Shaping Student Ministry Podcast

The One About Making Senior Sunday More Than a Slideshow

Is Senior Sunday just a slideshow and a gift bag… or something more? In this episode, John and Ian talk through how to transform Graduation Sunday into a spiritually meaningful moment for your students, families, and entire church. From cap and gown walk-ins to commissioning prayers and student-led blessings, this conversation is packed with practical ideas and stories that will challenge you to reimagine what this milestone could be. Whether you’re scrambling to throw something together or trying to break out of a tired tradition, this episode will help you make it count.
 
What we cover:
• Why Senior Sunday matters more than you think
• The tension between showing up and ghosting
• Ways to involve parents, juniors, and the whole church
• How to give meaningful gifts
• The value of intergenerational blessing and commissioning
 
Free 30-Day Trial? https://g6allies.com/product-details/product/touchpoints?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ_X-NleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEwNEttbm4wUlhWaE5mcW1yAR6qwUt7GKZ4dnr0D9TtSGQ2mwZ8lPnCRBEiaGEvqlppX3R_A8kYqjNRRgf9ag_aem_zU4x2t45cccJqBr4XycVFw

The One About Difficult Leaders... Including You

Not every hard boss is toxic, but not every hard boss is healthy either. In this episode of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, John and Ian dive into the complicated world of church leadership dynamics. What do you do when your pastor is hard to work with? How do you know if the issue is them… or you? From micromanagers and ghost leaders to trust issues and toxic patterns, this conversation is real, raw, and practical.
If you’re a student pastor or ministry leader trying to navigate difficult relationships on your church staff, this episode is for you.
What we cover:
• The difference between difficult and untrustworthy leaders
• Why many pastors struggle to disciple their teams
• How to build trust when it’s been broken
• The 6 types of trust every ministry needs
• Why some leaders become toxic—and how not to become one
Subscribe, share, and check out the full resources and behind-the-wall content at
 
👉 https://www.shapingstudentministry.com
Free 30-Day Trial? https://g6allies.com/product-details/product/touchpoints?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ_X-NleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEwNEttbm4wUlhWaE5mcW1yAR6qwUt7GKZ4dnr0D9TtSGQ2mwZ8lPnCRBEiaGEvqlppX3R_A8kYqjNRRgf9ag_aem_zU4x2t45cccJqBr4XycVFw

The One About Building Strategy, Not Just Buying It

Welcome to Season 2 of the Shaping Student Ministry Podcast! We’re kicking things off with a game-changing conversation featuring Dave Coryell, President of Christian Endeavor and author of Less Like Hippos, More Like Honeybees. (WE ENCOUNTERED SOME RECORDING ISSUES... POWER THROUGH!)
In this episode, we dive deep into:
- Why your discipleship strategy needs more than just curriculum
- The danger of treating content as the end goal instead of a means to a greater mission
- How to move students from spiritual consumers to active contributors
- What hippos and honeybees can teach us about youth ministry
- The history and global vision of Christian Endeavor—and why we’re excited to partner
This isn’t about burning down what you’ve built. It’s about building better—on purpose, with purpose.
Links to Christian Endeavor, Dave’s books, and our brand-new partnership page are below!
CE WEBSITE: https://www.ceworks.faith/
DAVE'S BOOK: https://a.co/d/9yDnsc8
PARTNERSHIP: https://www.shapingstudentministry.com/ce 

The One About Follow-Up: What You Should Do After the Event

You poured time, energy, and resources into your big event… now what? In this episode, John and Ian unpack why what happens after the event may be more important than the event itself. Drawing from years of student ministry experience, they tackle questions like:
• How do you capture spiritual momentum without overloading the calendar?
• Why are relational follow-ups better than reactionary ones?
• What does it look like to follow up without fizzling out?
• How do you develop rhythms that lead students from a moment to maturity?
This isn’t a teardown of events—it’s a call to maximize their impact by being just as intentional after the final session as you were before the doors opened.
You’ll walk away with real follow-up strategies for your students, volunteers, and even yourself.
👇Click the Link for your free trial of Touchpoints and The SSM Community! https://g6allies.com/product-details/product/touchpoints

The One About ReFraming Mental Health & Communication with Gen Z and Gen Alpha

In this episode, we sit down with Jordan Francis of Reframe Youth Ministry—licensed clinician, former youth pastor, and curriculum creator—for a conversation that will shift how you think about student ministry.
We talk about: • What technology is really doing to students’ minds and bodies • Why presence, not performance, is the secret sauce of ministry • How to build trust by letting students say the “wild stuff” • Why compassion, vulnerability, and presence must define our pastoral posture • Practical strategies to reframe how we talk, listen, and disciple
Join The SSM Community: CLICK HERE
 
Learn More About ReFrame: CLICK HERE
 

The One That Might Save Your Ministry (Burnout vs. Discouragement)

Are you really burnt out… or are you just deeply discouraged?
In this episode of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, John and Ian tackle the confusion between burnout and discouragement — and why understanding the difference could keep you from walking away from something God has actually called you to do.
🔍 In this episode, we cover:
• The signs and symptoms of discouragement vs. burnout
• Why burnout has become a “badge of honor” in ministry culture
• What Barna says about the crisis in pastoral health
• How isolation fuels helplessness (learned helplessness theory)
• The emotional, spiritual, and relational differences between the two
• Why community is the cure
• What Marshawn Lynch and septic tanks have to do with your ministry mindset
🤯 💬 “If you mislabel discouragement as burnout, you might quit something you were called to endure. But if you mislabel burnout as discouragement, you’ll keep grinding until you collapse.”
 
