Dennis Beckner
Dennis Beckner is a volunteer youth worker who trains volunteer youth workers. From 1999 to 2020 he was a leader at Saddleback Church’s Student Ministry. He is the author of Volunteer Youth Ministry, A Roadmap For Effective Leadership, and owns VolunteerYouthMinistry.com. Graduated from Point Loma Nazarene College in 1994, BA Religion
Got a text message this morning that really made my day. My small group boys from last year are now in a college-age small group. Their leader contacted me today to meet up to talk about them. I love this...
This is Matt. Actually, both people in this picture are named Matt. I came across this picture I took of them after the younger Matt got baptized at summer camp a couple of years ago. I can’t look at this...
Tonight’s lesson for Life Group is pretty simple. The curriculum wants students to discuss the importance of serving using a couple of examples in scripture that show Jesus serving. I could teach this lesson with both hands tied behind my...
Here’s a great example of how I use a little light-hearted humor and knife-in-the-heart guilt to keep the bar raised high for my Life Group boys. I definitely don’t beat them down, but I want them to know that, even...
My Life Group students all graduated last year. This year I’m back to teaching Freshmen. This week we went to the park for our lesson. Afterward, they ran around the field pushing each other over and being very rough. All...
I haven’t blogged much over the past couple of years because I’ve been working on this project. I’m very excited to announce that this book will be released in October-ish of 2016. More details about where to purchase it will...
I used this illustration at 3 summer camps this year. Each time the reaction was the same. The point is to encourage students to embrace the change in their lives, rather than hiding it, when they get home. Feel free...
Several years ago my life group started a tradition of calling students who missed group during the beginning of group. A hate call: – Is a way to let students know they matter and are missed – Is an encouragement...
I’m not great at celebrating each of the birthdays in my life group. Each year, to help make up for that, I throw a birthday party for my boys. This year, I planned a little mayhem on the side. As...