Best Youthministers Podcasts (2024)

1
Helping teens practice everyday faith 29:38

2M ago29:38

29:38

In this conversation with Jonathan Banks, Chief Operating Officer at Urban Outreach Foundation in Chicago, we explore the vital role of practicing faith with young people through service and leadership. Jonathan shares how to cultivate agency and ownership in young people’s faith journey. Guest(s): Jonathan Banks Hosts: Giovanni Panginda, Jen Bradb…

1
How to build trust with teens in youth group 29:48

3M ago29:48

29:48

Join us as Eric Vasquez, the visionary founder of Just Us 4 Youth, delves into how to build trust with teenagers. Eric underscores the role of consistency and closeness, and imparts practical strategies for nurturing connection—from active listening, to the power of meaningful one-on-one interactions, to engaging parents. Eric shares actionable adv…

1
Creating safe spaces for teens' tough questions and meaning making 31:17

3M ago31:17

31:17

Join our conversation with Fredy Romero and Vanessa Cruz as we explore the vital topic of guiding teenagers through doubts and tough questions, what we call the meaning-making process. Fredy and Vanessa share tips on how youth leaders can create an environment where teenagers feel heard, respected, and empowered to explore their beliefs. Guest(s): …

1
Youth ministry teaching that transforms 37:53

4M ago37:53

37:53

Are you questioning your teaching and discipleship strategies? Let’s explore ways to infuse Christian youth ministry teaching with transformative power that inspires teens to genuinely trust in God (not just follow rules). This rich conversation with, pastor and author Meredith Miller is full of wisdom, experience, laughter, and actionable insights…

1
Modeling spiritual growth for teens 26:53

4M ago26:53

26:53

As youth leaders, the example we set extends beyond the youth group. In this episode, Matt Manno (Nextgen Pastor at New Life Fellowship in Queens) shares how his team models growth for students. Listen for practical insights on how to be emotionally healthy youth leaders can help volunteers face the pressure to be perfect, and help students reflect…

1
Discipling teens to live their faith beyond our youth groups 27:22

5M ago27:22

27:22

Welcome back to a new season! In Season 9 we’re talking about discipleship to cultivate a faith in our students that goes beyond the youth group. In this episode the coauthors of FYI’s latest book Faith Beyond Youth Group, Jen Bradbury, Brad Griffin and Kara Powell, introduce us to the 5 points of the Faith Beyond Youth Group Compass. Mentioned in …

1
5 ways to cultivate trust with teens in your youth ministry 19:49

7M ago19:49

19:49

When students trust you, opportunities for discipleship will abound. Building trust requires relational consistency and proximity. So, tune in to hear about the practical steps you can take to cultivate the relational proximity needed to form trust with your students! Mentioned in this episode: Blog: Learning to listen to teenagers Sign up for our …

1
Models matter: Key insights on character-forming discipleship with teenagers 19:48

8M ago19:48

19:48

Why are models important in character-forming discipleship? “The way we live our lives is the greatest sermon we will ever preach because our students are paying close attention to how we talk, what we share, how we react, and especially how we treat others.” In this episode, Giovanny Panginda shares how we can be models for our students and how we…

1
Bonus episode: Compassion and inclusion in God’s kinship with Fr. Greg Boyle 33:03

8M ago33:03

33:03

How can youth ministry leaders cultivate compassion and kinship in their youth ministry? “What always works is not the hard message, but the care [people] feel immediately and the fact that they felt seen. You learn that lesson over and over again. Cherishing people is not hard.” Tune in to hear more of Father Greg Boyle’s story and practical wisdo…

1
Reframing the work of youth leaders 22:12

9M ago22:12

22:12

What is the role of a youth leader? What are the qualities of a good youth leader? Andy Jung shares 4 ways youth leaders can change the way we understand our calling from youth ministry “superstar” on the verge of burnout, to the ones charged to lead all adults in the church as they invest relationally in our teenagers. Mentioned in this episode: S…

