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Jen Bradbury
Apr 05 · 5 min read

The homeless men in worship

I slunk into worship a few minutes late on Sunday, something that is, unfortunately, not unusual for this harried mama youth pastor. I hurriedly slid into a pew in the back of the sanctuary along with my 10-month old daughter.

A few minutes...

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#motherhood #youth pastor #homeless #babies #Jesus #breastfeeding #Prayer #church #worship

Jen Bradbury
Mar 17 · 5 min read

When you finally believe the words

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

The first time I heard these...

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#Leaders #youth ministry #student leadership #church #Missions #mentor #scripture #Job #identity #miscarriage #music #books

Jen Bradbury
Mar 04 · 5 min read

Why I'm Proud to be a Selfish Parent

In a recent sermon, mega church pastor and evangelical Christian leader, Andy Stanley said, “We want churches to be large enough so that there are enough middle schoolers and high schoolers that we don't have one youth group with middle school and...

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#Jesus gap #research #Sticky faith #church #parenting #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Feb 19 · 5 min read

Recent Reads: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Filed in Recent Reads

I Am Malala

What the book's about: I Am Malala is Malala Yousafzai's account of her life in the Swat Valley in Pakistan, her desire to see ALL people, especially girls, have access to education, and her fight for her own life after being shot by the Taliban...

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#refugee #discussion #church #books

Jen Bradbury
Jan 25 · 5 min read

Recent Reads: Real Sex by Lauren Winner

Filed in Recent Reads

What the book's about: Lauren Winner's Real Sex is a book that talks openly and honestly about sex, confronting the lies both our culture and the church tell about it. It also explores the discipline of chastity. 

Why I read this book:...

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#church #sex #babies #marriage #youth ministry #books #worship

Jen Bradbury
Jan 11 · 5 min read

Review: Out of Sorts by Sarah Bessey

Filed in Book Review

Sarah Bessey is a writer's writer. Her words are beautiful; Her language, poetry. She's someone I read when I need inspiration. 

Out Of Sorts

Needless to say, my expectations about her second book, Out of Sorts, were incredibly high, so much so that I...

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#refugee #vocation #cross-cultural #church #grief #Jesus #books

Jen Bradbury
Dec 16 · 5 min read

Budgeting Basics: Cutting Your Budget

Churches today are struggling financially.

Oh, I know that's not true of ALL of them.

But I know it's true of a lot of them.

As a result, it's entirely possible for you to do the hard work of crafting a budget proposal only to be told, “We'd love...

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#money #church #youth ministry management #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Nov 12 · 5 min read

Step down from the stage

This fall, my high school teens and I have been discussing various “isms”. On the first week of this series, we wrestled with materialism, using the story of Jesus and the rich young ruler to do so. In this story, a rich young ruler asks Jesus...

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#youth ministry #Teaching #doubt #worship #service projects #babies #scripture #Jesus #church

Jen Bradbury
Nov 04 · 5 min read

Budgeting Basics: Dream Big

One of my early church memories is participating in my church's pony express giving campaign – a campaign in which a saddlebag was passed from home to home along with stories about our church's ministries and our pledge cards. Families were then...

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#money #church #youth ministry management #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Oct 28 · 5 min read

10 Characteristics of a Healthy Youth Ministry

On a recent call with Alan Roxburgh, author of Structured for Mission, I heard Al say two really compelling things. First, people are no longer hardwired to go to church like they once were. Second, given this changing culture, those of us who...

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#Jesus gap #church #grief #culture of welcome #youth ministry #books

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Latest Posts

  • The homeless men in worship
  • When you finally believe the words
  • Why I'm Proud to be a Selfish Parent
  • Recent Reads: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
  • Recent Reads: Real Sex by Lauren Winner
  • Review: Out of Sorts by Sarah Bessey
  • Budgeting Basics: Cutting Your Budget
  • Step down from the stage
  • Budgeting Basics: Dream Big
  • 10 Characteristics of a Healthy Youth Ministry

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