Youth Ministry Sherpas

It’s May! That means it’s time to put the top down, turn up the radio, and break out the Sherpa Shorts!For the past two years during the month of May, we provided a blast of llama love with a burst of episodes we called the Sherpa Shorts. This year we are choosing some incredible song lyrics and then riffing about how they relate to youth ministry. Great music, sage thoughts, and a playlist for your summer road trip – that sounds like podcast perfection!Enjoy this year’s version of SHERPA SHORTS!Episode 7 – Twenty One Pilots – “Heathens” from the Suicide Squad Soundtrack (2016)https://open.spotify.com/track/6i0V12jOa3mr6uu4WYhUBr?si=xg-wcTr0ThK-ZxUvcv3SKgWe are proud members of the DYM Podcast Networkhttps://podcast.downloadyouthministry.com/

It’s May! That means it’s time to put the top down, turn up the radio, and break out the Sherpa Shorts!For the past two years during the month of May, we provided a blast of llama love with a burst of episodes we called the Sherpa Shorts. This year we are choosing some incredible song lyrics and then riffing about how they relate to youth ministry. Great music, sage thoughts, and a playlist for your summer road trip – that sounds like podcast perfection!Enjoy this year’s version of SHERPA SHORTS!Episode 6 – Avril Lavigne – “My Happy Ending” from the album Under My Skin (2004)https://open.spotify.com/track/6sqNctd7MlJoKDOxPVCAvU?si=Ya2EgOCsTTS9NSbvOKY1EAWe are proud members of the DYM Podcast Networkhttps://podcast.downloadyouthministry.com/

It’s May! That means it’s time to put the top down, turn up the radio, and break out the Sherpa Shorts!For the past two years during the month of May, we provided a blast of llama love with a burst of episodes we called the Sherpa Shorts. This year we are choosing some incredible song lyrics and then riffing about how they relate to youth ministry. Great music, sage thoughts, and a playlist for your summer road trip – that sounds like podcast perfection!Enjoy this year’s version of SHERPA SHORTS!Episode 5 – Earth Wind and Fire – “September” (1978)https://open.spotify.com/track/7Cuk8jsPPoNYQWXK9XRFvG?si=brAcOuisQGa_OEFs3gfGXgWe are proud members of the DYM Podcast Networkhttps://podcast.downloadyouthministry.com/

It’s May! That means it’s time to put the top down, turn up the radio, and break out the Sherpa Shorts!For the past two years during the month of May, we provided a blast of llama love with a burst of episodes we called the Sherpa Shorts. This year we are choosing some incredible song lyrics and then riffing about how they relate to youth ministry. Great music, sage thoughts, and a playlist for your summer road trip – that sounds like podcast perfection!Enjoy this year’s version of SHERPA SHORTS!Episode 4 – Edgar Winter Group – “Free Ride” from the album They Only Come Out at Night (1972)https://open.spotify.com/track/4DhbiXEuV7JxSR0wuqetTa?si=H2ftOxhISrGJE7I-Q7RwHQWe are proud members of the DYM Podcast Networkhttps://podcast.downloadyouthministry.com/

It’s May! That means it’s time to put the top down, turn up the radio, and break out the Sherpa Shorts!For the past two years during the month of May, we provided a blast of llama love with a burst of episodes we called the Sherpa Shorts. This year we are choosing some incredible song lyrics and then riffing about how they relate to youth ministry. Great music, sage thoughts, and a playlist for your summer road trip – that sounds like podcast perfection!Enjoy this year’s version of SHERPA SHORTS!Episode 3 – Switchfoot – “Dark Horses” from the album Vice Verses (2011) https://open.spotify.com/track/4zRnU8aqb6wjyGHaHxunQT?si=7RGPaj-xS9mNrxX4zDvj1QWe are proud members of the DYM Podcast Networkhttps://podcast.downloadyouthministry.com/

It’s May! That means it’s time to put the top down, turn up the radio, and break out the Sherpa Shorts!For the past two years during the month of May, we provided a blast of llama love with a burst of episodes we called the Sherpa Shorts. This year we are choosing some incredible song lyrics and then riffing about how they relate to youth ministry. Great music, sage thoughts, and a playlist for your summer road trip – that sounds like podcast perfection!Enjoy this year’s version of SHERPA SHORTS!Episode 2 – Fleetwood Mac – “Don’t Stop” from the album Rumors (1977)https://open.spotify.com/track/3CPeWqqaHR0hmyfsWhMJQs?si=PFWBWaRdSc6wKIGzm0glwwWe are proud members of the DYM Podcast Network!https://podcast.downloadyouthministry.com/

