Youth Ministry on Tap: Recent Episodes

Denver Youth Worker Collective

Part Ministry Talk. Part Beer Review. But mostly ministry talk. Three Denver area youth workers engage questions and topics in a conversational style that are relevant to in the trenches youth workers as we all forge a pathway forward for how to lead in ministry settings in this ever-changing, fast-paced cultural moment. Sit down, crack open a beverage and take a listen

View Details

In this final episode of Youth Ministry on Tap, the YMOT Crew walk down memory lain and remember all of the great things about this podcast

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew discusses how to scale ministry to various sized group dynamics and the necessary structures to be successful at any size. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew talk about how to leave ministry positions well. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew do their best to define what "Christian" behavior is. They get into topics like consumption of alcohol, sexualy identity and tatoos. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew discusses how to address when a student drops from the face of the planet and you wonder where they went. 

View Details

In this episode, Nick and Wes from the YMOT Crew discuss various topics around safetey and security in youth ministry

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew share some of their ministry hacks. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew respond to the question: What would it look like for us to stop doing weekly programming? 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew explore with a special guest about how to engage with special needs students and families in our ministry contexts. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew discusses how they engage with mission and outreach in their student ministry contexts. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew explore all the ways that they love workig and partnering with parents in their ministry contexts. 

View Details

In the Season Four Season Opener, the YMOT Crew explore some of the issues and dynamics with parents that can by annoying or divisive in our ministry contexts. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew engages the need and various practices of self care in ministry

View Details

In this shorty episode, the YMOT Crew is recording at the Open Denver Conference with a few good friends and are discussing the phenomenon of bad youth group branding. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew discuss group size dynamics and to engage youth at all sizes of ministry. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew check in with each other in this season of Covid-19 and how it has reshaped ministry as we know it. 

View Details

In this AMA episode, the YMOT crew welcomes several guest as they answer listerner submitted questions. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew explores if you need to have formal education to lead and be effective in Youth Ministry settings.

View Details

In the episode, the YMOT Crew discusses how to discern when seasons of change occur in ministry and how to evaluate if it is time to leave your ministry role. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew talks tips and tricks for running youth group in last minute situations when all planning goes out the window. Check out this episode for quick and easy ways to still lead like a pro when you are stuck in last minute situations. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew focus in on the specific process of on boarding new staff, either paid or volunteer, to their team. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew talks about long-haul relationships with students who rotate out of our ministry structures.  This is often one of the few perks of youth ministry. Crack a cold one and enjoy!

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew shares a few stories from the lighter side of youth ministry.  Grab a brew and be ready to laugh!

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew explores the various ways that they plan their lessons and curriculum.  In this practical episode, the crew provides real and honest feedback on how to lesson plan like a pro!!

View Details

In the Season 3 premiere, the YMOT Crew discusses how social media has impacted their ministry and how we navigate the good, the bad, and ugly that digital connectivity provides.

View Details

In the Season 2 finale, the YMOT Crew gets vulnerable!  Asking good questions about appropriate boundaries in our relationships with students in our ministries, the Crew provides some great insight on how close we get to our students. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew takes on a tough conversation as we engage divorce in our various ministry contexts. Nick plays guide and gives us a very real perspective on what it means to be a kid of divorce and how to engage those realities in the life of our students. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew ushers in the holidays with plenty of Christmas spirit and cheer. They share some of their Christmas traditions and give some quick ideas to use in your ministry context this holiday season. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew finishes out the three-part discussion about how they approach LGBTQ issues in their ministry contexts. This episode focuses on practical questions and the application of their presented ideas in the first two episodes. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew continues to the conversation about how we engage LGBTQ issues in our ministry context.  In Part 2, Nick and Mots present their Side A (affirming) posture in the conversation. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew starts a 3 part series discussion about how we approach LGBTQ+ youth in our ministries.  In Part 1, we give caveats of how to have a meaningful discussion from differing views on this topic and Wes presents how he came to the place of supporting a Side B approach to same-sex attraction in his ministry. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew explores how to engage in the topic of dating and relationships between students in our ministry contexts. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew explores various philosophies of how to lead and implement outreach in our ministry contexts. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew are LIVE at the Denver Youth Worker Collective Retreat and talking about what fears they have while leading in ministry. Tune into this vulnerable and relevant conversation. 

