How To Talk about Politics with Young People
By Dr. Nabil Tueme /
Discussing social and political topics can be challenging, especially in light of widespread disillusionment and polarization. Springtide asked young people what adults can do to make young people feel like they can talk about these topics with the adults in their lives.
Neurodiversity Training Handbook Resource Toolkit (Printed Version)
Get ready to dive into the "Handbook for Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices" – your new BFF in embracing and celebrating the beautiful spectrum of our students' brains.
Equipping Volunteers for Excellence
By Bryant Johnson (he/him/his) on Jul 17, 2023 in Building Faith
Johnson highlights four key ingredients to equipping excellent volunteers:
The article concludes with a downloadable Equipping for Excellence Volunteer Training Planning Worksheet.
In On Purpose: Finding God’s Voice in Your Passion, authors Magrey deVega, Sam McGlothlin, Jevon Caldwell-Gross, and Susan Robb help us see God's purpose for our lives, how to open ourselves to God's voice, and how to take the first or next step to follow God's call. Reading this book and exploring life choices alongside others, individuals will learn how to channel their passions, hear God’s voice, and live the life they were meant to live.
To support reading in a group, resources include a full leader’s guide and DVD with four teaching sessions.
Watch this promo to learn more about this study. Additional components include:
Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on the trusted policies and procedures that have guided churches over the past twenty-five years. This resource contains theological grounding for the work of abuse prevention, psychological insights about abuse and abuse prevention, basic guidelines for risk reduction, age-level specific guidance, and step-by-step instructions on how to develop, revise, update, and implement an abuse prevention plan in your church or organization.
Also available is the Safer Sanctuaries Online Guide, an interactive companion for your team as they work through the process of developing and implementing a Safe Sanctuaries policy.
Save 20% by purchasing the Safer Sanctuaries Print Book and Online Guide bundle. You will receive one print copy of Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities as well as one enrollment in the Safer Sanctuaries Online Guide.
Springtide Research Institute is a wealth of research-based information for boundaries and best practices for youth and young adult ministries. The New Normal: 8 Ways to Care for Gen Z in a Post-Pandemic World is but one example.
Rev. Diane Shallue created Twelve Devotions for Ministry Teams & Committees as part of the Christian Education Network of the ELCA series, “Learning Strategies for the Life of Faith Initiative.” They were developed "to equip congregational leaders to find ways to love and serve the world in all that they do", are ecumenical in scope, and free to share with teams and leadership groups.
Recruiting & Empowering Your Church Volunteers a free ebook from SparkHouse
Courageous Companions: Reimagining Discernment about Mentors for Youth
By Heidi J. A. Carter // October 29, 2024
'Many of us hold an idea of the “perfect” youth minister somewhere in our imaginations. Young. Up-to-date on music, fashion, and social media. Deeply faithful in their walk with God without being overly zealous. But then we look around our congregations, searching for them among our ranks, and we don’t see them. It’s just us, this rag-tag family of faithful adults, young and old. Some are engaging, up-to-date, and faithful, and others seem, well, less so. So we need help looking past our assumptions to see who’s really here.'
Take a fresh look at how you can partner with caregiving adults to ignite a lifelong love of Jesus in your students.
A partnership to bring faith formation tools and resources from CAMP to your CONGREGATION
Check out this (admittedly academic) mentor map to encourage mentors and help yourself know your team.
Building and Training Your Team with Jen Bradbury
Finding enough leaders can be one of the biggest challenges in ministry. When you do find them, what then? Join Jen Bradbury of Fuller Youth Institute for key insights on recruitment and volunteer training.
