From around the ‘net this week, here are some great blog posts and news articles having to do with youth ministry:

• This is great story of a small group of three youth pastors teaming up and slowly growing to over a dozen youth pastors. Not to mention, the students in that community turned the tables and through an appreciation banquet for their youth workers. Amazing!
• Travis Deans blogs about effective youth ministry networks, saying “an effective network of youth pastors carefully balances strategy and relationships.” This is a great post that takes a look at balancing work and play in a network.
• Build a Kingdom mindset by blessing others in ministry.
• Six questions to evaluate your ministry staff. These questions were designed to be answered by one ministry in relation to the other ministry in the church, but you could rephrase the questions to evaluate your church staff in relation to other churches in your area. (In fact, I might do that in a future blog post.)
• Ways parents can help prevent church dropouts. Some of the best wisdom I received at seminary had to do with getting students integrated into the entire church body. Imagine the difference it would make if all the parents in your community got this.
• Five simple relationship builders. This post is written for ministry to children, but the principles work with teens as well. Very simple stuff with a very profound impact!

And finally, a little video to thank you for all the amazing work you do in caring for kids (via Josh Griffin).

Do the car wash… do the car wash…