Students aren’t just consuming more content—they’re navigating more voices, opinions, and information than ever before. And not all of it is true.

This episode focuses on helping student ministry leaders teach discernment in a noisy, fast-moving digital culture. We’ll talk about how to help students slow down, think critically, and filter what they hear through wisdom and truth.

If you’re trying to move students from passive consumption to thoughtful engagement, this episode will give you tools to lead that shift.

Help Us Spread the Word
If this episode encourages you, would you consider sharing it?
Post this episode — or your favorite episode — on social media and tag us on Instagram or Facebook using @talkstudentmin. Your share helps other youth leaders discover the conversation and reminds them they’re not leading alone.


Connect with Student Ministry Conversations
Instagram: @talkstudentminFacebook: @talkstudentminYouTube: Student Ministry ConversationsWebsite: ⁠www.studentministryconversations.org⁠


Connect with the Hosts
Brent Aiken
Instagram & Facebook: @heybrentaiken
David Pruitt
Facebook: @dpruittInstagram: @pruacoustic

Thanks for listening to Student Ministry Conversations. We’re grateful to walk alongside you as you lead — and as God forms you in the process.

While Youth Ministry can be an incredible time of growth and leadership but the time comes when we all have to move on to our next church or next career. What are the steps that you can take to make the transition as smooth as possible? Join us as we talk to Bayli Avery, Brent Aiken's former associate youth pastor, on how youth pastors can step down without stepping out.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of formats including Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Radio Public and Apple Podcasts.

Show Notes
Leaving A Legacy That Doesn't End When You Leave

Connect With SMC
Instagram - @talkstudentmin
Twitter - @talkstudentmin
Facebook - @talkstudentmin
Clubhouse - "Student Ministry Convos"

Connect With Bayli Avery
Facebook
Avery's Awards on Facebook
Avery's Awards

Connect With The Hosts
Russell Martin on Clubhouse -- https://www.joinclubhouse.com/@rgmmusic
Brent Aiken on Clubhouse - https://www.joinclubhouse.com/@maiken5390
Russell Martin - @rgmmusic
Brent Aiken - @heybrentaiken

Welcome to this week's episode of the podcast where David and Brent get back to the roundtable discussion of the podcast starting their theme for the month of September on growing your group. This week, they are starting with the importance and power of personal invitation and how you can equip and encourage your students to invite others to come to youth.

Whether you are a young or old youth pastor, we would love for you to listen in and see what is talked about in today's episode and we would also love to hear from you!

What is your tidbit of advice that you would add to the conversation?

You can listen to this episode on all your preferred podcast providers.

We would also love to have you join the conversation if you would like to be on the show!

Shoot us a message on social media (@talkstudentmin) or an email (podcast@studentministryconversations.org) to get a time set for you to be on the show.

Show notes can be found on our website: www.studentministryconversations.org

Connect With SMC

Instagram – @talkstudentmin

Twitter – @talkstudentmin

Facebook – @talkstudentmin

Youtube - "Student Ministry Conversations"

Connect With The Hosts

Brent Aiken – @heybrentaiken

Russell Martin – @rgmmusic

David Pruitt - @pruacoustic

Melissa Stevenson - @melissa_stevenson81

You can also email all the hosts individually by: firstname@studentministryconversations.org

Support the Podcast!

Buy Our Merch! - www.studentministryconversations.org/shop

While we all look forward to the excitement and spiritual opportunities that Summer brings with service projects, mission trips, retreats and church camps we also hate how the spiritual high disappears so quickly from students after they return to their normal lives. What if that could be different? What if their experiences this Summer would allow them to grow and continue to strengthen and develop without losing that passion?

Come join the conversation as Russell sits down with Blake Dellacer as they talk about how to continue the spiritual high from church camp and mission trips through discipleship practices.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of formats including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Youtube, Breaker, Pocket Casts and Radio Public.

Show notes can be found on our website:
https://www.studentministryconversations.org

Video for this episode can be found here:
https://youtu.be/FR7YGmOfGrw

Connect With SMC
Instagram – @talkstudentmin
Twitter – @talkstudentmin
Facebook – @talkstudentmin
Youtube - "Student Ministry Conversations"

Connect With The Hosts
Russell Martin – @rgmmusic
Brent Aiken – @heybrentaiken

Support the Podcast!
Buy Our Merch!
www.studentministryconversations.org/shop
Become a Supporter!
https://anchor.fm/studentministryconvos/support

This week's episode is a little different. Brent just drops in briefly to share a quick note about volunteers and how you can build and encourage them in your ministry as well as use them as fuel for growing your volunteer base.

Whether you are a young or old youth pastor, we would love for you to listen in and see what is talked about in today's episode and we would also love to hear from you! What is your tidbit of advice that you would add to the conversation?

You can listen to this episode on all your preferred podcast providers. We would also love to have you join the conversation if you would like to be on the show!

