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.

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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TLH016: Creating Community in Your Youth Leaders

How do you create real community within your youth leaders?  How long does it take? In today’s episode Terry Huey dives in with practical help on how to begin building community within the team in your Youth Ministry. Links mentioned: TLH012: What Youth Leaders Need From Their Youth Pastor @TerryHuey Terry Huey on Instagram Turned By…

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10 Mistakes New Youth Pastors Make

Let’s be honest.  We all make mistakes…a lot of them.  Many times we even make the same mistakes over and over. Whether just beginning your “career” as a Youth Pastor or simply starting a new season of ministry in a new church, there are mistakes that seem to be commonly made when you’re new.  Most…

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TLH015: If I Could Start Over in Youth Ministry

What if I could go back and start over?  What things would I do differently? In today’s episode I’m giving you the five things I would do differently if I could go back and start over.  These things are really simple, but REALLY important! Regardless of whether you are new to Youth Ministry or a…

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