I have never been able to pull together much of a routine in any area of my life. This includes reading my Bible. That doesn’t mean I don’t get into the Word every day—it just means I don’t interact with my Bible the same way, every day.…
What happens when one youth worker plunges herself into the gritty lives and disorienting culture of “fringe” kids, and what she learns from the experience that helps her create a profoundly welcoming environment in her ministry. By Theresa Mazza It was a crazy night in the mosh pit.…
In this week’s Whiteboard Wednesday experiment, we take a surprising plunge into authenticity, and what it looks like to create a ministry environment that invites vulnerability and a sense of relaxed honesty. Teenagers growing up in a “curated” and plastic world are starved for authentic relationships—we explore the way Jesus feeds people who hunger for deeper connections in their life.…
Jack Anderson (not his name) thought it could never happen—at least not at his church. The color drained from his face when he received the call that a police investigation was in progress due to a report of sexual misconduct from one of his volunteers.…
The van-ride home from a retreat or trip alternates between chaos and peace as kids relive highlights from the week. The caffeine is finally wearing off, and the exhaustion is setting in. If you’re like me, when I pull the van into the church parking lot I have two emotions sweep over me: relief that we made it home, and a kind of sadness that the experience is over.…
These youth group activities provide ideas for service during the Thanksgiving season and a fun way for your group to gather the food for a Thanksgiving meal. Youth Group Activities: Serving and Thanksgiving In Matthew 10:8 Jesus said, “Freely you have received; freely give.”…
Join Rick and Becky for this “re-podcast” BEST-OF episode from two years ago—“What Is the Meaning of Life?” In the past three years, this episode had the most listeners. Next week, Rick will begin a new series called “Jesus People”—exploring the heart of Jesus through the lens of his friends and enemies.…
Join Rick for the third episode in a new series—“THE HARVEST.” Delight is central to the personality and relational norms of Jesus. We think we understand delight as a simple concept, but it’s really the portal into a deeper life with Him… So here we explore an encounter Jesus has with a woman as He travels through the region of Tyre and Sidon—pagan territory and the traditional home of Jewish enemies.…
Join Rick for the first episode in a new ongoing series—“JESUS IN THE REAL WORLD.” We’ll be pursuing the heart of Jesus through the lens of what’s going on in the world right now… Our focus will be, as always, stay squarely on the heart of Jesus—not politics or ideologies.…
Join Rick for the eighth and final episode in the series—“THE HARVEST.” In his commentary on the Gospel of John, the great contemporary theologian N.T. Wright says: “The urgent question, then, is this: How do we ‘remain’ in him?” The leaders of the Taize movement, commenting on the message of John 15, wrote: “The essential thing for believers, then, is not to be concerned about ‘results’ or to dream up ambitious projects but simply to remain linked to Christ, to ‘remain in his love’” And Vaughan Roberts, rector of St Ebbe’s Church in Oxford, says: “Jesus is not a decorative shrub, useful for giving an aesthetic religious touch to life.…
