Author

About the Author
I am a Youth Ministry veteran of twenty four years, and currently serve as the Student Pastor at High Desert Church.  I help equip and encourage Youth Pastors through this blog and podcast The Longer Haul.  My passion is helping Youth Pastors create a ministry of longevity that they truly love.  I am the grateful husband of Sarah and the dad of Emma, Anna, Lizzy, and Jack.  I am a speaker, lover of vintage VW’s, and the owner of one 1972 VW Westfalia Bus.

Hard Things About Having Kids In Youth Ministry

Having children and being a Youth Pastor has both advantages and disadvantages.  I’ve previously written about events that changed my ministry forever.  Having children was definitely one of those. There are though some things I don’t like and worry about when it comes to being in Youth Ministry and having children.  These particularly seem to…

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TLH020: Qualities of a Vibrant Youth Ministry

What does a vibrant Youth Ministry look like?  You might be surprised.  In today’s episode Mark Oestreicher (Marko) shares 4 qualities of a vibrant Youth Ministry.  These are qualities that ANY Youth Ministry COULD have.  There are some huge takeaways from this episode. Links mentioned: WhyIsMarko.com @markosbeard TheYouthCartel.com Resources mentioned in this Podcast: Hopecasting: Finding, Keeping…

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TLH019: Inspiring Teens to Serve Others

In a culture that tells students it is all about them, how do we inspire teens to serve others?  How do we encourage them so see those around them and be moved with compassion to serve? In today’s episode Brooklyn Lindsey shares how to inspire teens to be more and do more, especially when it comes to…

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TLH018: How to Make Changes Without Getting Fired

Change is inevitable.  Regardless of how long you’ve been serving where you are you will need to make changes in Youth Ministry.  This can certainly be tricky and there are tons of examples of how to do it poorly.  The question is then, how do you do that without royally ticking everyone off and getting yourself…

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TLH017: Transitioning Your Youth To College

The transition from Youth Ministry to life that follows is crucial for the longevity of your student’s faith.  How do you do that? In today’s episode Shay Osborne shares from his experience working as a Youth Pastor, College Campus Missionary, and Pastor with practical help and direction on successfully transitioning your Youth to College. Links mentioned: TLH007: Why…

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ONE THING To Make Your Mission Trips For Teens Successful

[x_video_embed][/x_video_embed] When I started leading mission trips 15 years ago I didn’t do this. Once I started I vowed never to neglect it EVER again. It has made all the difference. If you were to ask me what is one thing you must do to make sure your trip is successful, this is what I…

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