The aim of youth ministry has always been the same, to lead teens to authentic relationships with Christ and his church. The methods seeking to make this a reality have dramatically changed. We find ourselves in a time where youth ministry is more and more a recognized profession and seen as a necessity rather than a welcome addition to a church’s ministry offerings. The pluralistic approaches to accomplishing youth ministry are vast and navigating what is best for the teens we serve becomes clouded as the grass seems always greener in some other program, approach or innovation.
Welcome to the Next Level Blog, a place where honest conversations can take place regarding youth ministry, methods, teen culture, and more. This is a place to refine our craft and share ideas in hopes that it may inspire others to meet the needs of those they serve and build God’s kingdom. This is a place where we can question, disagree, support and affirm ideas, methods and each other. As we move forward in this endeavor, I encourage dialogue and invite you to be a pilgrim on a journey and a pioneer forging new paths for teens to come to know their Savior. Our team will publish content weekly. Some can be used to send out as a quick training for you or your team. Some content will make you question paradigms and expand your horizons. Some content will remind each of us that Christ seeks us first before he calls us to seek others as his instrument.
I look forward to the journey ahead and thank you for allowing the our team to be a part of your journey.
Chris Bartlett
Founder of Next Level Blog