A key lesson that Matt has learnt over the years has been to invest in training student leaders. Matt ran the Cru group in the junior school of around 20 kids, “When we had student leaders run the group instead of us, they prepared so thoroughly, they did the Bible talk, even at the young age of 12! We realised we needed to invest more, pray with the leaders, and train them.” Because of the student leaders, this group grew to around 50-60 kids.

Jesus said, “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”, and that is still the case because the gospel harvest is as plentiful as there are people - and there is a lot of people! The good news is that there are many churches looking for children's and youth ministers for the gospel harvest. Or more precisely, many churches are looking for a children's and youth minister who’s learnt how to do effective children's and youth ministry. The bad news is… there are more churches looking than there are children’s and youth ministers to fill positions.

No matter what your memories are, pastoral supervision should continue to be part of your own development and the development of those under your care. Here’s three reasons why supervision matters, and why it is still a core part of ministry formation at Youthworks College.

What is the goal of Sunday Schools and how has this goal been shaped by the history of Sunday Schools in Australia?

Junee Park was a teacher for 15 years before she came to Youthworks College in 2013. She and her husband Jo were involved in a church plant, and she found herself running the children’s ministry.

Toby Knights’ ministry position is a little different from most youth ministers. He and his wife Rachel job-share at St Barnabas Broadway (Barneys) pastoring kids, youth, and families. They saw an opportunity to serve the Lord and use their complementary gifts in a church that they love.

Connor Davaram shares how through terrible grief God called him and taught him that while we are in this world, there will be trouble and hardship and persecution - but that we can take heart for Christ has overcome the world.

Bec Witcombe reflects on her experience of being reluctant to go into ministry, but this year she has begun as a youth and children’s minister in the Blue Mountains.

At the start of 2022, if God appeared to you in a dream and said he would give you whatever you asked in your role as a minister of the gospel, what would you ask for?