Fortnite, 13 Reasons Why, Snapchat… The shifting currents of culture all play a role in shaping the teenagers you serve, and give you unique opportunities to connect the Gospel to what’s actively forming their identity.
What You’ll Find
Our Media and Culture section will give you a window into the world of teenage culture. From gaming and movies to TV and technology, we’ll provide expert advice and perspective that will help you to engage with them on a cultural level. We’ll also review the latest gadgets, tools, and tech that can help make your job a bit easier.
I have often been asked that question paired with, “I just don’t know what I don’t know. How do I mine for issues that should be covered in guidelines for social media use by our staff?” It is hard to know what to add without having a 500 page document that covers everything.…
I love taking everyday items and transforming them into ministry tools. My friend Joe showed me how to make a Nerf® Blow Dart gun out of half-inch diameter PVC pipe. Actually, there is not much work you have to do since a Nerf® Dart fits perfectly in the half-inch PVC pipe.…
I am always looking for ways to connect with students, but in my ministry context it is hard to connect over the summer. Here are 5 “Summer Connecting” ideas to help you get touchpoints with your students during these sporadic few months.…
Last week I had the privilege of emceeing Challenge, the national conference for EFCA students. There were about 4500 students and 1000 youth workers. The energy was high, the students were dialed in to learning and serving, and the adult leaders were committed shepherds…I was encouraged and impressed. …
My son calls them, “Awkward conversations with adults.” In an attempt for adults to make conversation with a teen boy the first question they often ask is, “What’s your favorite video game?” It becomes uncomfortable for him because he finds himself saying, “Umm, I don’t really like video games.”…
I don’t have enough margin in my schedule to create more than one video for our senior graduation service. Every year that one video is a slideshow. We send a letter to parents letting them know when the service is, how we will honor our graduates, and that we would like 4 pictures of their student(s); baby, toddler, junior high, and a senior picture.…
There are different types of tragedy that strike our ministries. Sometimes they happen to students under our care, other times it is an illness or accident or a devastating choice a student makes that ends in pain. the scenarios can vary, but in my experience the feelings that follow almost always are the same: grief, hurt and a helplessness that there is nothing you can “do” to “fix” the situation.…
Full Disclosure: Because today’s technologies have a forming influence on our spiritual, emotional, and psychological “shape,” I’ve stubbornly resisted getting a smartphone, preferring instead my now-ancient flip phone. We’ve decided to not have cable TV in our home, “screen time” in general is limited, and I have a teenage daughter who saw such profound impact on her friendships when cell phones entered the picture that she refuses to use one.…
****Warning: Spoiler Alert**** If you haven’t seen it, or don’t want to know details, avoid reading on. There has been a lot of controversy in the Christian community as whether or not to see the “Noah” movie. I thought we were prepped and prepared for what we would see and feel.…
Almost every student in our ministry has a cell phone and they are itching to get it out and use it. I do not want to encourage misuse and distraction, but I figure if it’s available and has ministry potential, I might as well try and leverage it.…
