Introducing The Stro Show Podcast!

A Canadian youth ministry podcast? How did that get started???

This past October, on the deck of a camp building in the middle of nowhere in Grey County, Ontario, on a cold and rainy morning for which I was not dressed for the weather, something dawned on me. I was deep in discussion with a friend from college; it was one of those impromptu chats that are so engaging that I forgot the cold wind blowing through my t-shirt, reminding me of the coat which I had just on the other side of the lodge’s heavy double doors. My friend, Mike, is a youth pastor in Barrie, and I was speaking at his youth retreat. That morning, we found ourselves on the porch, deep in discussion about youth ministry, the Church, discipleship, and the challenge of ‘competing’ with bigger churches with more money and flashier programs.

As I drove home that Sunday, listening to Carey Nieuwhof interview Erwin McManus on his Leadership Podcast, it dawned on me: I know so many people in youth ministry and I love having meaningful discussions with them about their work; would there be others that would like to hear those conversations?

And that’s how the idea of The Stro Show: Conversations In Youth Ministry got started. So I bought a microphone, made a logo, googled how to put a podcast on iTunes, bought the distribution rights to a jingle that I liked, and hung up a blanket in my office to dampen the echo. Then I started recording.

And so, beginning January 11th, 2018, I will be releasing a new podcast every two weeks. From big names to little known names, from churches, youth organizations, and the community, I have begun having conversations with those who love and work with teenagers.

My first guest will be Mike Gordon. I have many people I’d like to interview, including renown youth experts, authors, band members, seasoned youth pastors, and ordinary youth workers. I’m excited to begin this journey in 2018, and can’t wait to see what happens. My hope is that these 45 minute conversations will be helpful for those that listen, and I would be honoured if you would join me on this journey of helping encourage, inspire, and equip youth workers and youth pastors.