It is almost time for House Conference and Tim Beilharz is joined by Myles Elton ( St James, Croydon ) and Naomi de Vries ( The Bridge Church ) to talk about the problem of sin. Together, they delve into the academic papers to be presented at House, seeking to help theology shape practice in our ministry to children and youth. They focus on the ways to understand and communicate the concept of sin in youth and children's ministry, exploring the ideas presented in Reverend Dr. Michael Jensen's an...
Aug 13, 2024•51 min•Ep. 72
This week, Tim Beilharz brings in two more ‘Postcards From Chicago’—short interviews with fellow presenters at this year’s Children's Spirituality Summit . Traci Smith ( Faithful Families ) shares about integrating faith practices into daily family life and her research with Dave Csinos on family faith practices and their real-life impacts. Then Stacy Davis ( Dallas Theological Seminary ) shares her research on the faith lives of children with parents in theological studies. They explore the uni...
Aug 06, 2024•39 min•Ep. 71
House Conference Special: Exploring the Doctrine of Sin with Michael Jensen and Tom Habib In this special double episode of the Effective Ministry Podcast, host Al James introduces two Papers for House Conference on the doctrine of sin by theologians Rev Dr Michael Jensen and Rev Dr Tom Habib. This episode (ep 069) features Michael Jensen's paper, 'It's a Sin: Recovering the Language of Sin,' which delves into the contemporary difficulties of discussing sin and its importance in Christian theolo...
Jul 31, 2024•47 min•Ep. 69
House Conference Special: Exploring the Doctrine of Sin with Michael Jensen and Tom Habib In this special double episode of the Effective Ministry Podcast, host Al James introduces audio readings of Papers for House Conference on the doctrine of sin by theologians Rev Dr Michael Jensen and Rev Dr Tom Habib. Episode 59 features Michael Jensen's paper, 'It's a Sin: Recovering the Language of Sin,' which delves into the contemporary difficulties of discussing sin and its importance in Christian the...
Jul 31, 2024•45 min•Ep. 70
This episode, Tim Beilharz catches up with Dave Whittingham, host of 'Stories of a Faithful God' and 'Stories of a Faithful God for Kids'. Dave shares his journey into ministry and offers insights into the power of narrative in teaching the Bible to both kids and adults. Discover how these podcasts can support family engagement with the Bible, creating an effective youth and children's ministry in your church. Plus, stay tuned for a special preview of an episode from 'Stories of a Faithful God f...
Jul 23, 2024•35 min•Ep. 68
This week, Tim Beilharz is joined by Jesse Joyner, a Christian variety performer known as Jesse, The Juggler. They discuss the concept of the 'holy fool,' exploring how clowns, jugglers, magicians, and other variety performers use their seemingly foolish acts to convey profound messages and serve in their vocational calling. Jesse shares his insights on the theological foundations of this idea, the joy and community aspect of performing, and his own experiences integrating faith and art to impac...
Jul 02, 2024•43 min•Ep. 67
This week, Steve Carlisle, Director of the Youthworks Year 13 program shares insights on understanding Revelation as a source of comfort and confidence for Christians. By focusing on God's sovereignty we can be encouraged to persevere in our ministry to young people, even when things get tough. Show Notes Year 13 - a Christian gap year like no other Book Youthworks training to equip and encourage your children's, youth, family and intergenerational ministry. Register for House Conference here . ...
Jun 25, 2024•28 min•Ep. 66
In this week’s episode, Tim Beilharz shares two more "Postcards from Chicago” , short conversations with some of the presenters at the 2024 Children’s Spirituality Summit . Tim speaks with David Scott, Associate Professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, about children's 'Contributionality' and their inherent spiritual value in church communities. Valerie Grissom, worship leader and pastor, discusses the vital role of lament in children's spiritual lives and how communities can create spaces for ...
Jun 18, 2024•32 min•Ep. 65
This week on the Effective Ministry Podcast, Al James shares his research on Youth Retention at Youthworks College's latest Theology Think Tank held on June 6, 2024. To see the full Theology Think Tank video click here . Hear Al James talk more about his research on The Pastor's Heart podcast here . Download the handout of Al's presentation here . Al James, a Youth Ministry Advisor for Youthworks, addresses the alarming dropout rates and factors influencing youth faith retention. Al speaks about...
Jun 11, 2024•42 min•Ep. 64
In this episode Tim Beilharz speaks with Jazz Hawkins and Ruby Brideson from Take Love, an initiative by Anglicare Sydney focusing on helping youth and young adults bring the love of Jesus into their communities. Take Love programs, sessions and interactive experiences address issues like mental health, poverty, and domestic abuse. They explore programs like Beyond These Walls and Before It Starts, which educate and engage youth in serving the vulnerable. Show Notes Take Love https://takelove.or...
