Youth Ministry. . . And Pushing Back On Evil. . .
It’s been a week since the start of the NFL draft. Are you feeling good about how your favorite team fared in the annual event? As an Eagles’ fan, anything is a step up. And this year we drafted a…
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Bill Nye The Science Guy. . . Sex Junk Education. . .
If you’ve been paying attention at all to those elements of the rapidly changing culture soup that have been talked about online over the course of the last week, you’ve probably heard some rumblings regarding the latest venture from long-time science educator,…
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This Question Changed Youth Ministry For Me. . . .
I’ve been engaging in a little back and forth over the last couple of days with a guy who was providentially placed in my path a couple of days before I left seminary and moved to Pennsylvania for a return…
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Teaching Up. . . Youth Ministry And Age Aspiration. . .
Because marketing is so pervasive and powerful in today’s culture, youthworkers need to be aware of the many advertising strategies marketers employ in an effort to influence children and teens’ spending decisions. Of course, the main goal of marketing…
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“13 Reasons Why” . . . Looking For True North. . .
Have you been watching? It’s compelling. It will suck you in. It’s certainly done that for millions of kids. It’s the Neflix series “13 Reasons Why.” High School student Hannah Baker has taken her own life. But before she…
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Youth Culture In The Comics. . .
In, but not of the world. . . starting the day with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. . . listening to the Word and world to know how to bring the light of the…
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Parents And Screentime. . . A Surprising Infographic. . .
It happened the other night. . . again. I shared the December 2015 data from Common Sense Media regarding media use by teens and tweens. I stated it simply: “Excluding time spend using media for school or homework, our 8-12…
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Mike Pence’s Borders and Boundaries. . . Why They’re Necessary. . .
I’m not sure that there’s anything anyone can do in today’s world that won’t summon some kind of push-back. That reality came to mind late last week as I watched the on-air personalities on a network morning show debate and…
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Divorcing Disruptive Kids? . . .
As I think back over my life in youth ministry, I realize that things would have been a lot easier if certain kids hadn’t shown up. Every year seemed to bring a handful of kids who took great joy in…
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Little Ears. . . Big Mouth. . .
Comedian Brian Regan has a funny little bit (reality is, he’s got lots of funny bits!) on his propensity to blurt things out without thinking. . . and then trying desperately and without success to pull them back in. Like…
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Recruit A Puritan Youth Pastor. . . .
“If it’s old, it can’t be the least bit insightful or relevant.” I used to believe that. I was young. In my mind, I was incredibly enlightened. Older folks were without a clue. Maybe you thought that about your parents.…
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The Spirituality of Peer Pressure. . . .
The reality is that negative peer pressure is a spiritual battle all of us fight constantly, regardless of our age. Peer pressure is always there. It’s a fact of life in a sinful and fallen world. Our kids may know…
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