Last post I addressed the idea that perhaps the shift from parachurch to church based youth ministries led to an exaggerated form of segregated youth ministry – meaning we focused so much on the needs of youth that we treated them as a distinctly other group and neglected to include them in the life of…

In writing for The Gospel Coalition Blog the first in a series of articles written by several authors, I had the task given to me of providing some sort of historical overview of youth ministry as it specifically related to the series.  So, I focused on a short bit of history from which I see…

A while back I read Rick Lawrence’s article on www.ymtoday.com in which he reveals first his view of the effectiveness of youth talks or the sermon and then shares his guidance for speakers at Simply Youth Ministry events.  While the latter is beside the point and something few can take much issue with, the former…

The Invisible Children’s Kony viral video caught the attention of the world, not only for the issues at stake, but the reality that social media can stir something so quickly.  It also caused many to notice how easily the truth can be distorted to fit an agenda and cause a response. (one can compare the…

At convention (diocesan that is) we saw a very brief clip from the film “Courageous”, a movie I have not taken the time to watch on the ridiculous basis that it will surely put me in tears and leave me feeling less than the dad that I ought to have been.  I avoided it like…

From my report at convention today: Two summers ago, we took a team of students who live in a culture where an active Christian faith is normal and who are part of church youth groups and brought them to a country where active and faith are not heard often in the same sentence nor is…

Six in 10 young people will leave the church permanently or for an extended period starting at age 15, according to new research by the Barna Group.  Barna Research president David Kinnaman details several reasons why in his book “You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church … and Rethinking Faith”.  Leadership Journal has…

Often we don’t understand the impact our mission team has on those who host us.  Yes, we see the results or hear lots of thanks and appreciation.  But do we know how disruptive hosting a team can be to a missionary in the field?  It does not mean we don’t take teams, but we can…

Given the current encroachments on religious freedom here in America, I think it is worth paying attention to what is going on around the globe – especially in places we think of as having the religious freedom that we do.  Take a look at this roundup of issues in Britain.  They include: Shutting the office…

I found this to be fascinating… a seminary professor who believes there to be really only two religions in the world and therefore two worldviews.  If he is right, we may have a much easier time teaching our students about these matters.  At the same time, it’s not as simple as it may at first…