Marathon Youth Ministry

08/07/2026

One of the best things we can do for young leaders isn’t give them all the answers—it’s give them the right questions.

When someone has clarity on why a project matters, what success actually looks like, and who they’re trying to serve, they stop simply completing a task and start leading with purpose.

Whether you’re mentoring interns, student leaders, or volunteers, the goal isn’t just to get the project done. It’s to develop the person leading it.

What questions do you ask when coaching young leaders? We’d love to hear them in the comments.

08/05/2026

"What do you want from me?"
If you've worked in a parish or diocesan office, you've heard some version of that question. It's not personal. It's the residue of trust that got broken somewhere before you showed up.
You can't undo that history. But you can start rebuilding, one conversation at a time, through listening, clarity, and genuine invitation into the mission.

Discover three essential habits to rebuild trust in ministry, fostering engagement and unity among parishioners and staff.

07/30/2026

Just finished the workshop 2 of a 3 parter that we're doing with the Diocese of Greensburg . We've been helping the diocese equip and train their regional directors to take on a new way of doing ministry in the diocese. It's a big task, and that's why I'm blessed to be partnering with Kathy Goller and Anne E. Keough who have brought so much depth and value to this experience.

07/29/2026

A scheduling change gave our parish a full year to rethink Confirmation prep. I didn't plan for that kind of time. It just showed up when I needed it most.
Most leaders I talk to don't get that kind of gift. What they get instead is a packed calendar and the sinking feeling that real change will have to wait for some year that never comes.
I don't believe that anymore. You don't need a free year to change your ministry. You need to do less before you do different, chase progress instead of perfection, and write the idea down before it slips away.
Start with one. That's enough.

Struggling to find time for ministry? Discover practical strategies to prioritize, embrace progress, and implement change effectively within your parish.

07/25/2026

Just spent the last 36 hours in Austin speaking to a group of amazing leaders. We talked about what it means to share your witness in an authentic and meaningful way.

I don’t do a lot of parish workshops but big shoutout to and for being incredible hosts. Great things are happening here.

07/23/2026

I used to hand-pick my student leaders.
Gather the ones who seemed like natural leaders, get them talking, planning, brainstorming. It worked great — for about three weeks.
Then the group would shrink to a tight, exclusive circle, and I'd have no idea how to grow it back out.
The problem wasn't the students. It was that I was running a program instead of building a system.
A system means every teen in your parish has a real shot at leadership — not just the five you noticed first. It means mentors, real ministry access, and formation opportunities that go beyond your own building.

Transform your approach to student leadership by building a system that empowers teens within the Church to discover their purpose and grow as leaders.

07/21/2026

A teenager showed up at the door confused. We'd canceled youth night to train volunteers instead.
That trade-off is one of the best decisions I've made in ministry.
Some of my strongest seasons weren't the ones with the most teen programming. They were the ones where I stopped and invested in the adults leading it.
Well-trained volunteers change the culture of a ministry. More trust. More confidence. Less turnover.
If you want that for your team, start small: name the qualities you're looking for, put three trainings on the calendar before the year starts, and bring in outside voices so you're not carrying it all yourself.
Pick one. Start there.

Discover the importance of prioritizing volunteer training in ministry to strengthen your team, enhance community, and elevate your mission's effectiveness

07/16/2026

My son told me one morning he didn't want to go to faith formation anymore.

I work at the parish. My first instinct was panic about how that would look, not about whether faith formation was actually working for him.

We talked it through instead. That moment made me think hard about something I get asked constantly: should you worship where you work?

There's no clean answer. Your family gets pulled into the mix in ways they didn't sign up for. Your own spiritual formation gets harder to protect when ministry is also your job. Your relationships multiply but don't always go deep.

Navigating the challenges of worshiping where you work can be complex, but with clear boundaries and open communication, it can lead to meaningful growth.