1
We need to talk about anxiety 17:55

9M ago17:55

17:55

“Google the words “Anxiety is like,” and you’ll be shocked by the number of comparisons and descriptions you’ll find … As the Body of Christ, we can help change the script for young people grappling with anxiety.” In this episode, Rachel Dodd shares 4 hope-filled messages the church needs to tell today’s anxious young people. Mentioned in this epis…

1
Compassion and deeper connection with teens 32:45

10M ago32:45

32:45

Teaching compassion to teens starts with being compassionate leaders. Tune in to hear Cameron Lee share practical strategies from biblically-informed psychology that will help you cultivate trust-filled discipleship and make a lasting impact in the lives of young people. Guest: Cameron Lee Hosts: Rachel Dodd, Roslyn Hernández Mentioned in this epis…

1
A surprising way to cultivate love and humility 28:38

11M ago28:38

28:38

What's love and humility got to do with lament? More than we might initially imagine! In this conversation, you’ll hear insight, stories, and practical ideas from Soong-Chan Rah about how we can cultivate love and humility with teens in our youth ministry through the spiritual practice of lament. Guest(s): Soong-Chan Rah Hosts: Chuck Hunt, Roslyn H…

1
Teaching teenagers hope and perseverance: wisdom from immigrant faith communities 30:38

12M ago30:38

30:38

Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, Marcos Canales, and Elizabeth Tamez Méndez share stories, and practical wisdom on teaching teenagers about hope and perseverance. Your students face lots of challenges, and we know you and other caring adults in your ministry want to be there for them. Join this empowering conversation on cultivating hope and perseverance w…

1
Hip hop, forgiveness, and justice 35:17

1y ago35:17

35:17

Rev. Dr. Dwight Radcliff talks with us about the prophetic truth-telling power of hip hop and its importance to the process of forgiveness and racial justice. Join the conversation to get ideas about spiritual formation practices you can use to teach students in your youth ministry about forgiveness. Guest(s): Dwight Radcliff Hosts: Roslyn Hernánde…

1
Teaching humility in an age of entitlement 30:32

1y ago30:32

30:32

Listen as Rich Villodas shares thoughts and ideas on faith practices that can help support teens’ spiritual formation by cultivating humility in ourselves and our Gen Z students. Guest: Rich Villodas Hosts: Roslyn Hernández and Giovanni Panginda Mentioned in this episode: New Life Fellowship Humilitas by John Dickson Sign up for our email list Rela…

1
Can teaching character and virtue be problematic? 33:57

1+ y ago33:57

33:57

Robert Chao Romero talks with us about the historical oppression BIPOC have experienced in the U.S. in the name of character and virtue education. Hear how ministry leaders can safeguard discipleship and spiritual formation models from unintentionally causing harm, along with ways youth ministry can benefit from honoring and including families and …

1
Discipleship that Forms Christlike Character 29:31

1+ y ago29:31

29:31

As youth leaders, we all want to disciple our students to be more Christ-like but resources on discipling for character development are scarce. This season, we explore Christ-like characteristics and youth ministry activities that can help you support your students’ spiritual formation as they become more like Christ. Jen Bradbury shares highlights…

1
Honoring our students' immigration realities 35:52

1+ y ago35:52

35:52

In this episode, Giovanny Panginda and Roslyn Hernández talk with Kevin Wilson about the intersections between immigration experiences and faith. Join us to hear insights and practical ideas to help you connect with immigrant students and families in your ministry. Mentioned in this episode: Cross Culture Christian Sign up for our email list Relate…

1
Inclusive Youth Ministry Curriculum 33:54

1+ y ago33:54

33:54

In this episode, Osheta Moore and hosts Roslyn Hernández and Gio Panginda talk about the importance of youth ministry curriculum that represents our students’ diversity and is relevant to their context. Tune in to hear practical ideas that can help you choose and adapt curriculum and youth ministry teaching to be inclusive. Mentioned in this episo…

