I think every youth minister has wrestled with this at one point or another. So much effort and energy goes into planning and executing the mission trip that we neglect what happen[...]

While most of the heavy lifting in planning a mission trip comes in the “pre-trip” planning stages (picking a location, setting the budget, picking the team, and nailin[...]

Let’s face it, youth ministers aren’t always known as the best planners. Sometimes, we do a great job of casting the overall vision of our ministry while neglecting the[...]

Once you have the location picked out and the budget set, the next step is to get the team you want in place. This can be a crucial part of the mission trip planning process. These[...]

Are you lazy?  Let’s be honest, that’s a pretty pointed question.  Most of us recoil defensively, but I think it’s a question we need to wrestle with if we want t[...]

After you have picked the perfect location for your mission trip, the next thing you need to do is to figure out the financial part.  Setting the budget can be one of the most impo[...]

As I write this post, I am returning home from my 11th High School Spring Break Mission Trip as the Youth Minister at Hazelwood Christian Church.  Every year, we take 40-60 high sc[...]

In June of 2001, my wife and I moved into an apartment in Plainfield, Indiana, eager and ready to begin our ministry at Hazelwood Christian Church. By August, just two months later[...]

One of the most valuable and daunting tasks in Youth Ministry is the visit to the local school lunchroom. There is, in my opinion, no better way to meet students in their world, to[...]

When it comes to summer conference options, there are probably more options for youth ministers than ever before in history. A simple Google search for “summer conferences fo[...]