Jun 04, 2024•43 min•Ep. 63
In this episode, Tim Beilharz shares the first of a number of short conversations he had while attending the Children's Spirituality Summit in Chicago. First, Tim speaks to Henry Zonio from Asbury University about the “null curriculum” and what children learn when churches don’t address cultural issues like race and gender diversity. Next, Chris Barnett from InterGen Australia shares the importance of having a good theology of the child as we approach children’s and intergenerational ministry. C...
May 28, 2024•36 min•Ep. 62
Welcome back to the Effective Ministry Podcast! This week, we're joined by Harriet Connor, the content editor of Growing Faith, to discuss the challenges and solutions in modern Christian parenting. Harriet introduces her new podcast, Timeless Parenting, created in partnership with Mothers Union Sydney, to provide biblical guidance and support for Christian parents. We delve into the importance of partnership between children's ministry leaders and parents, the impact of technology and social me...
May 21, 2024•28 min•Ep. 61
This week Tim Beilharz and fellow Youthworks Advisor, Adam Jolliffe, jump into the critical topic of recruitment for youth and children's ministry in local churches. They discuss the importance of having a sufficient number of leaders for effective ministry and discipline and share insights on the 'why' behind recruitment, emphasising the need to effectively communicate the purpose and benefits to potential volunteers. The conversation covers strategic approaches to asking, including starting wi...
May 14, 2024•36 min•Ep. 60
This week Tim Beilharz discusses how to run children’s and youth small groups with an intergenerational lens. Drawing from the recent SMBC Children's Ministry Conference, Tim explores how small groups in children's, youth, and adult ministries can benefit from an intergenerational approach. He outlines the foundational elements of intergenerational ministry, differentiating between multigenerational and intergenerational churches, and stresses the need for intentional, mutual engagement across d...
May 07, 2024•32 min•Ep. 59
This week we delve into the complex and essential topic of the doctrine of sin, as a taster for the upcoming House Conference organized by Youthworks, August 27th-29th. Hosted by Al James, the discussion features insights from committee members and youth and children's minister who explore the nature of sin, its impact on relationships with God and others, and its significance in youth and children's ministry. The episode emphasizes the importance of understanding sin as both a state of the worl...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 58
Exploring Story and Faith in Children's Ministry: The Forgetful Prince In this episode of the Effective Ministry Podcast, host Tim Beilharz, talks with Matt and Lauren Redmond, authors of the children's book 'The Forgetful Prince'. They discuss the role of storytelling, art, and literature in the spiritual formation of children and the partnership between church and home in nurturing faith. The conversation delves into themes of the book such as adoption, identity, and belonging, and explores ho...
Apr 23, 2024•38 min•Ep. 57
In this episode of the Effective Ministry podcast, hosts Tim Beilharz and Annemarie Rivers, both children's ministry advisors for YouthWorks in Sydney, delve into the topic of group management and discipline within children's ministry settings. They explore the challenges of maintaining discipline in a way that aligns with Gospel values, emphasising the importance of relational, respectful, and restorative approaches. Annemarie shares insights on the potential disconnect between traditional disc...
Apr 16, 2024•33 min•Ep. 56
In this episode of the Effective Ministry podcast Tim Beilharz ( Youthworks MST ) hosts a discussion with Mike Dicker, principal of YouthWorks College, Emma Collette, executive minister at Church Hill Anglican, and Mark Schroeder, school chaplain at Broughton Anglican College into the integration of Christian beliefs in the education sector. The episode covers the importance of thinking Christianly about education, especially for those teaching outside Christian schools. It also explores the new...
Apr 09, 2024•35 min•Ep. 55
In this episode of the Effective Ministry podcast, host Al James from YouthWorks in Sydney, is joined by Sam Davidson, the Director of Family Ministry at Norwest Anglican Church. They discuss strategies for building a culture of serving within kids' ministries, highlighting the importance of integrating children into various church activities, such as tech support, greeting, and teaching roles. The discussion covers practical approaches to encourage serving, incorporating theology and research s...
Apr 02, 2024•29 min•Ep. 54
In this episode of the Effective Ministry podcast you will listen in on the book launch evening for 'Australian Evangelical Perspectives on Youth Ministry' , edited by Dr. Ruth Lukabyo. The book, featuring contributions from Youthworks College lecturers and other authors from Australian churches and Bible colleges, aims to bridge theological principles with practical youth ministry. Highlights include introductions to the book and its themes, a panel discussion with Dr. Ruth Lukabyo, Lionel Wind...
