Jeremy and Sid are back to talk about something every youth worker eventually wrestles with: what happens when you're too busy, tired, or distracted to keep up with your spiritual disciplines? Whether it's summer camp season, the back-to-school ministry crunch, or just the demands of life, it’s easy for spiritual practices to get pushed aside.

Sid offers helpful language to distinguish between guilt and shame, and reminds us that spiritual disciplines are not about earning God’s favor—they’re about posturing our hearts to grow in love for Jesus and others. They unpack how to rethink your current rhythms, adapt your practices to your life stage, and reframe everyday moments as opportunities for spiritual connection.

This episode is also a launchpad for a series of conversations with youth workers and students about different spiritual practices and how they’re impacting lives.

Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

Noah Reed and Ryan Murray are two youth workers from Winnipeg, Manitoba who open up about how mentorship has shaped their preparation and fruitfulness in youth ministry. Both trace their ministry health and leadership development to intentional mentors throughout their lives—some formal, some unexpected.

Listen in and learn about what mentorship looks like in practice, how to find a mentor (even if no one is offering), and why both practical ministry and spiritual mentorship matter. Whether you’re a brand-new volunteer, a seasoned youth pastor, or somewhere in between, this conversation offers practical encouragement and guidance to help you grow in both your leadership and your walk with Jesus.

And as Ryan reminds us, the best mentors don’t just call out your weaknesses—they call out your strengths when you can’t see them.

Learn more about MCS-Horizon at mcs.edu/about/mcs-horizon

Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

This conversation has Jeremy sitting down with theologian, pastor, and author Cody Matchett to tackle a topic that keeps showing up—how to talk about the end times with students. This isn’t just about interpreting Revelation or breaking down scary apocalyptic imagery. It’s about offering students a vision of hope, justice, and renewal grounded in Jesus.

Cody helps reframe the “end times” as not a roadmap for escape, but a call to live as future people in the present. Listen in to hear how you can use Revelation to engage questions about evil, justice, judgment, and God’s goodness in a world that often feels uncertain.

You should pick up Cody’s book, Revelation for the Rest of Us on Amazon.

Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this episode, recorded live at the 306 Network Gathering, Will Dmytrow sits down with Hakeem Bradley from BibleProject to talk about how youth workers can help students engage Scripture in meaningful and compelling ways. Hakeem breaks down how understanding genre, embracing hard passages, and recognizing design patterns in Scripture can transform how students read the Bible. He also unpacks fresh ways to explain the biblical metanarrative using creation–decreation–recreation, and describes how biblical authors act like filmmakers, producers, and sculptors to help us see the big picture.

Whether you're preparing a sermon, leading a Bible study, or sitting one-on-one with a student, this conversation is packed with wisdom and encouragement for helping Gen Z encounter the beauty of the Bible.

Follow Hakeem on Instagram @hakeembradley1 or check out his blog at hakeembradley.com.

Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

Burnout is a common issue for both ministry leaders and volunteers. But there are surprisingly different facets of burnout and diagnosing the core issue takes some discernment and wisdom. Listen in as Steve Zacharias (Director of the Coalition) explains the issues of capacity, craving, or culture that can spark a burnout. He’ll also offer practical insights on how to address each one. The hope is that you’ll recognize the difference between being busy and feeling overwhelmed and to understand how unmet desires can fuel burnout. Whether you're leading a team or serving as a volunteer, Steve will share strategies to help you refuel and thrive.

Want to chat about youth ministry? Give us a shout by emailing jeremy@youthworker.community

In this episode, Jeremy chats with Kaitlyn Cey, director of Inspire Our Nation, a youth organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of leaders. Kaitlyn brings her expertise in education, pastoring, and youth leadership to the conversation, discussing how youth workers can navigate the overwhelming cultural issues facing students today. She emphasizes the importance of engaging students in thoughtful conversations while grounding them in the Scriptures. By using the vision, values, and priorities of the Kingdom of God, Kaitlyn shares how youth workers can guide students in processing current cultural issues and help them build a framework for decision-making that lasts a lifetime.

Find out more about Inspire Our Nation by heading to inspireournation.com and Kaitlyn directly at kaitlyncey.com.

If you have an account, you can also see her work featured on Rightnow Media.

Want to chat about youth ministry? Give us a shout by emailing jeremy@youthworker.community

Iris Weibel from GFA World shares about the incredible impact of the Great Commission and how youth workers can engage students in global missions. Iris shares her powerful journey from atheism to becoming a passionate advocate for reaching the unreached. She talks about the life-changing book Revolution in World Missions and how it opened her eyes to the reality that billions of people still haven’t heard the gospel. She also highlights the importance of supporting national missionaries who are on the front lines, sharing stories of transformation and the crucial role youth workers can play in mobilizing the next generation to act.

Learn more about where Iris serves by heading to gfa.ca.

Want to chat about youth ministry? Give us a shout by emailing jeremy@youthworker.community

In this conversation, Jeremy sits down with Jon Dixon, Next Generations Pastor at New Minus Baptist Church in Nova Scotia, to discuss how to raise up the future leaders of the Church. With two decades of experience in youth ministry, Jon shares how he’s been able to create a thriving environment where teenagers aren’t just participants but potential pastors. From encouraging students to explore their gifts to giving them hands-on leadership opportunities, Jon reveals one of his visions for youth ministry: to graduate pastors every year. Listen in and be inspired to invest in your students in a way that prepares them for a lifetime of service in the Church.

Learn more about where Jon serves by heading to nmbc.ca.

Want to chat about youth ministry? Give us a shout by emailing jeremy@youthworker.community