In this episode of the Ministry to Stories podcast, we tell stories your senior pastor never needs to hear (yes, they’re that good!).

Your host Nick Diliberto and guest Jody Livingston (from The Longer Haul Youth Ministry in Youth Ministry) relive some crazy stories: road trip “memories” no training manual covered, lock in chaos, games with a plot twist & more. The stories are fast, unplanned, and hilarious - anchored by honest wisdom about staying in youth ministry long enough to see the fruit.

It’s unpredictable, hilarious, surprisingly encouraging - and absolutely worth the listen.

👉 Learn more about the Longer Haul in Youth Ministry

👉 Shop our Ministry to Youth store. Check out our huge collection of youth ministry bundles, teaching series, one year curriculums, Bible studies, games and more.

What happens when you’re a youth ministry leader for 44 years?

You get stories. Some hilarious, some heartbreaking, and all packed with wisdom. In this episode, we sit down with the one and only Mark Oestreicher (AKA Marko), a youth ministry legend who’s seen it all.

From an accidentally inappropriate moment on a mission trip to the terrifying experience of losing a student, Marko shares the raw, real side of youth ministry. The laughter, the lessons & more.

👉 To learn more about Marko’s coaching program, go to theyouthcartel.com

👉 Shop our Ministry to Youth store: ministrytoyouth.com Check out our huge collection of youth ministry bundles, teaching series, one year curriculums, Bible studies, games and more.

Get ready to laugh, cringe, and nod along in this can’t-miss episode of the Ministry to Youth Stories podcast! Hosts Nick Diliberto and Mikiala Tennie sit down with Willie Register, a veteran youth minister with a treasure chest of stories.

Willie pulls back the curtain on the beautiful madness of youth ministry — sharing unbelievable camp moments like the Balloon Pop Relay that went totally off the rails, the spicy (literally) Chubby Chihuahuas game, and the legendary Kissing Booth prank that left everyone speechless.

Through all the laughter and chaos, this episode dives deep into the heart of youth ministry — how to embrace the unpredictability, roll with the punches, and find joy in the holy mess of working with teenagers.

👉 If you’d like to invite Mikiala to speak at your event, you can email her at mikiala.tennie@resurrection.church

👉 Shop our Ministry to Youth store. Check out our huge collection of youth ministry bundles, teaching series, one year curriculums, Bible studies, games and more.

Big things are happening on the Ministry to Youth Stories Podcast! Host Nick Diliberto is joined by our brand-new co-host, Mikiala Tennie — and trust us, you’re going to love her.

Mikiala opens up about her powerful journey in youth ministry, the students who’ve changed her life, and the moments that pushed her to go deeper into serving young people. From tough seasons to breakthrough stories, she brings real talk, heartfelt insights, and plenty of laughs along the way.

This episode dives into the beautiful two-way street of youth ministry — how pouring into students often fills you right back up. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting out, you’ll walk away inspired and reminded why this work matters so much.

👉 Shop our Ministry to Youth store. Check out our huge collection of youth ministry bundles, teaching series, one year curriculums, Bible studies, games and more.

What’s every youth ministry leader’s worst nightmare? Yep, losing a student! In this episode, you’ll hear the wild (and slightly terrifying) true story of a student gone missing at camp. Panic, chaos, and a whole lot of “Cue the frantic search party!" ensued. If you’ve ever lost a student (and lived to tell the tale), take heart. You’re not alone. And don’t worry, the kid was found. Eventually.

Brought to you by Ministry to Youth—resources that save youth leaders time and money so you can point students to Jesus.

👉 Shop our Ministry to Youth store. Check out our huge collection of youth ministry bundles, teaching series, one year curriculums, Bible studies, games and more.

Every youth leader has one: that unforgettable game that went sideways. In this episode of Ministry to Youth Stories, host Nick Diliberto kicks things off with a story of a Sunday morning game that ended in sirens, paramedics, and a trip to the hospital. (Spoiler: everyone was okay—but it’s a story you’ll never forget.)

Then, we hear from a guest youth leader who shares her own hilarious Christmas-themed “game gone wrong” that quickly turned into chaos you could only find in a junior high group. From candy canes to unexpected mayhem, it’s the kind of tale that will have you laughing out loud while shaking your head in recognition.

These stories aren’t just entertaining—they’re reminders that when games fail, you’re not alone. Every youth leader has those moments, and sometimes the best lessons come from the biggest mishaps.

👉 Shop our Ministry to Youth store. Check out our huge collection of youth ministry bundles, teaching series, one year curriculums, Bible studies, games and more.

👉 Stick around for what’s ahead—next week's story is We Lost a Student (But Found Them). You won’t want to miss it!

Episode 1: Camp Chaos – When Junior High Camp Goes Off the Rails

Welcome to the Ministry to Youth Stories podcast! In our very first episode, we relive a camp experience that went from fun to full-on chaos. It’s messy, it’s gross, and it’s unforgettable.

If you’ve ever led a youth camp, you know the unexpected is bound to happen—but what happens when everything goes wrong? This story will have you laughing, cringing, and nodding along, because let’s face it: every youth pastor has a camp tale that didn’t quite go as planned.

Whether your own camp stories make you chuckle or shake your head, you’ll find encouragement in knowing others have walked through the same wild experiences.

👉 Shop our Ministry to Youth store. Check out our huge collection of youth ministry bundles, teaching series, one year curriculums, Bible studies, games and more.

👉 Stick around for what’s ahead—next week we dive into Game Fails, followed by We Lost a Student (But Found Them). You won’t want to miss it!