📅 New episodes drop on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month!

👉 GRAB YOUR FREE 4-PART YOUTH MINISTRY SERIES: https://landing.ym.wol.org/series-giveaway-fifty1-quiettime

In this episode of Stacking Chairs, Josh and Kyle sit down with Zack Jernigan (High School Pastor) and Josiah Brondyke (Middle School Pastor) from Idlewild Baptist Church in Florida to talk about something every church wrestles with—keeping middle school and high school ministries connected.

It's easy for ministries to become silos. Different schedules, leaders, and rhythms often mean students "start over" when they move up. Zack and Josiah unpack how they intentionally bridge that gap through communication, shared goals, and humility.

From unified discipleship paths to team collaboration, this conversation is full of practical insights for youth pastors who want to build ministry that's relationally strong and spiritually consistent from 6th through 12th grade.

✅ Why middle school and high school ministries often feel disconnected
✅ The importance of shared discipleship goals between ministry teams
✅ How to communicate and collaborate across age-specific programs
✅ Making the handoff between ministries relational, not just administrative
✅ Building mutual trust and respect between ministry leaders
✅ What small churches can learn from Idlewild's approach
✅ How alignment impacts long-term student discipleship

✅ Youth Ministry Curriculum & Tools (start free): https://multiply.life
✅ Free 4-Part Series Giveaway: https://landing.ym.wol.org/series-giveaway-fifty1-quiettime

🔗 Find all things Stacking Chairs: https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

📱 Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1371987896934818
📸 Instagram: @wol.youthministries
👍 Facebook: facebook.com/wolyouthministries
▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@wolyouthministries
🌐 Website: youthministry.wol.org

Welcome to Stacking Chairs: A Multiply Youth Ministry Podcast.
We're here to equip and inspire youth leaders—whether you lead a youth group, run a camp, or serve in any ministry that reaches students for Christ. With practical insights and real-life stories, we celebrate those who show up early, stay late, and literally stack the chairs. Join us as we encourage one another to lead well and impact the next generation. Keep stacking those chairs!

This episode is brought to you by Word of Life Youth Ministries. We help churches build strong, engaging youth ministries through coaching, curriculum, and Gospel-centered events.
Our mission is clear: Every Student, Everywhere, Growing in Christ.

📅 New episodes drop on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month!

👉 GRAB YOUR FREE 4-PART YOUTH MINISTRY SERIES: https://landing.ym.wol.org/series-giveaway-fifty1-quiettime

Episode Summary:
In this episode of Stacking Chairs, Josh and Kyle sit down to tackle one of the biggest challenges in youth ministry: loneliness in leadership. Even in a room full of students and volunteers, many youth pastors feel like they're carrying the weight alone. That's why we're diving into Multiply U, a free leadership training platform designed to help you equip your team, grow together, and stop doing ministry solo.

We unpack why team-based leadership matters, how to break the cycle of burnout, and how practical tools like Multiply U can make equipping your leaders simple, scalable, and sustainable. Whether you're leading volunteers, staff, or just starting to build your ministry team, this conversation will give you hope and a plan.

Key Talking Points:
✅ Why so many youth leaders feel isolated
✅ The "Expectation Monster" every leader faces
✅ Why equipping your team is not optional—it's essential
✅ How Multiply U makes training volunteers easy and free
✅ The role of community, coaching, and shared learning
✅ Real steps to stop doing ministry alone

Great Youth Ministry Resources:
✅ Youth Ministry Curriculum & Tools (start free): https://multiply.life
✅ Free 4-Part Series Giveaway: https://landing.ym.wol.org/series-giveaway-fifty1-quiettime
✅ Multiply U (Free Training App): https://wol.is/multiplyu

🔗 Find all things Stacking Chairs: https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

📱 Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1371987896934818
📸 Instagram: @wol.youthministries
👍 Facebook: facebook.com/wolyouthministries
▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@wolyouthministries
🌐 Website: youthministry.wol.org

About Stacking Chairs:
Welcome to Stacking Chairs: A Multiply Youth Ministry Podcast. We're here to equip and inspire youth leaders—whether you lead a youth group, run a camp, or serve in any ministry that reaches students for Christ. With practical insights and real-life stories, we celebrate those who show up early, stay late, and literally stack the chairs. Join us as we encourage one another to lead well and impact the next generation. Keep stacking those chairs!

Special Thanks:
This episode is brought to you by Word of Life Youth Ministries. We help churches build strong, engaging youth ministries through coaching, curriculum, and Gospel-centered events. Our mission is clear: Every Student, Everywhere, Growing in Christ.

📅 New episodes drop on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month!

👉 GRAB YOUR FREE 4-PART YOUTH MINISTRY SERIES: https://landing.ym.wol.org/series-giveaway-fifty1-quiettime

Episode Summary:
In this episode of Stacking Chairs, Josh and Kyle welcome Gideon Kohls—a former podcast listener turned Bible Institute student, camp counselor, and future youth ministry leader.

Gideon shares his story of growing up in church without a youth pastor, discovering the impact of intentional discipleship, and how Word of Life camp and the Bible Institute helped solidify his calling. From working at a pizza shop to leading campers through real-life conversations, Gideon reflects on lessons learned, habits formed, and how to stir a hunger for God's Word that lasts.

This episode is a powerful reminder that youth ministry is not about programs—it's about people, discipleship, and pointing the next generation toward Jesus.

Key Talking Points:
✅ Going from podcast listener to podcast guest
✅ Growing up without a youth pastor—and the difference when one finally arrived
✅ How COVID shaped Gideon's journey and led him to Florida
✅ The role of camp ministry and drama team in reaching students
✅ Why daily disciplines like quiet time and Scripture memory are essential
✅ How youth leaders can model growth that sparks hunger in students
✅ Reaching students where they are without leaving them there
✅ Building intentional programs that let the Holy Spirit do the real work

Great Youth Ministry Resources:
✅ Youth Ministry Curriculum & Tools (start free): https://multiply.life
✅ Free 4-Part Series Giveaway: https://landing.ym.wol.org/series-giveaway-fifty1-quiettime
✅ Learn more about the Bible Institute: https://wordoflife.edu/

🔗 Find all things Stacking Chairs: https://linktr.ee/StackingChairsPod

📱 Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1371987896934818
📸 Instagram: @wol.youthministries
👍 Facebook: facebook.com/wolyouthministries
▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@wolyouthministries
🌐 Website: youthministry.wol.org

About Stacking Chairs:
Welcome to Stacking Chairs: A Multiply Youth Ministry Podcast. We're here to equip and inspire youth leaders—whether you lead a youth group, run a camp, or serve in any ministry that reaches students for Christ. With practical insights and real-life stories, we celebrate those who show up early, stay late, and literally stack the chairs. Join us as we encourage one another to lead well and impact the next generation. Keep stacking those chairs!

Special Thanks:
This episode is brought to you by Word of Life Youth Ministries. We help churches build strong, engaging youth ministries through coaching, curriculum, and Gospel-centered events. Our mission is clear: Every Student, Everywhere, Growing in Christ.