Welcome back to the Effective Ministry Podcast! The first in a three part series on Identity, Sexuality and Gender, in this episode, Al James sits down with Simon Swadling to explore the phrase 'finding your identity in Christ.' They discuss the pressures young people face around identity, why the phrase might be more harmful than helpful, and its …

Tim Beilharz has left the building! :-( And an announcement about a 3 part special on "Identity" starting next Wednesday: 1) What's wrong with finding your identity in Christ - Simon Swadling - Wednesday 18th September 2) Sexuality - Patricia and Kamal Weerakoon - in Partnership with Growing Faith Timeless Parenting Podcast - Wed 2nd October 3) Gen…

On August 24, at an airport just outside of Paris, a man named Pavel Durov was detained for questioning by French investigators. Just days later, the same man was charged in crimes related to the distribution of child pornography and illicit transactions, such as drug trafficking and fraud. Durov is the CEO and founder of the messaging and communic…

In this episode of the Effective Ministry Podcast, Al James sits down with Tim Beilharz, a much loved and appreciated children's ministry advisor who is finishing up in his role at Youthworks after 12 years. Tim shares his experiences, his thoughts on the future of youth and children's ministry, and talks with Al about topics like the importance of…

Every age group uses the internet a little bit differently, and it turns out for at least one Gen Z teen in the Bay Area, the classic approach to cyberecurity—defending against viruses, ransomware, worms, and more—is the least of her concerns. Of far more importance is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Today, the Lock and Code podcast with host David R…

How to Start an Effective Youth Ministry from Scratch | Effective Ministry Podcast In this episode of the Effective Ministry Podcast, we discuss how to start an effective youth ministry in your church. Join us as we talk with Danny Mitchell, the youth and young adults pastor at Ann Street Presbyterian in Brisbane, and a former youth ministry networ…

It is almost time for House Conference and Tim Beilharz is joined by Myles Elton (St James, Croydon) and Naomi de Vries (The Bridge Church) to talk about the problem of sin. Together, they delve into the academic papers to be presented at House, seeking to help theology shape practice in our ministry to children and youth. They focus on the ways to…

Somewhere out there is a romantic AI chatbot that wants to know everything about you. But in a revealing overlap, other AI tools—which are developed and popularized by far larger companies in technology—could crave the very same thing. For AI tools of any type, our data is key. In the nearly two years since OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT to the public, th…

This week, Tim Beilharz brings in two more ‘Postcards From Chicago’—short interviews with fellow presenters at this year’s Children's Spirituality Summit. Traci Smith (Faithful Families) shares about integrating faith practices into daily family life and her research with Dave Csinos on family faith practices and their real-life impacts. Then Stacy…

House Conference Special: Exploring the Doctrine of Sin with Michael Jensen and Tom Habib In this special double episode of the Effective Ministry Podcast, host Al James introduces audio readings of Papers for House Conference on the doctrine of sin by theologians Rev Dr Michael Jensen and Rev Dr Tom Habib. Episode 59 features Michael Jensen's pape…

House Conference Special: Exploring the Doctrine of Sin with Michael Jensen and Tom Habib In this special double episode of the Effective Ministry Podcast, host Al James introduces two Papers for House Conference on the doctrine of sin by theologians Rev Dr Michael Jensen and Rev Dr Tom Habib. This episode (ep 069) features Michael Jensen's paper, …

In the world of business cybersecurity, the powerful technology known as “Security Information and Event Management” is sometimes thwarted by the most unexpected actors—the very people setting it up. Security Information and Event Management—or SIEM—is a term used to describe data-collecting products that businesses rely on to make sense of everyth…

This episode, Tim Beilharz catches up with Dave Whittingham, host of 'Stories of a Faithful God' and 'Stories of a Faithful God for Kids'. Dave shares his journey into ministry and offers insights into the power of narrative in teaching the Bible to both kids and adults. Discover how these podcasts can support family engagement with the Bible, crea…

Full-time software engineer and part-time Twitch streamer Ali Diamond is used to seeing herself on screen, probably because she’s the one who turns the camera on. But when Diamond received a Direct Message (DM) on Twitter earlier this year, she learned that her likeness had been recreated across a sample of AI-generated images, entirely without her…

This week, Tim Beilharz is joined by Jesse Joyner, a Christian variety performer known as Jesse, The Juggler. They discuss the concept of the 'holy fool,' exploring how clowns, jugglers, magicians, and other variety performers use their seemingly foolish acts to convey profound messages and serve in their vocational calling. Jesse shares his insigh…

More than 20 years ago, a law that the United States would eventually use to justify the warrantless collection of Americans’ phone call records actually started out as a warning sign against an entirely different target: Libraries. Not two months after terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, Congress responded with the passage…

This week, Steve Carlisle, Director of the Youthworks Year 13 program shares insights on understanding Revelation as a source of comfort and confidence for Christians. By focusing on God's sovereignty we can be encouraged to persevere in our ministry to young people, even when things get tough. Show Notes Year 13 - a Christian gap year like no othe…

