I spend my days writing for and training youth workers JUST LIKE YOU.
Is Your Youth Group A Life Changing Community?
I recently watch Katy Perry accept an award from the LGBT community, and what she said in the the first 30 seconds broke my heart. As one who has served the church for 27 years, I would have loved if Katy was talking about The Church. There's no...
How To Double Your Youth Group Attendance In One Year
If you are planning on on being at your church for only a year, then doubling it should be easy, but you have to hurry. Throw lot's of party's and events. Games, more games, and game nights. Keep your messages to ten minutes tops. Do not challenge...
Do What You Are Dangerously Good At?
Too many of us focus on our weakness. We're trying to get better at things we have no business getting better at. That's why I stay away from golf. Every time I go, someone wants to fix my swing or my stance. Stop it! There are those times we have...
Lent Day 13: Even Now
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12 Even now. Saying this phrase transports me to the 80's when I heard Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band sing it. It's a song about...
Invest, Invest, Invest and Then…
Many try to withdraw from bank accounts where they have not invested and wonder why they're told "insufficient funds". It's simple, we haven't invested or haven't invested enough. What do I mean by invested? I mean we haven't given enough...
How Much Do You Love The Journey?
How much do you love this journey, and change it to love it more if you are yearning for the tipping point - Gary Vaynerchuk. Do you love it enough to change... your schedule your work habits your fears your relationships your mission your wants...
Fasting During Lent Doesn’t Have To Suck, If You Do It Right
Fasting is not fun, and it si not supposed to be. There. I said t. But it doesn't have to suck either. Fasting is a wonderful spiritual practice, but, let's be honest. there's no fun in giving up what you most enjoy. On top of that, if you fast...
Lent Day 1: Rend You Heart Not Your Garments
Good morning all and Happy Lent! That sounds like an oxymoron, right? Except, I'm not as depressed about having to give up one meal today as I am excited about my relationship with Christ and what it will look like in 40 days. Today, I share a few...
The Anxious Rantings Of A Burnt Out Youth Pastor
"I just want to get out alive" I told myself before a recent youth meeting. That's when I knew it, I mean I saw it coming, I just couldn't stop it. Burn out. I had yelled, "Why does any of it matter. " towards, not at, my wife that morning. Is...
What Is My Time Worth? You Decide
I've heard it said, "If people won't pay for your time, your time isn't worth anything." That's has been stuck in my head for a while and I decided to see if this is true. For the past seven years I have brought you the best content possible as an...
Some Advice To Young Youth Pastors
My friend Patricia asked these questions on FB "Folks, if the following situation happens to you, you really need to think: 1. Do you want to work for a boss? 2. Are you happy with where you are right now? If not, what is your plan? This simple...
How To Power Through A Stressful Youth Service
It's Thursday, and I am reflecting on last nights youth service. It was stressful as far as the smoothness of the service goes. There are things that I just want to go well and when they do not, well, I start to get overwhelmed, yes even after 26...
17 Games For Any Size Youth Ministry
Kicking off my 17 in 17 Series. I'll be posting things in 17's at the begging of each month. This month is 17 Games. Keep up with my posts by subscribing to the Youth Ministry Round Up. Walk the Line Four Fingers Challenge Paper Ninja - Tape...
Join The Quiet Resistance
I have been resisting for years. Resisting authority Resisting conformity. Resisting average. Lately, I've seen the resistance going on in our world and I am not resisting the cause, I am resisting the mode of resisting. I am resisting hatred. I am...
Youth Ministry Excuse #10 I’ll Pray About It
Sadly, saying "I'll pray about it” can be an excuse. It can be a stall tactic. Other spiritual excuses include, but are not limited to, I don’t fill led to ... I don’t feel it’s God’s will to ... The Spirt hasn’t told me to ... Most of these...
The Disciple Project OUTREACH MANUAL
HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR DECAYING YOUTH MEETING INTO A FLOURISHING CITY-WIDE MOVEMENT