Easter is right around the corner with a whirlwind of candy, plastic eggs, and fake grass. As one of the “big two” times of year people think about church, it’s natural for it to also be a time of outreach. Some ministries will go to extremes to launch their Easter egg hunt out of a helicopter, while others will go to lengths to ensure that Sunday is one of the most inviting of the year.…
I want to begin by giving a disclaimer. I don’t really know how to begin this blog, nor do I claim to be an expert in student ministry. My church is currently in the final stages of our biggest student event of the year and by planning it, it got my mind thinking of what advice I would give to young youth ministers like myself.…
We have been in the throes of graduations galore. Hats are thrown in the air, celebrations had, and gifts given. Then it’s over, but it’s not. The pomp and circumstance has died away, but students are still in a waiting space for the future to arrive.…
“Should I stay or should I go?” The Clash made those lyrics famous in the 1980’s. The question the song proposes is one you may find yourself asking these days, creating your own kind of internal clash. Whether you’re paid or a volunteer in your church, you may be pondering what the lyrics suggest: “If I go there will be trouble… and if I stay it will be double.”…
Fifteen years ago, I found myself unexpectedly let go from a full-time youth ministry role. I didn’t see it coming, nor was I prepared for what to do to provide for my family. Typical of these sorts of traumas, I saw myself as the persecuted hero and my church as the insensitive villain. …
Is your wonder-er broken? You know it’s broken when you lose your sense of wonder. What if …? We think that’s one of the most powerful and provocative and downright fun questions our wonder-er can think about. It opens the door for us to imagine, invent, and dream.…
The above picture was taken last night, the first gathering of a brand new small group of awesomely awkward 7th grade guys. See me leaning in on the right? The smile on my face masks a ton of anxiety about the year ahead.…
Summer is here! Students are out of school, camp schedules are looming, personal vacations are coveted for a much-needed get away and before you know it the fall kick off will be here very soon. I tend to always feel an awkward ache when I can’t meet with every student or be able to see all our students and their friends during the summer.…
More than three decades ago I showed up for my first day of work at Group Publishing, a 26-year-old amateur theologian and journalist trained in investigative reporting, about to mount the lowest rung on my career ladder. Six months later Thom Schultz, founder and CEO of Group, asked to meet with me… I remember the nervous, intimidated feeling I had as I walked the hallway to his office.…
INSTRUCTIONS: Spark conversations about biblical truth by discussing the “News Nugget” below. Bring it up in conversation, as a discussion-starter at the beginning of your gathering, as a small-group discussion-starter, or as part of a Bible study. Add any additional information and new developments.…
