Christ’s words on discipleship continue to haunt me: “If you would follow me, take up your cross daily, deny yourself and follow me”(Lk 9:32). Take up your instrument of a torturous death and follow Christ. To put it…
My teen does not want to be part of a youth group. Now what? There is no easy answer to whether or not parents should force their children to attend youth group when they have expressed a disinterest….
While teaching during youth group or Sunday School, a common occurrence is for a student to raise his or her hand and ask a question that is completely off-topic. This happens in every youth ministry and can be…
If you have ever traveled to another country, you are immediately confronted with words you are unfamiliar with. Even if you speak the same language, the thought of a “washroom” in Canada or the “loo” in England can…
In my family, we have a joke. Every time my wife makes anything with potatoes, I respond at the dinner table with my best nasally tone, “What excellent boiled potatoes – it has been many years since I…
In a recent meeting for our upcoming Summer mission trip, I found myself hesitant to announce that girls were required to wear a one-piece bathing suit, a rule which in the eyes of a teenage girl is essentially…
There’s hardly anything more thrilling for a teenager than a day at a theme park with their buddies. What teenager doesn’t like the idea of meeting up with his friends, carrying a few extra bucks in his pocket,…
“Hey man! Welcome to the Student Ministry! How are you?” “I’m good.” “Awesome. Is this your first time at church in a while, or have you been going somewhere else?” “Yeah I grew up in the church! But…
We asked several experienced student ministers how they balance discipleship and outreach in the context of ministry (In other words, what is the balance between reaching out to new students vs. discipling the students who are already in…
