Tic Returns! . . . .
The cone of silence has been lifted and I can finally say it! . . . Big news in the world of youth ministry today. . . . the Youth Specialties extreme makeover that became and remained the talk of…
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What Will You Sing Tonight? . . . .
I love talking to youth workers about kids. What I don’t like hearing are the seemingly endless stream of stories about churched kids. You know, the ones who have seen, heard, and done it all over and over and over…
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To Give or To Get? . . . .
The other day I was driving down the highway with the 24-hour Christmas station putting out a steady menu of nostalgic old favorites so familiar that I hum or sing-along without really paying attention. Every now and then a new…
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Deconstructing Tiger. . .
A few weeks have passed since the Tiger Woods we all knew was eclipsed in our collective consciousness by the Tiger Woods who is. I’m not a golf fan. I don’t watch it on TV. I find it boring. I…
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Pop Culture. . . A Sign Of Life. . .
Every now and then I find something positive in pop culture that’s worth passing along to our CPYU constituency. This morning I found one of those things while doing some writing for the upcoming January/February edition of Simply Youth Culture…
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Sara Groves. . . .
Last night my daughter Caitlin and I shared a wonderful evening out featuring a meal and a concert. Sara Groves and her ensemble were in town to play at the Hershey Free Church (thanks to Bob Sproul and his crew…
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Columbine Reality. . . .
Last week I finally got around to a book that’s been sitting on the pile for quite some time. I wanted to read Dave Cullen’s Columbine before the 10th anniversary year of the watershed school massacre came to an end.…
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The “Old Guy’s” Necessary Questions. . . .
Sometimes the passage of time brings the clarity that you were erroneously convinced you once had. Thinking, learning, listening, praying, and experiencing combine in a mix that makes the murky waters you once believed and defended as crystal clear, to…
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The Lie of Christmas. . . .
It’s getting crazy around here. . . . Christmas crazy. I look around and see – as Dave Matthews sings – “ants marching.” It’s the craziness of the Christmas rush. Why? Rather than ponder this anew, I thought I would…
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Seeking The Orgasmic Now. . . .
Yesterday we sat with some beloved friends in a local Chinese joint eating lunch and talking about – among other things – the state of the church. They were visiting from out-of-town and had just spent the morning worshipping with…
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2:20 and Thanksgiving. . . .
Twelve days ago I issued this challenge to our blog visitors: Let’s give glory, honor, and thanks to the God who has given us all things by getting 20 more Compassion children sponsored by Thanksgiving. I want to remind you…
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Do What Just Feels Right. . . .
Youth culture is a map and a mirror. It is both directive and reflective. We watch it to see where it’s sending us and our kids. We watch it to see where we are. We monitor, deconstruct, and exegete it…
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