Youth Group Chronicles

Latest Episodes:

250: Backroom Draft Picks | After Hours Series (Cole Clark & Buddy Jenkins) Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

Sam sits down with Cole Clark and Buddy Jenkins for an After Hours bonus episode packed with random debates, hot takes, and behind-the-scenes conversations. They get into Sam’s quirks, favorite food combos and celebrities, sermon preaching tips, whether dating in youth group is a good idea, thoughts on the new Narnia movie, DC vs. Marvel, and the terrifying world of the Backrooms—including which YGC cast member would get taken out first. Plus, they wrap it up with some of their favorite clothing brands and plenty of side conversations along the way.

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249: Signed, Sealed, De-briefed (John Scarborough & George Johnson) Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

JohnCristComedy.com/tour, for tour dates and tickets.

This week, Sam is joined by John Scarborough and George Johnson for another round of youth ministry chaos, including a Secret Santa gift that turns into a very unexpected Christmas mystery in “Signed, Sealed, De-briefed.” They also get into a student hiding someone’s prosthetic leg at a retreat, a six-year-old giving an unforgettable answer during a VBS Bible lesson, a youth lock-in prank that goes very wrong, a mysterious camp bathroom message that somehow happens twice, one student’s extreme battle against spiders, and a youth leader receiving a permanent surprise just days before his wedding. It’s another episode full of stories that prove youth ministry is never boring.

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248: E. coli Speedrun (Cole Clark & Gabe Cuomo) Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

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Sign up for the Culture Translator at http://axis.org/YGC. The Culture Translator is one of the easiest ways to stay informed and equipped. It's free, arrives every Friday, and gives you practical insight into the world teenagers are growing up in, along with conversation starters you can use right away.

Sam is joined by Cole Clark and Gabe Cuomo for an episode packed with youth ministry stories that somehow keep getting worse. A summer camp game involving a real cow tongue takes a disgusting turn when a group of middle school boys decide to keep the fun going long after the game is over. Plus, a VBS dunk tank creates an unfortunate wardrobe emergency, a massive game of cops and robbers goes horribly wrong, a missing camper takes an unexpected trip into town, one youth leader asks the absolute worst question at the worst possible time, an innocent attempt to serve the guys creates a very unfortunate nickname, and a cabin water-balloon war escalates way beyond anything the leaders were prepared for.

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247: The Pregnancy Announcement (Buddy Jenkins & Mackenzie Smolin) Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

http://JohnCristComedy.com/tour, for tour dates and tickets.

Sam is joined by Buddy Jenkins & Mackenzie Smolin for an episode packed with youth ministry chaos, unforgettable church moments, and stories that escalate way faster than anyone expected. The main story starts with a girl pulling up after Bible study and announcing in front of a group of students, “I’m pregnant and it’s your fault,” leaving everyone stunned and one youth pastor scrambling to figure out what she could possibly mean. Plus, a burping contest goes horribly wrong, a pastor makes an unfortunate mistake while sharing a prayer request, a homemade watermelon slingshot turns dangerous, a church scare gets an unexpected response, a worship night takes a bizarre turn, a hidden shoe leads to an ER visit, and a student’s presentation puts something on the projector that definitely wasn’t part of the lesson.

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246: Twin Towers (Cole Clark & Gabe Cuomo) Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

Sam is joined by Cole Clark and Gabe Cuomo for an episode packed with youth ministry stories that somehow keep getting more unhinged. Leading the way is Cole and Gabe’s unforgettable “Twin Towers” story, followed by everything from a camp prank call that goes horribly off-script and an Axe body spray war with serious consequences to a four-day middle school lock-in, a very unfortunate underwear mix-up, a prank that gets badly misunderstood, and one youth trip that ends with an unexpected late-night visit to the emergency room. Plus, Sam revisits a story from Chris Estrada that turned out to be completely true—even if confirming it meant calling him while he was on vacation in Rome at four in the morning.

