Youth Specialties

14 Podcasts You Need to Know About

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With just a tap on the screen, you can be on your way to find inspiration, get new ideas, and grow yourself both professionally and personally. With a great list of podcasts, you can be mentored while brushing your teeth, your drive time can be redeemed, and your leadership can go further faster. You can listen in when the leading experts are gathering behind closed doors and you can hear MainStage presentations; all for free. After talking with those in the trenches in youth ministry, here are 14 of the top podcasts that you need to listen to today.

1. RETHINKING YOUTH MINISTRY by XP3 Students

These 40 minutes conversations tackle the difficult and essential topics of youth ministry. From evaluating small group leaders to understanding the teenage brain, these topics will challenge your thinking and equip you to take your next steps in leading middle school and high school students.

2. THE DOWNLOAD YOUTH MINISTRY SHOW by DYM Podcast Network

With 330+ episodes, this podcast is a library of topics to answer your youth ministry questions. You will walk away feeling like you sat through an encouraging staff meeting. Also: Did you know DYM has a podcast network with 8 different youth ministry podcasts to help you win! Check them all out at HTTPS://PODCAST.DOWNLOADYOUTHMINISTRY.COM

3. THE CAREY NIEUWHOF LEADERSHIP PODCAST by Carey Nieuwhof

According to Edison Research, 15% of Americans over the age of 12 listened to a podcast this week. And based on how many folks recommended it, I wonder if most of these folks were tuning into Carey Nieuwhof’s Leadership Podcast! Every week, Carey interviews leaders in a way that brings life change to listeners. 

4. YOUTH MINISTRY FOR THE LONGER HAUL PODCAST by Jody Livingston & Chris Trent

We all know the demoralizing statistics on how few youth ministry leaders stay in it for the long haul. Jody Livingston and Chris Trent desire to survive and thrive. With a deep understanding of not only student and youth ministry culture but also the Word, these episodes will help you keep the main things on the top of your priority list.

5. THE THINK ORANGE PODCAST by Orange Leaders

The Think Orange Podcast is for your entire ministry team. These long-form podcasts are a deep dive conversation with multiple featured guests on the same subject. The practical tips, intentional strategy, and insights offered in each episode will have you thinking orange in no time.

6. YOUTH MINISTRY BOOSTER PODCAST by Zac Workun, Chad Higgins, and Kristen Lascola

Each of these encouraging episodes works to answer Student Ministry’s most honest and pressing questions. Here you will find timely advice that works around your youth ministry calendar.

7. NICK BLEVINS FAMILY MINISTRY PODCAST by Nick Blevins

Each week, Nick Blevins interviews a leader to discover principles and practices for family ministry. With 100 episodes, Nick has covered topics on growing your volunteer teams, partnering with parents, core values in family ministry, and how to know when it’s time to stay or go.

8. CRAIG GROESCHEL LEADERSHIP PODCAST by Life.Church

This leadership podcast describes itself as, “a conversation designed to help you make the most of your potential as you work to become the leader God created you to be.” Craig Groeschel is the founder and senior pastor of Life. Church and teaches over 100,000 people weekly. This podcast invites you to learn directly from Craig without paying for a conference or leaving the comfort of your living room.

9. YOUTH MINISTRY ANSWERS by Kenny and Elle Campbell

Where else can you go to get your youth ministry questions personally answered through a podcast? Kenny and Ellllllllllle Campbell, feature a new question every month and often bring other youth ministry experts in to get you the best answers. You can submit your question at YMANSWERS.COM

10. LEAD TO WIN WITH MICHAEL HYATT by Michael Hyatt & Company

Personally, I love that Michael and his daughter work together to make this podcast a success. If you are looking to better manage time and influence then listen in for insights and tools to win at work and succeed in life.

