Best IMPACT Student Ministry Podcasts (2026)

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Journey To Israel: A Nova Festival Survivor's Story of Faith, Courage, and Choosing Life 28:28

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2h ago28:28

28:28

In this powerful interview episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards sits down with Nagee, a survivor of the October 7 Nova Festival attack, to hear his remarkable story of survival, faith, intuition, and choosing life after unimaginable trauma. Recorded on location during the Ambassadors Summit in Israel, Nagee shares his journey—from his back…

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Episode 140 - Fall Up Into Identity 54:26

8h ago54:26

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In this episode of Next Gen Now, Jill sits down with missionary, discipler, and children's author Bradyn Boone, whose book The Boy Who Falls Up has been sparking conversations about identity, freedom, and the transforming love of God. Bradyn shares the story behind the book, how identity exchange became central to his ministry, and why he believes …

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Aha Leader Series Ep 3: Mission Drift Through Busyness (Flourishing Journey Podcast) 9:21

2h ago9:21

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Rachael Jones sits down with Dr. Edward Bunn to discuss how to recognize when our mission begins to drift and explore strategies for helping our teams stay aligned with the school’s Christ-centered mission. The Flourishing Journey podcast explores strategies for building a thriving school culture through research and practical application. The show…

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Best Books for Youth Pastors: Must-Read Books for Youth Ministry (2026 Edition) 32:00

6h ago32:00

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Send us a text The time to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry is NOW...let's work together! Make sure to check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com ***Are you looking for books that will actually move the needle in your youth ministry and your leadership as a youth pastor? In this episode, we are presenting nine books that don’t just inspire, but the…

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Journey to Israel: Ambassadors Summit 2025 15:03

9h ago15:03

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What is it like to travel through Israel with more than 1,000 pastors, youth pastors, Christian educators, and ministry leaders as part of the Ambassadors Summit 2025? In this special episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards shares a behind-the-scenes look at an extraordinary leadership journey through Israel—an experience designed to educate,…

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Stronger Together Ep 10: Why parents would leave a Christian school, and more, with Simon Jeynes 15:06

5d ago15:06

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Simon Jeynes, Co-Founder of Christian School Management, discusses cultural shifts in and around Christian education, and more. Watch this episode on YouTube! -- The Stronger Together Podcast highlights member schools, educators, and important happenings in a 15-minute news magazine-style format.By ACSI

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God Goes Before You: Starting the New Year with Courage, Prayer, and Peace 6:27

6d ago6:27

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A new year brings pressure, expectations, deadlines—and often fear. But what if you started this year knowing, without a doubt, that you are not alone? In this New Year episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards encourages youth pastors, volunteers, parents, and student leaders to step into the coming year with confidence, peace, and courage, gr…

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Advent 25 | Jesus is Born! 2025 6:40

12d ago6:40

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"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because …

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Advent 24 | Prepare Ye the Way! 2025 6:44

13d ago6:44

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"In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both w…

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The Power of Saying No: Protecting Your Family While Serving in Youth Ministry 5:30

13d ago5:30

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How do you serve God faithfully in youth ministry without sacrificing your family in the process? In this heartfelt Christmas-week episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards reflects on decades of student ministry and shares one of the most important lessons he's learned the hard way: every yes comes with a cost—and sometimes the most spiritual …

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Advent 23 | The Real Tabernacle 2025 6:47

14d ago6:47

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"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent fr…

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Advent 22 | The Voice Crying in the Wilderness 2025 4:28

22d ago4:28

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The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of rep…

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Advent 21 | Mary Did You Know? 2025 6:57

16d ago6:57

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"Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of t…

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Advent 20 | Another Elijah 2025 5:08

17d ago5:08

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"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Malachi 4:5-6 The Ultimate Cliffhanger When I was growing up there were several TV …

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Advent 19 | The Saddest Prophecy 2025 6:33

18d ago6:33

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Thus says the LORD: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” Jeremiah 31:15 So Much More People who really know who Jesus is will respond in one of two ways: anger or adoration. There is no middle ground. We see people try…

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Advent 18 | The Righteous Branch 2025 5:23

19d ago5:23

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“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ Je…

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5 Essential Youth Ministry Planning Strategies to Start the New Year STRONG! 36:50

19d ago36:50

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Send us a text Are you ready to grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry...let's work together! Make sure to check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com *** Start the New Year strong with these 5 essential youth ministry planning strategies! In this episode, we break down five planning moves that create real margin, sharpen your focus, and lift the quality …

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Finding Leaders in Any Church, the Playbook for Leader Development, & the Third Voice 36:30

