Best Thrive Youth Ministries Podcasts (2024)

1
Young people set the example | 1 Timothy 4:12 10:36

4h ago10:36

10:36

In this episode, Andy shares the Bible verse that the Lord used to lead him into youth ministry full time and he talks about how it can shape our youth work into the year ahead. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, …

1
What to do when you are worn out | Isaiah 40:28-31 9:39

6d ago9:39

9:39

Youthwork is hard work, and can be draining at times. What can you do to keep your energy levels sustained and not burn out? In this episode, we explore the power of allowing God to refresh you. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented…

1
#081: Face-to-Face with Patti Pilkington Reed 34:55

14d ago34:55

34:55

One of the most significant challenges that parents have today is getting face-to-face with their kids and teens. The frantic pace of life and ever-increasing digital focus we all have can prevent us from engaging each other in ways that help us grow closer to the people we love. We all struggle in some way with having the healthy conversations we …

1
Creating regular rhythms | Psalm 92:1-5 9:44

13d ago9:44

9:44

Don't let work distract you from focusing on God. This week, Andy looks at this challenge and suggests some easy ways to stay connected to God each day. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive Y…

1
Make time to worship | Psalm 89:1-2 10:11

19d ago10:11

10:11

As a youth or children's leader, it can be hard to find time to join in with sung worship at your church, because you are busy doing the youthwork! In this episode, Andy discusses this challenge and what we can do to rectify it. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church …

1
Good vs fertile soil | Ezekiel 17:1-10 10:13

1M ago10:13

10:13

Does your church have fertile soil when it comes to providing an environment that is conducive to helping young people come and grow in faith? 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive Youth Minis…

1
What would you rather do? | Psalm 73:1-3 9:13

1M ago9:13

9:13

Without wanting to encourage us to change, Andy asks the challenging question of what would you be doing if you weren't in youthwork?! 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive Youth Ministries. Y…

1
Fully relying on God | 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 9:24

1M ago9:24

9:24

What does it take to rely on God rather than yourself? This is the challenge for all Christians and in this episode Andy looks at what the Apostle Paul's experience was. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Fo…

1
#080: A Different Kind of Discipleship with Heather Quiroz 44:09

2M ago44:09

44:09

In order to grow as disciples, families need to develop a culture of discipleship in their homes. However, the simple truth of the matter is that a lot of parents are intimidated by the notion of being the primary spiritual leaders for their kids and teenagers. As ministry leaders, we have the opportunity to encourage them to embrace their role, an…

1
Hearing God in your sleep | Job 33:14-15 9:37

2M ago9:37

9:37

How can God speak to you? In this episode Andy Castle looks at the many ways God communicates with people, and particularly through dreams. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive Youth Ministri…

1
Stay refreshed | Jeremiah 31:25-26 11:33

2M ago11:33

11:33

What can we do as leaders to stay refreshed? In this episode, Andy Castle explores the importance of our daily, weekly and termly refreshment moments. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive You…

1
Overcoming anxiety | Psalm 37:1-7 10:06

2M ago10:06

10:06

Anxiety is increasing amongst our young people. This episode explores how Psalm 37 shows us ways to distract ourselves from our fears and to focus our attention on God. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Fou…

1
#079: Learning to Rest with Marianne Howard 36:27

3M ago36:27

36:27

Are you, as a ministry leader or parent (or both), looking for relief from the daily demands of leading? Are you worn down, near empty, or feel like you are being held captive to a schedule that offers no mercy? The daily weight of leading in ministry or at home is heavy and draining. And as our guest this month so wisely puts it, “Adapting to an e…

1
Out of control | Mark 9:14-29 8:43

3M ago8:43

8:43

If only one person can be in control at any one time, what if the choice was between you being in control and God being so? That's what Andy Castle wrestles with in this week's episode. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy …

1
Time to retreat | Psalm 27:4 10:32

3M ago10:32

10:32

Purposefully taking time out to retreat and to focus on our own relationship with God is essential if we want to lead healthy, leadership lives. Yet so many of us find this hard to do. Andy encourages us to set times aside to do this, regardless of whether we think we can find the time! He also mentions TallTrees, a wonderful retreat house in the M…

1
How do you want to see your youth ministry grow? | Jeremiah 18:2-6 10:17

3M ago10:17

10:17

How would you answer this question? What do you want God to do most in your ministry? Andy Castle explores this issue in this week's episode and encourages us to reframe the question. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Ca…

1
Does God tell dad jokes? | Jeremiah 1:11-14 9:51

3M ago9:51

9:51

As someone accused of too many dad jokes, this week Andy considers whether it might be possible that God tells Jeremiah one! 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive Youth Ministries. You can als…

1
#078: Embracing Your True Identity 37:12

4M ago37:12

37:12

This month, we dive into an issue that we all know is at the forefront of child and adolescent development: the question of identity. Kids, teens, and even parents often struggle to embrace an identity that is rooted in their relationship with God. Instead, we frequently feel like we need to perform, achieve, or earn any love or acceptance, and we …

