For the last year and a half, I’ve had the privilege of participating in Fuller Youth Institute's Youth Ministry Innovation Cohort. Part of this has meant creating a project to do in my youth ministry involving an ancient practice: Vocation. This...
Because mission trips are, by their very nature, short-term, it can be tempting to use them as an opportunity to try out new leaders.
Please don’t.
While mission trips are indeed short-term, their short-term nature makes them incredibly...
Today, I'm linking up with Five Minute Friday. The rules: Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
This week's prompt: Anniversary.
I started college at a time when the future seemed bright, when I expected to...
In the movie, Stepmom, a mom, Jackie (Susan Serandon) is dying of cancer, leaving her young children behind in the care of her ex-husband (Ed Harris) and his new wife, Isabel (Julia Roberts). In a poignant scene near the end of the movie, Jackie...
As a youth pastor, I am a leader.
I lead students, adult and student leaders, parents, and in a variety of ways, colleagues.
As such, I constantly want to grow in my leadership skills. For that reason, I was excited to read Aubrey...
On the way home from a recent youth ministry trip, I sat next to my colleague, Joe, on the plane. We both knew that in many ways, this trip was the last significant thing I’d do as youth pastor in our congregation. I was transitioning out and Joe...
Today, I'm linking up with Five Minute Friday. The rules: Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
This week's prompt: Way.
My congregation’s long-time senior pastor resigned unexpectedly in February, 2017....
I’m currently writing a part of a book called Four Views on Talking to Teenagers about Sex for The Youth Cartel (It'll be available in January, 2019). As part of my preparation for this, I’ve been reading all I can about sex… from as many...
Today, I'm linking up with Five Minute Friday. The rules: Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
This week's prompt: Done.
My boss, Joe, walked me up to my office at the end of a long Sunday. It was a good...
According to author Rachel Held Evans, “Those who say having a childlike faith means not asking questions haven’t met too many children.”
What I love about that sentiment – and about Rachel in general – is that she embraces questions of all...