The Long Victory

I must confess, I didn’t always enjoy reading. In fact, I’m the type of person who gets aggravated when others declare, “That movie was good, but it was nothing like the book!” Personally, I enjoy the visual experience…

HTH: Replacing the Center of Youth Ministry

In this fabulous article, Josh Cousineau explores the connection between our affections and disciple making.  So often, the Jesus we preach is more like a coach or a guidance counselor, and we fail to present the fullness of…

Remember Who You Are

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is the biggest struggle my students are facing?” Maybe that should be a rhetorical question.  We probably ask ourselves that question in one form or another on a regular basis. I suspect there are…

Freedom for our Perfectionist Teens

Chicken liver. Pansy. Wuss. I can come up with a hundred, colorful ways to describe my adult life. But when it comes down to it, I’ve lost my nerve. So when I was approached about stretching my writing…

Knot for Nothing

A student of mine sent me a pretty ambiguous text yesterday: “Can I call you later?”  This always puts me on edge a little because I never know what is coming.  Did I offend him on Sunday night during my…

Three Students I’m Always Speaking To

I’ve found in my time in youth ministry that a youth worker must have a clear picture of his or her audience when giving a talk or teaching a Bible study. It’s of great benefit to personalize and…

Zacchaeus and Shame

Even from a distance you could hear a buzz in the air.  There was an excitement unlike any other day.  Crowds gathered, people pushing and shoving one another to get close enough to see and hear what He had to…

Failure: The Only Option

My whole life, all I have wanted to be was a basketball player.  My parents have a picture of me as a  two-year-old dribbling a basketball nearly the size of my chubby toddler frame while running down a…

The Stars of Rooted

I sat on a bar stool eating a burger in Manhattan in the hour following Rooted 2014. My friend, David, and I discussed the line up, focusing on the extraordinary gifts of many of those who lead the…