Volunteer Youth Worker Podcast

Jeremy sits down (in person!!) with Andrew and Chris from Open Doors Canada to explore what persecution really means and why understanding it matters for all of us youth workers as we pass faith onto the next generation. Drawing from their work and research of Christians all around the world, Andrew and Chris help clarify the difference between persecution and everyday disagreement, grounding the discussion in a definition centered on identification with Christ. More than statistics, this conversation highlights powerful stories from the global church and invites youth workers to lift their eyes beyond their own context. You’ll be challenged to consider how learning from persecuted believers can deepen faith, shape discipleship, and form a more resilient, outward-looking Christianity among your students.Check out opendoorscanada.org and their great resources, like the World Watch List and Arise Africa Campaign.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community

In this episode, Jeremy is joined by Dr. Rob Chartrand, professor and program coordinator of Christian Ministry at Briercrest, to explore what many are beginning to notice across Canada: a growing spiritual curiosity among Gen Z. Drawing on recent research, cultural trends, and his experience forming future ministry leaders, Rob reflects on why young people are searching for meaning in a culture shaped by anxiety, nihilism, and fragmentation. He’ll talk about how youth workers might need to shift from trying to convince students that faith matters to helping them discover the depth and beauty of the Christian story. Offering a more robust gospel that acknowledges the challenges of life and helps students live a better story centered on Jesus.Learn more about Briercrest at briercrest.ca or Rob’s podcast at churchinthenorth.caYou can read more about the news report that Rob mentions at CTV NewsHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community

In part two of this extended conversation, Jeremy continues his discussion with Dr. Ken Castor as they work through more real questions from volunteer youth workers. This episode focuses especially on students who don’t fit the typical youth ministry mold (think quiet students, highly scheduled students, and those who show up for reasons other than spiritual growth). Ken challenges the assumption that youth ministry is designed primarily for extroverts and invites leaders to rethink how leadership development, discipleship, and program structures can serve every student. From redefining success beyond attendance to building ministry around real relationships, this conversation offers you some thoughtful guidance on helping students follow Jesus, no matter their personality, pace, or level of engagement.Ken has written a number of books including the Make a Difference Bible and the Make a Difference Devotional.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community

Jeremy is joined by Dr. Ken Castor to continue the conversation on student leadership that began at the YWC Conference in Moncton. Drawing from decades of research and hands-on ministry experience, Ken responds to real questions from volunteer youth workers about discipling students beyond weekly programs. Over the next two episodes you’ll hear about how leadership development often happens “along the way” through everyday life, why youth ministry must move beyond event-based models, and how leaders can empower students of all personalities (not just the loud or outgoing ones). From setting healthy boundaries to partnering with parents and rethinking what success looks like in youth ministry, this conversation offers thoughtful, practical wisdom for anyone investing in the next generation of leaders.Ken has written a number of books including the Make a Difference Bible and the Make a Difference Devotional.See Ken at the YWC Conferences or Today's Teens Conference in early 2026.Here are the questions Ken answers in this episode:When the group grows and the pastor can’t do this for everyone, how do you empower and encourage volunteer youth leaders to go beyond the event and do this type of discipleship with their key students?How do I set realistic expectations if youth ministry is not my only responsibility?As a young student leader myself, how do I develop leader attributes in other students my age, but still being relatable and being someone they can still feel encouraged to reach regardless of my stand and theirs!How would you handle a student that becomes too attached to you and starts to try and monopolize your time, taking you away from other students? How do we maintain healthy boundaries — plan to protect of course but also healthy emotional boundaries with students when we are trying to get in proximity with our students?Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community

Happy New Year!!!Ministry in 2026 won’t be about having all the answers or running perfect programs. It will be about presence. Faithfulness. Listening well. Creating safe spaces where students can encounter Jesus and discover who they are in Him. And in all of it, remember this truth: you are making an eternal difference.Some of the fruit you’ll see this year. Much of it you won’t. But none of it is wasted in God’s hands. He is at work in and through you... shaping lives, building faith, and advancing His kingdom in ways that will last far beyond this year.We’re cheering you on as you head into 2026. May God give you wisdom, courage, joy, and endurance for the road ahead. Thank you for saying yes again this year.

