Youth Ministry & No-Phone-Freedom. . . or. . . What Happens When We Shut Down For A Week?. . .
“How do I get my students to put their phones down?” That question started coming from a growing army of youth workers several years ago as I would engage them on the great blessings and difficulties of doing youth ministry…
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Teaching Kids To Get Love Right. . .
Happy Valentine’s Day. Four years ago, as I was eating my breakfast in a hotel lobby, I was reminded that it was the weekend we celebrate love and fill the pockets of the folks at Hallmark. A fifty-something husband enthusiastically…
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13-Year-Olds, Smartphones, and Pornography. . .
Last night I finished reading Rachael Denhollander’s sobering book, What Is A Girl Worth?, which tells the story of her courageous leadership in exposing the systemic sexual abuse of young female athletes by Dr. Larry Nassar. I can’t recommend this…
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A Woman’s Take On The Super Bowl Halftime Show And Human Dignity. . .
The conversation continues. . . and so it should. . . because these things do indeed matter. (Here’s what I wrote on Monday). And lest you think that all those who care are only singling out the few minutes and…
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One Way To Reduce Teen Anxiety. . . A Helpful Handout. . .
A few years ago I jumped into the world of teen anxiety. I heard the first person stories. I listened to parents, youth workers, and educators lament what was happening with the kids they know and love. I looked at…
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Shakira, JLo, and The NFL. . . Thoughts On Halftime. . .
I’m really not sure how to put into words the cascade of thoughts, confusion, concern, and sadness that began last night shortly after Shakira took the Super Bowl Halftime stage. . . and which have continued up to this moment.…
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The Super Bowl Ads. . . A Big Ministry Opportunity. . .
Does marketing work? You bet! If it didn’t work, then why are companies willing to fork out $5 million for a 30-second commercial spot during this year’s Super Bowl? If you’re one of those parents or youth workers who plan…
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Kobe Byrant And Necessary Thoughts. . .
The reality and shock of death visited me for the first time when I was seven-years-old. Our President was gunned down and suddenly died. I remember how my young mind raced to make sense of it all. We were glued…
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One-Minute A Day For Youth Workers & Parents. . . CPYU’s Best-Kept Secret. . .
With youth culture changing at breakneck speed, it’s difficult to stay up-to-date. One way to stay educated, encouraged, and equipped to respond is to track with our daily one-minute Youth Culture Today podcast! It all began as a daily radio spot…
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Boundaries For Youth Workers. . .
Over the course of my years in youth ministry I’ve learned many things the hard way. . . either by watching myself or observing friends. One of the lessons I’ve learned is just how important it is for a youth…
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How Youth Ministry Is Undermining The Health Of Our Kids. . .
And so . . . I’m going to raise an issue that will stir the pot and might cause some trouble. . . about an issue that has gotten me in some personal trouble. And the more I’ve researched the…
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Michelle Williams, The Golden Globes, Abortion, and Talking To Your Kids. . .
It’s taken a couple of days for me to sort out the mixed bag of thoughts prompted by what happened at the 2020 Golden Globes Awards show last Sunday evening. Embedded in the distribution of trophies were the expected politically-charged…
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