Summer Is a Liar
In a ministry context, summer is a serial liar. I mean, summer is NOT a slower time for youth ministry, and it’s NOT chock-full of margin. We won’t have a more relaxed schedule, and we won’t have time to catch our breath.…
Personal Growth
About Personal Growth
4 Ways to Take Time Off: Do You Need a Break?
I’m taking a week off from youth ministry. It’s not because I’m going on vacation. It’s not because I have too many things in my schedule. It’s not because I no longer love students. I’m just about ready to rip some of their heads off… that’s all.…
Easter: It’s Not Just for the Students
The death and resurrection of Jesus was and is for every student and every parent. During Holy Week, we remind our students that Jesus was a living sacrifice with a vision and a plan for each of us. To be loved and to love.…
New Year’s Resolutions: Failing On Purpose
I hate New Year’s resolutions. And I’m betting than I’m not alone in my hatred… I’m a very driven person. I succeed in many areas of life. But I typically do what many of us typically do when the calendar flips—I catalog my shortcomings and vow to do better.…
Pressing into the Uncomfortable
I don’t know about you, but the uncomfortable parts of life bother me. In fact, most times I strive to avoid them. Along with the uncomfortableness comes uncertainty, frustration, questions, doubt, and the temptation to “close our eyes and hope everything gets better soon.”…
Summer = Serving Everyone But…
For most youth workers, the start of summer ushers in a different pace of life for our families and ministries. Some of us experience a huge increase in activities and events, even as our own children get out of school and expect to have time to relax.…
Four Things You Need To Do Before Youth Camp
We love summer! No more alarm clocks, bonfires, and planned spontaneity! And if you’re a youth worker, we’re guessing you probably love it too. Our summer youth calendar is jam-packed with cool stuff like camp, mission trips, and summer activities all designed to help our students grow in their trust in Jesus.…
How to Fight Teen Tech Addiction
Today’s teenagers are glued to their tech devices. They have tablets, laptops, and especially cell phones that suck them in and demand their full energy and attention, often to the exclusion of other important things in life—including sleeping, live interaction with family members and peers, and schoolwork.…
“Help Me!” and Other Thoughts for Support Systems
This has been an unusually busy season for my family. We all have them, there are those times when we feel the full weight of 24 hours in a day, five to eight of which are wasted in sleeping. If I could just harness the ability to never sleep, then I might get everything done.…
5 Ways to Lose Credibility With Students
We all know youth workers who have lost credibility with their students. We often pass judgment on them and know personally what we would have done differently. However, what makes a youth worker credible in a teenager’s eyes may be different from what a youth worker thinks will make them credible. …