Join Jody Livingston, a dedicated Student Pastor with boots-on-the-ground experience, as he guides both new and veteran Youth Ministry leaders toward sustainable success in The Longer Haul podcast. Whether you’re a Youth Pastor, Youth Minister, or a volunteer in Student Ministry, Jody delivers principle-based, practical advice that transcends the typical how-to’s. Each episode is packed with actionable insights to help you foster longevity in your ministry. Delve into topics that bolster your preaching, teaching, and leadership skills, learn to forge stronger partnerships with families, and discover the best practices for building cohesive Youth Ministry teams. Jody’s hands-on approach to ministry planning and management will provide you with scalable tools designed to amplify your influence on teens with the gospel. By focusing on the core principles that promote staying power, this podcast is your go-to resource for thriving in a Youth Group setting, no matter your level of experie
Publisher
Jody Livingston
Category
education · kids & family · religion & spirituality
TLH155: How to Reach Students, Parents, and the Church Together
In this episode of The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast, Jody sits down with Dr. David Odom, Professor of Student Ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, to talk about the three arenas of youth ministry—students, parents, and the church.
Dr. Odom challenges youth pastors to expand their vision beyond just teenagers in the youth room to include intentional ministry to parents and deeper connection between students and the larger church body.
He also discusses practical strategies for balancing these arenas and shares a free assessment tool designed to help leaders evaluate their ministry’s health in each area.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
Why youth ministry must expand beyond only students
How to build stronger partnerships with parents and families
Practical ways to connect students with the larger church body
How to measure the health of your ministry using the Youth Ministry Arenas Assessment
How to avoid creating an isolated “youth group bubble”
Why serving and intergenerational relationships are key to long-term faith
The value of encouraging parents and affirming their influence
Insights from Dr. Odom’s upcoming book, Youth Ministry Deconstructed
LINKS MENTIONED
Youth Ministry Arenas Assessment
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Youth Ministry Deconstructed by Dr. David Odom (releasing Jan 2026)
Staying Power by Jody Livingston
JOIN THE YOUTH MINISTRY COLLECTIVE!
Click here to join the The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Collective: Join Now
GET COACHING
Interested in personalized coaching to help you thrive in youth ministry?
Click here to learn more about The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Coaching
14 Oct 2025
TLH154: Tips for Mastering Youth Ministry Programming
In this episode of The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast, Jody talks with Josh Griffin about how to bring creativity, intentionality, and structure to your youth ministry programming. From midweek nights to camps and retreats, programming matters more than ever—and Josh shares proven ways to make it engaging and gospel-centered.
Whether you’re a new youth pastor or a veteran looking to freshen things up, this conversation will help you reimagine how you design your weekly gatherings for maximum connection and impact.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
How to define what “programming” really means in youth ministry
Why creativity and emotion are essential to building engagement
How to take “baby steps” toward a better program (without chaos)
The power of variety and when to introduce change
Programming pitfalls to avoid: too much change, copy-paste ideas, or doing nothing
How to use fun and humor strategically
Why connecting your ministry’s program to the larger church culture matters
Simple, creative programming ideas (like LEGO walls, blessings, and Extreme Bingo)
LINKS MENTIONED
* Download Youth Ministry (https://www.downloadyouthministry.com)
* Youth Ministry University (https://www.ymuniversity.com)
RESOURCES MENTIONED
* Sidekick (https://sidekick.tv)
JOIN THE YOUTH MINISTRY COLLECTIVE!
Click here to join the The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Collective (https://thelongerhaul.com/skool/): Join Now
GET COACHING
Interested in personalized coaching to help you thrive in youth ministry?
Click here to learn more about The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Coaching (https://thelongerhaul.com/get-coaching)
7 Oct 2025
TLH153: Rethinking Your Fall Calendar (Before It Wrecks You)
In this episode of The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Podcast, Jody shares a timely reminder for youth pastors heading into the busy fall season: you don’t have to choose between being faithful and being fried. This episode walks through practical strategies for creating a fall rhythm that fuels your ministry without burning you out.
What You’ll Learn:
Why busyness doesn’t always equal fruitfulness
How to re-center your calendar around purpose, not pressure
Weekly, monthly, and quarterly rhythm ideas for sustainable ministry
The value of protecting a weekly night off (and honoring it)
How to build in margin for rest—on purpose
The “delegate or delete” rule for avoiding leadership bottlenecks
Why your rhythm sets the culture for your ministry and your family
Whether you're feeling overloaded or just want to stay healthy long-term, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you lead intentionally—and avoid burnout.
JOIN THE YOUTH MINISTRY COLLECTIVE!
Click here to join the The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Collective (https://thelongerhaul.com/skool/): https://thelongerhaul.com/skool/ (https://thelongerhaul.com/skool/)
GET COACHING
Interested in personalized coaching to help you thrive in youth ministry?
Click here to learn more about The Longer Haul Youth Ministry Coaching (https://thelongerhaul.com/get-coaching)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.2 / 5
140 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
88
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
66
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