Youth Worker On Fire Podcast

I can’t afford time off… But I can afford a hospital visit after breaking down from the stress I am under. You might say that sounds ridiculous! But people say these things all the time, but they don’t say the second part. They feel justified or tough by saying I don’t have time or money to fix what’s hurting me. So now what…? Jesus the Messiah often talked about REST. Here is one thing he said… Matthew 11:28-30 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” True REST is a radical concept! My upcoming book could have easily been titled radical REST!  If you want to radically change your world, you are going to have to radically move and maneuver. Without extreme REST you CANNOT be the best version of yourself that God intended for you to be. So REST UP MY FRIENDS! Wake up and smell the coffee, smell the roses, see

“I came that you might have life in ALL of its Abundance.” - John 10:10  Volunteers and student leaders… train them and educate them regularly on what is expected and consistently remind them of God’s vision through you for themselves and your student ministry. During my time as a student minister, we would take our volunteer staff to various trainings hosted by student focuses groups (YPS, SLU, YFC, FCA etc.) and a few weeks before the school year would start, we would have one weekend for training at a special location (beach, mountains, etc.) with our volunteers and their families. That was the best, but one year I decided to change it up! At that time you could park at any of the Disney World hotels for free and and hold impromptu sessions in the lobby or on the outside of the property. I loved the Animal Kingdom Lodge, with the outdoor fire pits, rocking chairs, all while being surrounded by wild African animals roaming the zoo like setting onsite. If you knew someone working there, in upper management,

Dr. Cary Ferree has been a volunteer for student ministry and Guatemalan Missions for many years. She is also a full-time Pharmacist for Bay Lake Pharmacy for the Long Term Care Division, servicing much of Central Florida.  Cary volunteered for the student ministry I was pastor over for several years and her husband Eric was a volunteer as well. In this episode, you will hear how and why she was on her church's latest student missions trip as a leader and medical personnel, both volunteer positions. There are qualities in Cary and her family that are environments to grow strong and committed people to God, family, and ministry (especially volunteer ministry). My hope for all you youth workers is that you can develop a volunteer force as strong as Dr. Cary and her husband Eric are. You can connect with Dr. Ferree here: https://mhm-guatemala.org/ _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book “Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder’s Guidebook” here:

To Youth Workers - Cracking the Code: “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” - Matthew 10:16-20 NLT Youth For Christ taught me that we need to know the strategies for reaching students, families, and communities. How to be a valued part of the schools we serve. Then YFC trainers said this, “But… if you do that without the Spirit of God guiding you, you are no better than any other club or student group on campus.” You must be prayed up to be fully prepared! Here are a few key things to CRACK THE CODE: Assess the “flavor/aroma/personality of your community”… church expectations, parent expectations of current students, community rituals and values, schools rules and values. He will prepare you and the people you are to encounter. God’s leading will save you a lot of wasted time and effort. “Ask, and God will give it to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be open for you. -  Matthew 7:7-11 NCV Volunteers and student leaders… tra

Tom Yohe (Hope For Hurting Parents) has returned for a 2nd interview on the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast to discuss his new book called “Moments of Clarity: Wisdom from the Father of a Prodigal”. Yes, Tom and Dena Yohe have been on this podcast before! You can hear more of their story on episode 50 of Youth Worker On Fire Podcast and all about Renee Yohe, their daughter. As well as, a group that started a movement around her story called “To Write Love On Her Arms”. Tom Yohe and his wife Dena Yohe started on this journey when their middle daughter at age 12 started cutting herself. Tom was a pastor at the time. They thought they had everything under control by the time she entered high school. Tom and Dena felt led to join Campus Crusade For Christ (CRU) as staff. They moved their family to Russia for a missions project and not long after, found that their daughter’s problems had gotten worse instead of better. They left the mission field and came back to the United States of America, so their daughter could

Bend… but not break! It seems like a good thing, but when analyzing objects that keep bending, they eventually lose their shape. Bending items (and people) lose their ability to bounce back at some point and some eventually break… Yes, eventually they BREAK! This episode is a look into how often we bend to pressures, people, and spiritual battles thinking we are more flexible and resilient than we actually are. Sometimes we are a bit too proud of ourselves for being so strong and unbreakable. But are we really? Is it possible that we are broken already, because we have lost our “True North”, our “Core Values”, or our belief that we are called to stand strong? Also, with God's Love (His Agape) shake up the darkness and make it bend to God's ways, which are our Shield and Fortress. "We do not fight against flesh and blood." "The weapons we have are not of this world, but are there to tear down strongholds." BENDING WILL BREAK YOU! _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You

