In 2015 I made a ministry transition from a multi-site church of about 3,000 attendees to a parish church of roughly 400. I had longed for a smaller church context, desiring to serve a body where people knew…
A friend of mine was hosting a parent meeting for an upcoming missions trip to St. Louis when a parent asked from the back of the room, “But are there any adults going on the trip?” It was…
“Mr. Hill, can we meet to talk about your son’s behavior in my class?” If I had a nickel for each time I received that request from a teacher! “Ethan is a really sweet kid, it is just…
What words come to mind when you think of “shame?” Humiliation. Embarrassment. Weakness. Ridicule. Total rejection. While recently listening through a friend’s playlist, I was struck by the way Julien Baker captures the experience of shame in her…
It is only as students are confronted with the cruciform suffering of their Savior that they will grasp the magnitude of the gospel. This is the only message that inspires their love, devotion, obedience.
This gospel reminder seasons how we treat our local churches, even as we are in the process of transitioning away from them. In the case of every potential transition, youth workers should treat their present church as if she were the redeemed bride of Christ. Because she is.
The average tenure for a youth pastor is cited to be only eighteen months. Accordingly, the overwhelming majority of readers of the Rooted Blog have likely navigated – or are presently considering – a transition out of a…
The average tenure for a youth pastor is cited to be only eighteen months. Accordingly, the overwhelming majority of readers of the Rooted Blog have likely navigated – or are presently considering – a transition out of a…
When people ask me why a focus on Gospel-centeredness is so critical in youth ministry, my response comes to me in faces: Robbie and Kevin, adopted brothers struggling to integrate into their family. Charlie, for whom I stumbled…
