YOUTH MINISTRY BLOG

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Making The Most of Their Last Summer

By Chelsea Judkins | June 9, 2024

Your child’s senior year overflows with lasts: the last football game, the last curtain call, the last dance, the last awards ceremony. Until finally… the last day of school. If you’re anything like me, those lasts swell with bittersweet tension. Pride in all the ways your child has grown and flourished, an aching sadness for…

Why Student Missions and Witness Matters

By Tanner Watson | April 4, 2024
Students serve at a local business organizing for local missions

The summer before my freshman year of High School I went on my first student mission trip with my youth group.  We traveled from Argyle, Texas, all the way to Rapid City to serve Native Americans who had left the reservation seeking a better life.  I vividly remember the week leaving me yearning for more. …

Visiting Old Friends

By Kurt Krodle | April 2, 2024

Reconnecting Have you ever gone way too long without seeing a group of friends?  Then, the day comes that you’re once again reunited, and you can share space, catch up, and simply enjoy the time together!  Those are sweet days, often that include lots of laughter, stories, and rejoicing at simply being together once again.…

Why Is Christmas Important?

By Tanner Watson | December 21, 2022

Howdy!  If you have been around our church at all recently you probably have heard that we are close to celebrating Christmas.  If you don’t know what Christmas is, it is the season and day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ whom we recognize as our Lord and Savior.  Now, a lot of…

What Are We Without Our Volunteers?

By Tanner Watson | December 1, 2022

Howdy!  If you have ever attended any kind of service or event at First Baptist Arlington, I would say there is a 100% chance that you were served in some way by a volunteer.  The person who greeted you at the door, sang to you from the stage, told you where to park, ran slides…

Apologetics: Why Does It Matter?

By Tanner Watson | November 15, 2022
Apologetics: Why Does it Matter

Initial Thoughts Howdy!  Apologetics comes from the Greek word “ἀπολογία” which means to speak in defense.  It is an ancient discipline dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries when early Christians were writing persuasively in defense of the faith.  It is a practice that has endured through the centuries into the modern era.  Today,…

Connect with Your Teenager

By Chelsea Judkins | November 10, 2022
Connect with your Teenager

It can be quite a challenge to connect with your teenager. The teenage years come with a lot of tensions, a lot of already-but-not-quite-yets. Teens grow in independence and autonomy, making their own decisions and forming their own opinions… but they also need you to do basic things like sign them up for Drivers Ed…

Lessons From the Pit

By Tanner Watson | November 7, 2022
Lessons From the Pit

What does BBQ have to do with Jesus? Howdy!  If you know me, you know that I love BBQ.  I am a FIRM believer that Texas easily has the best Q in the world.  The pinnacle of BBQ (brisket, ribs, and sausage) is called the “Texas Trinity” for a reason!  My love for this Texas…

Diversify Your Media

By Tanner Watson | November 3, 2022
Diversify Your Media

Why Am I Thinking What I Am Thinking? Howdy!  Have you ever noticed how we are so easily swayed by the media we consume?  I often feel like the book that I am currently reading or the podcast I am currently listening to dictate a lot of what goes through my head on a day-to-day…

Dwell in the Presence of God

By Chelsea Judkins | November 3, 2022

In 2016, our team began dreaming about a retreat just for girls in the youth ministry. The fall semester is full of so much good stuff- so much so, that it can be overwhelming. Between demanding schoolwork, band, cheer, choir, theater, volleyball, and more… plus, trying to maintain relationships with friends and family and get…