Send us a text Merry Christmas Adam & Eve everyone! The holiday calendar swirls, the phone notification buzzes, and suddenly December is deciding everything for you. We pressed pause to talk about the real pressure of ministering well at church and home. Our gift this year to share is presence. Chad and Zac share practical ways to build margin without dropping what matters. There’s a tender side to all this too. The holidays carry joy and grief in the same pew. We talk about walk...

Send us a text understand your words. We sat down with the Champion Forest student team to unpack how a “one church, two languages” model becomes one student ministry that actually belongs to everyone. If your context includes Spanish-speaking parents, English-dominant teens, and first-generation families navigating two worlds, this conversation offers a blueprint that’s both practical and hopeful. We share how one student ministry serves Spanish-speaking families and English-dominant student...

Send us a text What if the fastest way to build a strong student ministry isn’t a bigger stage, but a crowded living room? We pull back the curtain on our biggest do-overs: why we’d start with relationships, not programs; why a right-sized room beats a flashy setup; and why coaching volunteers weekly will outperform any event on your calendar. • starting in homes to build belonging • coaching volunteers rather than just filling roles • using the 80 percent rule for room choice • fast handoff...

Send us a text Ten years in and we’re still showing up, still laughing about late-night Taco Bell runs, and still fighting for youth pastors to feel seen on that drive home after midweek. We rewind to the After Nine roots—two friends comparing notes before weekend trainings—and trace how a simple idea to be a caring voice turned into a decade of community, practical help, and honest talk about the inner life of ministry. We mark ten years by tracing our start as a late-night voice for youth p...

Send us a text 🔥 Feel like you need to throw a last-minute mega event to fix that attendance dip? You’re not alone—but there’s a better way. This week, Chad and Zac kick things off with a hilarious misheard small group moment 😂 and dive deep into the tension youth pastors feel when numbers start to slip. Instead of chasing hype, we talk about trading panic for purpose, and crafting a longer runway for deeper discipleship. 🎯 Learn how to move from reactive programming to intentional ministry...

Send us a text Hey buddy... Are your teaching methods actually connecting with how today's students learn? I mean they love Roblox, Minecraft, and Cedarwood Scents. In this conversation, Chad and Zac challenge youth ministry leaders to move beyond traditional sermon-style approaches to create more engaging, effective learning experiences. The disconnect is clear: while schools have changed their teaching methods to include more group work, technology integration, and interactive learning, ma...

Send us a text "It's all about the numbers." Ever feel like your ministry's is trapped by attendance numbers? What if the most powerful metric isn't quantitative at all? The stories unfolding in your student ministry reveal far more about God's work than any statistical report. We mean it! We want you to measure in stories! This webinar replay reveals why stories are a better scorecard for ministry success than numbers, showing how collecting and sharing transformation narratives creates las...

Send us a text Ever wondered if there's a way to make meetings less painful and more productive? Kate Downing pulls back the curtain on what makes ministry team gatherings work—or fail spectacularly. Returning guest Kate Downing shares practical strategies for transforming team meetings from dreaded time-wasters into valuable, engaging experiences that build team culture and advance ministry goals. Kate's Great Tips • Starting meetings with celebration time (20-30 minutes) focused on rela...

Send us a text Broncos, Gameboys, Doves... er uh Pigeons? Join Zac for an interview with Shane Pruitt. As they discuss how our culture has shifted to embracing a distorted version of a personalized Jesus while rejecting biblical authority, and why youth ministers must help students discover the authentic Jesus of Scripture. SHOW NOTES • Culture has shifted from accepting God-talk but rejecting Jesus-talk to accepting Jesus-talk but rejecting Bible-talk • People reshape Jesus into thei...

Send us a text Have you ever wondered why it seems so many youth ministers quit or leave around the three-year mark? In this candid conversation with longtime youth ministry veteran and author Jody Livingston, we talk the secret to youth ministry longevity. It's 2 old friends with personal stories, hard-earned wisdom, and practical insights that are meant to encourage youth ministers young and old. Fresh and wizened. In Staying Power, Jody Livingston shares his journey of mi...