Merry Christmas from all of us at the Volunteer Youth Worker Podcast! 🎄As we celebrate the birth of Jesus we want to pause and say thank you. Week in and week out, you show up for teenagers, often behind the scenes and rarely in the spotlight. Your faithfulness, prayers, late nights, early mornings, and willingness to listen matter more than you know.In a season that can feel busy and overwhelming, we pray you’re reminded that God sees you, delights in you, and is at work through you. Even on the days when it feels unnoticed or exhausting, you are making an eternal difference in the lives of young people.Merry Christmas!

In this episode, Jeremy is joined by Pia Ocenar, a Catholic youth minister with experience serving students across Canada, to talk about teaching faith with clarity, care, and depth. Pia shares her own journey back to faith and offers insight into how the Catholic tradition approaches catechesis: intentionally teaching what Christians believe, how faith is practiced, and how students are invited into a personal encounter with Jesus. Together, they explore why youth workers can feel nervous about teaching theology, how to discern trustworthy resources, and why students today are often hungry for something richer than surface-level faith. As you listen, we hope you’ll reflect on how you communicate belief, practice, and experience in your ministry, and how creating space for honest questions can lead to deeper discipleship.Pia mentioned netcanada.ca, youcat.org, realtrue.org, and Hallow.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community

Jeremy and Sid talk about one of the most polarizing parts of youth ministry: games. Why do we play them? Do they actually matter? And how can they go so wrong so quickly? Together, you’ll hear how games can be a powerful tool for building community, creating belonging, and developing trust between leaders and students… when they’re done with intention. From thinking about games as a means to an end (and sometimes an end in themselves) to practical principles like inclusivity, age-appropriateness, timing, and clear explanation, this conversation will help you rethink game time. Whether you love games or dread them, this episode will help you see how play can support deeper ministry and healthier group culture. You can check out our training series that talks about Play as a core responsibility of youth workers here: 4 Core ResponsibilitiesHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community

Tate, Events Leader at Camp Qwanoes and a local youth pastor, shares about why games and activities matter far more than we often realize. He shares stories from camp and youth ministry that highlight how games can build trust, create shared experiences, and open the door to deeper relationships with students. You’ll hear about the difference between games that isolate students and those that foster belonging, why leader buy-in and energy matter so much, and how play can become a powerful tool for discipleship rather than a distraction from it. This conversation will help you rethink game time: not as filler, but as meaningful groundwork for gospel-centered ministryTate mentioned the games resources at stuffyoucanuse.orgLearn more about Qwanoes and Kaleo at one of their links:instagram.com/qwanoesqwanoes.ca/leadership/kaleoqwanoes.caYou can check out our training series that talks about Play as a core responsibility of youth workers here: 4 Core ResponsibilitiesHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community

In this episode, Jeremy is joined by Greg Stier, founder of Dare 2 Share, to talk about what happens when evangelism becomes part of the culture of a youth ministry. Drawing from new research involving hundreds of youth groups around the world, Greg explains the difference between a “typical” youth group and a gospel-advancing one. What would it look like to see leaders model faith-sharing, students trained to share the gospel relationally, and new believers intentionally discipled? The results are striking, but the heart of the conversation goes deeper: when students put their faith into action, discipleship accelerates. This episode will challenge and encourage you to see evangelism not as an extra program, but as a key leverage point for spiritual growth and long-term impact Check out the research at dontmissit.report and watch Greg talk more about it on YouTube.Learn more about Dare 2 Share at dare2share.orgAnd if you are looking for a clear way to start a faith conversation remember: Ask, Admire, Admit…Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community