It’s May! That means it’s time to put the top down, turn up the radio, and break out the Sherpa Shorts!For the past two years during the month of May, we provided a blast of llama love with a burst of episodes we called the Sherpa Shorts. This year we are choosing some incredible song lyrics and then riffing about how they relate to youth ministry. Great music, sage thoughts, and a playlist for your summer road trip – that sounds like podcast perfection!Enjoy this year’s version of SHERPA SHORTS!Episode 1 – John Bellion – “The Internet” from the album Glory Sound Prep (2018)https://open.spotify.com/track/359Q4gGdrQIFhRzs7J8gZu?si=qw87LvEESDGwEwVc1yF1RgWe are proud members of the DYM Podcast Network!https://podcast.downloadyouthministry.com/

Brock Morgan is the reason we are here.Well, not quite. But almost. Back when we were just starting out as podcasters in January of 2018, we reached out to Brock for an interview. He had just released his book, Youth Ministry 2027, and when we found out he lived not far from us, we thought talking to him would be a great way to build our audience.He didn’t know us from Adam, but he was very accommodating and agreed to sit down with us. It was the beginning of a friendship, and maybe even the beginning of the Sherpas.Two years later, we are excited to release our latest conversation with Brock as part of our Sherpa Legends series. Brock has served on the speaking team of Youth Specialties and is a frequent author for the Youth Cartel. He speaks at youth conferences, parent events and youth leader training workshops around the country. He has served at influential churches on both coasts. And he is the son of Christian hippies. No lie. He grew up on the road with parents who were part of a Jesus Movement rock b

We are nearing the two-month point of the pandemic. It’s getting old. Really old. The end remains a mysterious mountain hidden in the far distance. We don’t know when the skies will clear and when we will see the summit. While we soldier on, we are starting to wonder, “What are we supposed to be learning here?”What is God teaching us?How will our perspective about youth ministry change?What will we do differently in the Brave New Post-Pandemic World?What have we been doing that just doesn’t matter anymore?Maybe the lessons we are supposed to learn are less about digital navigation and more about being pastors and shepherds. Maybe it’s less about how to do online church, and more about community and humility.Maybe we will learn something after all. We sure hope so!We are proud members of the Download Youth Ministry Podcast Network!https://podcast.downloadyouthministry.com/If you have no idea who Tony Mandarich is:https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4073575Add a llama or goat to your Zoom meeting!https://www

If you follow enough youth workers on social media, you’ll see some incredible youth ministry taking place right now. Everyone seems to be “killing it” on InstaZoomFaceTube. With all the talent and creativity that’s risen to the surface in the past month, it’s a wonder we didn’t have a thousand youth group versions of the Tonight Show on every cable network for the past five years. That is, unless you are a 50+ youth pastor who spends four hours on Sunday afternoon trying to figure out how to get a Youtube video to stream on your Zoom account. I never did get that stupid thing to work.Seriously, while we admire the creativity, ingenuity, and generosity that the pandemic has spawned in youth ministry world, we wonder if perhaps we haven’t dealt with our true emotions. Are we covering up how many of us truly feel? Have we faced our sense of failure? Have we dealt with our grief and loss? Have we admitted that we’ve spent a few late nights wondering if we were making any difference at all before this happened, l

Oh. My. Goodness.We are amazed. Humbled. Honored. Starstruck. Gobsmacked. Pumped!We are now part of the Download Youth Ministry Podcast Network!Who are we? We are Steve and Mathew, two veteran youth workers from Maryland from neighboring churches who are great friends with nearly 60 years of youth ministry experience between us. Two years ago, we started the Youth Ministry Sherpas Podcast—Sherpas being those hardy Tibetan souls who help climbers make it to the summit of Everest and other mountains. Our mission was to “Help Youth Workers to Keep Going” so they can discover the blessings that come with longevity.Since then, we’ve recorded 75 regular shows, 52 “Sherpa Shorts,” and a bunch of interviews with the “Legends” of youth ministry. We can’t believe we get to do this!And now we can’t believe we get to be part of DYM -- the greatest network since ESPN!In Episode 75, we celebrate this amazing honor and tell our new listeners a little bit about ourselves. This just might help US to keep going! Thank you for