1
Talking about racial violence 36:14

1+ y ago36:14

36:14

Students today are thinking about and have been affected by recent and historical racial violence. In this roundtable discussion we discuss recent incidences of racialized violence, ways we can support students when they need to process, and resilience practices that have helped affected communities of color. Guests in this episode are Ray Chang, D…

1
Doing our own antiracism work with Propaganda and Dr. Alma 31:37

1+ y ago31:37

31:37

How can you support your students’ antiracism participation? Guests Dr. Alma Zaragoza-Petty and Propaganda share insights from their own antiracism work and give practical tips about how leaders of all ethnic backgrounds can get involved in this work with their students. Alma also talks about her upcoming book, Chingona, in which she writes about h…

1
How to talk about race 36:12

1+ y ago36:12

36:12

This season we are talking about how to have conversations about race and ethnicity with your students and other adults. In this episode, authors Kat Armas, Jennifer Guerra Aldana, and Ahren Martinez give us a brief overview of the guide, Talking About Race with Teenagers. They also share helpful practices to support your antiracist work and to hon…

1
Talking About Race with Teenagers 29:13

2y ago29:13

29:13

Have you wondered about how to talk about race with middle school and high school students? Maybe you have questions about how to have conversations about race and ethnicity with other leaders. If you want to know more about why race matters to your students, God, and the church, this season is for you! In this episode, the authors of the guide Tal…

1
David Wang: Trauma Informed Discipleship 42:48

2y ago42:48

42:48

In this season finale, our guest Dr. David Wang shares important and practical insight on trauma-informed ministry. Tune in to learn how youth leaders can care for themselves and walk alongside students who have experienced trauma. This episode is hosted by Giovanny Panginda and Roslyn Hernández and was inspired by SCARS - Trauma Informed Disciples…

1
Joyce del Rosario: Leading as a person of color in white spaces 37:11

2y ago37:11

37:11

In this episode co-hosts Jennifer Guerra Aldana and Brad Griffin have an honest and helpful conversation with Dr. Joyce del Rosario about the particular challenges for leaders of color leading in predominantly white spaces. Listen in to hear practical ideas so that we can all cultivate awareness and spaces that are inclusive.…

1
Christin Fort: Resiliency practices for ministry 38:47

2y ago38:47

38:47

Does it feel like you’re on the edge of burnout? The ongoing crises of the pandemic have made it harder to recover from difficulties in life and ministry. Join our conversation with Dr. Christin Fort as she shares biblical insight on resilience, and gives us practical strategies to restore health in ministry.…

1
Bonus Episode: Guided Prayer Walk 21:39

2+ y ago21:39

21:39

Spending time in God’s presence and experiencing awe can be a life-giving spiritual practice to cultivate. In this episode Giovanny Panginda and Lisa Nopachai introduce an 8-minute guided walking prayer resource originally developed to train students to integrate mind, body, and spirit as they find grounding in God and experience awe and wonder in …

1
Brad Griffin: Reframing youth ministry decline 37:35

2+ y ago37:35

37:35

It’s been a really tough couple of years in ministry. Are you feeling overwhelmed—and maybe even a little guilty about broken relationships with your students? Hosts Roslyn Hernández and Giovanny Panginda revisit a conversation between Brad Griffin and Josh Packard of Springtide Research packed with insights that will help you reframe student decli…

1
Kara Powell: Sustainable leader care practices 40:48

2+ y ago40:48

40:48

Sustainability in youth ministry requires us to adapt our self-care in response to change. So many things can change in life, and so much has changed in the past two pandemic years. In this episode, Kara Powell revisits her own time-tested practices for self-care and challenges us to ask, “What needs to change?”…

1
Kristel Acevedo: Ministry Rhythms that work for YOU 36:50

2+ y ago36:50

36:50

Youth leaders, this season we are making it all about you! We know you pour out your energy and care for your students so much, and we want to help you care for yourself. Are you feeling physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally tired in ministry? Today, Kristel Acevedo gives us tips to find healthy ministry rhythms that fit your specific …