Jeremy is joined by Steve Zacharias to explore a topic most youth workers have wrestled with: how do you have meaningful conversations with students who are anxious, shut down, or unsure how to engage?Steve draws from both personal experience and practical ministry to unpack how anxiety shows up in student behavior and how youth leaders can respond with empathy, curiosity, and calm. They talk about fight/flight/freeze/fawn responses, why students often seem resistant or disengaged, and what we can do to build trust, slow the pace, and help students feel seen and safe.If you've ever walked away from a conversation thinking, “Did that even work?” this episode will help you rethink success, show up more helpfully, and ask better questions.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community or steve@youthworker.communityHere are a few of the practical next steps from Steve’s episode…Take a deep breath before youth group—your presence matters more than your pressureLearn to identify the four responses to anxiety: fight, flight, freeze, fawnRegulate your own anxiety first—what tone, pace, and posture are you bringing?Let students choose the space for deeper conversations (not always the foyer!)Ask fueling questions to explore anxiety:“What are you feeling? How do you feel about talking with me?”“What’s it like for you to feel this way?”“When did you start feeling this way?”“What was going on at the time?”Ask flipping questions to reframe the situation:“If you switched places with someone else, what would you see?”“Whose voice do you hear in the pressure you’re feeling?”“What would you imagine Jesus saying to you in this moment?”Avoid “why” questions—reframe with what or how to reduce defensivenessUse Scripture gently to help students reflect, not just correct

In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Dr. Jason Burtt, sociology professor at Trinity Western University and former youth pastor, to explore the intersection of culture, discipleship, and what actually helps students grow and flourish today.From pirates and pig roasts to positive sociology and generational shifts, Jason offers insights rooted in both research and real-life youth ministry experience. This wide-ranging conversation covers how students are formed, why embodied relationships still matter in a digital age, and how the love of Jesus is the most powerful and most often overlooked discipleship tool we have.If you're a youth worker wondering whether your investment is really making a difference, this episode is a timely and encouraging reminder that your presence, love, and consistency are shaping students more than you realize.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.You can catch up with Dr. Jason and check out Trinity Western University by heading to twu.ca

In this episode, Jeremy and Sid sit down with legendary youth ministry scholar and practitioner Dr. Chap Clark to unpack how cultural shifts have radically shaped the identity formation of today’s teenagers and what that means for youth workers today.Chap introduces the idea of “avatars” (the multiple versions of self that students present in different spaces) and explains why helping young people discover and integrate their real identity in Christ through community is more urgent than ever. He shares insight from decades of research , youth work, and teaching, and offers a powerful vision for building ministry cultures that move beyond transactional relationships toward healing, belonging, and purpose.This episode is rich, deep, and hopeful. If you want to help your students thrive as whole people in Christ, not just perform as Christian teens, don’t miss this one.Check out Chap’s books on Amazon or see what he’s up to these days at MinistryLeadership.Church.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Jeremy and Sid tackle a question every youth worker will face at some point: What do I do when I’m struggling personally (whether it's emotionally, spiritually, or mentally) and I still have to lead?They explore what it means to lead with integrity while feeling emotionally off, how to understand the difference between burnout and being overwhelmed, and how Scripture reframes our emotions as meaningful but not final. With stories from camp, personal leadership failure, and wise encouragement from Scripture, this episode is for every leader who has ever shown up tired, anxious, or unsure whether they should even be there.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this episode, Jeremy talks with longtime pastor, professor, and former youth leader Ian Lawson about something every youth worker eventually faces: what do you do when you’re just not feeling it?Whether it’s emotional exhaustion, spiritual discouragement, or the weight of a busy life, there are days when ministry feels heavy and it’s tempting to pull back. Ian brings wisdom from decades of leadership, teaching, and front-line ministry to encourage youth workers not to give up too quickly, and to help us see how God meets us even in our weakness.Here are a few of the practical next steps from Ian’s episode…Don’t underestimate the power of simply showing upRemember that faithfulness over time is how fruit grows in ministryWhen you feel spiritual resistance or discouragement, text a friend and ask for prayerAsk God to use even your weakness, trusting that His power is made perfect thereHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this episode, Jeremy and Sid dive into a big, practical question for youth workers: What do I do when a student shares something heavy about their family?Whether you're at camp, in a small group, or hanging out one-on-one, chances are high that a student will eventually open up about something difficult at home. Sid unpacks what your role is (and what it isn’t) when that happens. They talk about mandatory reporting, emotional boundaries, practical tools, and how to love students without taking on more than you’re called to carry.This conversation is packed with wisdom, stories, and clarity for youth workers who want to care well without burning out or stepping outside their lane.Looking for a practical next step? Try out one of these things…Never promise confidentiality; rather, explain that you will only tell people who can helpCreate a simple incident reporting system (here is a sample of some of the questions you might include)Know who to call: have a go-to list of professionals for legal or safety issuesBe clear about your emotional limits—don’t carry what you’re not meant toSpend time with both high-needs and emotionally healthy studentsConsider getting additional training if you’re consistently walking into deep situationsHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.You can also check out the podcast that Sid mentioned where he was a guest with his son Payton here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5g3Mz9Y62HvR8GzBc8WEjb?si=11c90542bf6a4637

