My grandmother is without a doubt one of the most influential people in my life. It is her love and devotion to God that has inspired me to be faithful and obedient as I serve and love Jesus. There have been many times when I have been faced with a challenge in life and I…
There I was, sitting across a desk from an eager youth pastor (I’ll call her Cindy). We had just spent a few days with her church and prepared a youth ministry assessment report. The presentation went over like gangbusters. People were excited because we put a plan together to help them put effective systems and…
In youth ministry we are constantly in search of great curriculum and lessons that will both engage our students with both mind and heart. I find that too often that is a very difficult and sometimes impossible task. In my early years of youth ministry I would often find myself reading books for my own…
First off, I love Anthony Bourdain. Beyond all of the great writing, incredible food and interesting people, his show provides one element that separates it from the rest of the massive food television market: location. From Russia, to Peru to the DMZ of the Korean Peninsula, “No Reservations” took the viewer into some of the…
No matter what your ministry context is or what denomination your church is a part of, we all have a common problem. As a matter of fact, it’s probably the greatest challenge church leaders face in ministry. If we don’t find a way to overcome it, we will shortchange our ministry potential. But if we…
It is interesting how collective subconscious forms within organizations and people groups. Without people ever really talking about a subject in much detail they can often begin to collect around a given topic, adopt a common set of vocabulary and then ultimately become a substantive force to be reckoned with. It is very interesting that…
Imagine Kaylee, a 7th grader who is new in town, comes to your youth group this week. Her mom made her. You want to make sure she feels welcome, so you greet her at the door with, “Ich bin sehr froh dass du hier bist.” She gives you the blank stare. “Bona sera principessa,” says…
How many of you are permanent youth directors working in churches or other ministries right now? I was a permanent youth director in Nashville for about two years…until I moved. Then I was a permanent youth director in a suburb of St. Louis for four years…until I was called to another church. I’m coming to…