Sacrifice. It’s a word that can easily bring about negative connotations, especially when viewed with an Old Testament frame of mind. What would it look like to shift our perspective to focus on and embrace the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made on the cross?…
In a world built upon seasons, it can be hard to understand how the death of something can bring the necessary transformation that leads to new life. As we move into the Easter season, what does it take to embrace this unique cycle in our own lives, while also trusting in Jesus to guide the entire process?…
Play a game with me… Imagine you weren’t allowed to have small groups of any kind in your youth ministry. How would you build community? We all know that creating relationship-rich spaces to grow community is important, but what if our go-to greenhouse for friendship-building wasn’t an option?…
Trials, pain, and sadness are very real things in this world, often rearing their ugly head during the advent season. As we face the issues brought about by these ‘challenges,’ Jesus makes us a vaguely positive promise that he has ‘overcome the world.’…
Use these 5 digital tools to help disciple youth in your ministry. In his day, Jesus used one of the most powerful communication tools known to man—it’s called “the parable.” He was a master storyteller. And so, we read in Matthew 13, when he has gathered a large crowd, he leverages the moment by telling five parables in a row.…
I’m just imagining the first followers of Jesus taking a “discipleship assessment” just after his death and resurrection. Would a single one of them make the grade as a “fully formed disciple” by today’s youth ministry standards? If the model Jesus himself used produced the kind of results that would get most of us a poor performance review, maybe there’s a problem with the way we think about discipleship.…
We all have ugly inside whether we want to admit it or not. Anger, greed, lust, jealousy, and a host of other qualities plague us all. While admitting our ugly to others often initially triggers hurt feelings, acknowledging our ugly to Jesus leads to a very different response.…
Recently my teenage daughter Lucy and three of her friends completed a six-minute documentary exploring the worldwide human-trafficking problem, then submitted it for a school assignment. They designed a full-color trifold brochure as a companion piece and created a stress ball with the word “Enough” printed on it as a “sellable item.”…
An exasperated small-group leader stopped me to chat. One of my best leaders, he was dedicated and prepared. He just wanted a quick fix to get his small group back on track. “I’ve never experienced anything like this,” he admitted. “One guy is totally disruptive every week, and nothing I try works.…
Gun violence. Prescription pill abuse. Narcotic and alcohol dependence. Graphic sexual references about “hoes.” Is this a police report from a twisted crime scene? No, our culture just has a new #1 song. With “Rockstar,” Post Malone reached the coveted top position on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart.…