1
Teach us to pray | Luke 11:1-4 9:38

4M ago9:38

9:38

In this week's episode, we explore the importance of teaching our young people how to pray, just as the disciples asked the same of Jesus. Andy Castle explores how this needs to start with us, as leaders, continuing to learn how to pray as well. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young pe…

1
Loving your church | 1 Peter 2:9 10:09

5M ago10:09

10:09

In this episode we think about the importance of honouring and loving our own church fellowship, the good bits and the bad! 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive Youth Ministries. You can also…

1
#077: Leading in a Digital World with Brian Housman 48:04

5M ago48:04

48:04

Our digital world can be complicated, frustrating, and even incredibly dangerous. But one thing is certain: it’s not going away anytime soon. The constant innovation, proliferation, and saturation of technology in the lives of our kids and teens is why ministry leaders must know how to better lead and equip parents to navigate this ever-changing sp…

1
The necessity of practice and obedience | Matthew 5:17-20 10:13

5M ago10:13

10:13

This week, Andy Castle, founder & CEO of Thrive Youth Ministries, thinks about role models and how it is essential that we not only teach well but that we practice all that we teach, and the importance of keeping the Law. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context…

1
Hanging onto every word | Luke 19:45-48 9:36

5M ago9:36

9:36

A new season and a new focus! In this week's episode, Andy Castle asks what you would do if your church service was disrupted and what our first priority should be. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder…

1
#076: Equipping Parents and Using M2P with special guest, Jaymes Curran 51:26

6M ago51:26

51:26

In this episode of the Ministry to Parents Podcast, the M2P team has a great conversation with youth ministry veteran of 35+ years, Jaymes Curran. Jaymes currently serves as the Director of High School Ministry at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Austin, TX, and uses MinistryToParents in some truly inspiring ways. Our discussion with Jaymes cent…

1
#075: Slow Down and Rest 32:10

7M ago32:10

32:10

Let’s be honest: there’s a lot to manage when navigating daily ministry or family life (or both simultaneously). To say we are “busy” is sometimes an understatement. The frantic pace of life we often live leads us to a place of exhaustion where we simply cannot operate at our best. In our families and in our ministries, we tend to move from event t…

1
Conversations with God | Exodus 33:12-17 10:59

8M ago10:59

10:59

This week, Andy Castle thinks about the partnership Moses had with God and how his prayer life seemed more of a conversation than anything else. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive Youth Min…

1
#074: Discipleship Through Scripture with Joel Lusz 35:54

8M ago35:54

35:54

This month on the M2P podcast, the team interviews Youth Pastor and author of the 12-Month Student Discipleship Journal, Joel Lusz. Joel holds a B.A. from Taylor University, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. But more impressive than an…

1
The Challenge of Integrity | Proverbs 5:21 9:27

8M ago9:27

9:27

What if we realised that God's eye is always watching over us? Would it make a difference. In this episode, Andy Castle explores the issue of integrity and living a focused life. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle,…

1
Loving the Word | Jeremiah 23:29 10:05

8M ago10:05

10:05

Most Christians would say they are Bible believers but in this episode Andy Castle asks, are you a Bible reader? If the Bible is God's word to us, surely we have to make sure to actually read it! 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presente…

1
#073: Building a Ministry with a Mentoring Mindset 38:05

9M ago38:05

38:05

On this month’s podcast, the M2P Crew gets together to talk about the importance of mentoring and relational ministry. The kids and teenagers in our homes and ministries need significant and caring adults (other than their parents) who are willing to come alongside them to offer support, encouragement, and even some accountability along the journey…

1
Extravagant generosity | 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 9:59

9M ago9:59

9:59

In this episode, Andy Castle explores the fifth and final core value of Thrive Youth Ministries: extravagant generosity. He thinks about the importance of being generous in all things as we follow an extravagant God. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Eac…

1
Purposefully encouraging & building others up | 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 8:33

9M ago8:33

8:33

In week four of our series exploring Thrive's core values, Andy Castle thinks about how we need to be intentional in encouraging those around us and how we can help them look to Jesus to keep on growing. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is …

1
Dynamic & life-giving | John 10:10 7:23

9M ago7:23

7:23

Continuing our short series, exploring Thrive's core values, this week Andy Castle looks at the importance of being Dynamic and Life-giving. Are you a radiator or a drain? 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & …

1
Making a Kingdom difference | Matthew 28:19-20 9:58

10M ago9:58

9:58

Thrive's second core value is 'making a Kingdom difference' and in this episode, Andy Castle explores what this means and what it might look like for each of us in our day to day ministries. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by …

1
#072: Leading Through Difficult Issues with Brian Haynes 28:08

10M ago28:08

28:08

This month on the M2P podcast, we have a great conversation that we recorded live at the D6 Conference in Orlando, with our friend Brian Haynes. Brian is a pastor, teacher, and author whose passion is to restore people, families, and churches. Brian has decades of experience in ministry leadership and, as a father, has a compelling story to tell. H…

