Posts by Alexis Howard
Battle of the Brackets Club
The March Madness has begun! If you’re hosting a “Battle of the Brackets” club, below are some ideas to get you ballin’. Attire Encourage everyone to wear gear from their favorite college team, and if they don’t have a college team they love, just wear any sports gear. Give a prize to whoever looks the…
Read MoreWhen Middle Schoolers become VIPs
Last fall, we hosted our third annual Late Night event for middle school students across the Upper Cumberland. As we dreamed and planned and prayed, 150 kids coming to Late Night felt attainable but still a dream. As we ordered equipment, counted up registrations, and attempted to group the students, we quickly realized that 150…
Read MoreSt. Patrick’s Day Club Ideas
LEPRECHAUN NAME TAGS You need name tags big enough for first and last names, and give everyone a Lephrechaun name. Have fun with adding a “y” to the first or last name. We ask the kid what they would prefer so they like it and will keep the name tag for club. Robb Schreiber turns…
Read MoreLooking for a Summer Internship?
“More and more we are seeing college students who WANT to go on Summer Staff but NEED to do an internship. We can help them solve this dilemma. Utilizing Summer Staff as an internship will take our summer staff experience to the next level…” –Cat Ryden, Divisional Coordinator for YL College, Central Southern Division “I…
Read MoreSuper Bowl Trivia and Prediction Games
Super Bowl 56 is this Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022. Stats predict that more than 1/3 of all Americans will be watching it. You might be having a Super Bowl themed club during the week or gathering this Sunday night. Below are a few ideas to kick around. Super Bowl Trivia This trivia game can be…
Read MoreA Guide to Latino Ministry
The intention of this post isn’t for you to become an expert in Latino ministry but it’s for you to at least have some awareness. This is a quick guide, adapted from a training I give that’s usually two hours long. Why is it so important to do ministry for Latinos? The Latinos are the…
Read More5 Tips to help you do Contact Work with Middle Schoolers
What adults influenced your life when you were a middle schooler? We have an incredible opportunity to share Jesus with kids as they navigate life as an adolescent. Below are five tips to help you pursue relationships with them. 1. Go in pairs. “After this, the Lord appointed seventy others, and He sent them ahead of…
Read MoreGrowing Big Spaces in Small Places: Learning Spiritual Practices from our Capernaum Friends
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts”. Colossians 3:16 NIV “Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in…
Read MoreHow to Relate to School Principals
About ten years ago, I was privileged to be part of a Young Life group that met to discuss teachers as volunteer leaders. I sat with a group of Area Directors from all over the country that seemed to have question after question regarding how school systems work. They were well trained in Young Life but…
Read MoreHow to Prepare a Wyldlife Club Talk
Thinking about writing a club talk always floods my mind with the best memories. I was so fortunate to have amazing leaders who gave really, really great club talks. What impacted me most as a club kid was when a leader was clearly excited and passionate while giving a talk. This Good News was all…
Read MoreHilarious Club Game: “The Spit-Take”
You need: a bottle of water three pieces of paper with ten different pick-up lines on each piece of paper. Pick one girl and three guys to come up front for the game, and ask someone else to keep score. The game is played girl versus guys. The guys’ goal is to make the girl…
Read More7 Tips for Leading Great WyldLife Campaigners
It’s exciting to think about what God can do in and through middle school kids as they grow in their relationships with Christ. As you lead Campaigners, it is important to meet your middle school friends where they are. These tips will get you started. Be prepared. Don’t throw a few thoughts together the hour…
Read MoreWyldLife Campaigners Kick-off Questions
Start every Campaigners with an easy question that every kid can answer. Choose fun questions that middle school kids will feel comfortable answering. After each answer, follow up by asking “Why?” Give kids the opportunity to practice talking in front of the group, and they will be more likely to talk about the Bible. Just-for-fun…
Read MoreFriends for Life: A New Book about the life and ministry of Mal McSwain
Mal McSwain has been one of my heroes since I first went on Young Life staff 20 years ago. Reading this book and the behind the scenes stories of his life inspires me to keep going in ministry. If you need some encouragement, check out “Friends for Life.” Friends for Life is the inspiring story…
Read MoreA Very Covid Costume Club
This was originally posted in the fall of 2020, but could be adapted to be used anytime! Halloween is just around the corner and we thought we’d share a few ideas that will work during this season of social distancing. Thanks to everyone who contributed in the Alongside Young Life Leaders Facebook group! Costume Photo…
Read MoreDrive-Thru CAR-nival Club
This was originally posted in the fall of 2020, but could be adapted to be used anytime! Like many of you, we sadly missed getting to do the summer camp carnival this past summer, so we wanted to bring it to our area! We tried to get creative and allow kids the opportunity to participate…
Read MoreGlobal Day of Prayer
We are celebrating our 80th birthday as a mission in October, and Young Life’s Mission Lead Team would like to start the party by offering you a special gift! Please set aside Tuesday, October 5 for the Young Life Global Day of Prayer— as a sacred day, dedicated to deepening our lives with God and one…
Read MoreThe Benefits of Raising Children While Being on Young Life Military Staff
When my husband, Joey, and I moved from Dallas to Germany to work with Young Life Military (Club Beyond) we weren’t just uprooting our life, we were uprooting the life of our then three-year-old daughter, Anna. It was an amazing adventure for our family and we are so grateful for the time we were able…
Read MoreThe John Project
If you’re looking for something to read with your Campaigners group, small group, or one-on-one discipling, check out The John Project from YL Discipleship. It includes the entire gospel of John (New Living Translation) and guided reading/reflection practices on facing pages. You’ll dive deep into the story of Jesus and learn engagement strategies that will carry…
Read MoreStay Curious
“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to…
Read MoreMy Story as a Military Brat
In the United States, you may hear the term “Military Brat” to describe a child of a parent or parents who serve or have served in the U.S. Military. The lifestyle and childhood of a “Military Brat” is very different than that of a civilian child. Brats are known for their adaptability, resilience, and unique…
Read MoreContact Work Feels Different
After a year of connecting through screens and meeting up while masked, many of us are finding Contact Work a little more clunky than before. Thirteen months of living with some degree of isolation has impacted us in ways that anthropologists are sure to study for decades to come. Talking to Young Life Leaders around…
Read MoreLOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING: THE GIFT OF THE DAILY EXAMEN
The first time I heard the phrase was from my parents. The second time, it was a teacher. Later, crossing guards and others burned it into my memory. The instruction was simple: look both ways before crossing the street. Lastly, I learned the song! “Look both ways when you cross the street, Left and right, what do you…
Read More7 “Socially Distant” Club Games
We gathered a few suggestions from our Alongside: Young Life Leaders Facebook group for socially distant games and compiled them here for you! Slugfest First, we played a few innings of Shaving Cream Wiffle Ball at an intramural field. Play it like a normal baseball game, but filled the Wiffle ball with shaving cream before…
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