Let’s Talk About Billie Eilish and her “Song Of The Year”. . .
At last month’s MTV Video Music Awards, Billie Eilish added another trophy to her collection by winning the Moon Man for the “Song Of The Year” with “Happier Than Ever.” She’s one of those artists and this is one of…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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”…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
“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…
Read More
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…
Read More