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245: The Sacrificial Lamb (LIVE at Uproar Conference NY 2026) Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

LIVE from Uproar Conference NY 2026 in Horseheads, New York, Sam is joined by Cole Clark and Buddy Jenkins for a packed episode of Youth Group Chronicles! The guys dive into some of the wildest youth ministry stories yet, including a conference illustration involving a live lamb that left an entire room of students horrified, a mission trip that ended with police cars and a helicopter surrounding two church vans, and a youth group mystery drink that went horribly wrong. From camp disasters to painfully awkward moments, this live episode proves once again that when youth ministry is involved, absolutely anything can happen.

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244: Camp’s Got Talent (Buddy Jenkins & Mackenzie Smolin) Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

Sign up for the Culture Translator at https://axis.org/YGC. The Culture Translator is one of the easiest ways to stay informed and equipped. It's free, arrives every Friday, and gives you practical insight into the world teenagers are growing up in, along with conversation starters you can use right away.

Sam is joined by Buddy Jenkins and Mackenzie Smolin for an episode packed with youth ministry stories that somehow keep getting more unhinged. The main event takes us back to summer camp for a talent show performance that started with a bedsheet, a spotlight, and a bucket—and ended with the entire room realizing the student on stage may have taken his act a little too seriously. Along the way, they get into a sound guy’s shocking last week at camp, one youth group’s bizarre approach to relationship conflict, a preschool résumé disaster, a bonfire that spiraled wildly out of control, an unfortunate sermon catchphrase, and a camp activity involving some very questionable balloons.

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243: Three Inches of Regret (Cole Clark & Gabe Cuomo) Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

http://johncristcomedy.com/tour, for tour dates and tickets.

Sam is joined by Cole Clark and Gabe Cuomo for an episode packed with youth ministry decisions that went very, very wrong. The featured story, “Three Inches of Regret,” takes us to a mission trip in Mexico where one student’s attempt to help build a house turns into a medical emergency nobody saw coming. Plus, a youth trip with a bus driver who keeps missing exits raises some serious questions, a stolen hat returns to youth group with a disturbing backstory, a dirt bike racer has an unforgettable gas station disaster, one pastor sends possibly the worst-timed text imaginable, a late-night TP mission reveals way more than anyone bargained for, and a youth pastor gets pushed to his breaking point on the side of the road. Cole and Gabe join Sam to break down another collection of youth ministry stories you truly couldn’t make up.

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242: Silence of the Geese (Buddy Jenkins & Mackenzie Smolin) Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

This week on Youth Group Chronicles, Sam is joined by Buddy Jenkins and Mackenzie Smolin for an episode packed with youth ministry moments that went completely off the rails. A youth camp’s growing goose problem inspires a group of students to take matters into their own hands in “Silence of the Geese,” leading to a solution no leader could have possibly approved. Plus, a worship song gets taken way too literally, a harmless volleyball challenge ends in damage control, a church lock-in leaves behind a disgusting secret, and a staff member’s summer camp tradition goes painfully wrong. From an awkward interview answer and a case of mistaken identity to ghosts, Crocs, and a student claiming to be Jesus, this episode is another reminder that you never really know what’s going to happen in youth ministry.

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241: Porta Potty Confusion (LIVE at Uproar Conference Indiana 2026) Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

This week, Sam is joined LIVE from Uproar Conference Indiana 2026 for an episode packed with the kind of youth ministry stories you truly couldn't make up. From a first-time porta potty experience that leaves everyone speechless, to a camp snack discovery that changes an entire week's menu, a church game that got way more dangerous than anyone expected, and a youth leader who accidentally spent the morning with the wrong person, the stories just keep getting wilder. Add in a church hide-and-seek game with an unexpected twist, a painful sunburn "remedy," a hike gone terribly wrong, and several more unforgettable camp and church moments, and you've got another hilarious collection of youth ministry chaos that proves truth really is stranger than fiction.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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