1. EgadIdeas.com: This is seriously the best place to go if you’re looking for a resource of tried and true youth group games. You could play a different game every week for years and never repeat the same game twice. The best part is that the site content is generated by other youth workers and is 100% free!

2. YMExchange.com: Youth Ministry Exchange is a great site by Adam McLane that provides helpful articles and a very active forum for youth workers. Need to vent about an issue in ministry? Have a question that needs input? Want advice from some youth ministry veterans? The users there provide the help you’re looking for. Site registration is free, but it’ll cost you $5/year to gain complete access to the site.

3. TheParentLink.com: I’ve been using these guys for a couple years now for my parent ministry newsletter. Every month they provide an customizable newsletter full of great content and resources for parents. Add your calendar items, a couple personal articles if you wish, and save it as PDF or HTML. An annual subscription costs $99.

4. Facebook.com: I use Facebook all the time to keep up with students in my youth group. In fact, it’s quickly becoming our primary means of communication outside church. Create a Facebook group for your youth group and easily create events, photos and discussions for your kids.

5. YouTube.com: Definitely not a youth ministry site, but it is such an valuable tool to me as a youth leader. I use it all the time to find lesson illustrations or funny icebreaker videos to play while kids hang out. Just yesterday in Sunday school the Sr. High discussed the occult. So I went to YouTube and found a goldmine of video clips of a Christian evangelist and the founder of the Church of Satan discussing their beliefs. I put all the clips together back-to-back on DVD and we discussed each one.

Honorable Mention:

CovenantEyes.com: Internet accountability. Everyone in ministry needs it. Even if porn isn’t a personal struggle, it clears all doubt in case the question is ever raised. Be proactive in protecting your reputation.

ChristianAnswers.net: Not really a youth ministry website per se, but it certainly contains a lot of helpful information on almost every topic imaginable, all from a Christian perspective. I often refer students to the site and even use it myself from time to time to find “Christian answers.”

TeenLifeMinistries.com: I used to subscribe to their site ($25 initial cost, $9.95/month thereafter), but canceled because I prefer to write my own lessons. For those who prefer to buy curriculum, though, this is a good place to check out. You get a new lesson every Monday with a corresponding PowerPoint presentation and access to a huge archive of resources. The curriculum is pretty general, though, so be prepared to spend some time tailoring the lessons to the specific needs of your students.

Got any others to recommend?

Posted on March 26, 2007