Mar 26, 2024•57 min•Ep. 53
Tim Beilharz talks with David Rietveld, who brings his experience in youth and senior ministry to discuss the challenges and strategies for nurturing youth and children's ministry in today's post-Christian world. Rietveld, the author of ' Being Christian After Christendom ,' addresses navigating ministry in a post-Christian society and the importance of understanding and communicating the gospel effectively in a world where traditional Christian values no longer hold the same influence. The disc...
Mar 19, 2024•41 min•Ep. 52
Tim Beilharz welcomes Youth Pastor Theologian, Mike McGarry. They chat about Mike's work in bridging theology with practical youth ministry, the importance of a theological foundation in youth ministry, Mike's personal journey into faith and ministry, and the role of youth pastors in shaping young believers. The conversation also covers the challenges and strategies of youth ministry in a post-Christian context, emphasising the need for a theological approach to address the critical questions yo...
Mar 12, 2024•42 min•Ep. 51
In this episode of The Effective Ministry Podcast, host Tim Beilharz interviews Awana CEO Matt Markins, author of The Faith of Our Children: Eight Timely Research Insights for Discipling the Next Generation . Matt shares his personal journey from growing up in a dysfunctional family to finding solace and direction in the church, which sparked his passion for child discipleship. He discusses the critical role of the church in intentionally forming children's faith and counters the common approach...
Mar 05, 2024•52 min•Ep. 50
Tim Beilharz is joined by Reverend Ian Barnett, founder and CEO of the National Grandparent Movement. They explore the unique opportunities that grandparents have in influencing the faith formation of their grandchildren and the wider youth ministry. Ian Barnett shares practical ways for grandparents to express their faith, share stories, and pray with their grandkids, whether they are biological or part of the wider church community. Also discussed are the challenges grandparents face, the grow...
Dec 19, 2023•31 min•Ep. 49
Tim Beilharz, is joined by David Krebs ( SUNSW ), Heather Thompson (High School SRE Teacher) and Liam Nolan (Youth and Families Minister, Normanhurst Anglican Church ) to discuss how lunchtime groups in public schools can be a great complement to both SRE and local church ministry. Contact David Krebs about starting your own lunchtime group david.krebs@sunsw.org.au Click on through to discover more from the Youthworks Ministry Support Team and find out how Youthworks can help yo...
Dec 12, 2023•34 min•Ep. 48
Tim continues his conversation with Marshall Ballentine-Jones (CEO of DigiHelp Publishing) and Emma Argall (Christian School teacher) about pornography and its impact on young people. They discuss the importance of parents understanding the extent of internet access and the potential dangers. The guests emphasise the role of communication and stress the necessity to discuss 'awkward' topics like sex, masturbation, and pornography with children. The episode also highlights tools and resources to ...
Dec 12, 2023•26 min•Ep. 47
Tim is joined by Marshall Ballentine-Jones (CEO of DigiHelp Publishing) and Emma Argall (Christian School teacher) to talk about pornography and it’s impact on young people. Together they delve into challenges faced in raising children and youth in a highly sexualized world, particularly one with high pornography consumption. They explore the guilt and shame often associated with pornography consumption among Christian youth, the neurological effects of porn addiction, the theological implicatio...
Dec 12, 2023•32 min•Ep. 46
In this special bonus episode, Tim delves deeper into the topic of faith integration in education with Dr. Ruby Holland. They discuss the importance of integrating Christian faith into all subjects for the holistic formation of young students in Christian schools. They particularly discuss examples from history, including studies of World War II and the Holocaust, and how these subjects present opportunities to tackle profound faith-based discussions. Ruby emphasizes the need for students to see...
Nov 28, 2023•10 min•Ep. 45
Do we choose top-down instruction or a bottom-up discovery approach when it comes to ministering to young people? Tim is joined by Gareth Crispin and Robin Barfield as they wrestle with this question and seek to find a third way through the theology of James Loder. Click on through to discover more from the Youthworks Ministry Support Team and find out how Youthworks can help you have an effective youth and children's ministry in your local church. You can partner in the ministry ...
Nov 14, 2023•36 min•Ep. 44
Tim is joined by Sam Hudson, Head of Christian Outdoor Education at Youthworks, and his wife Lex to discuss the value of outdoor parent-child adventures. Sam and Lex recently piloted a father-son canoeing adventure and saw first-hand the relational benefits that it gave each pair who attended. To stay up to date on future events, follow the Youthworks Facebook page or email effectiveministrypodcast@youthworks.net . Click on through to discover more from the Youthworks Ministry Support Tea...
Nov 07, 2023•29 min•Ep. 43
