“Dad, weren’t you just in the church service?!” I’ve heard that more than once from my all-too-astute kids as I pulled out of the parking lot on Sunday and promptly gave them a visual lesson in “do as I say, not as I do.”…
Like a scene from an Indiana Jones movie, we pull our dusty hat down, clutch our whip, and head into the dark cave that hides the elusive Will of God. It’s a mysterious treasure, so we have only vague clues pointing us in the right direction.…
Our culture values doing over being. Business cards reveal what we do, not who we are. College applications ask what students have accomplished, not who they’ve become. Even churches and youth groups sometimes unwittingly encourage right actions before faithful hearts. It’s an easy trap to fall into, for sure.…
I am not sporty. I don’t track athletes, teams, or even where the ball is on the field. ESPN has never been my jam. I’m much more of a Food Network kind of guy. Yet I was serving in a youth ministry full of athletes.…
Once I served in a church so consumed with numbers that it had a permanent apparatus in the back of the worship center dedicated solely to them. It displayed last week’s attendance, this week’s attendance, attendance from a year ago, and, of course, the most recent offering numbers.…
For years, I listened only to Christian music, watched only PG-13 films (as long as they were approved by “Plugged In”), played only E-rated video games (as long as no shooting at humans was involved), and prioritized preserving holiness and guarding hearts.…
Like a scene from The Lord of the Rings, I was on a quest. At times, my adventure felt dangerous. The stress was intense, and my frailties surfaced. Sometimes my hope was rekindled, and I continued my journey in earnest. And sometimes the prize seemed almost within reach, only to be snatched away at the last moment.…
I can’t remember the topic, but my rant was probably about something insignificant. A friend who’d been listening to my umpteenth tirade about the subject inserted a scalpel at the exact right moment. He injected some needed restraint into my rant, and I felt exposed, suddenly wrestling with shame.…
As a youth worker, you know it’s important to communicate well with parents. You may have learned that lesson via the School of Hard Knocks, maybe from a frustrated parent, or from 14 billion phone calls regarding something you should’ve conveyed with a quick text or email.…
Youth ministry involves one tough call after another. “Do I stay or go?” “Do I fire this person or offer another chance?” “Do I send this kid home or offer mercy?” “Domino’s or Little Caesars?” I used to consider myself a pretty good leader.…