Send us a text Jay Winn shares how his youth ministry at Riverpoint Church is shifting toward a more relational approach in response to changing student needs. Despite having fewer resources following leadership transitions, Jay is finding success by investing deeply in authentic connections with students rather than focusing primarily on programs and events. • Returning to "old school youth ministry" with a focus on authentic relationships and personal discipleship • Making small groups opt...

Send us a text Alleigh Jezek shares how she revitalized a youth ministry by creating an inviting atmosphere, multiplying small groups, and building an authentic community where students feel empowered to lead and invite friends. 🧠 IN THIS EPISODE: 🌀 Creating welcoming environments is in the details like cleaning and organizing the youth space🌳 Multiplying small groups from 6 to 12 groups allowed for deeper connections and more meaningful conversations🛠️ Building an "invite culture" by...

Send us a text The hype of camp is fading. The smell of leftover sunscreen and emotional debriefs still lingers. But now it’s time to face the real ministry question: What’s next? In this episode, Chad and Zac unpack the sneaky shift from summer chaos to fall calendars, and how to survive the mid-summer mental fog without quitting or creating a whole new youth group (again). July can be a peculiar time in youth ministry. The adrenaline of summer events still lingers while the pressure of fal...

Send us a text The emotional marathon of summer camp affects every youth minister differently. Whether you're riding high on spiritual victories, nursing wounds from what felt like failure, or simply exhausted beyond words, this episode offers genuine encouragement for wherever you find yourself. Zach and Chad dive into their contrasting pre-camp experiences - one fueled by caffeine-like excitement, the other weighed down by planning anxiety. They share practical wisdom about externalizing y...

Send us a text Kate Downing joins us to discuss her new Bible study "Fighting With Fear" and shares profound insights about the theological significance of fear in ministry leadership and decision-making. • Fear itself isn't bad—we were designed to fear, but the object of our fear matters • Ministry decisions often trigger fears about consequences and others' opinions • The "brain dump" technique helps sort problems into what you can and cannot control • Decision fatigue plagues ministry lea...

Send us a text Youth Ministry.. it ain't what it used to be! The digital revolution has transformed youth ministry into uncharted territory, creating what seasoned experts are calling "a perfect storm" of challenges for today's teenagers. At the heart of this storm lies the smartphone – a device that has fundamentally altered how adolescents experience relationships, rest, and reality itself. "The culture is catechizing our kids 24-7 through these devices," -Walt Mueller Special Gu...

Send us a text If you're experiencing ministry burnout or feeling your passion fading, establish accountability with someone who knows you well enough to speak truth when you're drifting, and intentionally surround yourself with those newer to ministry who bring fresh perspective and enthusiasm. SPECIAL GUEST ALERT: Jameson Barker Veteran youth minister Jameson Barker shares how he maintains ministry passion after two decades of service by shifting from complacency to expectancy. Here's...

Send us a text What's it like to be new? Feel like you are the only one? Welp you are not! There is a growing trend of folks leading youth ministry that are 1. new to the role 2. home grown from the church where they attend. In this episode we learn firsthand all about it! Join us for an eye-opening discussion about the journey into youth ministry with Miguel Adesokan, who shares his unique experiences as he transitions from volunteer to staff. This timely episode brings to ...

Send us a text What happens when a vibrant young leader embraces his calling in the unpredictable setting of youth ministry? Special Guest Alert: Mariano Sarabia This episode explores the path of youth ministry through the experience of Mariano, who shares his calling, challenges, and successes in empowering young leaders. The importance of humility, prayer, and authentic relationships in ministry are emphasized throughout the conversation, along with practical advice to engage and disciple...

Send us a text Could You Survive the 1800s? The password is Clifford the Big Red Dog. Could you hack it in the 1800s armed only with modern knowledge? Wild question, right? Zac and Chad wrote a book! This episode kicks off with some fun, lighthearted speculation before we take a deep dive into childhood nostalgia—Dr. Seuss, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and how those early books shaped our love for reading. But this isn't just a trip down memory lane; it’s a special occasion. Ch...