My favorite training of the year

Posted on: 05/18/20 10:00 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I’ve been to a lot of youth ministry conferences over the last couple decades…some really good ones. But one of my favorites is always the Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC). And it will be no exception this year. (And I promise you…I don’t get a thing for posting this. I’m truly just pointing you toward a worthwhile opportunity!) 

Check it out: https://nywc.youthspecialties.com #NYWC20  (and check out below for the special buy-one-get-one regulation on launch day- today- Monday!)

Here’s the thing about this conference… literally everyone is there!

Last year someone grabbed me in the hallway and asked me which workshop they should go to and I looked at the list. During that specific slot their choice of speakers was me, Doug Fields, Greg Stier, Kara Powell, Scott Rubin and about another ten good options. I told them honestly… “You can’t go wrong with ANY of these!” (In fact, I think they attended Greg’s, and then got the audio download for the rest of them.)

And this year, it’s actually going to be even better. This year the conference is going to be focusing even more on giving you that individual attention you need. I kid you not. All of the workshop presenters will be available to hang out with you between sessions and dialogue with you about ministry.

And if you sign up today… Monday… (the day this blog was posted)… you will get an extra registration to share with someone else (yeah… that’s a $200 savings… the cheapest you’ll get all year!!!) And if you register after Monday… it’s still a slamming deal. Jump on the web site and take a peek for yourself!

So what are you waiting for?

7 Things This Camp Does Right

Posted on: 03/2/19 10:00 AM | by Jonathan McKee

That all camps should emulate

I’ve been speaking at Camp Timber-lee in Wisconsin for over a decade now, and this past weekend I was thinking, This camp does soooooooooo many things right… I wish every camp could visit and glean from the experience.

So here’s the next best thing. Here are 7 things I see them doing right again and again and again for their winter camp weekend retreats…

1. Kids start having fun the second they arrive.I’ve been to countless camps where kids don’t get to do their favorite thing—hang out—until literally the second day after lunch. Really. A lot of camps immediately file kids into a long program, then small groups, then bed, then breakfast, then another program, some forced rec time, then lunch… THEN finally free time! Camp Timber-lee has free time programmed for the Continue reading “7 Things This Camp Does Right”

On a middle school campus

Posted on: 12/11/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

This semester I’ve had the privilege of hanging out at a middle school just 14 minutes from my house and we’re getting ready to start a campus ministry reaching the campus… but it’s not easy.

I met the principle earlier this year when I was doing research for my bullying book. I love this guy. He’s an amazing educator who is more “encourager” than “disciplinarian”… the school is so lucky to have him. I got to know him a little better when he brought me out to teach my Parenting the Smartphone Generation workshop to the school’s parents, and I’ve been hanging out on campus about once a week with him during lunch since.

One day I mentioned that it would be cool to see a Campus Life or Young Life club on campus and he welcomed the idea. So I literally walked into the church across the street, met the youth pastor and said, “Do you want to help me reach this campus?” Continue reading “On a middle school campus”

Remember when we looked like this?

Posted on: 08/28/18 11:18 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Remember when we looked like this?

We’ve been revamping this thing for years! And hold on to your hats… because it’s about to get even better.

In the next couple weeks you all are going to see some welcome changes around here. Many of you have noticed that both my blog and TheSource4Parents.com have both been completely revamped: mobile friendly, new content at the forefront, much easier to navigate. Well the youth ministry site is about to get the same revamp (longtime needed)… Continue reading “Remember when we looked like this?”

Super Bowl Party Quiz

Posted on: 01/29/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

It’s almost Super Bowl time… and that means our annual free BIG GAME Quiz! And this year… we’ve also included a free SlideShow game as an alternative!

For those of you have been following TheSource4YM.com for the past few years, you probably look forward to the fun little FREE resource we provide every year called the Super Bowl “BIG GAME Quiz!” (I just posted it and the free slideshop game HERE). The quiz is done by my sports-fanatic friend Todd Pearage (who many of you might know as the creator the DYM game “Sportsball”).

This FREE quiz/activity is a fun little party game you can use at your Super Bowl party at your church or your home Continue reading “Super Bowl Party Quiz”

the three vital practices of today’s youth pastor

Posted on: 01/23/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

“How can I become the best youth pastor possible?”

Wow! Talk about your huge questions! I just received that exact question in an email. Well, actually, he asked…

Can you please give me your best advice on how to become the best youth pastor possible? The students deserve the best and so I want to give it to them. Even if you just want to give me a Top 10 list of books that would help me, that would be helpful.
~Trent

MY RESPONSE:

Trent, Wow, how to summarize youth ministry… in one email. That’s a big question. I’ll simplify it to three vital practices and then link a bunch of helpful reading as requested Continue reading “the three vital practices of today’s youth pastor”

Helpful new free resources

Posted on: 05/31/17 2:27 PM | by Jonathan McKee

We have posted some really helpful free resources in the last month or two. I wanted to highlight a few in case you missed them.

NOTE: Whenever I meet any of you in person at conferences and events around the world, the one common statement I hear is, “Thanks for your web site.” Of which I always respond, “You welcome. What is it you use the most?” The responses are always intriguing. I think “games” is the most common response I hear from youth workers, and the “youth culture articles” is the second most common answer. “Parenting help articles” is by far the number one answer from parents.

I’m glad you like them… that’s why we keep them free.

Here’s a few you won’t want to miss Continue reading “Helpful new free resources”

The Big Game QUIZ

Posted on: 01/30/17 4:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

It’s almost Super Bowl time… and that means our annual free BIG GAME Quiz!

For those of you have been following TheSource4YM.com for the past few years, you probably look forward to the fun little FREE resource we provide every year called the Super Bowl “BIG GAME Quiz!” (I just posted it HERE). This quiz is a fun little party game you can use at your Super Bowl party at your church or your home. People fill out the quiz as they enter your party, predicting scores, catches, runs, etc., then you fill out the results during the game and tally up the winner (and PLEASE… remember to tally up the answers during the game because that’s how the quiz works). Continue reading “The Big Game QUIZ”

An Interview with Doug Fields & Josh Griffin

Posted on: 08/25/16 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Doug-and-Josh-GEffectively Resourcing Today’s Youth Workers
An Interview with Doug Fields & Josh Griffin

Both Doug and Josh have served on the front lines of youth ministry for literally decades. They are two of the leading thought-leaders in our profession and know incredibly well what it takes to equip teams of volunteers with the tools they need to effectively reach today’s young people with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. I was excited to sit down with them recently to talk a little bit about serving youth workers and running my favorite youth ministry resource organization: DownloadYouthMinistry.com (DYM).

* Be sure to peek at the freebie they are giving away to my readers at the bottom of this post… no strings attached!

JONATHAN: What are some of the resources each of you found yourselves on the hunt for in your own ministries decades ago?

JOSH: When Doug started, way back during the middle of the Civil War, there weren’t Continue reading “An Interview with Doug Fields & Josh Griffin”

Summer Youth Ministry

Posted on: 07/19/16 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Youth ministers know we have a FREE TRAINING TOOLS page with all kinds of free training, including FREE TRAINING VIDEOS. (How to connect with kids, how to get teenagers talking, how to share your faith, how to lead games, how to lead skits… check it out!)

We’re halfway through our summer ministry. Take a peek at our brand new Summer Youth Ministry training video if you haven’t seen it yet!

summer-ministry-training

CLICK HERE FOR THIS NEW FREE TRAINING VIDEO