11. 5 LEADERSHIP QUESTIONS by Todd Adkins, Eric Geiger, and Daniel Im

Through five strategic questions, these hosts interview leaders to learn how they practically learn both inside and outside of the workplace. If you ever wanted to know what your favorite author or conference speaker would tell their 20-year-old self, then this podcast is for you.

12. UNSEMINARY PODCAST by Rich Birch

Going back to seminary would cost you an arm and a leg, but each unSeminary episode is a free step back into the classroom for practical leadership training. With over 20 years in church leadership, Rich has a depth of knowledge you will want to take in.

13. THE SCIENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA by Buffer

Social media plays a huge role in youth ministry today. This short weekly podcast gives you the strategic tips you need to stay relevant on a variety of apps and social media options. Subscribe now and rock your social media channels.

14. TED WORKLIFE WITH ADAM GRANT by TED

It’s almost impossible to make a podcast list without mentioning TED. You spend a quarter of your life at work, so shouldn’t you enjoy it? Check out this new podcast by TED, they are only a few episodes in, but I think you will enjoy.

So open up your podcast app or go download OVERCAST, SPOTIFY, or POCKET CAST and add a few of these to your list! With more than half a million active podcasts, I’m sure I’ve missed a few. What would you add to this list?

(Originally posted to Youth Specialties at https://youthspecialties.com/blog/14-podcasts-you-need-to-know-about/)

Breakthrough Secrets To Engaging Students In Your Next Talk

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“God doesn’t need flawless communicators just faithful hardworking ones.” – Doug Fields

At the National Youth Workers Convention you will find excellent speaking with an outstanding stage presence. Presenters have refined their skills to engage the crowds and it is easy to see that their hard work is paying off. At this year’s conference Josh Griffin and Doug Fields shared from their combined 50 years of ministry experience to challenge youth workers in how they lead from the stage. Here are breakthrough secrets to engage students in your next talk!

Be Authentic. 

Use your life but remember that not all of your stories are winning stories. You can expose your failures and pains but only share at an appropriate level. The real you is inviting, so take time to craft personal stories. If you are wanting to discuss a topic outside of your scope then it might be time to bring out an expert panel. Stay away from stories that you don’t own because if you are fake, your audience will know.

Be Funny. 

Humor opens the door to engaging your students. Doug explains the essence of humor as taking your audience down a path and then quickly jumping in an unexpected direction. Use images, memes, and videos but think through your transitions out of a funny moment. Get the audience laughing, pause, and then connect the humor to the principle you are teaching. Self-deprecating humor is the best because when you make fun of yourself the audience leans in and identifies with you more. Also, consider using call back humor by bringing back a joke from earlier in your message.

Be Different

Make the message come alive. To do this, you might use different tools like discussion questions, testimonies, or even a change in the venue. Know when in the message your audience is going to need a break or time to breathe. Silence can become a mini illustration. Use a dramatic pause to draw the students back into your talk.

Be Clear. 

For students to follow along in your talk, they need your message to stick: Study, Think, Illustrate, Construct, Keep-focused. When you introduce an object lesson or story, students might not need to see how it connects all at first, but you don’t want to leave them hanging too long. Create a clear call to action and help each student know what their next step is as a result of your talk.

Be Intentional. 

Always bait your hook. Walk on the stage with confidence knowing that you did the work necessary to deliver an engaging message. Know how are you going to grab their attention. You can make something feel spontaneous yet it is fully planned. Be intentional in connecting your humor, illustration, story, or object to the goal of your message. Also, work on phrases that build an authentic bridge to your audience. Saying something like, “and that’s what I want for you as well” or “here’s why I really want you to get this” are great phrases to engage with your students.

Proverbs 15:2, “The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.”

You have been entrusted with the responsibility of presenting the good news message of Jesus. Work hard to engage your students in your next talk! 

“If you think the gathering of biblical facts and standing up with a Bible in your hand will automatically equip you to communicate well, you are desperately mistaken. It will not. You must work at being interesting. Boredom is a gross violation, being dull is a grave offense, and irrelevance is a disgrace to the gospel. Too often these three crimes go unpunished and we preachers are the criminals.” – Charles Swindoll

How To Easily Network With Other Leaders Now

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So what is your strategy to network with other leaders at your next conference?

