Greg Stier Blog

Prepare youth for a worthy battle. The problem with men’s ministry and how to fix it What it means for the world when hundreds of thousands of teenagers are unleashed to share the Gospel What we can learn from persecuted Christian teens who are setting the pace for evangelism What I learned from a recent conversation with a chatbot Praising God in church is a great thing. But do we dare take our worship outside the walls?

Equip your teenagers to think, speak, and act biblically around LGBTQ issues.

Youth ministry is hard work. I know that to you that’s not breaking news. Like most youth leaders, you’ve endured discouraging days, long nights, difficult conversations, and tight or nonexistent budgets. Students, parents, church leaders, and congregants have monopolized your time, challenged your authority, and tested your patience. You’ve faced stressors and spiritual battles that you think no one sees or understands.

Gospel fluency is the ability to express oneself easily, articulately, and without hesitation when explaining the message of Jesus to someone. When equipping teenagers to share their faith, youth leaders too often skip this crucial element and go straight to methodology. But an evangelistic method without Gospel fluency leads to faith-sharing frustration for youth. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, the apostle Paul refers to the importance of Gospel fluency.

Last week, our amazing team at Dare 2 Share Ministries wrapped up our first-ever national Energize Youth Ministry Conference. The atmosphere was electric, as 400-plus youth leaders and 12 key global leaders descended on Arvada, Colorado, for three days to get inspired and equipped to lead Gospel Advancing, disciple-multiplying ministries. As I reflect on the experience, here are five insights from the conference that stand out to me.

George Whitefield was one of the most influential preachers of the 1700s and a central figure in the First Great Awakening. I’m on my third pass through Arnold Dallimore’s two-volume set on Whitefield’s life and have seen the movie A Great Awakening twice. Here are 10 of my biggest takeaways. Whitefield had an extraordinary speaking voice and theatrical training. He made the most of those skills, preaching outdoors to thousands and captivating them with his dramatic style.

Building a good youth ministry requires intentionality and purpose. But there’s a secret behind that truth that a lot of leaders miss: A successful youth group starts not with the students, but with you as the leader being disciplined in your own life. Here are five helpful habits to deepen your effectiveness as a youth pastor and beyond. It all starts here.

From the time I was a teenager, I’ve been mesmerized by history’s great revivals. From the spiritual eruption of the day of Pentecost to the bold evangelism of Saint Patrick to the sweeping force of the Protestant Reformation to the hundred-year prayer and mission movement of the Moravians, I’ve consumed everything I could get my hands on, trying to wrap my puny mind around what happens when revival strikes.

I finished writing my 25th book only a few minutes ago. Its working title is Out Loud with Words: How to Naturally Share the Gospel with Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime. Although I’ve written no bestsellers (that’s actually super rare), we’ve been able to sell hundreds of thousands of my books over the last 25 years. I’ve never personally taken a penny from any of the royalties or profits from the books.

Hot take: Sharing the Gospel isn’t just for “super-Christians.” Or people with the spiritual gift of evangelism. Every Christian can—and should, according to Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20)—tell others the Good News of salvation through Christ’s death and resurrection. Sadly, many Christians don’t share the Gospel, sometimes out of fear of rejection, but often because they don’t know how. Fortunately, it’s easier than you might think.