1
Bonus Episode 2021: The good, the bad, & the hopeful 37:26

2+ y ago37:26

37:26

We asked the FYI team to reflect on the challenges and hopes they heard from youth leaders all over the nation and experienced themselves. Join us as team members share advice, hope, and encouragement based on what we learned from leaders like you. This is the 2021 wrap-up you don’t want to miss! Timestamps: 2:27 - “What was difficult or challengin…

1
FYI Research Panel: What we learned from interviews with Gen Z 38:44

2+ y ago38:44

38:44

Three researchers from our Living a Better Story project, Jennifer Guerra Aldana, Jane Hong-Guzman De Leon, and Andy Jung share what they learned about listening and ministering to a young, diverse generation. This episode is hosted by 3 Big Questions coauthor Kara Powell.By Fuller Youth Institute

1
Almeda M. Wright: Purpose is an ongoing journey we commit to 38:13

2+ y ago38:13

38:13

Thinking about purpose may bring anxiety for some of your students—maybe because culture often focuses on purpose as a destination or vocation. But students can find purpose in many aspects of their lives, both now and in the future. Rev. Dr. Almeda M. Wright offers examples and practical ideas from her research and personal experience. This episod…

1
Montague Williams: Belonging Stories and Practices 37:29

3y ago37:29

37:29

Showing your students that they belong may bring some awkward moments, but it can become something deeply meaningful and fun! This practical conversation with Montague Williams will give you ideas on nurturing belonging in your ministry. The hosts for this episode are Jennifer Guerra Aldana and Giovanny Panginda.…

1
Kat Armas: Identity, it’s complex...and beautiful. 37:07

3y ago37:07

37:07

Your students’ realities and histories influence their identity. In this conversation Kat Armas talks with our hosts, Jennifer Guerra Aldana and Giovanny Panginda, about how you can encourage students as they begin to understand the different parts that shape who they are in order to find the Christ-centered truths of their identity.…

1
Identity, Belonging and Purpose with Kara Powell & Brad Griffin 40:53

3y ago40:53

40:53

This season we’re talking about teens’ questions of identity, belonging, and purpose. Hosts Jennifer Guerra Aldana and Giovanny Panginda talk with Dr. Kara Powell and Brad Griffin about the research and insights of FYI’s latest book 3 Big Questions that Change Every Teenager.By Fuller Youth Institute

1
Mark Oestreicher: Innovation in times of disruption 39:47

3y ago39:47

39:47

Disruption in youth ministry may take the form of job changes, tragedies in a congregation or community, or as we’ve all learned, even a pandemic. Although it can be difficult to imagine innovating in the midst of a season of change, sometimes that’s the best time to try something new. In the last episode of Season 2, Marko talks candidly about the…

1
Jake Mulder: When people don't like your [obviously great] new idea 37:50

3+ y ago37:50

37:50

When youth leaders courageously share a new idea, it can be disheartening to be met with resistance or indifference. Jake Mulder shares perspective on what might be behind those reactions, as well as practical ideas about how you can all get on the same page in a way that honors everyone. Join FYI hosts Jennifer Guerra Aldana and Dr. Steve Argue, f…

1
Teesha Hadra: Church traditions & innovation 35:29

3+ y ago35:29

35:29

Church traditions can be a foundation for great innovation. Rev. Teesha Hadra shares stories about how she learned to see tradition as an opportunity for, rather than an obstacle to, discipleship. Join FYI hosts, Jennifer Guerra Aldana and Dr. Steve Argue, for this honest and fun conversation with Teesha about innovating in youth ministry while sta…

1
Abigail Visco Rusert: Innovation that sparks faith in teenagers 42:48

3+ y ago42:48

42:48

Abigail Visco Rusert shares the surprising connection between joy and innovation, and explores the ways failure can help move us forward. Hosted by Giovanny Panginda and Dr. Steve Argue, coauthor of FYI’s latest book Sticky Faith Innovation, this episode explores faith formation, dusty file cabinets, and even Katy Perry’s “Left Shark.”…

