Genesis 1-2 A First Time For Everything, told by Adam. The very first human being God spoke into his amazingly complex creation… Welcome to the Eyewitness Podcast where each surprising episode brings you face-to-face with one of God’s friends from the Bible.…
When our teenagers graduate from high school, our “shepherd” calling means they don’t graduate from our lives. Most churches offer very little for college-age students—that means your voice and presence in their lives is still primary. We care and connect with our kids, no matter how old they get!…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… A healthy relationship with your senior pastor is a core part of a healthy youth ministry. I understand this isn’t often the case, and you may wonder most days what’s happening in his or her head. …
“Do you know who I am? I don’t know how to put this, but…I’m kind of a big deal. People know me, I’m very important.” This declaration from Will Ferrell’s character Ron Burgundy cracks me up every time I hear it.…
Join Rick for the second episode of the new series—“THE WAYS OF JESUS.” Researchers say a strong factor feeding resilience is “the degree of control that the person has over the stressor.” When we can’t exert any control over the trauma we’ve experienced, the “agency” that fuels our hope is obliterated.…
One of the most difficult aspects of student ministry is learning to meet the needs of each individual student. Over the years, we’ve gotten pretty good at assessing and addressing the general needs of the larger group, but getting past the “one-size-fits-all” mindset is tough.…
If your church has an org chart chances are, like in most churches, the role of youth worker probably falls somewhere in the middle of the pack. Sure, there are a few folks above you, and a few below but your role as youth worker is probably somewhere in the crowded middle…depending on the size of your church, of course.…
Before our second Valentine’s Day after we started dating (see throwback photo on the left!), I (Jake) had purchased a present that I was ecstatic about. I couldn’t even contain my excitement enough to make it to February 14, so after some begging and my best impression of puppy dog eyes, Melissa gave in to getting her present a day early.…
Ever had someone believe in you more than you believe in yourself? Or, even deeper, ever had someone invest inexplicable belief in who you are and what you can do? Several years ago I wrote a book called Sifted. I’ve written many books over the years, but this was my first attempt to write something for a wider readership than the youth ministry community.…
Join Rick for the first episode of the series—“THE WAYS OF JESUS.” There was a miraculous birth that preceded the miraculous birth of Jesus—John the Baptist. He was born of an elderly couple, chosen to “prepare the way” for Jesus by calling the Jews to repentance.…
 Eyewitness Podcast: A First For Everything, by Adam){kind=link}
 THE WAYS OF JESUS: Exercising Agency){kind=link}
 THE WAYS OF JESUS: The Turnaround){kind=link}