Handy Dandy Youth Ministry Blog

  Webster’s Dictionary defines protest as “an expression or declaration of objection, disapproval, or dissent, often in opposition of something a person is powerless to prevent or avoid.” There’s been a lot of media coverage lately about protesting. The West Virginia teachers, the nationwide walk-out the morning I am writing this blog post, #metoo, racial…

Leadership is a lonely place.  Youth ministry leadership can be especially lonely, as youth ministers shepherd students who are facing challenges and issues unprecedented in previous generations.  They sometimes serve in churches whose members resist their efforts to contextualize the gospel to reach students and find themselves in the role of trying to help these…

  Welcome to HD SoundBytes, a monthly twenty-song curated playlist brought to you by HDYM to meet the needs of each area of your youth ministry service.  The Game Background playlist. Focused on current youth culture and a few nods some retro fun. All high energy! Directions: Once you have clicked on the link, the…

Small churches are often strapped for resources.  With that, it can feel like they can’t do some of the things they see bigger churches doing, produce what bigger churches are producing and utilize the same quality of tools that the bigger churches are using.  This series is designed to equip the small church ministry to…

It’s a tale as old as time: Boy meets girl.  Boy dates girl.  Boy brings girl to his youth group.  Love abounds, stars fall from the sky, and all is right in the world.  For a week.  Inevitably, boy and girl break up.  When all the dust settles, we are left in the aftermath with…

Small churches are often strapped for resources.  With that, it can feel like they can’t do some of the things they see bigger churches doing, produce what bigger churches are producing and utilize the same quality of tools that the bigger churches are using.  This series is designed to equip the small church ministry to…

  Welcome to HD SoundBytes, a monthly twenty-song curated playlist brought to you by HDYM to meet the needs of each area of your youth ministry service.  For this first installment you will find the HDYM PreService mix.  This is a high energy, modern mix that will help create an atmosphere that your students will…

Youth leaders, as a subset of human beings, are great at a lot of things. For example, they are great out-of-the-box thinkers, highly energetic, relational, and can survive on more pizza and Mountain Dew than anyone their age should. But, believe it or not, there is a growing trend in youth ministry that concerns youth…

Branding youth ministries is not a new idea. Gone are the days of using a piece of clipart and a strange acronyms, like the phone tree and the disposable camera.  Youth ministry has evolved, and branding is something that is becoming more and more common.  The question has now become: “When is branding right for me?”…

Whether your ministry takes a break for the summer, reduces or rearranges its schedule, or is business as usual through the break, there’s no denying there is a change in energy that first Sunday/Wednesday/Youth Group Meeting back.  The return to school and the advance into a new grade and, in some cases, a new school…