Student Ministry Connection

How are we ministering to teenagers and volunteers who have chronic illnesses and disabilities? Maybe you are someone who has been diagnosed with a disability, and that’s been a struggle for you as you lead. On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Don Talley of Access Youth Ministry, who will provide some incredible insight, perspective, and resources in this very important area of ministry. 

Li...

 How do we leave our ministry positions well? Whether it's our choice or not, there are some things that we can do to leave well and communicate well. On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares some tips he's learned from his own experience and from others he has witnessed.

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Get connected with a local network and more - https://nnym.org 
• Find your next speaker at T...

Why is it so important that we raise up the next generation of leaders? And where do we send them to further their training, especially when the process of sorting through schools can be so overwhelming. And how do we even afford Christian higher education anyway? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Denise Cunningham from North American Coalition for Christian Administration...

The comparison game is real, and it's hard to avoid, even popping up in places we don't expect it. On this quick episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares some simple yet profound advice another pastor gave him that really impacted his outlook on ministry, especially when he was just starting out at a new church. 

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Find your next speaker at The Speaker Hub - https://youth...

How can we get more volunteers, set them up for success, do student leadership well, and keep ourselves from burning out? What should we be focusing on as we develop leaders and build a ministry for longterm impact? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Doug Franklin about all things leadership!

Links referenced in this episode: 

• LeaderTreks website - https://leadertreks.com  
• LeaderTreks ...

What if we not only encouraged our students to pray, but we got our churches and networks to join in praying for the next generation, especially at the beginning of a new school year? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares about National Network of Youth Ministries' Symphony of Prayer, which involves several prayer movements you can get involved in.   

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Le...

What could happen if we encourage students to pray for their local schools, and they actually do it? Could we see fighting stop, grades go up, and God move among the students, teachers, and faculty? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Aubrie Kimbrough from Claim Your Campus, who shares stories of transformation and some free resources that will change your students and change your local schools. 

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Did you know we were never meant to do ministry alone? And yet so many leaders do. On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares all about National Network of Youth Ministries and provides a simple way you can partner with others to make a greater united impact on the next generation.

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Find or start a network - https://nnym.org 
• Consider joining our team - h...

What could happen if we were really intentional with outreach and evangelism, especially around one of the biggest world events, like the World Cup? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Heather Reddy about her own soccer experience and how that eventually led her to work with Cru and then leading their big World Cup outreach initiative called Victory Beyond the Cup. 

Links referenced in this episode...

What do you do when you’re just starting a new student ministry? What should you focus on? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares 10 tips on how to start well at a new ministry, whether you’re in your very first ministry or you’re about to start at your 10th church. And if you're not in a situation like this right now, these tips can also help you take an inventory of where you are in yo...

What do we need to know about student ministry staffing in 2026? What do we need to pay attention to? What can we do to improve it? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Todd Rhoades of Chemistry Staffing about his recent research and what we can learn from it. 

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Learn more about Chemistry Staffing at https://chemistrystaffing.com 
• Read the "Church St...

What role does mental health play in ministry, and how can we create safe spaces for open conversations grounded in faith? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks to student ministry veteran and author of Shepherds of the Mind, Tomy Cummins, about mental health. Tomy shares how a wave of students taking their lives pushed him toward training and building a ministry culture where it’s safe to talk about dep...

How do we win with our boss or supervisor? No matter where we are serving, we all have a someone who is tasked to supervise us and help us lead better and achieve our goals. And on this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Brent Squires on what mistakes to avoid, how to build trust, and how to lead up well.

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Follow Brent on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brent.sq...

How do you go about making changes in your programming? On this quick-hit episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares some tips he's learned over the years on how to lead change well, specifically in programming.

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Find your next speaker at The Speaker Hub - https://youthminhub.com/speakerhub 
• Get your free copy of Youth Ministry Toolbox at https://www.youthministrytool...

What’s the average salary of a youth pastor, and how do you go about getting a raise? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Josh Boldman, CEO of Download Youth Ministry, about the 2026 Youth Pastor Compensation Report and more. 

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Get your copy of the 2026 Youth Pastor Compensation Report - https://www.downloadyouthministry.com/p/2026-youth-pastor-com...

What’s the one thing that can take your speaking and teaching to the next level? That’s what we’re talking about on this quick episode of Student Ministry Connection. 

Links referenced in this episode: 

• Find your next speaker at The Speaker Hub - https://youthminhub.com/speakerhub 
• Learn more about Steve's ministry with NNYM at https://nnym.org/stevecullum 
• Sign up to get Steve's newslett...

We often throw around the word discipleship within student ministry, but what does it actually mean, and how can we not only make sure we are discipling students well but that we are experiencing it ourselves? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks all about discipleship with Matt Brinkley, founder of PACT Ministry and author of the books Disciple Me and Mentor Me. 

Links referenced in this episode: 

What happens when God takes a simple idea of wanting to talk to other leaders in student ministry and turns it into an entire ministry? On this episode, we’re celebrating 10 years of Student Ministry Connection with a trip down memory lane from Steve and some of you. We also announce some amazing giveaways from several youth ministry organizations, so be sure to listen to the entire episode, and enter to win before February 2...

Student Ministry is tough sometimes, and there are a lot of reason why you’ve probably thought about leaving, but there are also many more reasons why you should stay. So how do we stay? What are the things we need to focus on in order to stick around for the long haul? Well, get ready, because on this episode of Student Ministry Connection, our guest, Jody Livingston, has not only pushed through, himself, but he’s writ...