Your story – A visionary Australian research project
Your Story is a visionary research project featuring stories from over 400 Australian young people. The project explores questions around who and what has, and is, shaping their faith in their childhood, adolescence, and the present, by listening to young people narrate their faith story.
Here are four key findings from this research, and their implications for ministry.
Five Strategies to Cultivate a Culture of Church-Parent Partnership
The childhood years are foundational for a young person’s spiritual development. Yet children’s ministry is too often carried out in isolation from the families to whom these children belong.
When the church and home are aligned in purpose, vision, and strategy the discipleship and spiritual formation of children flourish. So, what does meaningful partnership between the church and the home look like—both theologically and practically?
Too comfortable for Christ
When life feels full and comfortable, why would anyone think they need Jesus? The “I’m fine, thanks” fallacy is one I’ve encountered time and time again. Young people often don’t perceive their need for Jesus because life feels good, and they don’t see themselves as "bad people."
Here are three approaches to help young people see their need for Jesus, even when they don’t feel it.
Fostering a sense of belonging in kids ministry
Low and irregular attendance at church is a concerning trend for leaders today. As someone particularly concerned with the discipleship of children, sporadic attendance is discouraging, so we can’t ignore the impact this will have on children.
Here’s one area I think children’s ministry leaders need to consider - fostering in our young people a sense of belonging at church.
Two ways to get quiet discussion groups talking
Think of a time where you’ve asked a question in a discussion and everyone falls silent… is it the good kind of silence, or the not-so-good kind?
One kind of silence is productive, while the other is detrimental to forming a good group culture. One kind of silence promotes discussion, the other hampers it.
Here are two simple tools that will help you create a platform for the types of discussion where you get the good kind of silence.
Small group tips: ‘The rule of thirds”
Does facilitating Friday night youth group discussion time feel like you’re trying to push a boulder up a hill? Many youth group leaders have fallen into the trap of focusing too much on one aspect of the group time. If this is you, then adopting the Rule of Thirds can be a significant help.
Hannah More and radical discipleship
What does a radical disciple of Jesus look like? I think it looks like Hannah More, a woman who trusted in God’s providence, used her gifts, cared for the poor, taught children and fought for justice.
Questions students ask
Have the questions that kids and youth ask in the classroom or on a Friday night changed in the last 10 years?
After noticing the shift to questions around ethics in his schools ministry, Youthworks College graduate Tom Owen has worked to changed the scope and sequence of his school scripture units.
Read more to see the kinds of questions kids ask, and how we helpfully engage with these questions in God’s Word.
The three R’s of gospel-shaped discipline with kids
One of the biggest fears people have about serving in children’s ministry leadership roles is around behaviour management. What do you do when a child refuses to cooperate? What do you do when the group won’t settle down and listen?
Annemarie helps us understand that the gospel should be guiding not just what we share in teaching times, but also how we relate to children who misbehave, and provides 3 helpful guidelines that you can take into your interactions with misbehaving children.
DEEP DIVE | Guidance
Decision-making can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to significant life choices such as career, relationships, and ministry. Many Christians also face the challenge of seeking to make decisions that align with God's will, often seeking certainty through our "calling" from God.
To help navigate decision-making and drawing on guidance from God’s Word, Viv draws from Scripture to show how understanding our calling as God's children offers both security and freedom in decision-making.
Kids ministry tips to support children with disability
When you have children in your ministry who have a disability, it can be tricky trying to find ways to encourage involvement and participation, particularly if it’s met with any kind of resistance.
Here are 5 ways to help enable young people with disability to meaningfully participate in church ministries and services.
Is your ministry accessible?
A church is accessible when people aren’t required to advocate for their needs by special request or every Sunday. We want our churches to welcome all people, every week, no fuss required. Accessibility ensures that all people, no matter what their disability is, can enter without any barriers.
Read on to find out how to evaluate if your ministries are accessible and ensure that everyone knows they are welcome.
How to develop a leadership training plan
Are your children's and youth ministry leadership teams thriving in their roles, or could they benefit from a more structured approach to training?
Cam breaks down practical steps to equip your leaders with the right skills, from safe ministry practices to casting vision. Discover key strategies to ensure your leaders are growing as disciples while discipling the next generation. Whether your team is small or large, this guide will help you create a training plan that fits your context and empowers your leaders for long-term success.
The what and the how of spiritual formation
Many ministries have been devastated by the moral and spiritual failings of leaders, impacting the most vulnerable, including children and youth. This emphasises the need to invest in spiritually and emotionally healthy ministry workers, a priority at Youthworks College.
Discover how the New Testament presents a clear vision of spiritual formation and the transformation that God accomplishes through His grace, rather than our own efforts.
Exploring the Epistles with kids
Teaching Paul’s epistles, such as Colossians and Ephesians, to children may seem challenging. However, these letters offer rich opportunities for spiritual and moral development that are invaluable in a child’s faith journey. Here are some helpful ideas to help you engage children with God’s Word.
Contextual youth ministry
Mike Dicker travelled through Dubai, Cairo, Harare, and the Seychelles delivering training at churches, and teaching at various theological colleges on “Contextual Youth Ministry”. Be inspired as he shares an overview of a method for contextualising ministry and some of the surprising applications from various contexts.
Raising mission heat in kids ministry (Part 2)
In part two Cam explores some actionable strategies that you can try in your kids’ program to help raise the mission heat.
Raising mission heat in kids ministry (Part 1)
Discover how to raise the temperature for mission in your children’s ministry programs. Cam Harte shares five characteristics of kids that get mission.
Why our Theology of Sin Matters
Talking about sin can seem negative and risky, especially when kids are part of the equation. Yet it is undeniably important if we want to be faithfully teaching God’s Word and pointing young people to Jesus.
How we understand sin will impact not only how we seek to disciple young people but also how we understand ourselves. Here’s a few observations on how our theology of sin speaks into our life and ministries.
DEEP DIVE | Holy Household, Holy Children: 1 Corinthians 7:14
Whether you're a parent, church leader, or simply curious about biblical insights on family and faith, Viv’s exploration offers valuable perspectives on how the sanctity of a believer's life can impact their entire household. Dive in to discover how these ancient teachings still resonate today and what they mean for us.