NextGen Matters

About NextGen Matters

Those leading in Next Generation ministries are navigating a complex landscape of relational, emotional, and organizational pressures that demand resilience, creativity, and deep community connection to sustain impactful ministry in a rapidly changing world. Does this sound like you? Then we're glad you're here! NextGen Matters and this podcast are here to guide you through the complexity by providing you with Biblically sound solutions to meet your ministry needs. Why this podcast? Our show helps NextGen ministry leaders overcome the stress of ministry by covering topics that matter for leaders that matter. With over forty years of continual practical youth ministry experience, Rich understands the journey of where student ministry has been, the challenges facing ministry leaders today, as we prepare another generation to follow Jesus into tomorrow. His desire is to see this podcast be a resource for those who are professional NextGen Ministry leaders, volunteer NextGen Ministry leaders, and anyone who cares about the Next Generation. "If we are going to have spiritually healthy students, we must have spiritually healthy local church student ministry cultures, which must come from a place of spiritually healthy ministry leaders. This podcast exists for that reason! I want to come alongside you by engaging with you, encouraging you, equipping you, and empowering you to fulfill the God-given calling He has placed on you in your ministry to this current generation of adolescents." ~ Rich Brown Each episode deals with the real issues today's youth leaders are facing with real solutions based on the timeless truth of God's Word. And that is a promise! About our Host Rich grew up in a small town in central New York, which featured one stop light and two gas stations. Born into a godly ministry family and consistently seeing and hearing the gospel, Rich gave his life over to Jesus as a young age. During college, he met the young lady of his dreams! Rich says, "Jesus and Janet were the two best decisions I’ve ever made!” They have been married since 1985. Rich and Janet have three adult children (two married), and five grandchildren. His two sons are ordained pastors in ministry, and his daughter owns her own salon. Most important, they all love Jesus! While in college, God called him to student ministries and Rich has been working with students ever since, even now volunteering in his church’s high school ministry. With over 20 years as a student pastor in the local church followed by over 20 years in teaching student ministry in higher education, he loves students and student ministry leaders. In 2019 God called him to begin his own ministry, NextGenMatters, where he seeks to “relationally equip today’s leaders for tomorrow’s generation.” While his primary ministry is now ministering to adults, it all centers back to seeing teenagers be fully mature lifelong disciples of Jesus. He avidly follows baseball, loves landscaping on his two acres, is a history nerd, and doesn't know a day without coffee. His lifelong desire is to live out Colossians 1:28-29.

Publisher

Rich Brown

Category

business · education · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

17 Oct 2025

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

36 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   #35: The Power of the Open Home

   Episode Summary In Episode 35 of NextGen Matters, Rich Brown explores the power of opening your home as a place of ministry, hospitality, and spiritual growth. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by decades of personal experience, Rich shares how God can use an ordinary home or apartment to create extraordinary opportunities for discipleship and connection. Beginning with the example of the early church gathering both in large groups and from house to house, Rich establishes the biblical foundation for home-centered ministry. He reflects on his own upbringing in a family deeply invested in youth ministry, where his parents consistently welcomed teenagers into their home. Those early experiences shaped his own approach to ministry, from opening his home to high school students and college students to creating spaces for worship, biblical teaching, leadership development, and meaningful conversations. Rich then unpacks five benefits of opening your home for ministry: a modeling environment, a relaxed environment, a personal environment, a conversational environment, and a connecting environment. In a home, students don't simply hear biblical principles taught—they get to see faith lived out in everyday life. They experience hospitality firsthand, develop deeper friendships, ask honest questions, and build relationships that often continue well beyond the gathering itself. Resources Mentioned * Next Gen Matters – https://www.nextgenmatters.com/ * Email for Rich Brown (NGM): rich@nextgenmatters.com * Watch this episode on YouTube [https://youtu.be/Td0325NMyHI?si=VU2ETKbsrfbPehYh] The Bible (Scripture references in order: Acts 2:46; 5:42; Romans 12:13; Colossians 4:15; Titus 1:8; John 14:2–6; 2 Timothy 2:1–2) Timestamps * 00:00 – Welcome to NextGen Matters * 00:19 – Three Areas of Podcast Focus * 01:17 – The Biblical Foundation for Home Ministry * 03:14 – Jesus and the Ministry of the Home * 05:04 – Growing Up in a Home Open to Ministry * 07:00 – A Childhood Shaped by Student Ministry * 09:03 – Continuing the Legacy of Hospitality * 09:53 – Opening a Home to College Students * 10:52 – Home-Based Student Ministry in Action * 12:45 – Celebrating the Impact of an Open Home * 13:29 – Five Benefits of Opening Your Home * 14:33 – Benefit #1: Creates a Modeling Environment * 20:32 – Benefit #2: Creates a Relaxed Environment * 21:25 – Benefit #3: Creates a Personal Environment * 22:54 – Benefit #4: Creates a Conversational Environment * 24:41 – Benefit #5: Creates a Connecting Environment * 25:05 – Helping Students Build New Friendships * 26:13 – From Ministry Gatherings to Lasting Community * 26:35 – Creating Space for Genuine Connection * 26:49 – Reviewing the Five Benefits * 28:13 – The Call to Action: Just Do It! * 28:57 – Opening Your Home to Ministry Teams * 29:37 – Start Small and Take the Next Step * 30:06 – Closing - Your Leadership Matters Suggested practical next steps: * Invite a few students over for a meal, watch a sporting event, or have a game night. * Host a backyard gathering, campfire, or simple cookout. * Create an opportunity for worship, prayer, and Scripture discussion in your living room. * Invite your ministry volunteers or leadership team into your home for a shared meal. * Reach out to a student who may need a place to belong and invite them over.