In this episode, Jeremy is joined by veteran youth pastor Jonathan Kornelsen from Central Community Church in Chilliwack, BC, to unpack a question that every youth worker eventually faces: How do I care for a student whose family life is messy, broken, or confusing?Jonathan brings 20+ years of youth ministry experience into this honest, compassionate conversation about the limits and opportunities of our role as youth workers. From mandatory reporting to faithful presence, from avoiding the savior complex to knowing when to just take a kid out for ice cream—this episode offers a practical guide for navigating the mess with wisdom and love.Whether you’re a volunteer, point leader, or ministry director, this episode will help you better support students walking through complicated family dynamics.Looking for a practical next step? Try out one of these things…Listen to Episode 104 – What Should You Know About Crisis, Trauma, Abuse & Neglect (interview with a police officer and social worker)If you’re unsure about a disclosure, report it or talk to someone who can.Be a calm, safe, trustworthy adult in a student’s life without trying to “fix” them.Know your community’s referral resources (counselors, food banks, support workers)Be quick to pray, often and out loud, for students navigating hard situationsCommit to the long haul—healing takes time, and your presence matters more than you knowYou should also get Jonathan’s new book Youth Ministry Blueprint, available on Amazon.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

Jeremy and Sid pick up where we left off last week, adding a few more ideas to help you reset your focus on what matters most. Jeremy and Sid explore:Why love for God and others is the true center of youth ministry.The vital role of anchoring students in Scripture, not just for knowledge, but to shape their affections and actions.Why your modeling of faithfulness in whatever environment you are in matters more than you realize.Whether you’re just stepping into a new season or coming off a hard stretch in ministry, this episode will encourage you to stay faithful, stay focused, and remember that what you do makes an eternal difference.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this episode, Jeremy is joined by longtime youth pastor, Alpha Youth Series co-creator, and speaker Ben Woodman for a thoughtful and practical conversation on the most important goal in youth ministry: helping students grow in their love for Jesus and their love for others.Ben shares stories and insights from over 20 years of ministry around the world, and together he and Jeremy reflect on how easy it is to get distracted from our core calling—especially in the chaos of running programs or managing small groups. From practical ideas to deeper theology, this episode is filled with encouragement and inspiration for any youth worker who wants to make space for real spiritual growth in students.Looking for a practical next step? Try out one of these things…Be quick to pray with and for your students—even in spontaneous momentsTry leading a small group through a reflective prayer time using a PsalmPlay a worship song and ask students to listen for what God might sayCreate retreat, camp, or night-away moments where students can encounter GodRemind students (and yourself): you don’t have to start over—God cherishes every step you’ve takenYou can also try out these resources:Alpha Youth Series (free and online)Celebration of Discipline by Richard FosterPracticing the Way by John Mark ComerWe sent these things out to our email list too. If you’d like to join, head to youthworker.community/contact and hit subscribe.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this episode, Jeremy and Dawn sit down with 15-year-old Ashlynn from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, to talk about how volunteering in youth ministry has transformed her faith. Ashlynn’s story is a powerful reminder that young people don’t have to wait until they’re older to start leading and making a difference.Ashlynn shares honestly about the insecurities she faced as a new Christian and young leader, what helped her overcome them, and how God is using her story to encourage others. This episode is a great listen for youth workers who want to know how to identify, equip, and support student leaders well.Looking for a practical next step? Try out one of these three things…Invite students to step into leadership earlier than you thinkAssign real responsibilities that fit student strengths (announcements, small groups, game teams, etc.)Offer regular check-ins and training to help young leaders growHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.