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#121: The Power of Collaborative Youth Ministry: A Model from Boise Churches

Pastors Bob Lewis and Mariah Mills share their experience creating a successful multi-church youth ministry model that's building stronger faith communities.

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In this episode of the Pivot Podcast, hosts Katie Langston and Dwight Zscheile explore how collaborative youth ministry is revolutionizing the way churches engage with young people in Boise, Idaho. Pastors Bob Lewis and Mariah Mills share their journey of creating a confirmation co-op across four congregations, demonstrating how church partnerships can create vibrant faith experiences while sharing resources and responsibilities. Learn why “letting go of the expectation to do it all on your own” might be the most faithful approach to youth ministry today.

This conversation unpacks the practical aspects of collaborative youth ministry—from dividing responsibilities and planning retreats to embracing diversity and building authentic community across congregational lines. Whether you’re struggling to maintain youth programs with limited resources or simply looking to enrich your current ministry, Bob and Mariah offer both encouragement and concrete next steps for creating collaborative ministry models that truly serve today’s young people.

Featuring

Katie Langston
Pastor of Mission and Outreach, New Promise Lutheran Church, St. George, Utah

Katie Langston is a doubter by nature and a believer by grace. She grew up Mormon in Cache Valley, Utah, and converted to orthodox (little “o”) Christianity after a profound experience of God’s grace over a decade ago. She is pastor of mission and outreach at New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, Utah. Katie is the author of a spiritual memoir called Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace.

Host

Faith+Lead Headshot of The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile, VP of Innovation, Luther Seminary.
Dwight Zscheile
Professor of Congregational Mission and Leadership, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

Dwight Zscheile is professor of congregational mission and leadership at Luther Seminary. His latest books are The Starter’s Way (with Ed Olsworth-Peter) and Embracing the Mixed Ecology (with Blair Pogue).

About Pivot Podcast

Join us on Pivot Podcast, where we journey beyond church-as-usual to discover how God is reshaping ministry for today’s world.

Each week, we dive into conversations with innovative leaders and practitioners who are navigating four game-changing pivots: shifting from quick fixes to deep listening, from membership to discipleship, from rigid models to creative ministry ecosystems, and from clergy-centered leadership to unleashing everyone’s gifts.

Whether you’re a member of the clergy seeking fresh inspiration or a volunteer stepping into new leadership territory, Pivot Podcast equips you with the insights and practical wisdom to follow Jesus into a faithful future.

Through their work with diverse cohorts of preachers, they’ve discovered that the most compelling sermons aren’t necessarily the most polished – they’re the ones where preachers have learned to listen deeply to both God and their congregations. Learn practical tools for gathering meaningful feedback, understand why vulnerability matters more than ever in preaching, and discover how shifting from evaluation to understanding can deepen your sermon’s impact. Plus, hear why reimagining God’s agency in preaching might be the key to unlocking more powerful proclamation.

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Featuring

Katie Langston
Pastor of Mission and Outreach, New Promise Lutheran Church, St. George, Utah

Katie Langston is a doubter by nature and a believer by grace. She grew up Mormon in Cache Valley, Utah, and converted to orthodox (little “o”) Christianity after a profound experience of God’s grace over a decade ago. She is pastor of mission and outreach at New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, Utah. Katie is the author of a spiritual memoir called Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace.

Host

Faith+Lead Headshot of The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile, VP of Innovation, Luther Seminary.
Dwight Zscheile
Professor of Congregational Mission and Leadership, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

Dwight Zscheile is professor of congregational mission and leadership at Luther Seminary. His latest books are The Starter’s Way (with Ed Olsworth-Peter) and Embracing the Mixed Ecology (with Blair Pogue).