1
Yulee Lee: Teamwork and the innovation process 39:27

3+ y ago39:27

39:27

Collaboration can bring creativity and diverse perspectives, but it can also be a bit of a challenge. Dr. Yulee Lee explains why and shares 4 ground rules for guiding communication. Hosts Dr. Steve Argue and Caleb Roose are coauthors of FYI’s latest book Sticky Faith Innovation and they share some surprising insights from the research about the con…

1
Kara Powell: Listening can fuel Sticky Faith creativity 36:59

3+ y ago36:59

36:59

This season explores innovation: what it is, how to do it, and why it’s vital for your youth ministry. Hosts Dr. Steve Argue and Giovanny Panginda talk with Dr. Kara Powell about how listening to teenagers is the best starting point for creativity in youth ministry. Kara, coauthor of Sticky Faith, shares how research uncovered best practices in you…

1
Jennifer Guerra Aldana: Multicultural youth ministry values 31:47

3+ y ago31:47

31:47

Hosts Roslyn Hernández and Aaron Yenney continue the conversation with Jennifer Guerra Aldana about multicultural youth ministry. Jenn reflects on the importance of establishing shared values for your ministry, as well as insight into how you can equip parents as you talk about diversity with young people.…

1
Jennifer Guerra Aldana: leading a diverse generation 34:09

3+ y ago34:09

34:09

In this episode hosts Roslyn Hernández and Aaron Yenney talk with Jennifer Guerra-Aldana, Manager of Multicultural Initiatives at the Fuller Youth Institute, about navigating multicultural contexts with students. Jenn shares her experience of growing up as a pastor’s kid, as well as insights into the needs and gifts of the increasingly diverse gene…

1
Chuck Hunt: Gathering volunteers who reflect God's kingdom 38:00

3+ y ago38:00

38:00

Hosts Ahren Samuel and Kat Armas talk with Chuck Hunt, Pastor of Family Ministries. Chuck shares practical ideas for connecting with adults within your church community, collaborating with your volunteers during the pandemic, and reflecting diversity that can help students understand God's kingdom.By Fuller Youth Institute

1
Steve Argue: Investing in young adult leaders 33:26

3+ y ago33:26

33:26

Hosts Jennifer Guerra-Aldana and Aaron Yenney talk with Dr. Steve Argue about investing in young adults for the kingdom. This episode is packed with wisdom, practical ideas, and empathy for young adult leaders, as well as for anyone who manages, mentors, or ministers to those in their twenties. Steve encourages leaders in their twenties that their …

1
Scott Cormode: Communicating with senior leaders 32:08

3+ y ago32:08

32:08

Hosts Giovanny Panginda and Jane Hong-Guzman de Leon talk with Dr. Scott Cormode about how to listen well and be the bridge to help church leaders understand young people. Scott shares some tips for leading up, inviting your senior pastor to reimagine how youth ministry could be done. Scott’s new book The Innovative Church is available now.…

1
Matthew Deprez: Intergenerational Ministry 37:25

3+ y ago37:25

37:25

Hosts Giovanny Panginda and Roslyn Hernández talk with Adult Ministries + Teaching Pastor Matthew Deprez about intergenerational ministry. Through personal stories and lots of practical ideas, Matthew shares a helpful framework that encourages young people to connect with older generations in your church. Fulleryouthinstitute.org/podcast…

1
Kara Powell: Partnering with parents 40:44

3+ y ago40:44

40:44

Hosts Jennifer Guerra-Aldana and Aaron Yenney talk with Dr. Kara Powell about partnering with parents in your youth ministry. Kara shares lots of practical ideas and personal inspiration to remind us why this effort is so important. Fulleryouthinstitute.org/podcastBy Fuller Youth Institute

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