Answering students’ questions about God, life, Scripture and Christianity is like walking a tight rope. On one hand, students deserve clear, thoughtful, and simple but not simplistic answers. On the other hand, the questions often reveal deeper, unspoken,…
When I first began working with youth, the first Percy Jackson series was all the rage. Greek gods, adventure, and awkward teen drama had captured the imaginations of youth all over the country – and some at my…
We want to feel necessary. We want to feel important. An easy way to fill these desires as a youth worker is to make our youth ministries about us. We even do what I just did — call…
Recently, I made a presentation to parents in our youth ministry, entitled, “Why Kids Abandon the Church.” Two years earlier, when I made a similar presentation, called “Grace-Driven to Postmodern Teens,” the class drew five people. Not surprisingly,…
Rooted steering committee member, Josh Cousineau, authored this article on the Gospel Coalition blog. Josh will be leading a workshop at the Gospel Coalition Conference in April about Gospel-centered youth ministry. Rooted will have a booth at this…
Several years ago, I received a rap on my door at 6:00AM. A sheriff stood on the porch and yelled in my half-asleep face, “Come on out and see what you did last night.” I had taught a…
In the following audio recording, Cameron Cole offers parents explanations of why students abandon the church and how grace-driven ministry seeks to foster life-long disciples of Jesus. Link: Why Kids Abandon the Church Cameron Cole is the chairman…
Right in the middle of my talk on the exclusivity of Christ, a hand went up in the back of the room. “Yes?” I asked. The young man cleared his throat. “How can you say that Jesus is…
In one sense, what we do as youth ministers is unique in the world of church ministry. Our job definitely includes some of the most fun – and perhaps, also, the most heartbreak. But in another sense, our…
