, usmb nextgen
Theme Nights 2026
Get ready—ASCENT 2026 is leveling up the fun! Each night of camp will feature a special theme, and both campers and counselors are encouraged to dress up and get creative. Every evening’s theme will connect directly to that night’s late-night party. Whether you go all-in with a full costume or keep it simple with themed
- Published in ASCENT, Senior High, USMB, usmb nextgen
How to Create a Great Job Description for a Summer Internship (That Actually Helps You AND Your Intern)
When it comes to summer internships in ministry, most churches fall into one of two categories: “We’ll just figure it out as we go…” “Let’s create a clear, helpful plan that sets everyone up for success.” Guess which one interns (and staff) prefer? 🙃 If you’re looking to host a youth, worship, or kids ministry
- Published in Leadership Pipeline, Resources, Training, usmb nextgen
What America’s Largest & Fastest-Growing Churches Have in Common (and What They Avoid)
Each fall, Outreach Magazine publishes the Outreach 100 (outreach100.com), ranking the largest and fastest-growing churches in the U.S. (attendance is gathered via Lifeway Research’s survey plus Hartford Institute public data). They do this every year so you should really check it out. But we used the data, scanned the lists, and fed them through AI
- Published in Leadership Pipeline, News, Resources, Small Group, USMB, usmb nextgen
Fun Resource: Slides With Friends
Bring Your Youth Ministry to Life with Slides With Friends Looking to level up your youth group sessions? Slides With Friends is a dynamic web-based tool that transforms ordinary slides into interactive experiences—think live polls, quizzes, word clouds, icebreakers, photo sharing, and more—all seamlessly accessible via smartphones or devices. It’s designed to engage, not lecture—perfect
- Published in Free Download, Games, Ideas, Resources, Tech Tips, usmb nextgen
New Location for ASCENT 2026
We are excited to announce that ASCENT 2026 will take place at The Crossing Retreat Center in Lexington, Nebraska, June 27 – July 1 (Saturday–Wednesday). For the past two years, we’ve been grateful for our time at Camp W.O.W., but a few weeks ago, we were informed that they could no longer host us on the
- Published in ASCENT, Membership, Parents, Senior High, USMB, usmb nextgen
How to Conduct a Job Interview for a Church Intern
Hiring a summer intern for your church—especially in areas like youth, worship, or kids ministry—is a big deal. You’re not just filling a short-term role. You’re investing in a future leader, someone who will be representing your church, connecting with people, and potentially exploring a lifetime of ministry. So how do you make the most
- Published in Ideas, Resources, Training, usmb nextgen
From Sunscreen to Syllabi: 7 Tips to Transition from Summer to School-Year
The summer was a whirlwind—camps, mission trips, water games, late-night heart-to-hearts, and maybe even a slip-n-slide baptism or two (JK). But now, as Walmart swaps out pool floats for pencils, it’s your cue: fall is coming. And with it, a whole new rhythm for your youth ministry. So how do you transition well from the
- Published in Ideas, Junior High, Leadership, Resources, Senior High, Training, usmb nextgen, Youth Worker Life