GROWN UPs! Now those are big words to live up to. My wife would say that has never applied to me, Ha! Ha! But, that is not what this is about. This is about a 4 episode podcast I listened to, by Andy Stanley, that takes a very interesting look at when and how the Christian Bible came about and especially the New Testament. I like this, because otherwise I might not have taken the time to understand all the facts and fun history on how all of this was put together. It might be something that you can use with other adults or students that want to think a little deeper or wider. Even if you don't agree with everything it is a great discussion starter for you and your family, friends and colleagues. You might say, "This is beneath me, I already know this stuff." That's great, but in what context do we get to have these discussions and share these truths? In many cases, we get to share fractions of what God has shown us because of time and space and who we are ministering to. Either way enjoy soaking it in or tear

“Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don’t turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.” - Proverbs 4:25-27 NCV I did not become who or what I wanted to be. God had a better idea. It’s OK! The disciples had other plans too and Jesus changed their direction and goals twice.  1. Being called to His ministry. 2. Being filled with Power at Pentecost.  Both were overwhelming and not in their plans for life. Many of you are experiencing the same or similar things. Not your original plans for life and didn’t see that God encounter coming.  I did not do things on a grand scale by my standards, but God gave me a better standard. He used my weaknesses more than He ever used my strengths. And… in my frustration, He still does. God let me focus in one area of our state for almost 30 years. I spent countless hours on medias, speeches, volunteers, and no one ever sought after me as a speaker or consultant. My fri

Zane is a 3rd Generation Pastor. Zane’s grandpa was a pastor for many decades and his dad is currently a pastor in Iowa City, Iowa. In this episode, you will hear about his life and the legacy left to him that he is carrying down. Zane was born and raised in Freeport, Illinois and spent his college years in Chicago at Trinity International University and Divinity School where he also played basketball. anything that includes being active or being outside.  Zane and his wife Mackenzie got married in June 2020 in the middle of the pandemic and spent the first six months of their marriage in Chicago. Not long after, they received the call to Trinity Church in Eustis. He has been serving as the youth pastor at Trinity Church the last two years.  Zane went into college with his eyes set on business and “making it” as the world would describe, but soon felt God leading him in another direction… to pursue ministry! In the process of switching his major from business to Biblical studies, God laid youth ministry on hi

Jokes and laughter are important in student ministry. So in this episode, I recall and discuss a few jokes that were exchanged between me and a young man in college recently.  But the message here is this… If we don't tell the next generation about God's miracles, stories, love, and truths… they won't pass this down to the next generation after them. It’s our responsibility to pass on to them that responsibility. Based on Psalm 78:2-6 _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book “Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder’s Guidebook” here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _______________________________ EPISODE CREDITS Email us at: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com Hosted by: Doug Edwards Theme Song: "The One and Only" by The 808 (Listen to more at: https://bit.ly/3FTYIAJ ) Intro/Outro Voiceover: Michael Helms ( https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelTheSoundGuy ) Edited by: Secret

WHISPERing draws us closer, because it’s so quiet. It requires attention. So, though we may shout, scream, and cry out to God, He usually responds with a WHISPER. At least that's how it works with me and many others I have discussed this with. So, WHISPER… He did when someone asked me to baptize them, even though we had never talked about that particular topic. As you remain in ministry (and in particular student ministry), those people grow up and they or their friends will ask you to be at a “God event” with them. God will WHISPER to you, "See, I have not forgotten you. I can use you whenever I want. You are still very needed and wanted by me and others." Maybe not those particular words, but well, you get the idea! It’s all about the WHISPER… _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book “Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder’s Guidebook” here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://

Showing up is half the battle! Many people don't even show up, but the other half that do... Share The Love! We have to be ready to meet the needs of the people God has annointed us to talk to about the Gospel, God's Story, His-Story. Jesus was an "on the way" friend, rabbi, prophet, and forgiver of sins. That's what He has given us the power to be in this world for Him. Share The Love. _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book “Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder’s Guidebook” here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _______________________________ EPISODE CREDITS Email us at: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com Hosted by: Doug Edwards Theme Song: "The One and Only" by The 808 (Listen to more at: https://bit.ly/3FTYIAJ ) Intro/Outro Voiceover: Michael Helms ( https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelTheSoundGuy ) Edited by: Secret Roots Music House

Mary Lomma was one of my student ministry volunteers (Associate Staff as I called them) working with our middle school girls. Mary is one of those volunteers you hope and pray for! She took everything she learned and never stopped telling people about Jesus Christ. Recently, Mary texted me a link to the story written below… ___________________________________   "STORY TELLER - MARCH 2023 ISSUE" When I was about 45 years old I felt like there was “more” I could do. Our oldest daughter Tina was just married. Tamarah was in high school and Nicholas had begun kindergarten. First time in over 25 years I wasn’t working or having a preschooler around my legs. So, I volunteered to help our youth pastor Doug Edwards with middle schoolers.  After all, both our girls had been delightful people in middle school, so I was experienced!  So I thought. All the middle school adult helpers were herded over to Daytona Beach for a week-end “discipleship training” class.  My first time at Stavro’s Pizza. The following Christmas b

