Archive for the ‘Training’ Category

Even after a year of visiting 12 locations to present our $5 Training I still get people who ask me, “Is this for real?  I can really bring all my volunteer leaders to your training for only $5 a person?  C’mon, what’s the catch?”  Honestly, there is no catch, I promise.  Barefoot is about inspiring, [...]

Barefoot Ministries | $5 Training

Posted: 8th August 2009 by Chris in Training, Youth Ministry

We are one step closer to the official launch of our $5 Training website.  I’m totally stoked about this 12 city youth ministry training tour.  You can visit our temporary site, www.5dollartraining.com and leave your contact info and when our site goes live in the next few days we’ll let you know so you can [...]

As recently as this morning I have had conversations with youth workers around North America regarding the impact the economic challenges are having on youth ministry – specifically in the area of training and leadership development.  Now is the time of year that many youth workers would be gearing up for a fall conference to [...]

My predecessor at Barefoot left a pile of book proposals on my desk and today I picked up a small stack of them during a slower moment in the day and began to skim them.
At first glance at, two things surprised me about the proposals.  First, the proposals were eerily similar in their content.  All [...]

I spent this past weekend in San Antonio, TX with some new friends at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and a few other churches within the Diocese of West Texas.  I led several conversations for a couple dozens students around mission, community and identity formation – some of the very things we’ve recently been discussing on [...]

Working as a Team

Posted: 11th March 2009 by Chris in Consulting, Leadership, Training, Youth Ministry

Below is a recent email I received.  Maybe some of you can help out Richard with your years of experience and expertise.  I’ve given him some of my quick and brief thoughts below.
Hi Chris,
I know you do consulting with YS.  Can you help me out?  I’m in my first year of youth ministry and I’m [...]

When our family moved from the Chicago area to Kansas City last summer we began attending a church called, Church of the Resurrection.  Our pastor is Adam Hamilton who is a brilliant communicator and very thoughtful writer.  His latest book is entitled, Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White: Thoughts on Religion, Morality [...]

Prelude 2009

Posted: 3rd February 2009 by Chris in Books, Events, Theology, Training, Youth Ministry

Last year Mike King and I hosted the first of what we hope becomes many micro-conferences called, Prelude.  There was about 50 youth workers or so that gathered at our Youthfront Camp South to dialogue around Andrew Root’s book entitled, Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry and Sarah Arthur’s book entitled, The God-Hungry Imagination. It was a [...]

Shaped By The Story, by Michael Novelli

Posted: 3rd February 2009 by Chris in Books, Training, Youth Ministry

I read Michael Novelli’s book, Shaped by the Story: Helping Students Encounter God in a New Way a few months ago when it released.  I’m finally getting around to posting about it. Don’t let my tardiness be a reflection on his wonderful work.  After all, there were nearly two months when my blog was dark.
Before [...]

NYWC – Pittsburgh

Posted: 3rd November 2008 by Chris in Consulting, Events, Training

I spent the last couple days in Pittsburgh at the National Youth Workers Convention.  I had a fantastic time connecting with old and new friends.
My seminars were definitely a highlight.  I did a critical concerns course on Thursday and Friday with my friend Kelly Lashly who is a youth ministry prof over at Sioux Falls [...]