Shoot us a message on social media (@talkstudentmin) or an email (podcast@studentministryconversations.org) to get a time set for you to be on the show.

Show notes can be found on our website: www.studentministryconversations.org

Connect With SMC

Instagram – @talkstudentmin

Twitter – @talkstudentmin

Facebook – @talkstudentmin

Youtube - "Student Ministry Conversations"

Connect With The Hosts

Brent Aiken – @heybrentaiken

Russell Martin – @rgmmusic

David Pruitt - @pruacoustic

Melissa Stevenson - @melissa_stevenson81

Micah Marshall - @micahmarshall

You can also email all the hosts individually by: firstname@studentministryconversations.org

Support the Podcast!

Buy Our Merch! - www.studentministryconversations.org/shop

While working in youth ministry, many will claim that they do their best work when they are on the fly but there are so many dangers in not allowing yourself time to be organized with your plans, lessons and everything else that ministry requires. How can you work to MAKE yourself be organized?

Come join the conversation as Brent sits down with Paul Turner, the host of the Youth Ministry in Motion podcast, as they talk about what it means to be organized, how to become organized and how to stay disciplined enough to build solid organizational practices in your ministry.

You can listen to this episode on all your preferred podcast providers.

We would also love to have you join the conversation if you would like to be on the show! Shoot us a message on social media (@talkstudentmin) or an email (podcast@studentministryconversations.org) to get a time set for you to be on the show.

Show notes can be found on our website: www.studentministryconversations.org

Video for this episode can be found here: https://youtu.be/rHq3Ry_gCGw

Connect With SMC
Instagram – @talkstudentmin
Twitter – @talkstudentmin
Facebook – @talkstudentmin
Youtube - "Student Ministry Conversations"

Connect With The Hosts
Russell Martin – @rgmmusic
Brent Aiken – @heybrentaiken

Support the Podcast!
Buy Our Merch! www.studentministryconversations.org/shop
Be A Patreon Subscriber! https://www.patreon.com/talkstudentmin

In the final week of our March series, Forming Leaders Before Leading Students, hosts Brent & David tackle a reality that many youth leaders experience but rarely talk about openly: what it looks like to keep showing up in ministry when your faith feels dry.

There are seasons where:

• You’re leading, but feel distant.
• You’re teaching, but feel empty.
• You’re praying, but hear silence.

And in those moments, it can be tempting to question your calling — or feel like you’re falling short as a leader.

In this episode, Brent & David create space for honest conversation around spiritual dryness and remind leaders that these seasons are not signs of failure, but often part of deeper formation.

Together they explore:

• Why spiritual dryness is more common than we admit
• The tension of leading others while feeling spiritually empty
• What Scripture shows us about seasons of lament and struggle
• How to lead with honesty instead of pretending
• Practices that help sustain faith during difficult seasons

This episode is a reminder that God is still at work — even in the quiet, even in the desert, even when you don’t feel it.

Because the truth is:
You don’t have to feel full to be faithful.

Help Us Spread the Word

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.

Connect with Student Ministry Conversations

• Instagram: @talkstudentmin
• Facebook: @talkstudentmin
• YouTube: Student Ministry Conversations
• Website: www.studentministryconversations.org

Connect with the Hosts

Brent AikenInstagram & Facebook: @heybrentaiken

David PruittFacebook: @dpruittInstagram: @pruacoustic

Thanks for listening to Student Ministry Conversations. Brent & David are grateful to walk alongside you as you lead — in every season, even the dry ones.

In Week 3 of our March series, Forming Leaders Before Leading Students, hosts Brent & David take a deeper look at the difference between striving in ministry and abiding in Christ.

In a culture that often measures success by output, productivity, and visible results, it’s easy for youth leaders to drift into striving — constantly doing more, producing more, and carrying more pressure.

But Jesus offers a different way.

In this episode, Brent & David unpack what it means to lead from a place of abiding rather than exhaustion, and how true, lasting fruit in ministry flows from connection with Christ — not constant effort.

Together they discuss:

• The subtle ways striving shows up in youth ministry

• Why productivity can become a false measure of success

• What Jesus teaches about abiding in Him

• How to recognize when you’re leading from pressure instead of presence

• Simple, practical rhythms that help leaders stay connected to Christ

This conversation invites leaders to slow down, release unnecessary pressure, and rediscover the freedom of leading from overflow instead of depletion.

Because at the end of the day:You cannot manufacture spiritual fruit through effort alone.

Help Us Spread the Word

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.

Connect with Student Ministry Conversations

• Instagram: @talkstudentmin

• Facebook: @talkstudentmin

• YouTube: Student Ministry Conversations

• Website: ⁠www.studentministryconversations.org⁠

Connect with the Hosts

Brent AikenInstagram & Facebook: @heybrentaiken

David PruittFacebook: @dpruittInstagram: @pruacoustic

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