Our team here at Group/Simply Youth Ministry spent two years developing an approach to a youth ministry staple—the sermon series—that creates a growth-rich environment for students. We discovered a lot along the way. For example, almost everyone in youth ministry uses sermon/talk series at their main weekly gathering, but very few are truly happy with the end results.…
In Matthew 18:20 (NIV), Jesus says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” If you start or stop there and stay there, you can easily miss what Jesus is saying. By these words alone, you might easily reach three different conclusions: Jesus isn’t present when we’re alone.…
Nobel laureate Professor Carl Wieman raised hackles recently by branding the college lecture—the world’s most popular (and notorious) teaching strategy—as “educational malpractice.” Wieman won his Noble for physics but has made a name for himself as an educational reformer. He’s the teaching equivalent of Don Quixote, tilting at the windmill of one-way communication as a learning strategy.…
I have a few “go-to” tools that help me prepare a message. I am the primary teacher in our high school youth ministry but I also carry part of the teaching load for our church (about once a month). More than anything, I want to correctly convey God’s word.…
I just invented a new word: plagiarism. (Actually, I didn’t. Someone else did. I didn’t even write that joke. I saw it on Twitter. I’m horrible. Forgive me. Hold me. Love me.) You know how there are some things you’re sorry for because they’re wrong, and other things you apologize for because you get caught?…
Robin Williams is a liar. At least, his character in the great movie “Dead Poet’s Society” is… or is misinformed. Just like you. Just like me. Esquire Magazine referenced a quote by novelist Nicolson Baker of how one of William’s catchphrases in the movie was mistranslated: “Carpe diem” doesn’t mean seize the day — it means something gentler and more sensible.…
It was two years ago—a typical student service on a typical Sunday night. We served the typical food and played the typical music and games right before I made our typical announcements and launched into one of my typical teaching times.…
Today I was looking through some really excellent small group curriculum. I loved the way it dug into lead students in going deeper with their relationship with Christ. However, it also held one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to pre-written curriculum: It was really written for an adult, not a student.…
A pastor was working on his weekly sermon one day while his son watched. “Dad,” the boy asked, “how do you know what to say every week?” “God tells me,” he answered, writing some more thoughts on his sketch pad. The boy watched for a few minutes more and asked, “Are you sure it’s God?”…
When I teach at Colossae, I use something I call a “Thread.” The thread is the main point of the passage we are teaching, boiled down into a phrase or a very short sentence. On a fantastic week, if we’re honest about it, people will (maybe) embrace 1 thing they heard us say in our message. …
