I spent a week in Kauai, Hawaii lecturing young adults about the private time with God and why it’s so important. In between the lecturing I got to drive around and taste the town from Puka Dogs to Mahi Mahi fish tacos. I came home and thew...
I spend my days writing for and training youth workers JUST LIKE YOU.
Would You Be Confident Enough To Say This?
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The Shadow of Rest
I’ve been a pastor for over 30 years and, in my younger days, did not rest like I should have which created friction in my family and in my soul. I justified not resting because the work of God, the more important work, had to be done and if...
Quiet Time Creativity
God is a creator. He created the world and human beings who also create things. We have his DNA and his imagination for creating things. God our creator In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 God spoke and things were....
The Spiritual Discipline of Restraint
A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls – Proverbs 25:28 A city without wall is like a house without doors, open to everyone and everything. You can’t keep anyone out or anything in. Cities, houses...
Distinguishing Between Aloneness and Loneliness
Alone and loneliness are cousins separated by choices and feelings. No one chooses to feel loneliness. Loneliness is a by-product of how we feel about our aloneness. It’s possible to be alone and not feel lonely. It’s possible to be...
The Core Four Disciplines of A Devotional Time
When I say devotion time or quiet time, what comes to mind? Does the term create anxiety, feel like another thing to check off your to do list or does it sound like an invitation to coffee with a friend? If it is the former, I’m sorry for...
Protected: Youth Ministry Round Up #113
Meditating On God’s Word
If you’re thinking that meditating for Christians is a bad thing, allow me to convince you otherwise. Christian meditation, has nothing to do with sitting on the floor with you legs crossed humming “ohm” as eastern meditation...
Silence, Stillness and Surrender Before God
Silence has a powerful effect and it may be why it’s often used in movies rather than noise. Let’s consider a few movies, taken from the list at Listerverse, that use silence effectively. Contact The movie Contact, about making contact...
Do The Work
One of my former pastors used to say, “This church didn’t just pop out of the ground” He usually said this when people were taking the church for granted. He mostly meant it in a physical way, the building came together with...
Youth Ministry Round Up #112
I heard you. Thanks to all of you who took the newsletter survey. The survey is still live and, if you’re new here or missed the first round, I’d love your input to make this newsletter the best it can be in 2023. Free Ebook: The 10...
Private Practices, Public Power
When I was younger, I could not see the correlation between privacy and power; I thought I would have all the energy and wisdom I needed when I needed it. I wasn’t until I got a little older, mostly through failure, that I took my private...
Things Youth Pastors Should Quit Saying In 2023
I asked youth pastors the question, “What should youth pastors quit saying in 2023?” and these are their responses. I had no idea what half of them meant, and I think that was a good thing; so I for the benefit of all, I give a brief definition....
My Three Pillar Process For Youth Ministry
Three Pillars of Youth Ministry This past year, I felt like I was all over the map as far as programming, teaching and planning, then I had a talk with my pastor. I wanted to find out what his thoughts were about narrowing down the focus of...
8 Qualities Teens Want In A Camp Speaker
After speaking a week at camp, and asking a question of the day, every day, I asked the teenagers, “Why should a church or youth group want to have Paul Turner as a speaker?” Watch the video to see what kids said and then read the list...
The Disciple Project OUTREACH MANUAL
HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR DECAYING YOUTH MEETING INTO A FLOURISHING CITY-WIDE MOVEMENT