May is just around the corner! That means seniors are moving on, 7th-grade students are going into high school, and 5th or 6th-grade students are getting ready to enter youth group!

With all this change? What should you get each grade or class to help them mark the occasion?

Bibles for Seniors

I love gifting Bibles to students moving out of the youth group and into the next season of life. Even better, though, is giving them a Bible with highlighted verses and notes written from the important people in their lives. You can do this all in one go at a Senior focused youth group night or hand the Bible to parents to have them run it around to family. Whichever direction you take, write your own note and highlight a few verses.

Those can be treasured Bibles that can help guide them to their next season! Just make sure you reach out to the seniors on your list and ask if they will be around for it. It never hurts to have a couple extra on hand, just in case.

T-Shirts for Incoming Students

Every student could use a Bible when coming into the youth group. So don’t hear me say DON’T get an incoming student a Bible. However, I love to help new students feel a part of the group and special at the same time. I would usually get a t-shirt made up special for the students coming into the ministry. It would be our logo on a t-shirt that ONLY the new incoming students get. That way they get some cool youth group branded stuff AND feel some connection to the other students moving in with them.

It’s been cool to watch students keep wearing those shirts over the years too. A little bit of class pride, yeah?

A Plant

Go with me here. Moving from middle school to high school is difficult. It can be one of the toughest moves a student makes. We don’t often recognize that in our ministries, which should change! I love getting my students something that symbolizes growing into the next season of life.

A succulent (read: a plant that doesn’t die very easily) can be a neat gift to show students you see them and remind they that they are still growing! It’s a little reminder that can encourage them to continue to make their faith their own AND, hopefully, encourage them to continue to grow in grace and love.

You can probably think of a few other things you could grab for a student moving from one season to the next. Celebrate the moves and the changes! Whatever you do, acknowledge that God is at work in their lives and that you’re excited about what He has in store for them!

Springtime might be tough for a Youth Pastor, but it can also be difficult for a Youth Ministry volunteer! These are the people we rely on to help make ministry happen. We can’t do this thing by ourselves! So, how can you show volunteers appreciation and ensure they feel valued as a part of your team? I’ve got three quick ideas!

1. Send them a text

Sending a quick text message to a volunteer is a great way to show them you appreciate them! Normally, we text volunteers when we need supplies for a game or for them to put out a fire in the youth room. But if you spent the next 10 minutes texting your volunteer team, you could show them that you were thinking about them, appreciate their support, and give them a small encouragement that might carry them through the week! Something like:

“Hey Susan! Thanks so much for being on the team. I saw you having a great conversation with Samantha last night. I’m glad you’re doing Youth Ministry!”

“Hey Scott! It’s always great to see you throwing football and chatting it up with the dudes. Glad you’re on the Youth Ministry team!”

2. Grab Them a Snack

Ask your volunteers what their favorite snack is. And then next time you meet, have it ready for them. We do this with students all the time. Why shouldn’t we do this for our volunteers? It’s a great way to show them that we know them, we love them, and we were thinking about them. It doesn’t even have to be in the Youth Ministry budget for you to show this type of appreciation! Once you know their favorite snack, you can get it for them again! Think right before the retreat happens or at the end of the school year. You can show your volunteers appreciation just by running to the store real quick.

2. Sing Their Praises

Maybe not literally singing, but think of it this way: every time you get a microphone, it’s a chance for you to talk about how great your volunteers are. Maybe it’s when you’re making an announcement at church in service or before you break up for small groups. Make sure you tell your volunteers you appreciate them in front of people! It’s definitely not the only way to show people that you appreciate them, but it’s a great way to remind them that you are on their team and you are thankful for them! The next time somebody hands you a microphone, take 30 seconds to talk about how great your Youth Ministry volunteers are!

Did I miss anything? Is there anything you would add to the list? I’d love to hear about it!

Hey there, youth pastor! So, you’ve got a conference coming up, huh? Awesome! These events are like fuel for our ministry engines—full of ideas, inspiration, and, let’s be real, a little bit of overwhelm too. But fear not, I’ve got some tips to help you rock that conference like a pro.

Take Notes: Scribble, Type, Whatever Works!

First things first, bring something to take notes with. Whether you’re a pen-and-paper purist or a digital note-taker, just make sure you’re jotting down those gems of wisdom that speakers drop, those lightbulb moments during workshops, and maybe even the occasional doodle (hey, creativity knows no bounds, right?).

Cut Yourself Some Slack

Listen, we all want to be superheroes and implement a gazillion new ideas the second we get back to our ministries. But reality check: that’s just not feasible. So, don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do it all. Pick a couple of things that really resonate with you, and focus on those. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your ministry be transformed overnight. It’s a process, friend.

One Big Action: Keep It Simple

Alright, so you’re jazzed up after the conference and ready to conquer the world. But here’s the deal: pick one big action to take when you get back. Just one. Whether it’s launching a new small group series, revamping your social media game, or finally getting that coffee hangout with your youth group rolling—choose something and go all in. Trust me, simplicity is key.

Embrace the Vibes and the Community

Last but not least, soak it all in. Connect with your fellow youth pastors, swap stories, share struggles, and lift each other up. You’re not in this alone, my friend. And remember, it’s not just about the sessions and workshops—it’s about the relationships you build and the community you’re a part of. Soak up those good vibes and let them fuel your journey.

In a nutshell, youth pastor conferences are like a buffet of goodness for our souls and ministries. Take notes, be kind to yourself, focus on one big action, and soak up the community vibes. You’ve got this! Now go out there and rock that conference like the youth ministry ninja you are.

Looking for a youth pastor conference? We’ve got a great one for you! Check it out below:

In October 1911, Roald Amundsen set out on the first-ever expedition to the South Pole. It took him and his team almost 2 months to make the journey, and when they got there, you know what they saw?

Snow… They saw lots and lots of snow.

Well, our developers have also been hard at work over the last 2 months, and quite frankly, we think they have a little more to show for it than tiny bits of frozen water. That’s right, today is the day that we proudly announce TWO MAJOR UPDATES to Sidekick!

The first new Sidekick feature is one that youth workers have been asking for since we first unveiled Sidekick back in December (we can’t believe Sidekick only launched a few months ago!). That’s right, we’re talking about…

Have a cereal night at youth group with this fun, 6-week cereal elimination bracket! Use one poll each of the next 6 weeks to reveal the final top 6 cereals in your youth ministry. Be sure to write down the winner each week so you can input them into the Grand Final week 7 poll … to reveal the best cereal of all time!

You could also easily modify this to play all in the same service or at an event as well!

Sidekick is DYM’s brand-new presentation software! With interactive elements like live voting, name picker, wheels, and weekly free premium content, Sidekick is the future of presenting! Plus it’s cloud-based, so you can build your presentation at home and find it ready to go wherever you log in.