042 - Summer Extravaganza

Join us in episode 42 for our SUMMER EXTRAVAGANZA. This week we are joined by Cameron Wilkins, who works with NextGen for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. We discuss the impact of summer events on youth ministry and the importance of volunteers. We also share tips for volunteers about how to stay connected to teenagers throughout the summer and how to respond to a student who makes a spiritual decision at a summer event.

Takeaways

• Summer events, such as camps, mission trips, and vacation Bible school, have a significant impact on the spiritual lives of teenagers.
• Volunteers play a crucial role in making summer events successful and meaningful.
• Building relationships and creating a sense of community are key aspects of summer events.
• The church can provide a unique and powerful experience that goes beyond what secular organizations can offer.
• Investing time and effort in summer events can lead to lifelong memories and lasting spiritual growth. Volunteers have a long-lasting impact on youth ministry and should show up consistently to build relationships with students.
• Even if volunteers can't attend summer camps or mission trips, they can still make a difference by finding creative ways to be present and engage with students.
• Volunteers should offer support, mentorship, and encouragement to students who make spiritual decisions during these experiences.
• It is important for volunteers to help students find resources for studying the Bible and remind them of their identity in Christ.
• Volunteers should stay connected and continue to invest in the lives of teenagers, even when they can't be physically present.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:07 Overview of Summer Events

05:14 The Impact of Move Conference

09:11 Personal Stories of Summer Camp

12:10 The Importance of VBS

14:00 Building Relationships and Community

16:30 Finding Creative Ways to Engage with Students

The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers | There are a lot of great youth ministry podcasts out there, but not many focus only on volunteers. The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers is all about providing great content to help volunteers who work with teenagers. Each episode is short and to the point on topics about how to best impact teenagers with the gospel. Each episode will be hosted by several youth ministry vets that have been working with teenagers for over 30 years. If you love working with teenagers, you're going to love this podcast!

You can reach Chris & the team at studentministrynetwork.com

We would LOVE to hear from you! Email us at YouthMinistryPodcast@GaBaptist.org to share show ideas or give us feedback.