The Heart-Breaking Side of being a Long-Term Youth Worker
I’m a huge advocate for youth ministry as a long-haul vocation, rather than a one-stop ride on the way to ‘proper’ ministry. We’ve got to dig in, get comfortable, and prepare for a real journey. There is, however, a darker side to being in it for a long haul, and in a nutshell it’s this: […]
Youth Work Hacks at the Premier Digital Awards 2018
I’m so blown away that Youth Work Hacks is a finalist again at this year’s Premier Digital Awards! Each year I’m inspired by the entries and encouraged to push further in creating quality online content for youth workers. In 2016, we won ‘Most Inspiring Leadership Blog’ and in 2017 we won both ‘Most Inspiring Leadership […]
The other ‘other’ side of mental health
There are few health-related topics receiving as much media attention at the moment as mental health, and rightly so. It’s been a tragically misunderstood and vastly under-resourced part of human conditions for years. The NHS says that one in four adults and one in four children will experience mental health problems, however only a small […]
Living with insomnia as a youth worker
For as long as I can remember I have struggled with sleep. Most nights I’ll drift off nice and easily, but then I’ll wake up at the smallest sound, and usually I’ll be wide awake by about 3am, only to have my tiredness return by 7am. This is always fun. When I’m asleep I grumble, […]
When youth ministry meets real life – an excerpt from Rebooted
Youth work is not always pretty, it doesn’t always follow the rules, it doesn’t always show up on time, and it doesn’t always play fair. I remember getting a phone call at 6am from a local school in London to explain that a very popular sixteen-year-old boy had tragically lost his life in the night. […]
Is Bonhoeffer really a good role model for youth workers?
Recently I wrote a critique of Dr. Andrew Root’s approach to incarnational youth ministry, to which he graciously responded. In many ways, however, Root’s understanding of the Incarnation is not his own. The ghost of Dietrich Bonhoeffer walks each and every page. Even the phrase Root uses, place-sharer, is Bonhoeffer’s (Stellvertreter). Root said that Bonhoeffer’s […]
The Gravity of the Bible – an excerpt from Rebooted
This is a short section from my new book, Rebooted: Reclaiming youth ministry for the long haul – a biblical framework. Check it out here. When I was growing up, my brother was big into mountain biking. He made his own bikes, had all the right gear, and wore ‘biker’ clothing. One of his t-shirts […]
What does Star Wars have to do with Youth Work? – on YCW
Here’s a post I wrote for ‘May the 4th Be With You’ day for Premier Youth and Children’s work. Check it out here!
Helping your child process their exam result – Kirsten Witchalls
A short helpful set of sports on exam and test results by Careers Adviser, Kirsten Witchalls. Kirsten is also the wife of Alan Witchalls from Video Bible Talks – make sure you check them out! I am at GCSE results day in my role of a Careers Adviser. My role is the difficult one of […]
3 ways to react and respond to GenZ… by Jonny Price
Recently I wrote about 5 Differences between today’s young people and Millenials. In this blog I want to lay out some potential ways that we as youth workers might start to engage with some of these ideas. 1. Emphasise what we stand FOR, rather than what we are against For decades the church has been […]
5 times NOT to love young people
Let’s start with the elephant in the room. Of course, you should love all young people unconditionally as Jesus taught us; however, that is assuming we all mean the same thing by the word ‘love’. Love is unconditional, but that doesn’t make it inexcusable. Love is tolerant, but that doesn’t make it unaccountable. Love is […]
Why I Wrote ‘Follow Me’ – By Ali Campbell
Ali Campbell, youth work consultant and founder of ‘The Resource’ takes us behind the scenes as he releases his new book ‘Follow Me: Transforming and shaping lives for the journey.’ I wrote “Follow Me” because I am fascinated by the relationship between Jesus and Peter. As I have worked with young people over the years, […]
5 Differences between today’s young people and Millennials – Jonny Price
This week, Jonny Price, Youth and Children’s Ministry Leader in York, returns to give us some insight into his research into ‘GenZ’, and how young people today are actually quite different to ‘Millennials’ – just like him! Millenials are everywhere, saving the world or destroying industry depending in your point of view. But the young […]
57 random suggestions for new pastors
Love people more than you love books. Teach the people you have, not the people you wish you had. Ask questions. lots and lots of questions. Hang out with other pastors. Spend time with the children. Pray more for people than you talk about people. Knowing things that should make you a better preacher, won’t […]
13 Rules of thumb for giving better talks
Here are a few golden rules of thumb for public speaking. These have nothing to do with content or spirituality, but they should help all of us speak more clearly and accessibly. Better speaking means clearer delivery, and clearly delivery means that more people will get it! 1. Don’t commentate on your talk as you […]