Marko starts a 3-episode sub-season on teenage brains, in this episode talking about the role of third-person perspective in the formation of a young teen’s identity.

Marko reads an open letter he wrote to youth workers when his (now adult) kids were teenagers, including four requests. Learn more about Dreaming Youth Ministry's Future: https://www.theyouthcartel.com/blog/dreaming-youth-ministrys-future.

In this short (4 Minutes with Marko!) final episode of the year, Marko reflects on why patience is absolutely required when looking for outcomes and results in youth ministry.

Marko unpacks a simple assessment tool he regularly uses when coaching ministry leaders to think about how to address the different aspects of your job responsibilities in order to move toward greater vibrancy.

Marko shares a bit about his own growth — deep into life — in understanding and experiencing spiritual discernment, and suggests some ways our ministries should prioritize collaborative discernment.

Marko shares a story that illustrates how a student’s sense of belonging can be lost or gained through seemingly tiny acknowledgements of “we see you; you belong here.”

In this super-short episode (3 Minutes with Marko!), we’ll look at the difference between stupid risk, and the sort of faith-fueled risk that is absolutely essential for great youth ministry. To learn more about the Youth Cartel's coaching program, please visit TheYouthCartel.com/coaching.

Marko talks briefly about both the terminology of ‘junior high’ or ‘middle school’, as well as which grades are included. Bonus: a mini history lesson!

On the surface, this episode lists 12 ways to be a youth worker who stays put for a long time; but really, this episode is about humility.

Marko describes the characteristics of the sort of person who’s able to bring change from inside a church or organization.

Marko suggests that materialism isn’t the core problem, it’s consumerism. Bonus: this episode includes a snarky Top 10 Signs Your Youth Ministry Might Be Built on Consumeristic Assumptions. Learn more about The Youth Cartel Coaching at theyouthcartel.com.

In this first half of a two-parter, Marko sets up the problem of materialism and why it’s so difficult to effectively address

Marko wrongly says this episode is 8 minutes (it’s 11); but he rightly sets up presence as the central practice and vision for our youth ministries.

In the first half of this two-parter, Marko identifies the source-code for how our youth ministries became so program-driven. To learn more about the Youth Cartel and it's coaching options and resources, please visit TheYouthCartel.com.

In this double-length episode, Marko talks honestly about the forces that corrode innovation and the resources youth workers need to stay in orbit of the understandable hairball of their church.

A super-sized episode about the importance of cultivating and protecting trust as you head into summer programs.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko shares the story of an annoying conversation in a plane that reminded him of the power of listening and presence.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko uses the old video game Frogger to explain the transition young teens are living through.By Mark Oestreicher

In this episode, Marko explains how the onset of third-person perspective plays a huge role in young teen identity formation.By Mark Oestreicher

A final Nuggets episode, with two of ’em: the most important questions when making a programming change, and changing the implication of the title ‘youth pastor.’By Mark Oestreicher

3 more Nugs, this time on making wrong decisions, closed churches, and reframing ‘senior fade.’By Mark Oestreicher

3 Nuggets this time, on reframing dissatisfaction, a silly crowd breaker, and what I want for all of youth ministry.By Mark Oestreicher

A final four weeks of “small plates”. This time around Marko serves up questions, mistakes, flexibility, mystery, and rest!By Mark Oestreicher

Marko reflects on four seemingly insignificant moments from his own teenage years that significantly impacted the trajectory of his life.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko reflects on four seemingly insignificant moments from his own teenage years that significantly impacted the trajectory of his life.By Mark Oestreicher

One of the many secret sauces in great youth ministry--having rails to run on but being responsive to the need for shifts in our plans.By Mark Oestreicher

This final part of the three-part subseries on hope wraps things up and makes a bunch of suggestions for youth ministry.By Mark Oestreicher

In this second of a three-part subseries, Marko unpacks the model he developed to understand biblical hope.By Mark Oestreicher

A three-parter on biblical hope, starting with the story of how Marko discovered he had (like so many Americans) wrongly made hope and optimism synonymous.By Mark Oestreicher

Accurate feedback loops are almost non-existent in middle school ministry, which is part of why it’s so challenging to measure success.By Mark Oestreicher

A bit more devotional this week, as Marko shares thoughts from a time a few years back when he realized he was ignoring his spiritual wellbeing.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko briefly unpacks three essential components of leadership in a post-hierarchical world.By Mark Oestreicher

Our American culture tells leaders that asking for help is a sign of weakness and will push people away from you; but just the opposite is true.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko’s friend Paul Martin wrote a blog post years ago with this episode’s title, and Marko reviews a copy of it from time to time as he thinks about the junior high small group he leads.By Mark Oestreicher

Ask any youth worker who has stayed at the same church for more than 10 years, and they’ll easily provide a laundry list of benefits. In this episode, Marko unpacks four mindsets that can help you achieve longevity.By Mark Oestreicher

Three more nuggets in this collection: on embracing your oddity, creating safety in your ministry, and a poetic prayer for rest and rejuvenation.By Mark Oestreicher

Four nugs this week, including a 10-part collection of sub-nuggets! Confused? It’ll all be clear when you listen.By Mark Oestreicher

Three nugs in this episode on being childlike, why it’s important to get guys to do stuff, and defining the best life.By Mark Oestreicher

Think of this as four episodes of 90 Seconds with Marko, briefly touching on belonging, failure, and how to become a youth ministry veteran.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko looks at how our culture has massively swung the pendulum from treating young people like little adults, to treating them like children.By Mark Oestreicher

What’s the relationship between “who you are” and “what you do”? Marko suggests they shouldn’t be the same but can spoon.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko shares the story of how he got fired from a church over unspoken expectations. Bad endings for youth workers are pretty always due to misaligned values or unspoken expectations.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko shares a tension he used to struggle with, between his ability to manipulate teenagers into a faith decision and still wanting to offer those opportunities. He found help in a new mindset and language.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko shares five prompts to get you thinking about this important question, which you can use for your own growth in self-knowledge or with a team you do ministry alongside.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko quickly interviews Brock Morgan, author of The Anxious Teen, about the rise of anxiety in teenagers, and what we youth workers can do. (note: this is a double-size episode!)By Mark Oestreicher

Considering that little, seemingly innocuous part of your ministry that could be its downfall.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko unpacks a powerful scene from Les Miserables to consider the sort of hope we all need, especially the teenagers we work with.By Mark Oestreicher

Adopting an attitude of curiosity will completely reframe your interactions with parents of teenagers.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko unpacks an area of his leadership that needed to change, how he became aware of it, and what he did about it.By Mark Oestreicher

Marko tells a story about a time he realized the lie perpetuated by so many in the church, that we can make ourselves happy by choosing it.By Mark Oestreicher