I have hundreds and hundreds of bookmarks saved in the various web browsers I use. I’m sharing 15 of my favorites—the sites I visit all the time. Some will seem like “no duh” sites, but check out my “why description” before you skip them.…
In the shadow of a virus pandemic, digital strategies for doing youth ministry are more important than ever. Necessity breeds invention—so now is the time to try some new ideas. Treat this season as an opportunity for experimenting with new approaches to connecting with your teenagers.…
So, yes, I watched about half of the just-completed season of The Bachelor. My embarrassment compels me to quickly explain—my 17-year-old daughter started watching this notorious (and wildly popular) show only this year, a permission that came with a price. Namely, that my wife and I would need to watch the show with her. …
As we prepare to celebrate MLK Day, we’ll see plenty of “greatest hits” quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. So much of what he said about social justice and racial equality is still relevant today. But Dr. King said a lot of powerful stuff that will never make it onto a meme.…
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. …
We have a global warming problem, but some struggle to acknowledge its source and implications. Meanwhile, we have a “global freezing” problem in the youth ministry world, and some in the church are struggling to acknowledge its source and implications. The “freeze” is driven by a church in decline (a 20 percentage-point decline since 1999)—stagnant youth ministry salaries and shrinking career possibilities are the results… So, it’s been four years since we asked youth pastors all over the U.S.…
Distractions define youth ministry because it’s a relational calling, and relationships are an engine for distraction. And if you’re like me, distractions are like catnip—three years ago a test for ADHD came back positive, though my friends could’ve told you that without a test.…
Julie’s a 10-year youth ministry vet. That means she’s sailed her ministry ship into the doldrums over and over. The doldrums, as it turns out, is a real thing—it’s the name sailors have given to the Intertropical Convergence Zone, where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge into a stifling calm.…
In my 20+ years of youth ministry, I’ve seen shifts in programming that are often tied to shifts in the wider culture. To stay ahead of the wave, we try to be proactive about rethinking the way we do ministry. When we’re ready to roll out new ideas, we veer away from “launching programs” and, instead, tell our ministry leaders and teenagers that we’re “experimenting” with a new approach. …
Kendra’s parents are waiting for longtime youth pastor Ralph Paige in his office—when he walks in the door, his church admin gives Ralph that “buckle up” look… It’s not going to be an easy conversation. Ralph welcomes “drop-in” conversations, but when most parents have a concern to bring up, they catch him in the hallway or call for an appointment.…
