Switch Leader Podcast

Leading Your Students by Setting the Tone and Holding the Line

Let's be real, Switch is a blast and often leaves us feeling more blessed by the experience than we expected! However, working with rowdy and often awkward teenagers can be it's own challenge. This week Josh Baldwin and James Meehan talk about how to lead your students by "Setting the Tone" and "Holding the line".

2025 Spring Content

Kaitlyn Caffrey and Josh Baldwin kick off 2025 with an overview of content for the spring semester. 

Finding Rest in the Holidays

In this episode of the Switch Leader Podcast, host Josh Baldwin is joined by two youth pastors, Camry Rowan from Life.Church Colorado Springs and Jennifer Gordon from Life.Church Oklahoma City. Together, they share stories, laughter, and practical insights to help leaders navigate the holiday season with intentionality and rest.

 

As the Christmas break approaches, many leaders find themselves entering the new year feeling more exhausted than refreshed. Josh, Camry, and Jen discuss the challenges of maintaining balance during this busy time and share strategies to protect your time, energy, and well-being. From learning the power of saying “no” to prioritizing rest and family, this conversation offers wisdom for leaders in every season of life.

 

Whether you’re a young, extroverted leader learning to set boundaries, or a seasoned leader balancing family, work, and ministry, this episode provides actionable tips to enter the new semester feeling renewed and ready to lead. Tune in for heartfelt advice, relatable moments, and encouragement to honor God through the way you rest and recharge.

How Small Actions Transform Youth Ministries

In this episode of the Switch Leader Podcast, host Josh Baldwin sits down with three dynamic Switch leaders from Life.Church campuses: Brandon Hurst (Rio Rancho, NM), Kelli Snyder (McKinney, TX), and Charles Romero (Oklahoma City, OK). These leaders share their insights on cultivating meaningful relationships within youth ministry and the creative ways they’ve transformed groups into close-knit families.

 

From renting basketball courts to organize summer pick-up games that bring in new students, to hosting “Selfie Fridays” as a quick check-in tool, and organizing diverse Switch Outs like fire pits and pumpkin carving, these leaders demonstrate how intentionality and creativity can create lasting impact. They highlight the importance of community, both for sustaining ministry and fostering deeper connections among students.

 

This episode is packed with practical tips, heartwarming stories, and a shared passion for discipling students beyond the walls of the church. Whether you’re a youth leader or simply looking for ways to invest in your community, this episode offers inspiring strategies to build relationships that truly matter.

Series Overview: Jesus Is King

As the semester wraps up, join James and Josh for an in-depth look at our final series, Jesus Is King. This three-week journey concludes the fall with the last portions of the Sermon on the Mount, diving into:

•Week 1: Judging like Jesus—moving from condemnation to discernment.

•Week 2: Living out our faith—choosing the narrow path and building a foundation on Jesus.

•Week 3: The authority of Jesus—exploring His identity as the Son of God and connecting it to the Christmas story.

 

Discover how these powerful teachings help students grow in love, accountability, and faithfulness. Don’t miss this transformative series that ties the semester together and points us toward Christ’s ultimate purpose.

What Parents Want From Switch

In this episode of the Switch Leader Podcast, host Josh Baldwin welcomes veteran youth pastor Nate Day to explore what parents truly value—and sometimes find challenging—when their children are part of a youth ministry. Drawing from his 26 years of experience and his perspective as a parent of kids in Switch, Nate shares heartwarming stories of leaders going the extra mile, like attending sporting events or giving meaningful gifts, and how these gestures create lasting impact.

 

They also discuss the unintended hurt caused when leaders step away without communication, offering practical advice on how to navigate such transitions with care. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting, this episode is packed with wisdom on building strong relationships with students and their families.

Series Overview: Don't Worry

Join Kaitlyn Caffrey and Josh Baldwin as they introduce the upcoming Switch series, Don’t Worry. In this episode, they unpack why worry is such a relatable topic for students and how you can make the most of this series to foster meaningful, faith-centered discussions. Tune in for insights and practical tips to help you create conversations that support your students in navigating their anxieties with confidence and faith!

Unlocking the Power of the Message Guide

In this episode of the Switch Leader Podcast, hosts Kaitlyn Caffrey and James Meehan explore the transformative potential of the Message Guide in creating impactful, student-led discussions. Kaitlyn and James, both Switch content creators and dedicated small group leaders, share how this tool can empower students to engage deeply with the message and grow in biblical literacy. Tune in as they discuss the purpose, best practices, and common misconceptions around the Message Guide, offering practical tips to make group time meaningful and memorable for both leaders and students.

Time for a Check-Up: Evaluating Your Goals and Progress

In this episode, we dive into the importance of regularly checking in on the goals we set at the beginning of the year. Often, we create goals but don’t revisit them until it’s too late to make meaningful adjustments. Katie Roanhaus and Josh Baldwin discuss how goals are based on current information, and as things change, our strategies should adapt as well. They introduce four critical questions to help leaders evaluate their progress and make necessary adjustments to stay on track.

 

From small group dynamics to overcoming leadership challenges, this episode highlights the need to pivot when things aren’t going as planned and the importance of asking ourselves tough questions. Whether you’re a small group leader or part of a support team, this conversation will help you reevaluate where you are and where you’re heading as a leader.

Many Parts, One Body: Unity in Switch Leadership

In this episode of the Switch Leader Podcast, Josh Baldwin and Dustin Wells dive deep into the essential roles that make Switch thrive. Dustin, youth pastor at the Rio Rancho campus, shares how every volunteer—whether tearing down Nine Square, serving snacks, or leading a small group—plays a vital part in the success of Switch. They discuss how to foster collaboration among leaders and celebrate wins, no matter their role. This episode reminds us that true success in ministry comes from teamwork and mutual encouragement, not just those in the spotlight.