Summer is a great season for youth workers. For some, things slow down a bit and you finally get some breathing room while for others, it’s packed with tons of extra events and activities. So whether you are swinging in a hammock a little more often this summer or staying late getting ready for tomorrow’s youth event, there are a few things you can do that will “Up” your summer.…
When Kayla was born, Rachel and I made an immediate decision that has fundamentally shaped our approach to raising kids. It was a decision based on a reality: Our kids didn’t choose to be born into a pastor’s family! My wife and I together choose the way of ministry, of our own free will.…
My pastor, Rick Warren, always says, “You don’t learn from people’s strengths, you learn from their weaknesses.” If that’s true, then I have a wealth of knowledge! But seriously, I’ve been doing youth ministry for a while now, and throughout my years in ministry, I’ve tried to be intentional about learning from my mistakes.…
I got an email from a youth worker asking for some guidance. He’s feeling the holiday pinch concerning the engagement and attendance of his students. So I sent him my response and thought I’d share it with all of you since we are all in the same boat one way or another this time of the year.…
This is a simple thought – one I wish I had greater depth on, but one that is challenging nonetheless. I live my life and make most of my major decisions using the F-word. I’m pretty sure you do, too. Granted, which F-word you and I use may differ.…
When you understand the barriers to change in your ministry environment, and why resistance to change is the top complaint among church leaders, you can overcome the challenges and become a catalyst. Much can be said for change. Nothing significant happens without it.…
Sometimes, youth ministry is like a bulldozer that plows stress-upon-stress onto your shoulders. If you let it keep piling up, it will bury you. So in the thick of stress, you need stuff you can do, not just stuff you can think about.…
Years ago, I made amazing youth ministry calendars. Jealous? Between finding the right fonts and Photoshopping students into clever clip-art, each calendar took about 10 hours to create. My hope was that if one of our students accidentally dropped the calendar at school (because what student wouldn’t carry around such an amazing calendar?),…
“I’m not gonna die here.” Sometimes we just have to say that out loud. Matt Damon’s character in The Martian declared it in a key moment early on in the movie. How many things in ministry require such a declaration? Fundraising?…
It’s been said that you don’t forgive someone for his or her sake – you forgive them for your sake. Sounds great… Wait, what? Is that our best option? Much has been written recently about Coach Monty Williams and the intentional forgiveness he extended to a negligent driver whose actions killed Williams’ wife and injured their children.…
