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Jen Bradbury
Jan 22 · 5 min read

Concerns about "Where I Belong"

It's January. That means that once again, it's time for K-Love's 30-Day Challenge – something I have some concerns about. In response to my concerns, today I'm continuing to critically evaluate some of the songs that...

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#music #culture of welcome #doubt #environment #justice #Jesus #Prayer #service projects #grief #hope

Jen Bradbury
Jan 12 · 5 min read

For the love of liturgy

When I began my first job in youth ministry, the church I worked at was in the midst of worship wars: Fighting constantly about whether to have “traditional” or “contemporary” music.

Young, naive, and convinced we were right and traditional music...

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#Jesus gap #music #Jesus #worship

Jen Bradbury
Jan 09 · 5 min read

Concerns about “All You've Ever Wanted”

It's January. That means that once again, it's time for K-Love's 30-Day Challenge – something I have some concerns about.

One of my concerns about K-Love's 30-Day Challenge is that it seems to invite people to thoughtlessly consume Christian...

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#accountability #grace #Jesus gap #affirmation #music #Jesus

Jen Bradbury
Jan 07 · 5 min read

How to make their ideas yours

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how to brainstorm with teens. People hesitant about utilizing teens in this process often ask some variation of this question:

What if the things teens WANT to talk about aren't what they need to talk about in order...

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#Teaching #scripture #sex #Jesus #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Dec 23 · 5 min read

Why I won't be using "God's Not Dead"

God's Not Dead

Although I failed to see the movie, God's Not Dead, when it was in theaters last spring, knowing the basic plot - A Christian kid decides to defend the idea that “God's Not Dead” to an atheist philosophy professor – I made a note to myself to...

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#youth ministry #movies #apologetics #evangelism #Jesus gap #Jesus #hope #tragedy #art

Jen Bradbury
Dec 18 · 5 min read

A week in the life of a youth pastor

Earlier this year, this youth minister meme began showing up everywhere in social media:

Youth Pastor Meme

While it made me chuckle, I couldn't help but think, “This confusion is real.” People really don't understand what it is we do.

And this is true not just of...

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#youth ministry management #youth ministry #student leadership #Missions #social events #service projects #Leaders #books #retreats #Jesus

Jen Bradbury
Dec 11 · 5 min read

The 1st question you should ask in small groups

On Sunday mornings, we utilize small group discussions as part of our large group teaching in our high school ministry.

Currently, we're in the midst of a series called “Jesus' Family Tree”. It's our way of talking about the characters in the...

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#small group #Advent #discussion #pregnancy #Jesus #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Dec 05 · 5 min read

Babies, Mobiles, and Hope

While in Rwanda for our international missions trip, we went shopping at an artisans' market.

While there, I couldn't take my eyes off the crib mobiles.

Eventually I confessed as much to my husband. He assured me that even though we did not yet...

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#Rwanda #miscarriage #hope #Jesus #Jesus gap #Prayer #pregnancy

Jen Bradbury
Nov 18 · 5 min read

To the Parent Whose Child Does Not Want to Go on the Mission Trip

Dear Parent Whose Child Does Not Want to Go on the Mission Trip -

I know your family has hundreds of worthwhile options for how to spend it's time each summer and that you can't do it all. I can also only assume it's far easier to send your child...

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#open letter #Sticky faith #service projects #Jesus #Missions #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Nov 14 · 5 min read

Are teens too dependent on youth pastors?

In a recent episode of The Biggest Loser , the time came to reshuffle the teams in order to force contestants to not only work with new teammates, but also with new trainers.

Every year, contestants face this Biggest Loser milestone with fear,...

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#Leaders #scripture #TV #Jesus #youth ministry #faith formation

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Latest Posts

  • Concerns about "Where I Belong"
  • For the love of liturgy
  • Concerns about “All You've Ever Wanted”
  • How to make their ideas yours
  • Why I won't be using "God's Not Dead"
  • A week in the life of a youth pastor
  • The 1st question you should ask in small groups
  • Babies, Mobiles, and Hope
  • To the Parent Whose Child Does Not Want to Go on the Mission Trip
  • Are teens too dependent on youth pastors?

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