1
Courageous dependence on the Spirit | Galatians 5:13-25 8:49

10M ago8:49

8:49

In this episode, Andy Castle reflects on the first of five core values that Thrive holds. What does courageous dependence on the Spirit look like and why is it important? What impact might it have on your life and ministry? 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church conte…

1
Guard your heart | Matthew 12:34 9:03

10M ago9:03

9:03

This week we think about the importance of integrity and how we need to protect what influences our heart so that we can confident that we are speaking well and communicating safely. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Cas…

1
Keep smiling! | Romans 15:5-6 9:36

10M ago9:36

9:36

It's a new term and a new season! In this episode, Thrive's Andy Castle talks about how little changes can make a big difference and how we need to looking out for ways to encourage and support the young people we work with. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church cont…

1
What are your hopes for the year ahead 9:09

11M ago9:09

9:09

Over the summer, we are listening back to some of our older episodes and reminding ourselves of God's goodness. This week's episode was originally released in January'22. In it, Andy thinks about the year ahead and explores what your hopes and dreams might be. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with childr…

1
#071: Church and Sports with Stuart Hall 49:06

11M ago49:06

49:06

In this episode of the Ministry to Parents Podcast, the M2P team has a great conversation with Stuart Hall. Stuart is a husband, dad, speaker, and author who works with Reggie Joiner and the team at Orange. Stuart has been an influential voice in ministry for quite some time while also being the father of multiple kids who played sports in middle s…

1
Entertaining angels 8:02

11M ago8:02

8:02

Over the summer, we are listening back to some of our older episodes and reminding ourselves of God's goodness. This week's episode was originally released in December'21. In it, Andy thinks about the importance of being honest, live with integrity and to put God first in all that we do. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at al…

1
Time to celebrate 10:34

11M ago10:34

10:34

Over the summer, we are listening back to some of our older episodes and reminding ourselves of God's goodness. This week's episode was originally released in November'21, when Thrive had just celebrated its 10th anniversary (this coming November will be our 12th!). In it, Andy thinks about taking time to celebrate what God has done, and celebratin…

1
How to avoid complaining and moaning 9:32

11M ago9:32

9:32

Over the summer, we are listening back to some of our older episodes and reminding ourselves of God's goodness. This week's episode was originally released in August'21. In it, Andy thinks about how Jesus never complained and how we can become the same, avoiding the temptation to complain and moan whenever life does not go our way. 'The Heart of a …

1
Courageous for Christ 12:11

12M ago12:11

12:11

Over the summer, we are listening back to some of our older episodes and reminding ourselves of God's goodness. This week's episode was originally released in July'21, just after England lost to Italy in the Euros cup final. In it, Andy thinks about the difference between worldly courage and having a courageous dependence on the Spirit. 'The Heart …

1
#070: Intergenerational Discipleship with Christina Embree 31:27

12M ago31:27

31:27

This month, we invite you to join us for another episode that we recorded live at the D6 Conference in Orlando, FL. Our special guest for this podcast is Christina Embree. Christina is a church planter, New Gen Coordinator at Plowshares Brethren in Christ in Lexington, KY, and serves as the Minister of Generational Discipleship for the Great Lakes …

1
The humility of Jesus 9:32

12M ago9:32

9:32

Over the summer, we are listening back to some of our older episodes and reminding ourselves of God's goodness. This week's episode was originally released in July'21. In it, Andy reflects on what humility is, how you know you have it and how we see it best displayed in Jesus. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who…

1
How approachable was Jesus? 9:31

12M ago9:31

9:31

Over the summer, we are listening back to some of our older episodes and reminding ourselves of God's goodness. This week's episode was originally released in June'21, at the time when Queen Elizabeth II was still alive and well. Andy explores how approachable Jesus was and how we can always be in His presence. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a we…

1
Honour God in all things 9:07

1y ago9:07

9:07

Over the summer, we are listening back to some of our older episodes and reminding ourselves of God's goodness. This week's episode was originally released in May'21. In it, Andy thinks about the importance of being honest, live with integrity and to put God first in all that we do. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all tho…

1
Resting and Retreating | 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 10:07

1y ago10:07

10:07

Andy Castle talks about the importance of rest, Sabbath and retreating. We need to go at God's pace and not always be racing ahead. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young people in a church context. Each episode is presented by Andy Castle, CEO & Founder of Thrive Youth Ministries. You …

1
Getting God's Guidance | Psalm 107:1-9 10:04

1y ago10:04

10:04

When life is busy it is so easy to simply try doing more and to make our own decisions on how to respond to the busyness. In this episode, Andy explores how it might be more helpful to step back a moment and ask God for what He wants you to do. 'The Heart of a Youth Leader' is a weekly series, aimed at all those who work with children and young peo…

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Thrive Youth Ministries Podcasts

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