When It’s All About Me, Me, Me. . . .
Boxer Muhammed Ali used to dance around the ring proclaiming to anyone within earshot, “I am the greatest!” It was funny because Ali had become a caricature of himself who was at heart an entertainer. But Ali’s show has morphed…
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Youth Workers: A New Year For Balancing Law and Gospel. . .
With the beginning of another “season” of youth ministry kicking off at the start of another school year, it’s always good to do a bit of self-examination that results in a resolve to tweak and correct ministry-course where necessary. Perhaps…
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Youthworkers and Ministry to Parents: Ideas, Strategies, and Helps as the Fall Begins. . .
Nothing happens by coincidence. And as time has gone on, I continue to thank God for a “chance” meeting I had with someone that completely changed the trajectory and effectiveness of my youth ministry, ultimately resulting in the establishment of…
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A Prayer For Our Kids As They Head Back-To-School. . .
School is starting. This year, some of our kids are heading to a building. Others are going to school online. Still others are being home-schooled out of necessity or by choice. I love looking at all the first-day-of-school pictures that…
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Teaching Students The Biblical Narrative: A Great Resource for Youth Workers! . . .
If you were to ask your students to describe the Bible, what would they say? Would they describe it as a collection of moral stories that are examples to follow? Would they say that the Bible is a collection of…
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“Ahhh. . . I Wonder What The Poor People Are Doing Today. . .”
One sunny Labor Day, I had the opportunity to go boating with a group of six high schoolers in the clear blue waters off the coast of Miami. Six of us enjoyed the beautiful weather while swimming and water-skiing off…
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Love is love? Thoughts From A Dead Guy. . .
Sometimes, the people who see the reality of the times are people who aren’t even living in and through the times. Many of them have lived before the times. . . sort of. . . because there’s really nothing new…
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19 Minutes Of Commencement Brilliance. . . .
Rarely does a commencement speech tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Graduating from high school, college, or graduate school is a happy occasion. Perhaps that’s why commencement speakers typically endeavor to fuel the happiness in…
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Praying For Our Kids. . .
With my own four children now out of their teenage years and into adulthood, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to think back on my own parenting journey. On the one hand, I’m grateful for the Godly advice that was given…
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Some Thoughts On This Last Day of Pride Month. . .
On this, the last day of Pride month, I’ve been thinking about just how head-spinning all of the changing cultural narratives on meaning, identity, gender, and sexuality have actually been. I’ve become more and more convinced that being on the…
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Six Truths On Identity To Preach To Ourselves. . .
Have you ever had one of those so-deep-sleeps that when you finally wake up you have a really difficult time getting your bearings. . . figuring out who you are and where you are? It’s unnerving. . . especially the…
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Teaching God’s Design For Sex and Gender: Truths #6-#10. . .
Conversations about sex and gender are front and center this month. Consequently, our children and teens. . . and even ourselves. . . are swimming in a directive cultural soup that maps out what to believe about sex and gender, along…
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