Simply Youth Ministry Show (AUDIO)

Welcome back. Doug, Matt, and Josh managed not to scare Katie away and she's back for her second show. After a fair amount of fist pounding the crew digs into your emails. Topics include: treating ministry as a business, going from leading to volunteering, choosing your own title, Vin Sculley vs Keith Jackson, facebook profiles, and "Time Suck" people.

We're back, and Doug Fields, Matt McGill, Josh Griffin are joined for the first time by Katie Edwards, our newest team member. After a retrospection of the show for Katie and getting to know here better, Doug jumps in with your questions. Topics covered: checking out a church you're interviewing at, josh not paying for dinner, volunteer gifts, senior pastor appreciation gifts, and big vs small events. Thank-you to today's show sponsors: www.LeaderTreks.org

Special April Fools Episode. This episode is so random we can count it as a real episode. This is really for our hardcore podcast fans, or those who really don't have enough to do around the office. Watch Doug, Josh, and Matt play 2 truths and a lie, and try to decide where the April fools games begin.

This is what happens when Doug and his friends sit down to do a podcast and there's no agenda. No questions, no content, just catching up on the lives of our podcast team. So take a few minutes and catch up with Doug, Matt, Josh, Jake, and even Andy during this short show.

Doug, Matt, and Jake tackle some of the best questions we've ever had. But before that there's a discussion of road trips and things guys do on them. Don't worry it's not that long. Matt also re-thinking rudeness. Once they get to the questions they discuss keeping pride in check, being under staffed, and pastors mentoring other pastors.

Well team, We are in our new office, and our studio needs a little help, but that's not stopping us from our little team meeting. Doug and Matt are joined by Jake. Josh is in Africa and in case you missed the announcement, Jana is moving. Some things we talk about in this episode: shopping at casual male, SYMC 2011 registrations have started, other people's opinons of how you dress, communicating a decision to leave your church, jake's music video, avoiding volunteer burnout, competeing for students, people are going through big stuff.

Live from the SYMC conference in Chicago.

The last episode in this Simply Office, and Doug, Matt, Josh, and Jake are there to celebrate it. After having a do-over to start the show they talk about the Live show at Simply Youth Ministry Conference, how Josh smells, youth ministry vs. student ministry, when it's time to leave, theological differences, free time at camps and retreats, and if the student ministry success is tied to the church's success.

After a few weeks off, Doug, Matt, Josh, and Jana are all back around the table. They announce the winner of the Sack Chair contest, the Simply Youth Ministry Conference, involment of the pastor's wife, volunteer support, running your own summer camp, interns, video games and ministry, Doug's shirts, and an evaluation process.

It's that time of the week again, Doug Fields, Jana Sarti, and Josh Griffin come together to answer your questions about Youth Ministry. They are joined by Andy Brazelton while Matt's on vacation. Topics include: Simply Sack Chairs contest, "I am a Loser" Prizes, the Simply Youth Ministry Conference, working in a small church, job boards, and programming on the right events.

It's a new decade and and Doug, Jana, and Josh are back. Still no Matt, but Jake plays his part. After hearing about different Christmas adventures, we find out that Doug has made a declaration for the year. They also talk about unreliable volunteers, the December slowdown, asking for a raise or bonus, mountain biking, student leadership resources, and how to organize small groups.

It's a new decade and and Doug, Jana, and Josh are back. Still no Matt, but Jake plays his part. After hearing about different Christmas adventures, we find out that Doug has made a declaration for the year. They also talk about unreliable volunteers, the December slowdown, asking for a raise or bonus, mountain biking, student leadership resources, and how to organize small groups.

Only Doug and Matt make it to the table today. Matt claims it's the best show ever, you be the judge. If Doug seems distracted, it's because he's trying to watch the live chat during the show. Great idea, but it didn't work. Topics covered: challenges in transition, being older in youth ministry, foursquare (the internet game, not the denomination), suicides effect on a youth ministry, and getting kids to show up.

Doug, Matt and Jana sit around the table again this week. The top topic of conversation is the "I Am a Loser" contest. But they do get around to answering your questions. They talk about protecting your spouse from church politics, a young senior pastor looking for a new youth pastor, cell phones in youth group, and dealing with adults that are a bad example to teenagers.

We return this week with a real show. Doug Fields, Josh Griffin, Matt McGill, and Jana Sarti start the show, but after Josh has to leave, Jim Burns joins in the fun. Sorry for the medical talk at the beginning of the show, it feels like a men's health podcast for a little bit. Don't worry, we eventually get to the youth ministry. Topics include: presence during tragedy, Google Wave, SYMC, acting like Jr Highers, and dealing with a volunteer having an affair.