We'll be back in 2025. Merry Christmas!

If you're a Youth Minister, what mission trips do you take? Do you take any? Should you? Join Steve and Matt as they talk about why you should consider mission trips, and what kind of options there are out there in your own Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth!  

Matthew 6:21 says "Where your treasure is there your heart will be also." This is true figuratively and literally. We care about things we have invested in. Why are so many marriages falling apart, especially once the kids leave the house? It's because we're not investing in our spouses! Join Steve and Matt today as they discuss what it looks like and why you should invest in your spouse. 

This one is geared specifically towards ministers and organizing your ministry. Chocked full of very practical advice, Steve shares experience from his time in ministry of how organization pays off.
Taking you through the process of planning, the guys say you should:
Pray
Where do you want to go and goals to achieve.
Calendar, put it on the calendar asap.
Big events such as camp, missions, retreats, and DNow should be on the calendar a year in advance.
Meet with staff and team to verify the goals and directions, themes.
Reserve and make plans of buses, finances, help, and costs.
Keep a list, folder, file with all information with in it. This allows everyone working on it to know where to find it.
Make a needs list overview with a checklist so you can write down when something was done, with whom, how via email, call, text, etc.
This list needs to be worked or looked at minimally each month.
Intro Music: Wes Cepin
Outro Music: Matt Coleman

Sometimes decisions are very clear cut, and sometimes they are a little more difficult. When it comes to politics and deciding who to vote for (especially with the 2024 Presidential elections coming up so quickly here in the U.S.) sometimes you need a tool to filter through what everyone else is telling you, and listen to what the Holy Spirit says. We don't take sides and we won't tell you who to vote for, but we will be using the acronym F.A.I.T.H. to evaluate Family, Abortion, Israel, Text (scripture) and Heart. 
 
Intro Music: Wes Cepin
Outro Music: Matt Coleman

Have you ever heard the term "the gospel" and cringed, or felt like you had to think up a clever way of telling people about Jesus? Maybe you went through some kind of training in the past or learned a formula. How do we live our lives where the Gospel is the center of it? Is it really that important? Do you ever have times where you feel like you've tried and tried but the Gospel just isn't getting through to the people you share it with. Today, Steve and Matt talk about what it means to live with the Gospel at the center of your DNA. 

In this episode, we mention a great group, Axis.org. With their permission, we use one of their resources, an article on Teen Dating, which you can access here. Teen dating can be a scary time for your teen, and also you as a parent. Join Steve and Matt as they wade into these waters. 

Have you ever heard someone say "I don't have to go to church to be a Christian?" or maybe "My faith is private, and I don't need to involve other people with that." Steve and Matt discuss what the church is, and why we need it. You may be a person that has been hurt by a church or church people. You've come to the right place! Join the guys as they talk about the church! 
 
Intro Music: Wes Cepin
Outro Music: Matt Coleman

This episode was a question sent in by a listener. As a new youth minister, he was wondering what advice or wisdom Steve had when it comes to setting values and goals for your youth ministry. Listen up YM's, this one has some great advice for building the culture in your ministry!

Have you ever wondered what translation of the Bible is right for you? Check out this episode where we discuss (with some of our friends!) what translation(s) we use and why. 
Check out this website for a great comprehensive list of Bible translations from Logos bible software. https://wiki.logos.com/Bible_Translation_Spectrum
Intro music: Wes Cepin
Outro music: Matt Coleman

This is part 2 in the conversation where the guys talk about how to have a lasting marriage. Make sure you check out part 1 before jumping into this one. 

Have you ever seen and elderly couple that acts like they are newlyweds? How do you get there? Steve and Matt talk about how to have a lasting marriage in this first of a two-part conversation. 

What do you do when you have kids that are rebellious? How do you show them love even when you've had it up to here? Steve and Matt talk through raising kids and being parents, even when it gets tough. 

This one is for all Youth Ministers. Steve talks about being a youth minister and why he stayed a youth minister all the way to retirement. Steve & Matt as they talk about the rewards and benefits of staying in Youth mInistry. 

Nothing makes people get defensive and upset quite as quickly as politics. In this episode, Matt and Steve don't tell you who to vote for, which party to be part of or even where they stand politically. What they do discuss is what it means to be a Christian in America and what we should do with our right to vote.