View Details

In this special, live episode, the YMOT Crew welcomes a few of their youth ministry friends onto the mic to discuss how to incorporate parents in our ministry structures and strategies.  Recorded in beautiful Grand Lake, Colorado as part of the Denver Youth Worker Retreat. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew continues the conversation about how to apply developmental stages to our ministry contexts.  

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew engages how to lead ministries that take into account appropriate developmentally and spiritual formation stages.  Using the frameworks of Erickson and Fowler, the crew talks through real-life models of how they apply this work in their contexts.  This is Part 1 of this conversation. 

View Details

Season 2 launch is here!

In this episode, the YMOT Crew explores how the various ways that a Fall program launch can be used in our ministry settings.  Subjects include grade promotion, parent meetings, volunteer training, and strategic planning.  

View Details

In the episode, the YMOT crew explores how to get past the icebreaker questions and introductory phase of meeting students in our ministry contexts and how to push through to deeper levels of meaning and purpose in conversation.  This is an extremely helpful episode to think through how to add maturity and wisdom to your ministry intentionality. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew engages a tough, but necessary topic, talking about how to respond to Suicidal Ideation in our ministry contexts.  This is a vital conversation for every youth worker to engage and listen to. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew takes on the tough, but necessary topic of discipline in our ministry contexts and how to balance grace and effectiveness for group dynamics and behavior.  

View Details

In this YMOT Shorty, the crew reacts to funny headlines that have no intentional connection to youth ministry but could totally be youth ministry headlines.  You know, youth ministry headlines, but not. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew discusses the role of games in their ministry structures.  Not only is this episode fun, but it's downright practical and you will have some easy plug and play options for your next youth gathering. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT explores the role of networking in youth ministry and shares how it has become an essential part of our workflow, planning process, and long-term success in ministry.  

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew explores what youth ministry in the summer months comes together.  As a season that is much different than the school year, how do you take advantage and make your youth ministry rhythms work to your advantage? 

View Details

In this YMOT Shorty, the crew gives some of their best hacks to survive and enhance camps and retreats.  It's quick and practical and will help you up your game as a youth worker. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew explores the role of camps and retreats in youth ministry contexts.  There's a ton of nuggets about the "why" and "what" of camp, so crack open a cold one and enjoy this episode. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT crew jump into one of the most frequently discussed topics in youth ministry circles: VOLUNTEERS! The crew engages with important topics in this area like: recruiting hacks, how to identify safe adults and why volunteers are so important in the first place.  Crack open a cold one and enjoy this great conversation. 

View Details

In the first bonus YMOT Shorty, the crew looks back over their beer scores for the first several episodes and remembers how optimistic Mots always is and how Wes and Nick's refined pallets continue to discern honest beer scores. And ultimately, the team remembers that they love a good India Pale Ale. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew unpacks a challenging topic: how do we equip our students to know how to pray?  The crew explores high-level theological concepts and also digs into the practical application of prayer practices. 

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew discusses how to engage, cultivate and recognize healthy relationships with our supervisors.  This episode translates beyond the youth ministry context, but is especially helpful to those in the youth ministry space!

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew takes on how to lead in our youth ministry contexts as COVID-19 regulations continue to change, open up and lead into a season of new opportunities and challenges.

View Details

In this episode, the YMOT Crew welcomes their first in-studio guest: Mark Oestreicher as they look back on what has been steady in the youth ministry world and looking forward to what needs to change for us to continue to thrive as youth workers. 

View Details

In the episode, the YMOT Crew takes on Youth Worker stereotypes, all while making fun of themselves.  We sample O'Dell IPA as we take a look at the characters of our tribe!

View Details

In the episode, the YMOT Crew discusses the characteristics of what makes a great youth worker, based on the years of experience they have with multiple quality leaders in youth ministry settings.  

View Details

In this episode, the Youth Ministry On Tap Crew tackles the question: What do we measure and why is that important? You'll get some very practical advice and strategy to measuring the right things in your ministry context but from 3 very different perspectives.  

View Details

In this episode, you will get to meet the Youth Ministry On Tap Crew and get to know each of them a bit more as they answer the question: "Why did you get into ministry with teenagers?" The team also shares more about what another youth ministry podcast is needed on the landscape.