Roller Skating Rinks and Rural Communities
Hi ya’ll! My name is Jessica Hampton-Shipman, and I am the Middle School Large Group Leader (aka the Middle School Pastor) for Meadow Heights Church Farmington. I also lead a Small Group of eighth grade girls whom I’ve been with since sixth grade. And… Read More
Women in Ministry: A Spectrum of Positions
In Episode 14 of Rethinking Youth Ministry, we talked about the unique challenges that women face in ministry and leadership. Our goal wasn’t to argue the theology surrounding women in leadership or define what roles women could/should serve in, but to acknowledge… Read More
For Our Neighbor: A Day of Caring
By April Wahl, Middle School Director at Century Baptist Church in Bismark, North Dakota Isn’t it interesting how saying yes to the little things can lead us to the big things? Not by chance, not even by our own doing, but by… Read More
High School Crisis Conversation Guides for Parents and SGLs [FREE DOWNLOAD]
As students get older, the potential for them to experience a crisis—from tragedy, bad decisions, rejection, or trauma—also increases. And with the growing conversation around suicide, mental illness, and even shows like 13 Reasons, it's becoming even more important for us to support… Read More
Using XP3 in a Small Church (Part 5): Presentation Matters
By Tim Van Dalen Last week we talked about the importance of small groups in your student ministry. However, that does not mean the presentation of God’s Word is unimportant. It is very important! Students need to know what God’s Word says about who… Read More
Using XP3 in a Small Church (Part 4): Lead Small
The XP3 blog is all about you, the student ministry leader. That's why we love it when we're able to share helpful ideas and insights straight from student pastors and leaders like you. If you would like to contribute in a future post, send us… Read More
Using XP3 in a Small Church (Part 3): Partnering with Parents
By Tim Van Dalen One of the key components of partnering with parents is connecting what happens at church to what happens at home. When we combine both of these influences the impact is always greater. If you have kids, you have… Read More
Using XP3 in a Small Church (Part 2): Leading Through Change
By Tim Van Dalen Having been involved in a number of small church settings, I know that change can be one of the most difficult things to navigate. And if you are considering making a switch to XP3 it probably represents a… Read More
Using XP3 in a Small Church (Part 1): The Big Picture
By Tim Van Dalen Anyone who works with students has a huge job to do. If you have worked with students for even one week you know this is a massive undertaking. And the stakes are high! Almost everything in our culture… Read More
Getting Students to Show Up for Your Event
By Kevin Kent We all believe in the camps and events that we are doing, and know there is no better environment for building community and bringing energy into our ministry year. With any luck, and a bit of strategic thinking and… Read More