NextGen Summit: Recent Episodes
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NextGen Summit was a one-day conference for family, youth and college ministers. These informative workshops range from inclusion, programing and engagement in ministry.
A note of care: the topic may not be suitable for all listeners. This episode includes conversation around progressive sexual topics and accompanying language. It is recommended that adult leaders listen before sharing with students.
This podcast was adapted from Rev. Winter Hamilton's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Embodied Christian Sexual Ethics.
Talking about sex is an important role for anyone serving as a Youth Pastor or Young Adult Pastor. It seems like most of the resources available are very focused on outdated and unrealistic sexual ethics. I needed something that went beyond one man and one woman who are waiting for marriage. This podcast is a place to take a look at Christian resources that may be beneficial in your conversations around sexual ethics that go beyond the way we’ve always done it.
This podcast was adapted from Rev. Winter Hamilton's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled How to Start a Young Adult Mentoring Program.
In 2015 Manchester United Methodist Church started The Young Adult Discipleship Internship Program. This is a leadership training opportunity that is available to Christian Young Adults involved in the UMC (ages 18-30) from throughout the Gateway Districts of the Missouri Conference. It is our goal to craft Young Adult Interns to be leaders in the church and the world, where their calling is well-defined, and their passions are affirmed in their Christian Identity. It is our goal that their experience creates a ripple effect to create more leaders, by affirming the God-given gifts and graces of others. This podcast will outline how to create and implement a Mentoring Program for young folk in your church context.
This podcast was adapted from Rev. Tracey Wolff's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Walking with College Students.
What does it really take to be in ministry with college students? What do they want and need from the church? Is the church willing to do the work even if it does not grow a worship service? This podcast will explore these questions in hopes of finding out if our congregations might find a niche in reaching students with the grace and love of God.
This podcast was adapted from Scott Bons' NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Redeeming the Narrative: Leading Youth Missional Communities.
“Kids are too busy!” “They just won’t come to our event/church!” “This just isn’t working anymore.” If you have ever thought (or said aloud) something like this before, I get it. Honestly, that is where I have been. With students going 5+ days a week in sports, school, and other social activities, it makes it very hard to run an effective youth ministry. Maybe that’s the problem. What if we redeem the narrative? What if we turn an obstacle into an opportunity? Instead of building a big program, what if we develop and deploy students across our communities and nation as missionaries to their peers. If we can do this, we really can “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Together, lets dream of what the future could look like.
This podcast was adapted from Sarah DeClue's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Engagement in Bible Storytelling.
This podcast will explore how to break down big themes and engage kids with the Bible in a meaningful way. The Bible can feel intimidating and overwhelming. Where do you start? Which stories? How do you keep the attention of all those kiddos? Learn how to use the Bible with children in the same way it’s meant to be for all of us, a way to commune and connect with God.
This podcast was adapted from Sarah DeClue's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled What EVEN is Family Ministry?
Why is it that a majority of family ministry is focused on children’s and students’ programming instead of what’s happening within family units? Easy. Let’s be honest, we only see parents at pick up and drop off, or maybe even not at all with parents of teens. Parents are the most influential spiritual leaders in the lives of their children. What strategies can we use to equip families to do what God explicitly calls them to do… truly live into God’s calling for them and be the primary spiritual leader in the lives of their children?
This podcast was adapted from Nick Reinhardt-Swierk's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Safe Spaces and Welcome Places.
How do we create welcoming spaces for young people? What about young queer people? From intentional community building to actual buildings and spaces, this workshop will focus on meeting the needs and expectations of creating safe and welcoming spaces for young folk.
This podcast was adapted from Mona Candea's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Classroom Management that Feels Manageable.
We all have "turkeys" in our ministry. The ones who need extra attention and who aren't the first to follow rules. In an effort to avoid being stressed or overwhelmed with behaviors, this podcast will look at different discipline strategies. These strategies will address the concerning behavior, help encourage positive behavior and improve the experience for both the children and volunteers in your programming. We will talk through all the big "why's" and leave you with specific tricks that you can easily implement into your ministry.
This podcast was adapted from Mona Candea's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Discipleship for All Ages.
We all know that discipleship is important. It's what we're called to do, right? In this podcast, we are going to talk through how to provide quality, age-appropriate discipleship based on the phase that you're working with. Whether that is pre-school, 12th grade or any age in between, we will introduce helpful tips, tricks and benchmarks that are appropriate for each age.
This podcast was adapted from Mike Tufano's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Weaving the Story of Faith: Social Media and The Church.
Marketing isn't a dirty word, even when it comes to your church. When you have a story of truth to be told, it deserves to be heard! In this session, we'll explore how digital marketing, including social media, your website, email, and more, can be used together to share your church's story of faith with your members, and beyond.
This podcast was adapted from Krista Gonzalez's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled More Than "Just Games".
"Youth Ministry is just about games and pizza." We've all heard it said a thousand times. Although we all know there is much more to Youth Ministry than that, it is partially true! On the surface, some might think that "just playing" is a waste of time, but I believe that it is spiritual. In a world that rewards overbooked schedules, exhaustion, and hustling it is essential that we teach our students how to experience the joy of God in their everyday life. Join me for a conversation on how to worship through play! In this breakout, you'll learn more about the "why" behind playing games as well as receive some creative ideas on how to make your Youth Ministry a place where kids can be kids and celebrate the freedom that Christ gives us!
This podcast was adapted from Dustin Buell's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Intentional Transitions: Helping Seniors Prepare for Faith-filled Life beyond Graduation.
How does your church prepare or equip seniors for continued spiritual growth after high school graduation? How many of those graduates remain part of the Church, a year, a decade, or even six months after graduation? In his workshop, Buell will examine some practical ways to better equip your church and your students to carry their faith into and beyond college.
This podcast was adapted from Josh Schaller's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Deciding Which Camping Options are Right for your Church.
Camping ministry in Missouri has become a quagmire of different options. It's often hard to know exactly which choice may be right for your child or even your church. Spend time with Josh Schaller and other like-minded churches across Missouri learning about the different camping options that NextGen has to offer including: overnight, service, and mobile day camp. Finally, we will take time discussing the similarities and differences between the three mobile camping options: Eagle Lake, Heartland, and NextGen and how your church can use them to reinvigorate your current summer programming.
This podcast was adapted from Chris Abel's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Level Up: A Workshop on Getting Training and Empowering Volunteers.
You might be the best youth minister in the world, but no matter how talented you are, if you aren't utilizing volunteers, your ministry is limited by you. To "level up" your ministry it will take getting, training, and empowering volunteers.
This podcast was adapted from Caroline Oas' NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Mental Health in Youth Ministry: A Practical and Compassionate Approach.
In this podcast, Caroline Oas discusses how to have hard conversations with your students. Learn how to respond if you see signs of serious mental health issues in a student - what to say, who to call, what steps to follow. This workshop will give you important resources to bring back to your ministry!
This podcast was adapted from Carla Campbell's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Special Need Youth Ministries.
Do you have youth who are sometimes in crisis? Do you need strategies to assist you in working with individuals with disabilities? This podcast will provide you with tools and strategies to enable you to work with all types of individuals.
This podcast was adapted from Becca Boren's NextGen Summit 2019 workshop titled Organized Chaos AKA Combined Ministry.
Whether it be time, resources, space or volunteers, most of the time your programing must target middle schoolers and high schoolers alike. How do you engage with such a wide age range? How do you make sure that no one slips through the cracks? Listen to this podcast to find out more.