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Youth Worker On Fire Podcast

Youth Worker On Fire Podcast

Written by: Doug Edwards
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 Today's youth need youth pastors, mentors, teachers, volunteers, and most of all, they need YOU! Youth Worker On Fire is designed to give you the knowledge and inspiration you need to be the best youth worker possible. Youth Worker On Fire podcast is full of valuable information from people who work with youth on a daily basis. It is also packed with interviews with former students (years later) in their adult life and how student ministry, or the lack of it, effected their future. Many are are changing their world and the world at large because of the influence of youth workers in their adolescent years. Listen as they share their stories of mentoring and positively influencing adolescents in today's world.2018 Christianity Ministry & Evangelism Spirituality
Episodes
  • When Ministry Drains You: Finding Strength, Joy, and Endurance in God

    When Ministry Drains You: Finding Strength, Joy, and Endurance in God
    Feb 18 2026

    Youth ministry is one of the most rewarding callings — and one of the most exhausting.

    In this devotional episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards speaks directly to youth pastors, volunteers, educators, and parents who feel spiritually drained from constantly pouring into others.

    Drawing from Isaiah 40:28, the writings of Oswald Chambers, and the life of Olympic runner and missionary Eric Liddell, this episode explores the difference between burnout and faithful service — and how God becomes the source of strength when our own energy is gone.

    You'll discover:

    • Why spiritual exhaustion often comes from serving, not failing
    • How ministry leaders unintentionally run on empty
    • The danger of trying to serve students from your own strength
    • What it means that God never grows weary
    • Why joy — not just endurance — is part of faithful service
    • How daily time with God restores emotional and spiritual energy
    • Encouragement for leaders who feel like quitting

    Whether you lead students every week, volunteer occasionally, teach, parent teenagers, or simply care deeply for the next generation, this episode is a reminder:

    God didn't call you to survive ministry — He called you to draw from Him while doing it.

    ✨ Your strength may run out, but His never does.

    _________________________________________________________________________________

    📬 Stay connected:
    Email: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com
    Rate ★★★★★ & share with youth workers who dream big for the Kingdom.

    Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book "Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder's Guidebook" here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy

    Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq

    EPISODE CREDITS

    Email us at: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com

    Hosted by: Doug Edwards

    Theme Song: "The One and Only" by The 808 : Listen to more at https://bit.ly/3FTYIAJ

    Intro/Outro Voiceover: Michael Helms: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelTheSoundGuy

    Edited by: Secret Roots Music House

    PODCAST EPISODE TOPICS:

    Youth Ministry, Youth Ministry Burnout, Youth Pastor Burnout, Student Ministry Encouragement, Spiritual Exhaustion, Christian Leadership, Ministry Fatigue, Serving Without Burnout, Christian Encouragement, Faith and Endurance, Ministry Devotional, Next Gen Ministry, Christian Parenting Teens, Helping Volunteers, Youth Worker On Fire, Ministry Strength, God Never Grows Weary, Isaiah 40:28, Oswald Chambers Devotional, Eric Liddell Faith
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    13 mins
  • Journey to Israel: Faith, Culture, and Coexistence in Jerusalem

    Journey to Israel: Faith, Culture, and Coexistence in Jerusalem
    Feb 11 2026

    In this interview episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards sits down with Eli, a Jerusalem-based tour guide fluent in English, Hebrew, and Aramaic, for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about faith, culture, history, law, grace, and life in modern Israel.

    Recorded at the end of a leadership journey through Israel, this conversation moves beyond headlines and into deeper questions about:

    • Growing up Jewish in Israel
    • Military service as a character builder
    • Responsibility, leadership, and cultural identity
    • Law versus grace in Jewish and Christian traditions
    • The historical roots of biblical law
    • Why Jerusalem is more than a city of conflict
    • Coexistence among Jews, Christians, and Muslims
    • What Western democracies and Israel share in common

    Eli shares wisdom from Jewish tradition, reflections on the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount, and insights into how faith, accountability, and mercy intersect in both Judaism and Christianity.

