About YMC

“Youth ministry is about the long run. It’s about the many times the youth sees you before they open up about their problems with their friends. It’s about the multiple times you ask them about their school activities before they finally open up. Its about the numerous conversations you have with them, they have with each other, and they have with God, that help develop their faith.”

— Andrew Noe

A few years ago I was trying to teach Bible study on a Wednesday night. I say “trying” because it was the perfect storm of chaos.

The students had been testing for almost a week in school, and the day before had been a snow day. They had entered school that Wednesday having felt the freedom of a day off, only to be crushed back down by more standardized testing. They came to church ready to be social, active, and fidgety. Not only that but multiple students had brought friends with them. Needless to say it was somewhat hard to hold their attention over the numerous side conversations they were having.

We have all been there if we teach students regularly. Those frustrating moments of trying to pass on some little bit of info that we think might better help them experience God. In the midst of all that frustration of the students not listening, something cool happened. For a moment one student heard what I was saying, processed it, and spoke up connecting it to a lesson from months earlier.

This was a 9th grader. Who had retained a small bit of info related to the Passover from when we talked about the plagues of Egypt, for at least 4-5 months, and connected it to the story of Jesus eating the Passover with the disciples.

It was on that night, and many times since, that I have realized youth ministry is about the long run. It’s about the many times the youth sees you before they open up about their problems with their friends. It’s about the multiple times you ask them about their school activities before they finally open up. Its about the numerous conversations you have with them, they have with each other, and they have with God, that help develop their faith.

This is what Youth Ministry Conversations is all about. We want to provide you resources for the conversations you will have with your youth over many years. Conversations about faith, love, Jesus, and everything else we can think of.

We hope you find these resources a valuable tool in your conversations.