When you entertain a young person, they only want more. One video game, TV show, movie, or iPod is never enough. It’s always about the next one, the latest and greatest, what’s hot and what’s new. The same happens in youth group. Make them laugh this week and they will ask for more next week.…

I am finding that I have very different perspectives on the world of adolescents than I did when I was a full time parish based youth minister. I have always benefitted from the viewpoint of the teacher and coach that I am married to – even though I find school a totally different animal than…

I am really excited that The Good Book Company is now operating in the USA!!! Check out the goods! I encourage you specifically to look at their Daily Devotionals. Explore and Engage are excellent (for adults and teens respectively) in that they get people digging into scripture rather than just reading some devotional thought that…

I got to know Tic Long years ago at a youth ministry summit for folks working in mega churches. He was at the time the president of Youth Specialities and later became their president of events. Tic facilitated the conversations we had at those summits and we got to know each other. He always took…

At Fusion I shared very briefly on where our event planning structure is moving. I said that it was a work in progress and that I would go into more detail later but wanted folks to understand and be part of the shaping of our future. My invitation is to all who want to figure…

We have been guiding our diocesan youth ministry over the past 4 years by the simple statement “working together, raising up a Biblically literate generation that is leading the church and changing the world”. We have seen some great progress in putting the Bible at the center of our ministries, developing leaders more intentionally, and…

I spent a couple of afternoons this week interviewing college students for camp staff. A few were high school seniors but what I am choosing to write about here is the college age folks. It was a good time working with Jonathan on this and really a joy that our jobs overlap a bit so…

The Rebelution’s Do Hard Things Tour is coming to five major cities across the United States in Summer of 2009. Each conference is a challenging one-day event for teens by teens who believe that our generation is ready for a change. Ready for something that doesn’t promise a whole new life if you’ll just buy…

I recently was talking with a friend who engaged in a research project involving extensive interviews with young adults who grew up in church but no longer attend (he referred to them as prodigals). The consistent theme that came up was parents (fathers in particular) who did not live out authentic faith and consequently, their…