Hybrid Ministry

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.

Episode 164: 🚀 Fall Social Media Pack: Stop Guessing. Start Posting.

August 28th, 2025  |  10 mins 56 secs

church growth, church marketing, church social media, church social pack, coleader curriculum, content calendar, copy paste post, digital discipleship, done for you content, fall calendar, fall ministry, fall social media, guest strategy, hybrid ministry, instagram for youth group, ministry resources, social media for churches, social media plan, student ministry, tiktok for youth ministry, welcome box, youth group ideas, youth ministry, youth pastor tools, youtube shorts church

Struggling to keep up with youth ministry social media this fall? In this episode of the Hybrid Ministry Show, Nick Clason unveils the Fall Social Media Pack—a done-for-you, but also fully customizable content calendar built to align with your fall kickoff event, guest strategy, YouTube channel, and in-person ministry, saving you hours every week. Learn how to post your way to better engagement on Instagram, TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts, while bridging the gap between digital discipleship and real-life impact in your church!

Episode 163: Event Evaluation that WORKS! How to Actually Improve Your Youth Ministry

August 21st, 2025  |  10 mins 23 secs

church event planning, church leadership, digital ministry, event debrief questions, event evaluation, fall ministry planning, hybrid ministry, ministry checklist, ministry evaluation form, ministry improvement, next gen ministry, post-event debrief, student ministry, volunteer training, what worked what broke what was missing, youth event feedback, youth group events, youth group planning, youth ministry, youth ministry ideas, youth ministry resources, youth ministry strategy, youth pastor tools

In this episode of the Hybrid Ministry Show, we’re unpacking a proven event evaluation strategy for youth ministry that will help you actually improve your events instead of just surviving them. Learn how to run a productive post-event debrief using a 3-question framework that works for digital and in-person debrief meetings alike. Plus, get access to a sample evaluation form, hear a big announcement, and upgrade your fall youth ministry strategy with intentional feedback tools.

Episode 162: 10 Free Time Stations for Youth Ministry - Fun, Easy & FREE!

August 14th, 2025  |  13 mins 31 secs

9 square, church games, church outreach, donut game, download youth ministry, engaging students, fall youth ministry, free time stations, gaga ball, hybrid ministry, low prep games, nick clason, passport game, social media strategy, student ministry, teen ministry, youth event ideas, youth group connection, youth group fun, youth group games, youth group planning, youth group strategy, youth ministry, youth ministry podcast, youth pastor resources, youth pastor tips

Looking for fun, easy, and totally free youth ministry ideas that actually engage students? In this episode of The Hybrid Ministry Show, Nick Clason shares 10 high-energy, low-prep free time station ideas—from donut decorating to Mario Kart tournaments, 9 Square, Gaga Ball, social challenges, and more—all designed to boost student engagement and connection. If you're a youth pastor craving creative youth group games, fall event strategy, or hybrid ministry tips that work, this episode is packed with stealable ideas and a bonus resource you don’t want to miss!

Episode 161: How to Welcome New Students in Youth Ministry Without Overwhelming Them

August 7th, 2025  |  6 mins 33 secs

church guest process, church welcome box, first time guest, first time visitor ideas, guest experience, hybrid ministry, new students, student guest plan, student ministry, teen ministry, welcoming students, youth group follow up, youth group retention, youth group strategy, youth group systems, youth group welcome ideas, youth leader tools, youth ministry, youth ministry calendar, youth ministry growth, youth pastor tips, youth pastor training

Welcoming new students to your youth ministry shouldn’t feel like a firehose of information—this episode unpacks how to create an intentional, low-pressure first-time guest follow-up system. We’ll explore the psychology behind making guests feel valued, how to use a youth group welcome box, and why timing your church guest process matters. Plus, get a walkthrough of our youth ministry calendar, a peek at our welcome video strategy, and how to keep student connections alive on social media all fall long!

Episode 160: My #1 Fall Outreach Event for Youth Ministry + Free Donut Game Download!

July 31st, 2025  |  10 mins 11 secs

church games, church outreach, donut bracket, donut game, engaging youth, fall calendar youth ministry, fall event ideas, fall youth event, free youth ministry game, hybrid ministry, outreach ideas, student ministry, student outreach, teen ministry games, win students, youth event ideas, youth group donuts, youth group games, youth group growth, youth group planning, youth ministry, youth pastor resources, youth pastor tips

The ultimate fall youth ministry outreach event that actually gets students to show up—plus grab a free donut event download to boost your next youth group outreach. Whether you're planning fall events, student ministry games, or looking for fresh youth group outreach ideas, this episode breaks down how to win students with Sonlife's classic CPR strategy: Win, Build, Equip. Don’t miss this youth pastor resource that combines social media, donuts, and brackets into one unforgettable church outreach event!

Episode 155: The Secret Sauce to Consistent Summer Engagement

June 26th, 2025  |  8 mins 9 secs

brady shearer, church communication, church growth, church reels, church social media, consistent content, digital discipleship, done for you content, hybrid ministry, instagram for churches, ministry marketing, pro church tools, seasonal content, social media pack, social media strategy, student ministry, summer engagement, summer ministry, summer social media, tiktok for ministry, youth group, youth group tips, youth ministry, youth pastor

Consistency is hard—unless you steal my system. In this episode, I break down my exact weekly summer content rhythm for youth ministry using the ☀️ Summer Seasonal Social Media Pack: 1 spiritual reel, 1 fun reel, 1 carousel, and some bonus hybrid magic. You’ll get the full template, schedule, and content—so you can stay consistent, connected, and (mostly) sane all summer long.

Episode 153: What I Posted This Week Using My Summer Content Pack

June 12th, 2025  |  10 mins 11 secs

brady shearer, church instagram, church reels, church social media, church tiktok, content for churches, digital discipleship, digital ministry, discipleship online, hybrid ministry, instagram for youth ministry, pro church tools, social media strategy, social posts for church, student ministry content, summer content pack, summer social media, what to post, youth group content, youth ministry, youth ministry ideas, youth pastor, youth pastor tools

I didn’t make anything new this week. I literally just hit post. Let me show you exactly what I shared using my Summer Content Pack—and how it performed.
Plus two bonus pieces of content that were the true all-stars at the end of this video!

Episode 149: Youth Ministry in the Summer? Should You Shut It Down or Show Up Strong?

May 15th, 2025  |  13 mins 59 secs

100 youth ministry ideas, church leadership, church summer programming, derry sabbatical card, free youth ministry resources, how to lead youth ministry, hybrid ministry, nick clason, patreon hybrid ministry, should youth group meet in summer, social media for youth pastors, student ministry, student ministry strategy, summer sabbatical, summer youth group ideas, summer youth series, youth group calendar, youth group content ideas, youth leader tips, youth ministry, youth pastor summer break

Summer is coming, and youth pastors everywhere are asking—do we keep programming or hit pause? In this video, we’ll break down the pros and cons of both options and help you decide what’s right for your ministry this summer. Stick around till the end for a FREE resource: 100 social media ideas to keep students engaged—even if you hit pause.
Plus 3 tips for summer ministry, regardless of the direction you choose