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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Why People Are Leaving the Church: What The Research Actually Says

I recently came across a Reel from @Bradyshearer sharing that two research groups independently reached similar conclusions about why people are leaving the church, and the readings have been fascinating.  This is a summary of the Pew Research Center and PRRI (Public Religion Research Institute).  And while many Christians assume the answer is simple, the

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Youth Pastor Compensation: What You Need to Know (and What To Do About It)

If you’ve ever sat in your office, looked at your budget, your schedule, your late nights, your camps, your messages… and quietly wondered, “Am I being paid fairly for this?” you’re not alone. The latest 2026 Youth Pastor Compensation Report: CLICK HERE gives us one of the clearest pictures yet of what’s happening across the

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Knowing, Doing, Being: A Leadership Framework for the Next Generation

If you’ve been in student ministry for more than five minutes, you’ve probably asked this question: “How do I actually help students grow and not just show up?” Because let’s be honest… Students can know all the right answers and still struggle to live it out. They can do all the right things and still

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