Teen Suicide. . . Warning Signs (Part 1). . .
Last week we hunkered down in the CPYU studio to record a rather difficult yet necessary upcoming episode of our Youth Culture Matters podcast. We interviewed our good friend Marv Penner, tapping into his years of expertise in youth crisis…
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Forty Minutes Of Conviction. . .
It is what got us in trouble in the first place. . . way back in the Garden. We still invite it in to do its dastardly and destructive work in our lives. It is pride. On this morning’s walk,…
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Suffering. . . The Missing Element In Youth Ministry? . . .
When our kids graduate from our youth ministries and our homes, what will they have learned? And. . . will what they have learned reflect a balanced and truthful understanding of just what it means to follow Jesus? Ask me…
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At What Age Should A Child Get A Smartphone? . . . .
Is it my age? My experience? Is it good old common sense? Or, is it some combination of all three? I haven’t yet figured out where its coming from, but “it” is the way that I’m teetering very close to…
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Powerful. . .
I watched the memorial service for R.C. Sproul and heard, once again, this hymn written by Sproul himself. It was sung at the opening of the service. I revisited the lyrics this morning. Pretty amazing to think about these truths…
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Stealing Back Christmas From Apathy. . .
This will be my 62nd. Christmas, that is. If anyone needs proof of the sad and deplorable fact that “familiarity breeds apathy” . . . look no further than me this time of year. I’m ashamed that it’s this way.…
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Family Communication At Christmas. . . .
We’re only a week away! If your family is like mine, the Christmas holiday season affords you more time than usual to spend together. Your kids are home for a few extra days of vacation, you spend more time around…
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Only 11 Shopping Days Until the Lie of Christmas. . .
I believed it would change my life. Even though I began my impatient wait for its arrival sometime in September, it usually arrived in our mailbox at 1162 Beverly Road a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Its shiny full-color pages consumed…
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Wants, Needs, and Christmas Teaching Opportunities for Youth Workers & Parents. . .
I was probably about 15 years-old when I finally got to the point where I knew not to use the word incorrectly in front of my dad. Slip-ups always seemed to result in a repeat performance of his well-rehearsed lecture…
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Matt Lauer. . . Teachable Moments. . . And Theologizing About Sexuality And Sin. . . .
Trending. . . Matt Lauer. . . at number one on my news feed. As of this morning, one of the voices that’s been sharing the growing cascade of #metoo stories over the last few weeks is now the subject…
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Looking For Sexual Clarity. . . .
In just a few more than 50 years, our media culture has gone from treating matters of sexuality as a hush-hush topic (your grandparents remember a time when you couldn’t even say the word “pregnant” on TV!) to putting all…
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No Thanksgiving Eat And Show! . . . A Smartphone Challenge. . .
Whenever we’d sing it we knew Thanksgiving was on its way. It was the standard Thanksgiving hymn from my childhood: “We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing. . . ” I suppose most of us will be gathering together…
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