Sometimes the devil really is to blame. Let’s say you’re on a mission trip and everything goes backward. It may not be a random accident that what you intended to be a win for the Kingdom of God has become a loss for everyone involved.…
In youth ministry, are we subtly working to build “the greatest show on earth,” even though the sound of it makes us cringe? The vibrant film musical The Greatest Showman is loosely based on the life story of P.T. Barnum, the self-proclaimed king of circus impresarios.…
You hope it’s good. You want it to be good. And…it is. It’s absolutely beautiful. Plus, [tweet_dis]the latest “Star Wars” movie has so much to teach us about youth ministry and parenting[/tweet_dis]. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is an epic, jaw-dropping high-five that’s also soulful, comedic, inspiring, and introspective.…
Once upon a time, going on a mission trip wasn’t about taking a selfie. If you were alive back then, you may remember how boring this was. One or two people on the trip might have been snapping photos through a now-archaic rectangular device that used film.…
By now, you’ve probably seen the #MeToo hashtag. And maybe you’ve been surprised at how many teenagers and adults you know are using it to publicly acknowledge sexual assault or harassment. The hashtag emerged after multiple actresses came forward to expose the predatory patterns of powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.…
You can’t save the world alone. But do you even feel like saving the world at this point in your life? Those deep concepts are at play in the new movie Justice League. Months after Superman’s death, the world has become a thoroughly dark, depressed place.…
Before Jesus began his public ministry on earth, he lived 30 years that the Bible doesn’t describe in great detail. We’d love if that weren’t the case—as youth workers, it would be handy to know how Jesus lived his teenage and young adult years.Did…
In case you haven’t realized it yet, mission trips are messy. Despite all our planning, screening, and noble intentions, every trip involves some really flawed people (including us) who tend to swing from one bit of drama to the next. Even when we’re being leader-like, such as ensuring that people serve for the “right reasons,” we’re pushing values that recipients may struggle with.…
As we walked by, we didn’t hear the woman’s name. All we knew was that the other prostitutes were wishing her a happy birthday. “Hope it’s a good night to make some money!” one said. “Maybe you’ll get lucky like in that Pretty Woman movie,” another added.…
The young man had given his life to Jesus, but for some reason we didn’t see him after that—until I went to get some pizza. It wasn’t on purpose, either. I was eating out with my family and happened to see him behind the counter.…
