Hybrid Ministry

Episode 186: He Built an AI Sniper Game… Then Gave Away the Prompt

January 29th, 2026  |  22 mins 19 secs

ai, ai apps, ai automation, ai creativity, ai creator, ai development, ai discussion, ai game, ai generated images, ai image generation, ai innovation, ai prompt, ai prompts, ai tools, ai trends, artificial intelligence, base44, chatgpt, experimental ai, game design, midjourney, no code ai, openai, sniper game, social media podcast, student ministry, tech podcast, technology podcast, viral ai, youth ministry

In this episode I sit down with the evil genius, who built an entire custom app using AI.
And we're giving you the prompt FOR FREE!
You take our prompt, implement it in your context, and you have a fun, custom sniper game for your next summer camp, winter retrat or d-now!

Episode 185: This Disney Trip Accidentally Gave Me My Best Camp Game Ever

January 22nd, 2026  |  9 mins 25 secs

camp game ideas, church camp activities, church game ideas, church youth event, dnow activities, easy camp games, interactive games for teens, low prep games, ministry resources, ministry training, retreat games, small group games, student leader games, student ministry, summer camp game, summer camp ideas, teen ministry activities, winter camp activities, winter retreat game, youth engagement ideas, youth group activities, youth group fun, youth group game, youth leader tips, youth ministry, youth pastors

I stumbled into this camp idea, and I'm going to give it to you today!
How I discovered it, what I've done that's worked, and how you can adapt it for your context.
This is a great Winter Retreat, Summer Camp or D-Now game concept that runs in the background of your student ministry event!

Episode 184: Amazing, On-Going, Youth Group Retreat Game Pt. 2 + Lock-in Survival Tips

January 15th, 2026  |  28 mins 30 secs

assassin game, conference activities, d-now, engagement, event planning, fall retreat, fun activities, games, keywords youth ministry, on-going games, summer camp, winter retreat, youth group, youth pastors, youth retreats

In this episode I sit down and share the entire inspiration for this D-Now, Winter Retreat & Summer Camp on-going games with my friend, Andrew Jansen.
Andrew is a 10+ year youth worker, and his assassin game sparked this entire podcast mini-series.
He expains his creative (and super CHEAP) adaptation to this game.
Plus! Andrew shared his lock-in survival guide for FREE!

Episode 183: Multi-Day Youth Group Game for Winter Retreats & DNows (Rules, Setup, & Free Files)

January 8th, 2026  |  29 mins 6 secs

audience engagement, community building, disciple now, dnow, fun activities, game show, games that build, games that last multiple sessions, group games, interactive games, retreat games, student ministry, summer camp, trivia games, youth group, youth ministry, youth retreats

In this special, interview style episode, Nick Clason sits down with Jay Reynolds to discuss a game concept that Jay used for every session during a recent Winter Retreat. This video is just in time for DNow season where you can program games that build over multiple days and can last the duration of your entire winter retreat, summer camp or disciple now event!
Jay shares next level expert tips to make sure you win!

Episode 182: I tried every youth ministry social media pack that exists.

January 1st, 2026  |  17 mins 27 secs

best youth ministry social media for 2026, church social media 2026, dym social media, hybrid ministry, life church, nick clason, nucleus, sermon multiplier, social media, student ministry, sunday social, teenagers and instagram, tiktok for students, youth ministry, youth ministry social media in 2026, youtube for youth ministry

I tried and evaluated every "Youth Ministry Social Media" Pack I could find on the internet.
I evaluated on 4 criteria, and the verdict is in!
I discovered the pack you should be using at your church in 2026 and beyond!

Episode 181: How I Ran Social Media While at a Conference - - DYM 100 Challenge Pt 3

December 25th, 2025  |  7 mins 24 secs

brady shearer, christmas youth ministry, church media, church social media, doug fields, downloadyouthministry, dym conference, dym100, hybrid ministry, hybrid ministry podcast, josh boldman, nick clason, programming ideas for youth ministry, sean cannell, small group leader training, social media for churches, student ministry, ym programming, youth ministry, youth ministry ideas, youth pastor tips, youth pastor training

A Christmas miracle for youth pastors everywhere!
A few months ago I went to the DYM 100 Roundtables, and without lifting a finger, or distracting my entire experience, this is how I regularly posted on my church's social media, while in attendance for the conference!

