Youth ministry

L. Roger Owens and Mary Clare Owens: There’s no right way to pray

Father-daughter duo L. Roger and Mary Clare Owens have written “Praying Their Way: 24 Prayer Practices for Kids and the Adults Who Love Them,” a guide for parents on how to introduce the concept of prayer to their kids, and for kids on how to navigate their faith journey as obstacles occur.

Formational listening tools help young people connect to their faith

Ministry practitioners of Sacred Listening share examples of how young people respond to being heard without judgment when they share their beliefs.

By Josh Packard Co-founder, Future of Faith

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Being a teenager can be particularly hard right now, but hope lingers on

As they head into summer, teenagers may find that world events mean a less restorative season than usual. Adults can help by being attentive and truly listening to them.

By Khristi Lauren Adams Author

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Trusting youth to lead

As some churches scramble for a quick solution to waning youth programs, a Lexington, Kentucky, church has found success in building over time and empowering their young people as leaders.

By Kory Wilcoxson Pastor and journalist

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From Chicago basement to international stage, the power of collaboration fueled a Latino-led nonprofit working with youth

In its early days, a startup nonprofit working to make the Bible more accessible to young people in urban areas found a crucial community partner. The result of their collaboration is a lesson for us all.

By Elizabeth Tamez Méndez Founder and Executive Director, New Generation3

Image link to article: From Chicago basement to international stage, the power of collaboration fueled a Latino-led nonprofit working with youth

A beacon of hope shines for LGBTQ+ youth in Florida

Through The Lighthouse, some Florida churches are offering a nonreligious ministry of presence that focuses on God’s love for all, opening doors for both young people and other institutions.

By Catherine Montgomery Founder and executive director, The Lighthouse

Fuller Seminary heads up ambitious ecumenical project to engage millions of young people

Five years in the making, the TENx10 project aims to “help faith matter more” for 10 million teens in 10 years. The effort has involved many groups across the church and might serve as a model for more collaborations.

By G. Jeffrey MacDonald Journalist and UCC minister

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Anti-racist formation of children and youth

Faith communities can play a crucial role to counter efforts that limit what is taught about our nation’s past and present, including the banning of books and censoring of curriculum content. Most churches already have the mechanisms in place to offer formation. Here are resources to make those offerings practically, thoughtfully and intentionally anti-racist.

Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone talk anti-racism with middle schoolers

Against a backdrop of book banning, attacks on school curricula and the highly publicized death of yet another Black man after an incident of police violence, bestselling authors Kendi and Stone assure a group of North Carolina eighth graders of their humanity and equality.

By Yonat Shimron Journalist

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Eat. Pray. Skate: A skateboarding ministry offers unconditional love to teens

Serious JuJu is a ministry that meets young people where they are -- in a skate park.

By Katie Cantrell Journalist

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We are physical beings -- what if our ministries reflected that?

Physical labor and activity have been a boon to teens during the pandemic, leading a youth pastor to realize that the physical matters -- to us and to God.

By Matt Overton Associate pastor, Columbia Presbyterian Church, Vancouver, Washington

Image link to article: We are physical beings -- what if our ministries reflected that?