Terry Parkman shares how youth ministry is fundamentally shifting from attractional to missional models, requiring leaders to focus on transforming students rather than merely entertaining them.

• Youth ministry is at a tipping point where effective ministries will focus on outcomes (life transformation) rather than outputs (attendance numbers)
• Today's young people aren't seeking entertainment but purpose—they want to find their people and their purpose
• Missional preaching equips students for real-world application, not just emotional altar moments
• Discipleship has been diluted to mere relationships, but true discipleship produces people who look more like Jesus
• Small groups remain valuable but must be led by deeply committed leaders who pay the price of ministry
• Raising the bar for volunteer leaders actually attracts more high-quality volunteers seeking meaningful involvement
• Leaders can maintain attractional elements (good hospitality, engaging environments) while adopting a missional model
• The primary question for youth pastors: are you building into what young people become or just getting people in the room?

Mark your calendars: Lead the Generation Conference returns April 25, 2026 featuring Terry Parkman as a main session speaker.

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Reggie Hill, Young Adults Pastor at Journey Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shares his expertise on leadership development in youth ministry and how to avoid becoming "the lid" to your own ministry.

• Shifting from being the superhero who does everything to a coach who develops leaders
• Creating ministry tracks that help students find their leadership lane based on passions and skills
• Using tasks to develop people rather than using people to get tasks done
• Overcoming perfectionism that prevents us from releasing ministry to others
• Looking for FAT kids—Faithful, Available, Teachable—as potential leaders
• Developing adult leaders through clear expectations and consistent pastoring
• Starting small with leadership opportunities that grow over time
• Focusing on outcomes over outputs when training leaders
• Understanding that students remember their relationships with leaders more than sermons

Remember, don't just prepare a message, prepare messengers. Jesus didn't just gather followers—He developed leaders who would carry His message forward.

Connect with Reggie!

Follow him on IG @_reggiehill or check out his website https://www.reggiehill.com/epk

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Ever notice how you can tell when someone has been with Jesus? There's something different about them—a presence, a peace, a perspective that stands out in our chaotic world. In this transformative episode of Vitals for Youth Ministry, National Youth Director for the Assemblies of God Austin Westlake reveals how consistent spiritual disciplines create the foundation for effective ministry and personal transformation during life's most challenging seasons.

Austin takes us on his remarkable journey from a third-generation minister who grew "casual to the things of God" to finding his calling at a National Youth Convention, and ultimately facing a rare male breast cancer diagnosis that would transform his relationship with God. With raw authenticity, he shares how years of established morning devotional habits carried him through chemotherapy, surgery, and the birth of his third child during treatment. "When you're walking through the deepest, darkest valley of your life and you're still just getting up and spending time with the Lord because this is part of who you are—you give the Lord a chance to speak first. Before the negativity can hit you, before the reality of your diagnosis hits you."

The conversation reveals a profound truth for youth ministers: we reproduce who we are, not what we say. Austin observed that whatever he prioritized in his own life—whether sports, fashion, or spiritual disciplines—his students naturally reflected those same priorities. For leaders struggling to establish or maintain spiritual disciplines, his practical advice includes finding accountability partners who will check on your Bible reading, writing down specific time commitments, and recognizing that seemingly "unproductive" moments with God often prepare us for ministry moments we couldn't anticipate.

Perhaps most compelling is Austin's counter-cultural perspective on ministry influence: "I am terrified of stepping onto a platform I have not been anointed for." In a world obsessed with gaining platforms and followers, this refreshing outlook encourages youth ministers to seek God's timing and preparation rather than chasing opportunities prematurely. The most impactful leaders aren't necessarily the most talented, but those with a demonstrable, authentic relationship with Jesus—something students can immediately sense.

Ready to transform your ministry by first transforming your own spiritual life? Listen now and discover practical steps to model authentic spirituality that your students will naturally want to follow.

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