In this week’s episode, Tim Beilharz shares two more "Postcards from Chicago”, short conversations with some of the presenters at the 2024 Children’s Spirituality Summit. Tim speaks with David Scott, Associate Professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, about children's 'Contributionality' and their inherent spiritual value in church communities. Val…

🎶 Ready to know what Malwarebytes knows? Ask us your questions and get some answers. What is a passphrase and what makes it—what’s the word? Strong? 🎶 Every day, countless readers, listeners, posters, and users ask us questions about some of the most commonly cited topics and terminology in cybersecurity. What are passkeys? Is it safer to use a web…

This week on the Effective Ministry Podcast, Al James shares his research on Youth Retention at Youthworks College's latest Theology Think Tank held on June 6, 2024. To see the full Theology Think Tank video click here. Hear Al James talk more about his research on The Pastor's Heart podcast here. Download the handout of Al's presentation here. Al …

In this episode Tim Beilharz speaks with Jazz Hawkins and Ruby Brideson from Take Love, an initiative by Anglicare Sydney focusing on helping youth and young adults bring the love of Jesus into their communities. Take Love programs, sessions and interactive experiences address issues like mental health, poverty, and domestic abuse. They explore pro…

This is a story about how the FBI got everything it wanted. For decades, law enforcement and intelligence agencies across the world have lamented the availability of modern technology that allows suspected criminals to hide their communications from legal scrutiny. This long-standing debate has sometimes spilled into the public view, as it did in 2…

In this episode, Tim Beilharz shares the first of a number of short conversations he had while attending the Children's Spirituality Summit in Chicago. First, Tim speaks to Henry Zonio from Asbury University about the “null curriculum” and what children learn when churches don’t address cultural issues like race and gender diversity. Next, Chris Ba…

Welcome back to the Effective Ministry Podcast! This week, we're joined by Harriet Connor, the content editor of Growing Faith, to discuss the challenges and solutions in modern Christian parenting. Harriet introduces her new podcast, Timeless Parenting, created in partnership with Mothers Union Sydney, to provide biblical guidance and support for …

The irrigation of the internet is coming. For decades, we’ve accessed the internet much like how we, so long ago, accessed water—by traveling to it. We connected (quite literally), we logged on, and we zipped to addresses and sites to read, learn, shop, and scroll. Over the years, the internet was accessible from increasingly more devices, like sma…

This week Tim Beilharz and fellow Youthworks Advisor, Adam Jolliffe, jump into the critical topic of recruitment for youth and children's ministry in local churches. They discuss the importance of having a sufficient number of leaders for effective ministry and discipline and share insights on the 'why' behind recruitment, emphasising the need to e…

This week Tim Beilharz discusses how to run children’s and youth small groups with an intergenerational lens. Drawing from the recent SMBC Children's Ministry Conference, Tim explores how small groups in children's, youth, and adult ministries can benefit from an intergenerational approach. He outlines the foundational elements of intergenerational…

You’ve likely felt it: The dull pull downwards of a smartphone scroll. The “five more minutes” just before bed. The sleep still there after waking. The edges of your calm slowly fraying. After more than a decade of our most recent technological experiment, in turns out that having the entirety of the internet in the palm of your hands could be … no…

This week we delve into the complex and essential topic of the doctrine of sin, as a taster for the upcoming House Conference organized by Youthworks, August 27th-29th. Hosted by Al James, the discussion features insights from committee members and youth and children's minister who explore the nature of sin, its impact on relationships with God and…

Exploring Story and Faith in Children's Ministry: The Forgetful Prince In this episode of the Effective Ministry Podcast, host Tim Beilharz, talks with Matt and Lauren Redmond, authors of the children's book 'The Forgetful Prince'. They discuss the role of storytelling, art, and literature in the spiritual formation of children and the partnership …

Our Lock and Code host, David Ruiz, has a bit of an apology to make: “Sorry for all the depressing episodes.” When the Lock and Code podcast explored online harassment and abuse this year, our guest provided several guidelines and tips for individuals to lock down their accounts and remove their sensitive information from the internet, but larger p…

In this episode of the Effective Ministry podcast, hosts Tim Beilharz and Annemarie Rivers, both children's ministry advisors for YouthWorks in Sydney, delve into the topic of group management and discipline within children's ministry settings. They explore the challenges of maintaining discipline in a way that aligns with Gospel values, emphasisin…

In this episode of the Effective Ministry podcast Tim Beilharz (Youthworks MST) hosts a discussion with Mike Dicker, principal of YouthWorks College, Emma Collette, executive minister at Church Hill Anglican, and Mark Schroeder, school chaplain at Broughton Anglican College into the integration of Christian beliefs in the education sector. The epis…

