Kristen Ivy

Executive Director of Messaging

Kristen Ivy is the Executive Director of Messaging at Orange and the founder of The Phase Project, and co-author of the Phase Guide series, "It's Just a Phase," and "Playing for Keeps." She combines her degree in secondary education with a Master of Divinity and lives out the full Orange spectrum as the wife of XP3 Students Orange Specialist, Matt Ivy, and the mother of three children, Sawyer, Hensley, and Raleigh.

Engaging Every Parent Everywhere

We as youth ministry leaders care about the faith and future of the next generation. To properly invest in our students, we know we must engage all parents everywhere. That… Read More

You Get 40 Hours a Year: Here’s What You Need to Teach Them

So, here’s the question: If you have less than 20 times to connect to a sixth grader this year, what are you going to teach them? Read More

Expect a Crisis: Faith in Middle School

Tweens who think like engineers need to know that God can rebuild a story—even when things haven’t gone according to the plan. Read More

The Last 52 Weeks

Twelfth grade...the phase when your emerging adult pulls away, gets closer, does things for the last time; and you both start asking, “What’s next?”  Read More

How to Help High Schoolers Respond to Cultural Changes

The way a teen resolves the 'Where,' 'Why,' 'How,' and 'What' questions of life provides a compass for navigating their future direction. Read More

If They Aren’t Asking Questions, They Aren’t Listening

Don’t let the term 'philosopher' confuse you. High schoolers want more than theory. They want to know what is helpful for life right now. Read More

How to Read a High Schooler’s Mind

Ever had a high schooler try and persuade you that homework doesn’t really matter? Yes? Keep reading. Read More
Episode 10

RYM 010: Keeping Pace With Student Culture

If there’s one thing we all know about the culture our students are living in, it’s that it is constantly changing. From the shows they watch and the accounts they… Read More
Episode 9

RYM 009: When To Leverage (And Not Leverage) Culture

What’s happening in culture should be important to every youth leader. Why? Because culture reflects the world our students are part of every single day. In this episode, join ministry… Read More
Episode 8

RYM 008: Killing The Spider With Carlos Whittaker

We all have cobwebs in our lives—things we’re not proud of and things we wish we could get rid of. But if we’re going to get rid of the cobwebs,… Read More
Episode 7

RYM 007: How Do I Get Better At Speaking?

How often do you speak to students? Whether you communicate to students every week, once a month, or just a couple times per year, chances are, as a communicator, you've… Read More

Navigating the Four Phases of High School

Phase Defined: A time frame in a kid's life when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future. The phase that should matter most to you is the phase… Read More