I remember asking my supervisor for budget approval to purchase a new video camera. I was ready for him to tell me I was asking for too much money. I presented my request, and there was no discussion. It was a resounding “yes.”…
We are living in a connection driven world. Every day it seems technology is advancing to help us better stay in touch with those we love. The upside of this is that those high school reunions are way less awkward now that we can deal with all the drama before we ever get there.…
If you are you have been in youth ministry for more than a few years, you’re likely familiar with the term “Moralistic, Therapeutic, Deism” (MTD)—a descriptor invented by Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist-Denton in their groundbreaking report on the National Study of Youth and Religion (Soul Searching).…
Money doesn’t have to be difficult, so why do we make it that way? When you really boil good money management down to the basics, it’s all about four things: working, giving, saving and spending. That’s it. So when you teach young kids about money, all you really need to do is show them a simple version of what you are (hopefully) doing already. …
Salvations, re-commitments, powerful worship, blood on the wall leading into the sanctuary, a busted eye leading to a parent picking up a student to go get stitches, and a trail of blood on the sanctuary carpet… Yes, each of those happened at my recent Back2School Lock-In.…
Join Rick and Becky for this “re-podcast” BEST-OF episode from two years ago—“What Is the Meaning of Life?” In the past three years, this episode had the most listeners. Next week, Rick will begin a new series called “Jesus People”—exploring the heart of Jesus through the lens of his friends and enemies.…
Join Rick for the first episode in a new series—“THE HARVEST.” Fruit, we know, comes from a tree. Without the tree, no fruit. And each tree produces a certain kind of fruit. Jesus has invited us to attach to Him, like a branch in a Tree.…
Join Rick for the sixth episode in a new series—“THE HARVEST.” We know that Jesus is a storyteller who’s trying to tell a story of beauty in our soul—the story He’s telling in your life is a Romance. In the last episode we explored what the “Farmer” is doing about the “weeds” growing up in our field of “wheat”—our soul.…
Join Rick for the fifth episode in a new series—“THE HARVEST.” We’re hard-wired for story, because we’re created by a storyteller. Our life is about our story. Story works to construct, give meaning to, and set boundaries around our experience of reality.…
Join Rick for the fourth episode in a new series—“THE HARVEST.” We know that Jesus defines goodness, and that boldness is one of His primary characteristics. So however Jesus lives out boldness is good. So let’s explore the many different ways Jesus lives and acts boldly, and discover how that might challenge or fuel the way we live… NOW AVAILABLE: Jesus-Centered Daily: See.…