In today's episode, we share a conversation we had back in January with Ronald and Michelle of the Talking Squirrels Middle School Ministry Podcast. Middle School is the hidden treasure of youth ministry and the most undervalued ministry in the church. We love those who have pledged themselves to work exclusively with this age group.We had some audio problems with the call, so please bear with us. There are nuggets of wisdom and encouragement throughout.As serendipity would have it, both of our shows are joining the Download Youth Ministry Podcast Network (theirs is being renamed simply "Middle School Ministry). We are beyond thrilled to be included in this amazing partnership, beginning with Episode 75 coming soon!Episode 74 --- Talking Squirrels and the Beauty of Middle School Ministry

No man (or woman) is an island.Building a healthy volunteer team is one of the keys to a successful youth ministry. We've been down that road, and for better or worse, have learned a few things along the way. Here is the final part of our three-part series on Recruiting, Keeping and (gasp!) Firing volunteers.Episode 73 -- Firing Volunteers

No man (or woman) is an island.Building a healthy volunteer team is one of the keys to a successful youth ministry. We've been down that road, and for better or worse, have learned a few things along the way. Here is the first part of our three-part series on Recruiting, Keeping and (gasp!) Firing volunteers.Episode 72 -- Keeping Volunteers

No man (or woman) is an island.Building a healthy volunteer team is one of the keys to a successful youth ministry. We've been down that road, and for better or worse, have learned a few things along the way. Here is the first part of our three-part series on Recruiting, Shepherding and (gasp!) even firing volunteers.Episode 71 -- Recruiting Volunteers

Greg Stier is one of the most important voices in youth ministry. His passionate call to keep evangelism at the forefront of all we do has inspired an entire generation of youth pastors and students to share their faith with courage.Greg is the founder and former president of Dare 2 Share Ministries. Raised in a violent, inner-city family in Denver, Colorado, he never knew his father. A local pastor named "Yankee" led Greg and his entire family to Christ. That ignited a passion in Greg to see all lost people come to know Jesus. Following college, he became a pastor and founded Dare 2 Share ministries. Deeply impacted by the Columbine shooting in 1999, Greg took the ministry full-time and has never looked back.Greg has spoken to more than a million teenagers through the Dare 2 Share conferences. He's the author of Gospelize and numerous resources for leaders and students. A few years ago, Greg and his team created Dare 2 Share Live, taking the principles of healthy evangelistic youth ministries to thousands of

It feels like another lifetime, but we still remember it like it was, well, a lifetime ago. Once upon a time, we were youth workers with young children at home!Youth Ministry is an incredible life choice, not only for us but for our spouse and kids as well. It presents blessings and challenges to parenting and to raising small children that many other professions do not. How do you leave the troubles of other people's kids at the office? How much do you share with your wife? How do you integrate your family and ministry, but not too much? With great skill and agility, we navigated those waters. Actually, we had little idea what we were doing, but we survived. Maybe we even learned something worth sharing. As Mathew prepares to send his youngest child off to college and Steve prepares to graduate his youngest child from college, we present to you our old thoughts on how to be a great youth pastor while raising a young family.Episode 70 -- With a Young Family

2nd Semester Seniors -- A Deeper LookIn episode 68, we asked two second-semester seniors what they want from their youth ministry as they approach graduation. The main thing we heard from them was support, caring, and comfort. What they don't want is change, guilt, pressure, or anyone asking, "So, what are YOU doing after graduation?"In this episode, we unpack these ideas a little more thoroughly. What's behind that for these students, and perhaps even their parents. What can we as youth workers do to help not only our students, but their parents, prepare for this emotional and important transition. What if, instead of adding to their stress and feeding the comparison machine, we instead relieve the pressure and help everybody realize it's all going to be okay?! It's something we confess we haven't done well, and yet, now that we are nearly finished with this whole season ourselves, wish we could do differently. Maybe we don't have to drown ourselves in fried cheese curds to survive this after all.We think th

You know them, invest in them, laugh with them, and love them for 4, maybe 7, years, and then it's time to say goodbye. It's not easy.Nothing makes the years seem to go faster in youth ministry than seniors in their final semester.In today's episode, Illy McCabe and Emily Webb, two second-semester seniors, share their thoughts on how to make the most of this last phase of life in student ministry. It's a great reminder for us as youth workers of how valuable what we do really is, and how blessed we are to be able to enjoy such bittersweet moments. We can be the source of stress and guilt for seniors, or we can send them off well. Let's choose the latter.Episode 68 -- Second Semester Seniors