Nothing says, “Old guy who doesn’t understand me” like using media that was popular when you were a kid.As youth pastors, we are constantly looking for new ways to reach our students. We try to create an atmosphere that students want to be a part of.…
The award-winning PBS documentary program Frontline tackles the really tough issues—the Iraq war, sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, AIDS and homosexuality, the meth epidemic, and the toughest one of all…the teenage brain. On the must-watch list for youth leaders, Frontline’s "Inside the World of the Teenage Brain" should be a double-must.1 It’s a smart, well-researched, and fascinating roller-coaster ride through the wicked synapses of a teenager’s command-and-control center.…
A few years back a pastor friend of mine asked me to help start a college ministry for their church. I didn’t hesitate since I had been involved in youth ministry for a number of years. My thinking was that college ministry was not any different then overseeing a youth group except that they were a few years older.…
Road trips are a biblical staple. In fact, some of the greatest Bible stories involve road trips. The tale of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) is a good example. While on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, a Samaritan traveler comes upon a man beaten, robbed, and dying by the side of the road.…
Almost every young child eventually asks mom or day, “Why do bad things happen to good people.” It does not take long for one to discover that life does not seem fair and sometimes, the odds seem stacked against you. To spark conversation on the topic, watch the movie Holes as a group and follow it up with this devotion.…
This masquerading stat/lie goes something like this: “The percentage of young people who are Bible-believing Christians is steadily decreasing, and right now has dropped to a rock-bottom 4 percent.” The 4 Percent Warning has entered unopposed into the church’s vocabulary of accepted fact.…
They want responsibility. They want to be heard. And above all, they don’t want to be treated like children. Of course, the reason kids crave adults’ respect is simple—they don’t feel they’re getting it now. Why not? Well, sometimes kids’ behavior doesn’t warrant respect, as a recent letter from a Christian camp director in Pennsylvania points out: “Our camp is geared for youth groups.…
How are your teenagers learning the gospel? Well, widespread reports about their biblical illiteracy pretty much rule out the Bible as a primary source. Their parents are often too busy, tired, and scattered to fit in gospel talk. And Sunday school?…
About a month ago God performed a “celebrity smack-down” on me. He was the celebrity, I was the smack-ee. My overlapping responsibilities as editor of GROUP and creator of GROUP Magazine Live (www.group.com/reignite), combined with some chronic health problems in my family, had sucked the life out of me.…
So Iran is building nuclear power plants, or are its leaders really working on nuclear weapons? Believe it or not, the answer to this question has a loopy relevance for your youth ministry. If you enrich uranium a little, you can use it to fuel a power plant.…