Episode 180: Josh Boldman Taught Me THIS About Small Groups… - DYM 100 Challenge Pt 2

December 18th, 2025  |  7 mins 14 secs

brady shearer, christmas youth ministry, church media, church social media, doug fields, downloadyouthministry, dym conference, dym100, hybrid ministry, hybrid ministry podcast, josh boldman, nick clason, programming ideas for youth ministry, sean cannell, small group leader training, social media for churches, student ministry, ym programming, youth ministry, youth ministry ideas, youth pastor tips, youth pastor training

I didn't think this breakout session would have such an influence on me, but it surprisingly did!
And I even got an exclusive interview with the workshop teacher to deep-dive into it!

Plus, free coaching is still on the line for those who join Patreon before the month ends!

Episode 179: FREE Christmas Party Surprise! - DYM 100 Challenge Pt 1

December 11th, 2025  |  9 mins 12 secs

brady shearer, christmas youth ministry, church media, church social media, doug fields, downloadyouthministry, dym conference, dym100, hybrid ministry, hybrid ministry podcast, josh boldman, nick clason, programming ideas for youth ministry, sean cannell, sean cannellwnloadyouthministry, small group leader training, social media for churches, student ministry, ym programming, youth ministry, youth ministry ideas, youth pastor tips, youth pastor training

SHOCKING!
In this episode I explore an area of adjustment I did NOT anticipate!

In this series, "The DYM100 Roundtables Summary" Series I explore the 3 areas that challenged me from the DYM100 Roundtables!

Plus, welcome to the December Patreon Challenge!
Become a Hybrid Hero ($4/month), help us get to 25 new members, and get a FREE Coaching call in 2026!

Episode 178: I secretly tried the 8 post challenge while hosting a conference

December 4th, 2025  |  14 mins 17 secs

church content calendar, church content marketing, church social media challenge, church social media done for you, church social media strategy, hybrid ministry, instagram tiktok youtube for church, plug and play social media pack, post social media in 16 minutes, seasonal social media pack, social media time-challenge, student ministry content ideas, youth group social media ideas, youth ministry digital outreach, youth ministry social media, youth pastor social media tips

There's always something more urgent than social media!
Well, in this week's "vlog" style episode (check out youtube to see it!), I'm here to prove that you can post every piece of content out of my "Social Media Pack" in under 16 minutes!

Oh- And did I mention that our church is hosting a conference while this is going on?
Can it be done? Let's dive in and see, together!

Episode 177: After the Turkey... Watch This👀

November 27th, 2025  |  11 mins 7 secs

church social media strategy, free church resources, free youth ministry resources, hybrid ministry, hybrid ministry show, ministry freebies, student ministry growth, thanksgiving youth group ideas, thanksgiving youth ministry, youth group curriculum, youth group games free, youth group leaders, youth group small groups, youth ministry calendar, youth ministry games, youth ministry ideas, youth ministry training, youth pastor tips, youth pastor tools, youth worker encouragement

Thanksgiving is over, but we're just getting started! In this episode, Nick gives his 4 course meal of FREEBIES for youth pastors, 4 things for YOU, along with the 1 Mystery Course that can unlock everything!

Episode 176: Youth Leader Resource Room | 5 Components to a Great one!

November 20th, 2025  |  7 mins 25 secs

church coffee bar, church leadership, church resource room, church setup, church volunteers, hybrid ministry, hybrid ministry show, leader encouragement, leader space tour, leader training, ministry hacks, ministry organization, ministry supplies, ministry systems, ministry tips, small group tools, student ministry, volunteer check-in, volunteer onboarding, volunteer room ideas, youth group ideas, youth leader resources, youth ministry, youth ministry podcast, youth pastor

Ever wondered what’s inside a great youth ministry volunteer room? In this episode, Nick walks through his own space—showing you everything from the snack and coffee setup to the leader resource area, check-in station, and supply closet. You’ll leave with practical ideas (and links!) to create a welcoming, well-equipped hub that keeps your leaders fueled, prepped, and connected every week.

