The Latest in Academic Youth Work Part 1: Fatherlessness and Discipleship
This week is a study week for me. I’m in my old Bible College Library for 5 days working through Youth Ministry and Theology issues. Hopefully at some point I’ll get to grill some of my ol’ lecturers too! Oak Hill has simply the best Bible-driven, theological education Britain can offer – so I’m starting […]
The Latest in Academic Youth Work Part 2: Emerging Church and Youth Work
Still happily embedded in my study week, enjoying dissertations from the best young academic-theological minds in the youth work world in Britain – moving on to my highlights from and thoughts on another Youth Ministry Thesis: “Can Some Aspects of Emerging Church Culture Result in De-Emphasising The Bible In Contemporary Youth And Children’s Work?” by […]
A Biblical Mandate For Youth Ministry
If you’ve seen parts 1 & 2 you’ll know that I’m on a study week looking through the most resent, top scoring dissertations from probably the most academic, Bible-driven Bible College in the UK. Today I’m highlighting and summarizing the important argument in favour of Youth Ministry from the Bible in: ‘A Biblical Mandate For […]
Teaching The Trinity in Youth Groups
“It seems that Jesus is popular by reason of being anchored in history, rather than floating in metaphysics.” Such is the drive behind ‘The Trinity, the historical Jesus and youth ministry’ by Angus McLeay in ‘Towards a Theology of Youth Ministry‘ from The Ridley College Youth Conference Papers, 1998. The Trinity by its very nature […]
The Bible And Young People, Stephen Hale
The Bible And Young People, Stephen Hale Quote from ‘A Theological Model Of Youth Ministry’ from Stephan Hale in ‘Towards a Theology of Youth Ministry‘ from The Ridley College Youth Conference Papers, 1998. Jesus was himself an adolescent and had to develop and grow into adulthood (Luke 2:52). Jesus encouraged the Children to come to […]
6 Ways to Train Teenagers to Read Their Bibles
Youth work models need to firmly stand on the Bible. God’s word needs to be sewn into the very fabric of discipleship that we are developing. This means helping young people engage with the Bible for themselves. We need to train teenagers to read their Bibles fully. Getting young people to independently open the Bible […]
Your First Question at Youth Bible Studies
So you’ve had some food, played a game, prayed and read your passage – now it’s time for the study. What do you do? What’s the first question? How do you start off in a way that sets a direction that will bring these young people on in their walk with God and their relationship […]
Youthwork in Wales… some thoughts
Youthwork in Wales. After just 3 and a half years working in Wales I’m anything but an expert! I am, however, a learner, and I’ve put together these quick thoughts as a result of my own growing observation and conversations in the Welsh-ministry world. I would of course heartily welcome any feedback from experienced Welsh […]
Writing A Youth Work Strategy From Scratch
Health Caution: Long and boring. If you’re interested in writing a youth work strategy, don’t know where to start but really don’t want to read though the 2-hour-knocked-out-nonsense below then get in touch at timgoughuk@gmail.com 🙂 Writing youth project strategy can be flippin hard work! I’ve been involved with writing about a dozen now and […]
Do We Really NEED Another Youth Event?
Do we really need another youth event? I know they’re fun (if you’re an extrovert) and they’re cool (if you’re a faux-hipster) and an ego-bump (if you’re a youthworker) and they look like you’re doing something (if you’re a trustee) – but do we really need another one? A big flash-bang-wallop youth crowd event is […]
Better Together: How To Mix Youth Groups
“No you can’t go to that youth group event because… – Their theology’s dodgy! – Their kids will beat you up! – Their guitarist is rubbish! – They’re just trying to make money! – They smell funny!” AKA – “We think you’ll like it better there and ditch our group for theirs!” What on Earth […]
7 Ways To Keep Enjoying Your Youth Work Job
I’m sat in Nero with a caramel hot chocolate working though my calendar and emails, thinking to myself “I have a great job!” Two weeks ago however, I was sat at this same computer, at this same table feeling tired, bored, demotivated and bitter about this very same job. The circumstances in both instances were […]
The Cream Pie Youth Work Challenge
Four years ago at the last session of a holiday club I was running, some of the teenager members of the team took it upon themselves to start a new tradition of ‘cream pie the leader’ i.e. me. Of course, the six of them couldn’t agree on who got to do the pie-ing and so […]
The Gospel, Now With Added Freshness
I’m a sucker for big brands on a budget, so when I saw ‘Toni & Guy Deep Cleansing Shampoo’ for a third off in my local Boots, I snagged it up! It was when I was in the queue that I finally read the tagline, ‘guaranteed added freshness!’ After a pointed cough behind me I’d […]
‘What Soul Survivor Got Wrong’… a missed opportunity
(First written in 2012, edited 2014 (more recent post: ‘The Christology of Soul Survivor) Last year at Soul Survivor a very young (like 15 yo) member of the prayer or ‘enabling’ team kept showing up whenever anyone in my group was being prayed for and he had a couple of bad habits. First, he pushed! […]