Hey Death. . . You Don’t Win. . .
It’s a week to think about death. . . . but that’s not all. Thanks to the reality of Christ’s sacrifice, the resurrection is ours as well! Death is not the end of the story! Charles Spurgeon captured the essence…
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Sexuality, Cultural Change, and How We Read Scripture. . . .
Every now and then I have a day that’s marked by thought-provoking and anything-but-coincidental convergence. You know. . . you hear something, see something, read something . . . and it all seems to come together to spark thoughts on…
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Youth Workers, Parents, and This Week’s Day of Silence. . . .
A few years ago I was speaking on youth culture at a church in the Midwest that sits directly across the street from the local high school. I had challenged those in attendance to reach out to the large population…
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Kurt Cobain, CPYU, and Remembering. . .
Sleeping last night was a bit difficult. My mind was racing with thoughts about both the future and the past. The future is the immediate future. . . specifically the next twenty-four hours as old and new friends from near…
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World Vision. . . Responding To The Response. . .
I finally sat down to address my income tax prep procrastination last Tuesday evening. In the process of gathering, sorting, and adding up receipts I got to thinking about our charitable giving. Now I know that when it comes to…
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Countdown to CPYU’s 25th Celebration! . . . .
On Sunday afternoon, July 23, 1989, I sat at a table with five trusted friends who sensed, with me, that God was clearly calling us to embark on a new mission and ministry. Admittedly, we knew very little at all…
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Social Networking and The Diminishment of Me. . . .
“Me, me, me.” That’s what got us into trouble in the first place. . . isn’t it? Our first parents decided that it was better to glorify self than to glorify God. Consequently, everything came undone. And, we’ve been undoing…
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Sexual Abuse Dynamics, Youth Ministry, And Discovering The Truth. . . .
A few weeks ago I was walking through the hallway at a youth ministry conference when I spotted a local church youth pastor who is a long-time friend in the distance. I greeted him with a hearty “Hey Mike! How…
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Sunsets, Car Motors, and Yes. . . The Rectum. . .
Where are the places in life that you go to see the Glory of God? Over the years, I’ve been blessed to learn that the arena of God’s Glory is far more extensive than I once thought, imagined, or knew.…
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Hey Tyrone. . . For The Sake of Art. . . .
This last weekend it was once again my privilege to spend several hours pouring into the lives of youth workers at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference. As always, I did an eight-hour intensive on “Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture,”…
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The Oscars, Youth Culture, and Film. . . .
With the Oscars airing earlier this week, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about film. . . its power, its role in our culture, and the way it has influenced my life. As a youth culture watcher, I’ve developed a…
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The Most Interesting Man Alive? . . .
Yesterday I was asked my favorite question. . . twice. “What are you reading?” I love that question for the simple reason that it tells me that the asker is inquisitive, teachable, primed for growth, and serious about life. It’s…
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