Do you stand at the entrance, handing out business cards to everyone as they enter?

Do you pay thousands of dollars to advertise your social media content, hoping for followers?

Do you print your twitter handle on stickers and attach them to everything as you walk through the exhibit hall?

If you’re like most people, the thought of asking a stranger for help or reaching out to an author to ask questions begins a nervous feeling deep down in your gut. You know the value of networking but you find it easier said than done. Right now, I want to share with you a few tested tips to give you a successful networking experience at your next conference!

Know Your Goal.

Most people fail to network well because they don’t know what they are looking for in the first place. Are you looking for advice? Are you trying to land a book deal? Do you want to learn from someone further down the road then you? Are you just looking for someone to vent to? Start now by determining your goal.

Prepare. 

If the presenter walked off the stage and asked you to go to dinner would you be prepared to ask meaningful questions? Do you know where you are currently in leadership and what you need to get to the next level? Take some time right now to write down a few questions. Prepare for the chance encounter. Know your schedule and when downtime will make networking natural. Print off a couple of business cards in case you need to cut a conversation short. And make sure you follow conference hashtags on social media to connect digitally as well!

Create Opportunities.

Make every minute count. Whether you are waiting in line for coffee or walking through registration, look up from your phone and connect with the people around you. If this is intimidating then consider getting a wing man to help you out socially or write down a few ice breaker questions that can spark meaningful conversation. Maybe you create an opportunity by hosting a meal or offering to pick up the coffee tab in exchange for a person’s time. Remember to be generous.

Be Worthwhile.

Nothing frustrates a leader worse than wasting valuable time. If someone agrees to invest their time into you, do the work necessary to return the favor. Ask targeted questions and actually listen, not just waiting for your turn to talk. Give the leader your full attention and take notes when appropriate. This can be a reciprocal relationship but keep close attention to how much you are talking and the body language of the other person. Remember it’s better to leave the conversation with the other person desiring more.

Follow up.

When you turn and walk away can you clearly articulate your next step? Did the leader give you a deep wisdom that you need to take some time to digest? Did you set up a conference call or ask if you can connect on social media? A sure fire way to building a lasting relationship with someone is to follow up with them, expressing what you learned and how meeting them has impacted your life.

Networking doesn’t have to be complicated. You can easily connect with other leaders and form genuine relationships. Take time right now and do the work necessary to set yourself up for future success.

How Effective Planning Can Jump-Start Your Week

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As you shut down your computer on Friday and reflect on your workweek, you either feel a sense of fulfillment or you wonder where the time went. We’ve all had weeks when we kick butt and take names. We’ve also all had weeks when we busily go from one thing to another but have nothing to show for our efforts at the end of the week. With some effective planning on the front end, you can jump-start your workweek and feel satisfied as you roll into the weekend.

1. DETERMINE WHERE YOU’RE GOING.

Stephen Covey eloquently said,

“Begin with the end in mind.”

As you begin your week, visualize what you want to achieve. Sure, it would be great to plan that next big event, write months of curriculum, personally disciple every student in your ministry, and create a killer social media strategy, but with only 168 hours this week, you won’t be able to get it all done. You can’t do everything in one week, but with some planning you can do some things. Pull out your calendar, pray for God’s will to be done, and write down your goals for the week.

2. CHOOSE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT TASKS.

The work of ministry is never truly done—you can always have more conversations, improve your systems, and spend more time in the Word. So choose and write down a few big tasks that are both important and urgent for this workweek. If you’re planning a service project, finding transportation is important, but the details you first need to determine are date and location. On Friday, you don’t want to look back and see all the little tasks you accomplished as you failed to complete the big and urgent goal.

Read the next 3 steps by clicking here!