🎧 Want Part 2 of the conversation?
In the subscriber-only bonus episode, we walk through:
✅ Practical rhythms to recover from burnout
✅ How to know when it’s time to take a break
✅ Why a sabbatical might not fix what you’re feeling
✅ How to lead yourself well so you can keep leading others
✅ The burnout quiz to help assess where you stand
 
👇 Join the community for bonus episodes, cohorts, and exclusive tools: shapingstudentministry.com/community

The One About Ministering to Gen Z & Fostering Authentic Discipleship

In this episode, we sit down with Benjamin Crawshaw from TrueFace to tackle one of the biggest challenges in student ministry today:
ministering to Gen Z and fostering authentic discipleship. From navigating identity struggles to overcoming a culture of self-diagnosis, we explore why Gen Z craves authentic relationships and how we can move past surface-level faith to guide students into deep, transformative discipleship.
Benjamin shares insights from his work as Director of Member Engagement at TrueFace, where he helps leaders shift from performance-based Christianity to trust-based discipleship.
He also introduces his new book, The Path—a modern-day allegory designed to help students understand their identity in Christ and walk in authentic faith.
 
📖 Check out The Path 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Path-Different... 🔗
Learn more about TrueFace 👉 trueface.org
📚 Explore The Path 👉 trueface.org/thepath
 
Key Topics Discussed:
How Gen Z forms identity and why it’s different from past generations
The dangers of self-labeling & why our identity in Christ is unshakable
Moving beyond surface-level faith into authentic community
 
🎧 Listen now and learn how to lead Gen Z toward deeper faith!

The One About Making Parent Ministry a Priority

Most student pastors focus on students—but what if the real key to a thriving youth ministry is partnering with their parents?
 
In this episode of The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, Steve John from The Youth Pastor Conference joins us to talk about why parent ministry isn’t optional—it’s essential. Youth pastors often see parents as obstacles, but when we equip, communicate with, and build trust with them, student retention and spiritual growth skyrocket.
 
What We’re Covering:
 
✅ Why parent ministry fuels church growth—students stay plugged in when parents are engaged.
✅ How small acts of communication build massive trust—parents appreciate being informed!
✅ Why empowering parents = empowering students—discipleship doesn’t stop at the church doors.
✅ How multiple touchpoints keep students connected to church—parents play a key role in retention.
✅ Why youth pastors must stop treating parents like the opposition—they’re your greatest allies.
 
👉 Want to grow alongside other leaders who get it?
Join the Shaping Student Ministry community today: https://g6allies.com/ssm-community-checkout
 
📌 Connect with Steve John:
• Facebook: facebook.com/stevejohn
• Twitter: twitter.com/imstevejohn
• Instagram: instagram.com/stevejohn
• TikTok: tiktok.com/@imstevejohn
• YouTube: youtube.com/@steve_john
 
📺 Watch on YouTube or 🎧 listen wherever you get your podcasts!
 
✅ Like, subscribe, and share to help more leaders make parent ministry a priority!

The One About Why Your Camp Should Be a Launchpad, Not a Landmark

Student ministry camps can be incredible moments—but are they actually launching students into lasting faith, or just creating short-lived emotional highs? This week on The Shaping Student Ministry Podcast, Ian Dunaway and Mark Santana sit down on the way to the airport to talk about rethinking how we approach camps. Instead of treating them as the ultimate goal, what if we made them a starting point for real, ongoing discipleship?
What We’re Covering:
✅ The problem with “big moment” ministry—why emotional experiences don’t always lead to lasting faith.
✅ How to make your camp a launchpad for discipleship, not just a one-time event.
✅ The value of small, intentional gatherings vs. massive camp productions.
✅ Why running your own camp might be the best move for your student ministry.
✅ Practical steps to rethink, rework, and refocus your student ministry events.
👉 Want to grow alongside other leaders who get it?
Join the Shaping Student Ministry community today: https://g6allies.com/ssm-community-ch...
📺 Watch on YouTube or 🎧 listen wherever you get your podcasts!
✅ Like, subscribe, and share to help more leaders rethink the way they do ministry!
#StudentMinistry #YouthMinistry #CampsWithPurpose #ShapingStudentMinistries #Discipleship #NextGenMinistry

The One Where We Start a Church in Grand Theft Auto 🎮

In this episode, Ian, John, and special guest Jon Rush dive into one of the most unexpected ministry conversations yet—how gaming and discipleship intersect in today’s culture. From Fortnite streams to the bold (and hilarious) idea of starting a “church” in Grand Theft Auto, they explore how student pastors can meet students where they are—yes, even in digital worlds.
But this isn’t just about video games. The conversation expands into why relational ministry beats event-driven strategies, how student pastors can build meaningful connections beyond Sunday mornings, and why showing up at a student’s football game might be more impactful than your next big event. Jon also shares his story of growing up in a broken home, finding community in gaming, and how relational youth ministry changed his life.
They also tackle the real struggles student pastors face, from the short tenure crisis in youth ministry to why so many churches don’t know how to develop and retain student leaders. Plus, Jon offers practical insights on why Gen Z and Gen Alpha will go where they feel wanted—not where we try to entertain them.
🚀 If you’ve ever wondered how to engage students without gimmicks—or you just want to hear about the time John Oliver was actually in an NCAA video game—this one’s for you.
📲 Follow Jon Rush:🎮 Twitch: https://m.twitch.tv/jonrush/home📷 Instagram:   /jonwrush  
👉 Want to grow alongside other leaders who get it?Join the Shaping Student Ministry community today: https://g6allies.com/ssm-community-ch...
🔊 Subscribe, hit play, and let’s talk about discipleship… with a side of Grand Theft Auto. 🎧