The Cultural Mission of Youth Min and Parenting. . . .
Because I grew up in a Pastor’s home, we oftentimes had missionaries visit and stay with us. I remember listening to the stories and watching the slide shows they’d deliver during the all-ages Sunday School hour. These encounters shaped my…
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Parenting and Idols. . . Truth? Consequences? . . .
I was curious about what was happening on social media yesterday. It was Mother’s Day. God’s good gift of mothers and the power of Godly parenting is what we’ve come to celebrate. . . or at least should be celebrating.…
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Youth Workers and Public Schools. . . Some Helpful Resources. . .
Over the course of my last 28 years of studying youth culture full-time, one of the best and most helpful exercises I’ve engaged in is taking the time to listen to the hearts, cares, and concerns of public school teachers and administrators.…
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Youth Ministry Is. . . .
Youth ministry (really any ministry) is not about building a personal brand, a following, a resume of product, and an admired presence. It is about stepping out of the way, quietly following Christ, faithfully bearing fruit to God’s glory, and seeking…
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Marijuana and the Teen Brain. . . A Helpful Infographic. . .
So the good news from the annual Monitoring the Future Survey is that teen drug use is trending down. But the title of a press release from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research reports on an additional finding…
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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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