RESOURCES
Some are PDFs so you can just download and go. Others are Word or Excel documents so you can download them, take out what you don't need and adapt what you do. Use them again and again.
Let me know if you've got more ideas, if there's anything else you need or if anything can be improved.
As you can see, you get a lot for £10 - 392 pages.
The best resource I can offer you is a book I've taken five years to write. Raising the Bar is a manual for Christian youth ministry and I don't think there's a book like it. Packed full of stories, it explains all you need to know from starting a group, through writing a talk and taking groups away to finishing well, via key values to build into your ministry. You can buy the book for £10 here. See the contents page here.
"A must-have for all youth ministers and volunteers"
Ewen Greenlees, UK Associate Youth Minister
online youth
Here are resources that I've put together to help you if you're running online meetings, including games to play online. We are using Zoom, a teleconferencing app. I am in no way affiliated to Zoom, nor have they approved this content.
LATEST LEARNING: How to help young people who hate looking at themselves.
Updated 24/9/20
Updated 1/6/20
Updated 22/9/20
Updated 28/8/20
New!
New!
We can no longer cram in a phone box, but team photo challenges work really well in small groups. Here are some ideas for challenges to set. Do send me your best ideas.
Dave Thornton has written a hugely practical 392-page handbook as a resource for youth ministry. It's £10 to buy.
"I would recommend it to those in all leadership, not just youth work"
Jane Appleby, UK church elder
socially-distanced
youth
Many of us are back in our buildings, but we still can't be together. What games can we play while remaining distanced?
Based on Jules Verne's book, 'Around the world in 80 days'. Can you solve all nine puzzles to get Around the World in our new Escape Room?
Designed by Louise Grainger, Michael Weatherall, Hannah Elphick, Eleanor Bristowe and Dave Thornton.
If you want to help design the next Escape Room, get in touch.
Leader Board
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Team Anthookey
(Baptist Church, Winchester)
The Insiders
(Baptist Church, Winchester)
The Outsiders
(Baptist Church, Winchester)
Cake or Lake
(Christ Church, Winchester)
Team Yellow
(Christ Church, Winchester)
Bad Handwriting
(Christ Church, Winchester)
Dodgy Wifi
(Baptist Church, Winchester)
34.30
35.27
36.00
37.09
41.28
42.22
43.00
To join the leaderboard, send your team name, time, group and location here.
vicar ron sou has been kidnapped again (unlucky guy!) and hidden in london. can you solve the puzzles to find him?
Invite young people and their friends to a London Escape Room. All instructions included. Just download two documents, practise to make sure you know how it works and go.
escape room
Can you solve the clues to help the Vicar escape?
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Why not create a positive experience for your young people and their friends in Lockdown with an Escape Room? Only one tiny bit of preparation needed (which will take you about 30 seconds). All instructions included. Just download two documents, add a phone number and go.
“Just wanted to say a big thank you for your online escape room! I used it with my youth group last night, and they all seemed to enjoy it and have fun! A very well-organised and well-written resource that I will definitely be using again!!!”
Eleanor Bristowe
Youth Ministry Worker
Winchester Baptist Church
“Thank you to all those involved in putting the escape room together. We’ve just run it with the youth group here (fortunately, Vicar Ron Sou was successfully freed by both teams in the time limit). One of the young people instructed me to thank you and all others involved in putting it together - certainly gets a five star rating from St. Andrews!"
Hannah Elphick
Youth Leader
St. Andrew's Baptist Church
RESOURCES FOR YOUTH DISCIPLESHIP
My colleague Jack Percey and I have put together a booklet to help young people (and adults!) develop good habits in their Bible reading and prayer. Download it FREE below.
PUTTING TOGETHER A SESSION
THE LAW, HEALTH AND SAFETY
Parental consent form (coming soon)
Consent form covering letter (coming soon)
games
Here are two places I tend to go if I need a new idea for a game. Check out The Source for Youth Ministry and fervr.net. As with all these things, not every idea will be appropriate for your group, but you should find something here you can use.
So you don't know many Bible verses?
Try the Remember Me app. It's great for you and for the young people you lead. In less than three years, I've learned over 500 verses. Click the picture below to find out more.
