Ever feel like a mess? Sometimes it seems like we’re a mess of parts thrown on a table that’s certainly not beautiful. What would it look like to start thinking of our lives like a “messy song” and Jesus as a creative artist who finds our mess exciting?…
When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they did it because they were deceived. Let’s slow down and revisit how every problem we have faced is rooted in this virus or “the work of the devil.” Join Rick as we continue a series exploring the foundational truths connected to Jesus and his mission in our lives.…
Stress is a big part of our life, and people who are skilled problem-solvers have learned how to surf the waves of stress instead of letting it crash down on them. What would it look like to start problem-solving in a Jesus-centered way?…
Serving in youth ministry is both rewarding and challenging. As a leader, you’re a catalyst for helping teenagers grow as disciples of Jesus, a ...
In the often-chaotic cloud that is everyday youth ministry, one goal always rises to the surface—growing disciples who follow Jesus with an all-...
Fortnite, 13 Reasons Why, Snapchat… The shifting currents of culture all play a role in shaping the teenagers you serve, and give you unique opp...
Ever feel like a mess? Sometimes it seems like we’re a mess of parts thrown on a table that’s certainly not beautiful. What would it look like to start thinking of our lives like a “messy song” and Jesus as a creative artist who finds our mess exciting?…
Put 20 youth pastors in a room and tell them they can’t come out until the agree on a definition of discipleship and it’s possible their friends and families will never see them again! And IF they can agree, the odds of them implementing that definition in their youth ministries are about the same odds as me slam-dunking on a 10-foot rim (zero, in case you’re wondering).…
On this episode of the “O Ye of Middle Faith” podcast, Rick Lawrence talks about the state of youth ministry and an approach to discipleship that’s patterned after the way Jesus created transformational environments. Also on the podcast: Wende returns from paradise.…
What’s wrong with young people today? We’ve all heard about the symptomatic things that may characterize today’s teenagers, such as lower church attendance. But what’s underneath these trends? For many young people, it’s a suffocating sense of loneliness and isolation. “This is the most lonely generation,” said Josh Packard, sociologist and author of Church Refugees.…
What’s wrong with young people today? We’ve all heard about the symptomatic things that may characterize today’s teenagers, such as lower church attendance. But what’s underneath these trends? For many young people, it’s a suffocating sense of loneliness and isolation. “This is the most lonely generation,” said Josh Packard, sociologist and author of Church Refugees.…
I was born on the front pew of a church during a Sunday night worship service. Before I could say momma, I said Jesus. Enough exaggerating. I wasn’t born on a pew, but I was born a preacher’s daughter. Going to church was more important than anything else in our world.…
A mission trip is like the Olympic steeplechase—you’re running as fast as you can over, around, and through every imaginable obstacle to get to the finish line. Maybe it’s the girl who shows up with a piece of luggage the size of a small horse casket, or the guy who forgot to study the packing list and brought clothes that won’t work well in your context.…
Each summer for the last three years, our youth ministry has served our city through a weeklong local mission trip called “I HEART LINCOLN” (or I❤LNK). Our teenagers pay a $100 fee and are placed on a team with two leaders—each team is assigned a pre-arranged service project organized by a local organization in our city.…
We will soon be celebrating the most beloved and hated holiday in all of tween and teen-dom: Valentine’s Day. During adolescence, it seems to become THE DAY when your friends, crushes, and relationships prove their love for you via candy gram or stuffed bear.…
 Foundations: Building a Song from a Mess){kind=link}
 Foundations: Destroying the Works of the Devil){kind=link}
 Foundations: A Big Problem to Solve){kind=link}