In Week 2 of our March series, Forming Leaders Before Leading Students, hosts Brent & David dive into an often overlooked but incredibly important topic for youth leaders: emotional health.

Ministry formation isn’t just spiritual and theological — it’s emotional too. In this episode, Brent & David talk about why youth leaders can’t disciple students past their own emotional maturity and how our inner emotional world quietly shapes the way we lead.

Together they explore:

• Why identifying emotional triggers matters in ministry

• The difference between reacting and responding in leadership moments

• How unresolved pain can unintentionally influence the way we lead

• Why students need emotionally steady and regulated adults

• The powerful example of the emotional life of Jesus

This conversation is an invitation for youth leaders to reflect honestly during this Lenten season and consider how emotional maturity plays a role in healthy, sustainable ministry.

Because the truth is simple:
Unprocessed emotions eventually become public leadership problems.

If this episode encouraged you, we’d love your help sharing it with others. Consider posting this episode — or your favorite episode of the podcast — on social media and tagging us on Instagram or Facebook using @talkstudentmin. Your share helps other youth leaders discover the conversation and reminds them they’re not leading alone.

• Instagram: @talkstudentmin

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• YouTube: Student Ministry Conversations

• Website: www.studentministryconversations.org

Brent Aiken
Instagram & Facebook: @heybrentaiken

David Pruitt
Facebook: @dpruitt
Instagram: @pruacoustic

Thanks for listening to Student Ministry Conversations, where Brent & David talk about the real challenges, growth, and calling of serving the next generation.

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