2. 

   24 Sept 2026

   #34: One Team / One Mission (Building a Missional Ministry Culture pt.5)

   Episode Show Notes In this episode, Rich wraps up the Building a Missional Ministry mini‑series on cultivating a missional mindset in student ministry across public, Christian, and homeschool environments. He challenges leaders to help students see their schools not as their ultimate identity, but as their mission field, while cultivating healthy school pride and relationships across different academic settings. Rich also unpacks how you can transform a diverse student ministry into one team pursuing one mission – to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ to the most spiritually lost yet spiritually open demographic – today's adolescents. He lays out three core goals for building unity: 1. Helping students champion their schools, 2. Creating relational unity across school diversity, and 3. Developing missional unity around the gospel. Resources Mentioned Next Gen Matters – https://www.nextgenmatters.com/ Email for Rich Brown (NGM): rich@nextgenmatters.com Watch this episode on YouTube [https://youtu.be/Td0325NMyHI?si=VU2ETKbsrfbPehYh] The Bible (Scripture references in order: Jeremiah 29:1–9; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Acts 17:26; Matthew 5:44; John 17; 1 Timothy 2:1–2; Romans 9:1–5; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2:19; John 10:16; Philippians 1:27; Matthew 28:19: Matthew 9:35–38) Timestamps 00:01–00:55 — The Problem: School Identity Hijacks Ministry 00:55–01:44 — The Mini-Series Recap 01:44–03:17 — Three Goals for Missional Unity 03:35–22:09 — GOAL 1: Students Should Champion Their Schools 1. Groups Are From God (03:51–05:36) 2. Identity vs. Assignment (06:01–07:39) 3. Healthy vs. Unhealthy School Pride (07:53–11:44) 4. Desire to See Schools Prosper (11:56–22:09) 22:09–31:47— GOAL 2: Creating Group Unity Across School Diversity 1. Unity in Relationships (22:43–25:51) 2. Celebrating Differences Without Divisions (25:51–27:15) 3. Constructing Cross-School Friendships (27:15–28:35) 4. Communicating Oneness (28:35–31:06) 31:47–40:34 — GOAL 3: Creating Unity in Purpose 1. Shared Mission (32:02–33:30) 2. Define Success the Same Way for Everyone (33:30–34:13) 3. Tell Disciple-Making Stories From Every Context (34:13–34:43) 4. Public Schools as "Jerusalem" (34:43–39:18) 5. Cross-School Outreach Teams (39:31–40:34) 40:34–43:44 — Closing and Call to Action Three Calls to Action 1. Take one step toward relational unity this week. 2. Take one step toward missional unity this week. 3. Take one step toward school appreciation this week.

3. 

   8 Sept 2026

   #33: Engaging Your Home School Student (Building a Missional Culture Pt.4)

   Show Overview This episode of NextGen Matters pulls back the curtain on the spiritual, social, and emotional realities of homeschool students in youth ministry. Rich sits down with Matt and April McClay of Huntington, WV — both ministry leaders and homeschool parents — to explore misconceptions, discipleship needs, co‑op dynamics, missional engagement, and how churches can better integrate and empower homeschoolers. The conversation highlights the diversity within homeschool families, the balance between protection and mission, the unique struggles homeschool students face, and practical ways parents and ministry leaders can cultivate belonging, spiritual growth, and evangelistic courage. Resources: Next Gen Matters: https://www.nextgenmatters.com/ Email for Rich Brown (NGM): rich@nextgenmatters.com Email for Matt McClay: m.mcclay@lmbc.org Email for April McClay: a.mcclay@lmbc.org Subscribe for NGM Thursday Tools email [https://share.hsforms.com/1n-kE71G4Qem-l1Sx5TSnVA47fkc] atch this episode on YouTube [https://youtu.be/Td0325NMyHI?si=VU2ETKbsrfbPehYh] Timestamps 00:01 — Seeing the homeschool student beyond the stereotype Rich introduces the different school backgrounds represented in a typical student ministry and challenges leaders to see homeschool students as more than observers. 02:28 — Homeschooling doesn't automatically mean spiritual maturity Matt and April explain why homeschool students have varied discipleship needs and why homeschooling families should not automatically be assumed to be Christian or spiritually mature. 08:16 — The McClays' homeschooling journey and the power of community Matt shares how their family began homeschooling during COVID-19 and how their co-op has helped provide connection, community, and ministry opportunities. 17:38 — Helping homeschool students become missional The conversation turns toward evangelism and the assumption that homeschool and Christian-school students don't have opportunities to interact with people who don't follow Jesus. 23:09 — Protectionism vs. mission Rich reflects on his own experiences growing up and the tension between protecting students and teaching them to engage with people who are far from God. Matt emphasizes that wisdom requires both protection and missional engagement. 30:39 — Homeschool students are an asset to student ministry Matt discusses how his perspective has changed over 16 years of ministry—from seeing homeschool students as having limited potential for outreach to recognizing the unique strengths and opportunities they bring. 32:23 — Spiritual struggles homeschool students may face Matt and April discuss isolation, sheltered environments, pride, spiritual vulnerability, and the reality that homeschool students face the same fundamental struggle with sin and the flesh as every other student. 39:24 — Practical advice for parents and ministry leaders Matt and April encourage homeschooling parents to persevere and encourage ministry leaders to build trust with parents, involve them, and treat homeschool students like every other student while validating their experiences and interests.

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

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