In this episode, Jeremy and Sid sit down with legendary youth ministry scholar and practitioner Dr. Chap Clark to unpack how cultural shifts have radically shaped the identity formation of today’s teenagers and what that means for youth workers today.

Chap introduces the idea of “avatars” (the multiple versions of self that students present in different spaces) and explains why helping young people discover and integrate their real identity in Christ through community is more urgent than ever. He shares insight from decades of research , youth work, and teaching, and offers a powerful vision for building ministry cultures that move beyond transactional relationships toward healing, belonging, and purpose.

This episode is rich, deep, and hopeful. If you want to help your students thrive as whole people in Christ, not just perform as Christian teens, don’t miss this one.

Check out Chap’s books on Amazon or see what he’s up to these days at MinistryLeadership.Church.

Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Jeremy and Sid tackle a question every youth worker will face at some point: What do I do when I’m struggling personally (whether it's emotionally, spiritually, or mentally) and I still have to lead?

They explore what it means to lead with integrity while feeling emotionally off, how to understand the difference between burnout and being overwhelmed, and how Scripture reframes our emotions as meaningful but not final. With stories from camp, personal leadership failure, and wise encouragement from Scripture, this episode is for every leader who has ever shown up tired, anxious, or unsure whether they should even be there.

Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

In this episode, Jeremy talks with longtime pastor, professor, and former youth leader Ian Lawson about something every youth worker eventually faces: what do you do when you’re just not feeling it?

Whether it’s emotional exhaustion, spiritual discouragement, or the weight of a busy life, there are days when ministry feels heavy and it’s tempting to pull back. Ian brings wisdom from decades of leadership, teaching, and front-line ministry to encourage youth workers not to give up too quickly, and to help us see how God meets us even in our weakness.

Here are a few of the practical next steps from Ian’s episode…

• Don’t underestimate the power of simply showing up
• Remember that faithfulness over time is how fruit grows in ministry
• When you feel spiritual resistance or discouragement, text a friend and ask for prayer
• Ask God to use even your weakness, trusting that His power is made perfect there

Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.