“When Words Don’t Come Easy” is the title of Andy Howard's book (andyhoward.com). It’s about how God redeems our stories, gives purpose to our pain, and still uses us to change the world. Andy says… Have you ever looked at your life and wondered, “How on earth did things get so hard?” “I have—more times than I can count. I’ll never forget how helpless I felt when it seemed like our life was falling apart, when our oldest daughter faced seemingly endless brushes with death, or when our finances were in shambles. In those moments, I felt everything I’d ever dreamed of, or God had ever promised, was shattering at my feet. But I’ll also never forget when things changed, when on the darkest of days I heard a voice whisper, “There is beauty in the broken.” Andy was strong for so long then overwhelming depression hit him without warning! Because Andy and his family are on the other side of the depression we made sure to focus on humor and joy in his family’s life, so people could feel the joy on the other side of a

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. - 2 Corinthians 3:17 (Amplified Bible) We have all the resources we need and all the power, which brings us TRUE FREEDOM. The more time we spend with God the more Freedom we feel and have. Freedom is a result of God flowing through us. Look for “Holy Surprises” coming your way! God loves handing out good surprises to His kids. His children are a Royal Priesthood. Today… We also discuss some of YWOF’s upcoming episodes / interviews that you are not going to want to miss! _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book “Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder’s Guidebook” here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _______________________________ EPISODE CREDITS Email us at: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com Hosted by: Doug Edwards Theme Song: "The One and Onl

Ephesians 2:10 -  “…God Created in Advance good works for us to do.” I was made to have a relationship with God. He had a plan for my life and I pursued it. Many times it wasn’t what I thought I signed up for. But when God makes you a leader and the opportunity to lead arises, you will find yourself in the middle of leading. You can’t resist it… It’s a part of your Spiritual DNA! Leaders work on a 24 hour clock. It never leaves their heart or mind. They own it. They were made to serve this way! _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book “Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder’s Guidebook” here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _______________________________ EPISODE CREDITS Email us at: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com Hosted by: Doug Edwards Theme Song: "The One and Only" by The 808 (Listen to more at: https://bit.ly/3FTYIAJ ) Intro/Outro Voiceover: Michael Helms ( ht

How do you progress in ministry or life in general when people say you are too old? Your response should be, “When God tells me to do something else I will change direction”. Everyone in the scriptures was too old or too young, too inexperienced, too unqualified, and the list goes on.   God looks at the heart. There are guidelines in scripture and there are cultural guidelines that God uses sometimes to keep us safe. We can be our own worst enemy! But… how have some people lasted 40 or more years in student ministry, school systems, college ministries, etc and still maintain great character and integrity, while remaining relevant and respected by younger generations, peers, and community? We hope you enjoy this new episode from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast! _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book “Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder’s Guidebook” here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcas

Dan Istvanik is a 28+ year youth ministry veteran and the founder of Youth Ministry Hub (www.youthminhub.com). He is also a nationally-known ministry resource creator, writer, speaker, coach, and currently a Family Pastor just outside of Chicago.   When you and your family suddenly become homeless, you find out quickly who your real friends are. Ministry found one tough man and his family who said “YES” together when ministry choices became almost unbearable. In this episode, we dive deep into Dan and his family’s story of long term student and family ministry. His family’s story of, what I consider, "Heroic Faith" came through a question I seldom answer. True heroes of the faith seldom intentionally tell about their pains and God’s provision. They focus on the ministry at hand and keep moving forward.   This episode will… • Remind you to pray when the odds are against you. • Remind you to always include your family in your decisions. • Remind you to follow God’s leading and not your emotions. (Scripture Refe

FAIR… When people say, “I just want what's fair.” They are saying you haven’t been fair to them or they think you are getting ready to take advantage of them in a business deal, a family situation, or something else... you fill in the blank. Chris Voss says “fair” is a word of “power “.  The person who used it first has the power, unless you know how to turn it around by asking, “Fair?” and letting them talk more. Check out his book “Never Split The Difference” and look up his chapter on the word FAIR. In reality few things are “fair”. Life is not fair. However, we would not like it if it were! What I prefer is mercy and grace. Mercy and Grace is what God showed us through His Son Jesus on the cross. He died in our place! That was not fair, but that was love, AGAPE LOVE. Mercy and Grace come out of Love. They do not come from “fair”.  This world is not fair. So how do we help students and their families understand “fair” when it comes to God, when there is so much suffering in the world? It's important that o

3 THINGS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER... Pray a grateful prayer to God in the evening before bed and in the morning when you get up. Ask God to put His words in your mouth before you speak to your family, business, or if you are a public speaker. His words will bring Power, Peace and Love. "My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children, and on the lips of their descendants-from this time on and forever," says the LORD. - Isaiah 59:21 (NIV) Ask for His Favor before you enter a building, go to a meeting, your home, or any plane, train or automobile. Sincerely ask for His Favor...consistently. _______________________________ Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book “Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder’s Guidebook” here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq ______________________________