    This episode is especially valuable for:

    ✔ Youth pastors teaching students about worldview
    ✔ Ministry leaders navigating cultural conversations
    ✔ Christian educators discussing law and grace
    ✔ Parents helping students process global events
    ✔ Anyone seeking thoughtful dialogue instead of polarization

    This is not a political episode. It is a conversation about culture, responsibility, coexistence, and the values that shape democratic societies.

    ✨ Sometimes the best way to disciple students is not to tell them what to think — but to let them hear someone else's story and wrestle with it thoughtfully.

    _________________________________________________________________________________

    📬 Stay connected:
    Email: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com
    Rate ★★★★★ & share with youth workers who dream big for the Kingdom.

    Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book "Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder's Guidebook" here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy

    Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq

    EPISODE CREDITS

    Email us at: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com

    Hosted by: Doug Edwards

    Theme Song: "The One and Only" by The 808 : Listen to more at https://bit.ly/3FTYIAJ

    Intro/Outro Voiceover: Michael Helms: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelTheSoundGuy

    Edited by: Secret Roots Music House

    _________________________________________________________________________________

    Youth Ministry, Student Ministry, Journey to Israel, Jerusalem Culture, Faith and Law, Law and Grace, Jewish Tradition, Christian Leadership, Youth Pastor Life, Coexistence in Jerusalem, Biblical History, Worldview Conversations, Ministry Conversations, Christian Parenting, Helping Students Process World Events, Youth Worker On Fire, Next Gen Ministry, Faith and Culture, Leadership Development, Interfaith Dialogue
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    35 mins
  • Journey to Israel: A Father, a Soldier, and the Hope for Peace

    Journey to Israel: A Father, a Soldier, and the Hope for Peace
    Feb 4 2026
    In this interview episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards sits down in Jerusalem with Maor, an Israeli husband, father, and lifelong military reservist, to hear a deeply personal story of service, sacrifice, and hope. Maor shares what life has been like since October 7, when he was called back into reserve duty—eventually serving nearly 600 days over two years, far beyond what is normally required. In this honest conversation, he describes the emotional weight of leaving his family, the uncertainty of those early days, and what it means to protect your home while still longing for peace. This episode offers youth pastors, volunteers, educators, and parents a rare, human perspective on: • What it feels like to be called into service with no clear end date • How fear, uncertainty, and responsibility collide in moments of crisis • The unseen humanitarian work soldiers carried out during the conflict • Living and serving alongside people of different faiths and backgrounds • Why most families simply want peace, safety, and a future for their children • How faith, humility, and hope sustain families through prolonged stress Maor also speaks directly about growing up in mixed Jewish and Arab communities, his desire for cooperation rather than division, and his hope that future generations can grow up without barriers or fear. This episode is especially meaningful for: • Youth pastors and youth ministry volunteers • Christian educators and student leaders • Parents helping students process fear, conflict, and world events • Anyone teaching young people about faith, resilience, and compassion This is not a political conversation. It is a family story, a service story, and a reminder that behind every headline are parents, children, and ordinary people longing to live in peace. ✨ Sometimes the most powerful lessons we teach students come from listening—without interrupting—to someone else's story. _________________________________________________________________________________ 📬 Stay connected: Email: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com Rate ★★★★★ & share with youth workers who dream big for the Kingdom. Looking for a new student ministry resource? You can read my book "Burn Up Not Out: A Student Ministry Fire Builder's Guidebook" here: https://amzn.to/3PtBTIy Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq EPISODE CREDITS Email us at: youthworkeronfire@gmail.com Hosted by: Doug Edwards Theme Song: "The One and Only" by The 808 : Listen to more at https://bit.ly/3FTYIAJ Intro/Outro Voiceover: Michael Helms: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelTheSoundGuy Edited by: Secret Roots Music House _________________________________________________________________________________ Youth Ministry, Student Ministry, Youth Pastor Life, Journey to Israel, Life in Israel Today, Faith and Service, Military Reservist Story, Parenting During Crisis, Helping Students Process Trauma, Christian Leadership, Ministry Conversations, Israeli Families, Faith and Resilience, Youth Worker On Fire, Next Gen Ministry, Christian Parenting, Discipleship, Hope for Peace, Ministry Encouragement
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    9 mins
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