20d ago36:30

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We share a field-tested playbook for building a healthy youth leadership team, from recruiting people who care to training them with simple rhythms that last. Ashton Peters unpacks “The Third Voice,” showing how mentors help students from unchurched homes grow with steady guidance. • Leadership development as the engine of sustainable youth ministr…

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Grafted Together Ep 27: Spiritual Formation Network Wrap-up: ESOs & Assessment 59:58

27d ago59:58

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Douglas Campbell hosts an episode with three major contributors to ACSI's Spiritual Formation Network meetings: Laurie LaFon, Sean Englert, and Sam Farinacci. HOST BIOS: Laurie LaFon received her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and has been part of the Lucas Christian Academy community for over 22 years, with three of her four children …

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Advent 17 | O Little Town of Bethlehem 2025 5:51

28d ago5:51

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"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days." - Micah 5:2 Some Prophecies are Harder than Others Depending on who you ask, it is possible that Jesus fulfilled a couple hundred prophecies fro…

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Christmas Season Retreats 14:41

20d ago14:41

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What if some of the most life-changing moments in youth ministry don't happen in the chruch building—but on a mountain, in the snow, or around a shared experience? In this Christmas-season episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards reflects on 35 years of student ministry and shares why retreats, trips, and shared adventures have consistently be…

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Advent 16 | Peace on Earth 2025 5:22

29d ago5:22

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“1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge b…

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Advent 15 | The Child Born to Be the King 2025 4:28

23d ago4:28

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"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the …

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68 | Advent and the Wisdom of Doing Bible Reading Plans Together 36:09

1M ago36:09

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In this episode of the Youth Ministry Podcast, we sit down with Andy Knight from YouVersion to talk about making the Bible accessible to teenagers and helping them build lasting Scripture habits. We explore how volunteers can strengthen relationships with students through the Bible, why consistent engagement with God’s Word matters, and how tools l…

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Advent 14 | Maher-shalal-hash-baz 2025 4:26

24d ago4:26

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"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14 Double Rainbow We have all have read the verse above and we know, for certain, that this is about Jesus. But did you know it’s also about someone else? Wait, what? Yeah, this is one of those situations…

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Advent 13 | Grace From Disgrace - The Wife of Uriah 2025 4:27

25d ago4:27

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"When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." - 2 Samuel 7:12-13 "and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father…

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Student Leadership & Learning Ep 24: The Gift of Presence - Rediscovering Stillness in a Noisy Season 10:25

25d ago10:25

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Emily Pigott shares how to lead with presence to remind students that peace is not the absence of chaos, it's the awareness of Christ in that chaos. Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus the Prince of Peace; your stillness reflects Him. -- Do you read the quarterly Student Leadership & Learning newsletters? Subscribe at www.acsi.org/subscribe The Student Leadersh…

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Advent 12 | David's Moabite Grandma 2025 4:02

26d ago4:02

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"Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, becaus…

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Advent 11 | The Savior of the World (and Rahab) 2025 5:51

1M ago5:51

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"… and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab," - Matthew 1:5 Don’t Forget the Land For the people of Israel, the most tangible part of God’s covenant with them was that he would give them the promised land. It’s really cool for us to look back on how all of this played out because we usually don’t think much of the land. After all, we don’t live in Is…

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Youth Pastors: Get on the RIGHT TRACK for the New Year! 40:46

26d ago40:46

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Send us a text Start the New Year strong and grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry...if you'd like to work with us, check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com *** One of the best ways that you can get your youth ministry on the right track for the new year is to get YOURSELF on the right track! Today, we will be going over a ton of beneficial systems to…

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Advent 10 | A Prophet Like Moses 2025 5:13

28d ago5:13

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“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ And the LORD said to me, ‘They are …

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When God Says "Not Yet": What Waiting Teaches Us in Life and Youth Ministry 10:27

1M ago10:27

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Why does God make us wait—especially when the prayer seems good, urgent, and necessary? In this Christmas-season episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards explores one of the hardest spiritual disciplines for leaders, volunteers, students, and parents: waiting on God's timing. Drawing from Acts 1:4, prophetic anticipation before Jesus' birth, a…

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Advent 9 | By Any Means Necessary 2025 5:12

29d ago5:12

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"Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,..." – Matthew 1:2 "And one of the elders said to me, 'Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David…

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Advent 8 | Three Strikes & You're In 2025 4:20

1M ago4:20

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"'Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from betwe…

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Advent 7 | Two Accidental Blessings? 2025 5:34

1M ago5:34

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"And he took up his discourse and said, 'The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall …

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Advent 6 | The Lord Will Provide 2025 7:43

