Youth Ministry & The Vine
Kyle Hoffsmith
My Book
I’m excited to share my book from Matthias Media, out now! Youth Ministry & the Vine: A Ministry Mindshift for Discipling the Next Generation.
Blog Posts & Articles
A selection of writing that I’ve shared here on my own blog or contributed as featured guest posts for other publications.
“Aim for patterns in the home, not perfection.” Michael and Melissa Kruger, The Good News Family Devotional: 52 Weeks Through the Gospel of Mark. Page 11
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
Remember that he sees us now in Christ. Behold, he has put his people into the hands of his dear Son. He has even put us into Christ’s body; “for we are members of …
“There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.” C.S. Lewis, Christian Reflections (Eerdmans, 1978), 33.
"What is ambition? I define ambition as that strong desire we have to make something or to achieve something, even when it takes great effort, focus, and determination. It's worth paying attention to that …
“Happathy is seeping into our youth ministry programs and our student conferences. When these events are more about highlighting popular bands and energetic speakers than they are about discipleship and service, you know they …
"Many people at the top of organizations are not leaders. They have authority, but they are not leaders. And many at the bottom with no authority are absolutely leaders." Simon Sinek: Why Good Leaders …
"The gospel is not only the most important message in all of history; it is the only essential message in all of history. Yet we allow thousands of professing Christians to live their entire …
"For many people, the first question that occurs is, 'But how do I persuade my CEO to get it?' My answer: Don't worry about that ... each of us can create a pocket of …
Richard Sibbes: "Union is the foundation of communion." Richard Sibbes, “Bowels Opened,” in The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes, ed. Alexander B. Grosart, 7 vols. (Edinburgh: James Nichol, 1862–1864), 2:174
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
Robert Murray M’Cheyne: “It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.” Quoted on page 61 in …
"Why is the pastorate so challenging and difficult? Because it is opposed by Satan. The devil hates Christ, his church, and those who lead it. And because of this, church leaders are regularly subjected …
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
“For God to de-resurrect you, to bring his rich mercy to an end, Jesus Christ himself would have to be sucked down out of heaven and put back in the tomb of Joseph of …
“David Jackman makes the nice comparison between a church and a car. So, to pursue the metaphor, we might put the Bible in the boot or trunk of the car. It is then brought …
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] Are you looking for a book or books to recommend for high school students to …
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
John Stam was a missionary to China who was eventually beheaded for his faith. He paid the ultimate price for following and proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ. He wrote: "The faithfulness of God …
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
Jim Elliot, who was murdered as he sought to proclaim the Gospel to an unreached tribe in South America, said this about the timing of death. May the time that God gives each of …
[Do you want to get these emails sent directly to your inbox? SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the page] The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both …
Elizabeth Elliot quotes Corrie ten Boom as saying: “The donkey that carried Jesus was not proud; he knew the shouts, applause, and hosannas were for Jesus.” This is a true and helpful illustration of …
The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both new and experienced student pastors toward faithful ministry over many years. This 12th in this series is with Russ …
The goal of "Welcome to Student Ministry" is to post interviews that help guide both new and experienced student pastors toward faithful ministry over many years. This eleventh interview (and first one since February …
I felt a jolt of excited energy as our team of volunteers left the church gym in the early morning hours after hosting an outreach event that we call “Fifth Quarter.” One of my …
Clay Scroggins wrote a book titled How to Lead When You're Not In Charge. He writes on page 225: "I'm done treading water, just waiting on authority or a title to start leading. I'm …
James Hamilton is professor of biblical theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and pastor at Kenwood Baptist Church. He wrote the book Typology: Understanding The Bible's Promise-Shaped Patterns. On page 27 he writes: …
Do you need an outreach idea for students at your local high school? Consider hosting a 5th Quarter Event.
Dear Parents, Being a child or teenager in our culture today might not be more difficult than in previous generations. However, due to the developments of technology, the changing of cultural norms, and a plethora …
Teaching students how to properly read, understand, and apply the Bible is a terrifying task considering the Bible has 66 books, hundreds of chapters, and thousands of verses. This task is intensified when our youth ministries …
“Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Many of us learned these lyrics when we were young and now have them hidden deep within our hearts and minds. We likely memorized …
There are so many different methods and questions we can use when reading the Bible with students. Over the past several years at our church we have adapted several different types of questions from …
Christmas is a time where many gifts are given and received. We should consider how giving solid resources to teenagers during this time can potentially change the trajectory of their lives. Now, I realize …
James Montgomery Boice's book titled Come to the Water. On the January 8 devotional he writes: "First, when the Lord shut Noah and his family up in the ark, they were totally secure and …
Peter Greer and Doug Fagerstorm wrote a book that was published in 2020 titled Succession. Interestingly enough, it is about the important topic of succession. This insightful book uses the stories of many leaders …
In 2013 I was visiting seminaries trying to decide which one to attend. In God's providence, while I was visiting Southern Seminary, there was also a 9Marks conference on Expository Preaching happening at the …
Pastors and all Bible teachers use many words. Just think, if a pastor preaches or teaches 50 weeks a year and each of those weeks includes an hour and a half of sermons or …
One temptation for those who study the Bible is to always approach a biblical text through predetermined theological lenses. This can start when people are young and usually answer questions in Sunday School by …
It is no secret that there are racial tensions in our country today. These tensions exist both inside and outside the church. People have different opinions about what is the cause, effect, and actual …
Many people hear the words "Theology Books" and think of large, dust covered books that professors and pastors use to write papers, sermons, and even more books. This is true and a beneficial use …
2,213. This is how many days went by from my very first class at Southern Seminary to the date my last assignment was due for my Master of Divinity degree. I started seminary with …
The teenage years are where people lay the foundation for which they will live the rest of their lives! It is during this time that we must help teens learn the Bible and also …
There are MILLIONS of books available for you and I to read. These books serve different purposes: education, recreation, etc. How can we decide which books are most helpful to read? Well, the answer …
Theology involves people studying and learning about God. In one essence, as RC Sproul wisely titled one of his books, everyone is a theologian. Even those who reject God have learned about him and …