Bestiality and Zoophilia. . . God’s Good Gifts Undone Even Further. . .
When God’s good order and design for His creation are jettisoned and replaced by the wishes and whims of the sovereign self, everything comes undone. Sadly, what is out-of-bounds quickly becomes normalized and humanity exchanges the truth of God for…
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Youth Workers. . . What Are You Doing About These Nine Things? . . .
The data and anecdotes confirm what so many of us have suspected for a long, long time and now know. . . that our youth ministry efforts are not resulting in the kind of outcomes that we hope for. What’s…
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All Work Matters To God. . . A Labor Day Thought. . .
Labor Day. When I was a kid, I knew it was a holiday that occurred before the first day of school. . . a kind of last-hurrah as summer came to an end. I clearly remember one Labor Day “holiday”…
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Youth Workers and Pastors. . . The Up-Front Trap. . .
Truth be told, it’s been a gnawing and ever-present temptation for me. I fight it by recognizing it’s there, and pondering the words of Scripture that expose it for what it is. I’ve watched a seemingly endless parade of high-profile…
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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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