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"And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, 'By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring s…

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When Love Looks Like Obedience | Marriage Conference 41:56

1M ago41:56

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Zach Mabry | Marriage Conference In this episode, Zach will walk through Scripture to see how God calls us to love Him, stay close to His Word, and teach it in the simple moments of everyday life. He’ll talk about why God’s commands are actually good for us, and how easy it is to forget God when life gets comfortable. Deuteronomy 6 Marriage Confere…

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Aha Leader Series Ep 2: Resistance to Feedback (Flourishing Journey Podcast) 11:11

1M ago11:11

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Rachael Jones sits down with Dr. Edward Bunn to discuss strategies for receiving and implementing healthy feedback as leaders. The Flourishing Journey podcast explores strategies for building a thriving school culture through research and practical application. The show is hosted by Dr. Edward Bunn, ACSI's Director of Professional Development. The …

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Advent 5 | Who's Laughing Now? 2025 5:40

1M ago5:40

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“through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” – Genesis 21:12 All Kinds of Laughter There are all kinds of laughter. We have all been in a situation where you are not supposed to be laughing… but you do… and that makes it worse. How is it that things are so much funnier when you’re not allowed to laugh? When we look at the events surrounding the p…

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Advent 4 | New Names & A New Son 2025 5:44

1M ago5:44

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Read the full article at: https://www.swoutfitters.com/resource/advent-4-new-names-and-a-new-son/ "And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come…

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6 Warning Signs Your Youth Ministry is in BIG TROUBLE! 38:23

1M ago38:23

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Send us a text Start the New Year strong and grow a healthy, thriving youth ministry...if you'd like to work with us, check out GrowYourYouthMinistry.com *** Sometimes warning signs inside of a youth ministry can be subtle while other times they can be very loud and clear...either way, we need to be paying attention and address them as soon as poss…

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Long-Game Leadership & Building a Ministry That Can Sustain Growth 49:47

1M ago49:47

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We pull back the curtain on youth ministry insecurity, comparison, and the pressure to make every Wednesday hinge on one person, then map a better way—equipping leaders, planning with purpose, and building systems that last. Gabby O’Rourke shares candid stories and a practical framework to turn vision into sustained growth. • Naming insecurity and …

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Turning Conflict into Connection | Marriage Conference 31:13

1M ago31:13

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Spencer Davis | Marriage Conference In this episode, Spencer will look at the kinds of challenges couples face, why conflict can feel like a trap, and how empathy, teamwork, and Christ-like love bring real change. With practical examples from personality differences to money habits, we show how patience, compassion, and a shared mindset can turn “m…

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Advent 3 | Freedom Through Slavery 2025 4:03

1M ago4:03

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“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land” – Genesis 15:18 The Promised Son If you haven’t done it yet, you should really read this whole chapter. But if not let’s walk through it and show how God is continuing the promise to Abraham. When the chapter starts out Abraham is bummed because he still …

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When God Invites You Somewhere Unexpected 4:51

1M ago4:51

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How do you help students understand prophecy and the end times—without overwhelming them? In this unique episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards joins us from Israel, where he and 1,000 pastors, youth pastors, Christian educators, and influencers were invited to gather for the historic Ambassadors Summit 2025. Doug explains why blessing Israe…

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Advent 2 | Blessing to the Whole World 2025 5:57

1M ago5:57

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"Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of t…

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Advent 1 | The Curse & the Promise 2025 4:40

1M ago4:40

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"The LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise…

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Advent Intro | The Things Concerning Himself 2025 6:31

1M ago6:31

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Here we are again, it’s wintertime and the Christmas season is upon us. For Christians, this is one of the 2 most important seasons of the year shared only with Easter in its significance. It is in this season that we intentionally focus on the moment when Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came into the earth as a baby. In the history of the Church, w…

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067 | What to Do When Tragedy Strikes 35:35

1M ago35:35

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In this episode of the Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers, we dive into the challenges volunteers face in the wake of tragedy. We talk about the importance of leadership, community support, and practical ways to navigate difficult situations. Our guest, Stephen Crane, joins us to share his experiences and offer wisdom on how we can effectively s…

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Stronger Together Ep 9: Catalyst, Apologetics, and Asheville Christian Academy's Recovery 15:00

1M ago15:00

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This episode features Dr. Chad McNatt, Superintendent at Seattle Christian School (WA), on the topic of apologetics and students asking tough questions. We also hear from Heath Nivens, Head of School at McKinney Christian Academy (TX) at the Catalyst Conference, and return to Asheville Christian Academy (NC) to hear about their recovery from Hurric…