A digital form of protest could become the go-to response for the world’s largest porn website as it faces increased regulations: Not letting people access the site. In March, PornHub blocked access to visitors connecting to its website from Texas. It marked the second time in the past 12 months that the porn giant shut off its website to protest n…

In this episode of the Effective Ministry podcast, host Al James from YouthWorks in Sydney, is joined by Sam Davidson, the Director of Family Ministry at Norwest Anglican Church. They discuss strategies for building a culture of serving within kids' ministries, highlighting the importance of integrating children into various church activities, such…

In this episode of the Effective Ministry podcast you willlisten in on the book launch evening for 'Australian Evangelical Perspectives on Youth Ministry', edited by Dr. Ruth Lukabyo. The book, featuring contributions from Youthworks College lecturers and other authors from Australian churches and Bible colleges, aims to bridge theological principl…

Few words apply as broadly to the public—yet mean as little—as “home network security.” For many, a “home network” is an amorphous thing. It exists somewhere between a router, a modem, an outlet, and whatever cable it is that plugs into the wall. But the idea of a “home network” doesn’t need to intimidate, and securing that home network could be si…

Tim Beilharz talks with David Rietveld, who brings his experience in youth and senior ministry to discuss the challenges and strategies for nurturing youth and children's ministry in today's post-Christian world. Rietveld, the author of 'Being Christian After Christendom,' addresses navigating ministry in a post-Christian society and the importance…

Tim Beilharz welcomes Youth Pastor Theologian, Mike McGarry. They chat about Mike's work in bridging theology with practical youth ministry, the importance of a theological foundation in youth ministry, Mike's personal journey into faith and ministry, and the role of youth pastors in shaping young believers. The conversation also covers the challen…

A disappointing meal at a restaurant. An ugly breakup between two partners. A popular TV show that kills off a beloved, main character. In a perfect world, these are irritations and moments of vulnerability. But online today, these same events can sometimes be the catalyst for hate. That disappointing meal can produce a frighteningly invasive Yelp …

In this episode of The Effective Ministry Podcast, host Tim Beilharz interviews Awana CEO Matt Markins, author of The Faith of Our Children: Eight Timely Research Insights for Discipling the Next Generation. Matt shares his personal journey from growing up in a dysfunctional family to finding solace and direction in the church, which sparked his pa…

For decades, fake IDs had roughly three purposes: Buying booze before legally allowed, getting into age-restricted clubs, and, we can only assume, completing nation-state spycraft for embedded informants and double agents. In 2024, that’s changed, as the uses for fake IDs have become enmeshed with the internet. Want to sign up for a cryptocurrency …

If your IT and security teams think malware is bad, wait until they learn about everything else. In 2024, the modern cyberattack is a segmented, prolonged, and professional effort, in which specialists create strictly financial alliances to plant malware on unsuspecting employees, steal corporate credentials, slip into business networks, and, for a…

If the internet helped create the era of mass surveillance, then artificial intelligence will bring about an era of mass spying. That’s the latest prediction from noted cryptographer and computer security professional Bruce Schneier, who, in December, shared a vision of the near future where artificial intelligence—AI—will be able to comb through r…

On Thursday, December 28, at 8:30 pm in the Utah town of Riverdale, the city police began investigating what they believed was a kidnapping. 17-year-old foreign exchange student Kai Zhuang was missing, and according to Riverdale Police Chief Casey Warren, Zhuang was believed to be “forcefully taken” from his home, and “being held against his will.”…

Hackers want to know everything about you: Your credit card number, your ID and passport info, and now, your DNA. On October 1 2023, on a hacking website called BreachForums, a group of cybercriminals claimed that they had stolen—and would soon sell—individual profiles for users of the genetic testing company 23andMe. 23andMe offers direct-to-consu…

Tim Beilharz is joined by Reverend Ian Barnett, founder and CEO of the National Grandparent Movement. They explore the unique opportunities that grandparents have in influencing the faith formation of their grandchildren and the wider youth ministry. Ian Barnett shares practical ways for grandparents to express their faith, share stories, and pray …

It talks, it squawks, it even blocks! The stocking-stuffer on every hobby hacker’s wish list this year is the Flipper Zero. “Talk” across low-frequency radio to surreptitiously change TV channels, emulate garage door openers, or even pop open your friend’s Tesla charging port without their knowing! “Squawk” with the Flipper Zero’s mascot and user-i…

Tim Beilharz, is joined by David Krebs (SUNSW), Heather Thompson (High School SRE Teacher) and Liam Nolan (Youth and Families Minister, Normanhurst Anglican Church) to discuss how lunchtime groups in public schools can be a great complement to both SRE and local church ministry. Contact David Krebs about starting your own lunchtime group david.kreb…

Tim continues his conversation with Marshall Ballentine-Jones (CEO of DigiHelp Publishing) and Emma Argall (Christian School teacher) about pornography and its impact on young people. They discuss the importance of parents understanding the extent of internet access and the potential dangers. The guests emphasise the role of communication and stres…