Episode 175: The Calendar that Rules Them All! [Most Skip Step 1!]

November 13th, 2025  |  10 mins 56 secs

church communications, church content creation, church event planning, church growth, church leadership, church marketing, church media, church website design, digital ministry, discipleship tools, free ministry resources, hybrid church, hybrid ministry, ministry calendar, ministry planning, ministry systems, next gen ministry, qr code calendar, social media for churches, student ministry, youth group events, youth group ideas, youth ministry, youth pastor, youth pastor training

Struggling with youth ministry planning, church communications, or ministry calendars? In this episode of the Hybrid Ministry Podcast, learn the 5 levels to create the ultimate Youth Ministry Calendar that rules them all! Most skip Level 1—but stick around for the one strategy that fixes all your communication issues and grabs parents’ attention with tips, visuals, and free downloadable designs.

Episode 174: 5 LEVELS OF TAMING A WILD YOUTH ROOM

November 6th, 2025  |  11 mins 51 secs

chaos to control, church leadership training, classroom management for youth pastors, coleader, creative youth lessons, download youth ministry, how to get students to listen, how to handle distractions in youth ministry, how to keep teens engaged, how to teach youth group, hybrid ministry, nick clason, student engagement church ministry, student ministry training, taming a wild youth room, teach teens bible, youth group discipline, youth ministry, youth ministry teaching tips, youth pastor tips

There's nothing worse than speaking to an out of control room full of students.
In this episode, I explain my 5 levels, escalating to most effective, way to control a wild room with your teaching content and approach. Be sure to stick around to hear how Marvel has cracked the attention span conundrum.

Episode 173: Youth Ministry Interview Tips (with a twist!)

October 30th, 2025  |  11 mins 58 secs

church interview tips, church job interview questions, getting hired as a youth pastor, how to get a youth ministry job, ministry interview advice, ministry job advice, student ministry interview guide, tips for youth ministry jobs, youth ministry career tips, youth ministry interview tips, youth ministry leadership tips, youth pastor application help, youth pastor hiring process, youth pastor interview preparation, youth pastor interview questions

Before your next interview, watch these 5 levels of interview tips. We'll offer 5 levels of tips plus 5 levels of tests for you to land the perfect church job! The twist at the end, most youth pastors miss!

Episode 172: The Cellphone Problem in Youth Groups

October 23rd, 2025  |  11 mins 51 secs

cellphone problem, church leadership, church tech, digital notes, discipleship, fall social media plan, group covenants, how to keep kids off phones, hybrid ministry, paper bibles, phones in youth group, pro presenter, sidekick, student engagement, student ministry, youth group, youth group discipleship, youth group games, youth group ideas, youth group teaching, youth leaders, youth ministry, youth ministry growth, youth ministry strategy, youth ministry tips, youth pastor, youth pastor training

In this episode of the Hybrid Ministry Show, we tackle the cellphone problem in youth groups and reveal a 3-step phone prevention strategy for youth ministry that actually works. Instead of fighting students for their phones, you’ll learn how youth pastors can use a variety of tools to their benefit, including how to turn phones from a distraction to an actual asset. If you’re looking for practical youth ministry tips, phone management strategies, and digital discipleship tools to keep students engaged, this episode is for you.

Episode 171: Grow Your Youth Group: EXPLOSIVE Attendance Secrets

October 16th, 2025  |  17 mins 39 secs

church growth, church leadership, confidence in ministry, delegation in ministry, discipleship strategies, grow your youth group, how to lead volunteers, humility in leadership, hybrid ministry, leadership development, ministry growth tips, ministry lessons, ministry mistakes, next gen ministry, small group leaders, student ministry leadership, volunteer leader tips, volunteer recruiting, youth group chaos, youth group recruiting, youth group strategy, youth ministry, youth pastor training

These 5 Shifts in my approach to volunteers revolutionized by youth ministry.
These aren’t quick hacks — they’re the foundational principles that changed my thinking but they led to real, measurable growth.

The best news of all, not for me in the moment, but you is that each of these shifts were like levels in a video game that come with the big bad boss of a failure story that I had to defeat, from one of my 15 years in youth ministry, each boss becoming more and more epic, the final one left me questioning not only my job, but my career in ministry.