In my early twenties upon moving to Birmingham, AL, I attended for three months a mega-church with an impressive growth rate. The pastor regularly boasted about the church’s increasing attendance in between opportunities to talk about the large…
In the past 10+ years of Christian ministry, I have been in churches where the expectation for youth ministry was nothing more than glorified baby sitting. There was actually one time I heard a parent talk about how…
Several years ago I walked around a shopping mall with a student who was weighing the cost of whether he would walk with Christ as a disciple or go the way of the world. He had a new,…
I remember one particularly galling Wednesday night several years ago. The previous days had brought a familiar mix of high-effort, low-response, excitement, frustration, and discouragement, all in one package. And when I walked away from a house that…
Christmas: Where rubber meets the road. Where God enters time and space. Where the kingdom of God intersects earth. I watched the movie ‘The Nativity Story’ several nights ago, and I had a really interesting experience of having…
1.) Please describe the context in which you minister (geographically, ethnically, socio-economically, etc.) I serve in the American South in a suburban context in Birmingham, AL. My students are almost entirely white and upper-middle class to affluent. Attending…
1. Please describe the context in which you minister (geographically, ethnically, socio-economically, etc.) In a culture so dominated by both secularism and Roman Catholicism, the Gospel of Grace is not easily understood and is often under attack from…
This series seeks to provide comfort and guidance for new youth ministers. The series includes narratives from youth ministers in their first year of ministry, perspectives from those who just have finished their first year, and advice from…
I write from “The Left Coast” as I reflect upon how the Lord impacted me at this year’s Rooted Conference. We are known here in Pacific Northwest for liberal viewpoints, coffee, and LOTS of rain. But we are…
