Volunteer Youth Worker Podcast

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

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.

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

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

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 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 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 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.

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, Will sits down with two remarkable student leaders—Ethan and Wren—from the Saskatoon area to talk about the spiritual discipline of witness. What started as a simple Youth Alpha club in their school has grown into a city-wide ripple effect, inspiring students across the region (and beyond) to start conversations about Jesus with their peers.They share the highs and lows of starting something new, including two weeks of showing up to an empty classroom before things turned around. Now, their faithful witness is sparking a movement. If you’re a youth worker wondering how to empower your students to share their faith, this conversation will provide you with an inside look at what it truly takes.If you’ve not seen Youth Alpha, check it out here: alphacanada.org/youthLooking for a practical next step? Try out one of these three things…Help with the logistics: pizza, space, tech, encouragement, or check-insEquip students to be “hosts,” not experts—safe people who create welcoming spacesStay connected with students running Youth Alpha: ask how it’s going, offer prayer, and celebrate progressHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

As part of our series on spiritual disciplines, William Dmytrow sits down with Pastor Jaidon McCusker and student leader Maximus from First Assembly Calgary to explore the spiritual practice of generosity. This conversation dives into how young people can begin to develop habits of generosity right now—with their money, time, and everyday choices.Maximus shares his personal story of how a small decision to give years ago sparked a lasting posture of generosity in his life. Together with Pastor Jaidon, they unpack how youth ministries can create opportunities for students to serve, give, and live generously both within and beyond the church walls.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this episode, Jeremy sits down with a remarkable group of high school students from Moncton, New Brunswick, who are helping spark a prayer movement across their city’s schools. As part of our summer series on spiritual disciplines, this conversation focuses on the power of student-led prayer and how it’s transforming lives, schools, and churches across multiple denominations.You’ll hear firsthand how a youth camp, a student’s quiet prayer walk, and a desire to invite God into their school has led to hundreds of students gathering weekly, forming leadership teams, praying audacious prayers, and even seeing classmates come to faith and get baptized. It’s a story of unity, revival, and how God works through simple obedience.Looking for ideas on where to start with your group?Create space for students to lead and pray—don’t underestimate their hunger or capacityInvite students to ask God for “big” things: revival, transformation, salvationEncourage student leadership teams to identify their gifts and take ownershipStart small—consistent prayer walks, student Bible studies, or Alpha lunchesPartner with other churches and schools to build unity and momentumHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.