I spend my days writing for and training youth workers JUST LIKE YOU.
Youth Ministry Excuse #9 It’s Not Perfect
"I can't do it if it's not perfect" You can say it's not perfect and be correct. You can say its not ready and be incorrect. This is the big question, right? How will I know when it's ready? How will I know when this message will be ready to share?...
Youth Ministry Excuse #8 I’ll Just Quit
"I am in the wrong place" This may be true or it may not be. Only time will tell. The problem is you come to the conclusion that you are in the wrong place far too soon. The minute trouble arises you start updating your resume. Wrong move. In...
5 Reasons Christians Should See The Movie Silence
This is a spoiler free overview of the movie Silence by Martin Scorcese. If you are a youth pastor, I do not recommend taking the whole youth group to see this movie. This is not God's Not Dead. This movie is a deep and powerful film about...
What If You Knew You Only Had 24 Hours To Live?
Maybe you've thought about this. I didn't, until I looked at the short life spans of animals. I was inspired to do this by Seth Godin's post How Long is Now? Animals don't know how long they were created to exist. We humans have some idea, barring...
Youth Ministry Excuse #7 I’m Afraid
"I'm afraid" Yes. We all are. Fear is and incubator for excuses meant to paralyze us from doing anything. Excuses are assassins and they use poison darts. Some darts kill our dreams fast, some slow, and some paralyze us into status quo. Your fears...
Youth Ministry Excuse #6 It’s Too Much Work
It's too much work. Similar excuses sound like "it costs too much" and "it's unreasonable". Youth ministry is hard work, it costs money, and is often unappreciated. You should embrace the challenge of the work by bringing your best to it and...
Youth Ministry Excuse # 5 But, I’m Powerless
I have been told, in various churches I'v served, that I could not do something, I could not use secular music I could not take kids to such and such movie I could not redecorate the room I could not do pool parties All of which I thought were...
Youth Ministry Excuse #4 I Don’t Have Time
Excuse #4 I don't have time Really? Are you sure about that? I bet you do. Let me speak to the two kinds of youth workers who may be reading this If you are a volunteer/bi vocational youth worker You have quite a task. You have...
Youth Ministry Excuse #3 But I’m Not…
I'm not __________________ (Good enough, smart enough, etc.) A poor self image is an incubator for excuses. Consider Gideon, the Lord came to him and wanted to choose him for great things. He responded with My clan is the weakestI am the least God...
I Turned My Office Into A Studio
I have had this idea for a while and it was time. I hated my office. It was a junk magnet and every piece of crap including balls, banners, pieces of wood, clothes pins, just name it and it wound up in my office. No more. Time to act and make this...
Excuses In Youth Ministry #2: I Don’t Have The Right Team
Excuse # 2: "I don't have the right team" "I'm all alone" Missed the beginning of this series? Check it out here Most of you reading this probably work in small churches and you get who you can get. Those who are committed to your weekly church...
The Real Killer Is Not 2016
If you've been on social media lately, it seems 2016 is a really bad guy. I say he, but it could be a her, or maybe it's an alien and I should call it an it. Either way, 2016 has been a villain for many, but not me. Am I sad thar we lost so many...
If I Can’t Push You, I Can’t Pastor You
Push sounds like a harsh word, but considering how this applies A coach pushes athletes to do their best A boss pushes an employee out of their comfort zone A teacher pushes a student to open their mind to new learning Pushing isn't wrong. Pushing...
Don’t Bet On The Future
For those who do not follow me on Instagram, I have been leaving one minute messages about excuses and overcoming them. I got up on December 12th and said to myself, "I want to change my morning routine." That day I went and bought some sweat pants...
My Top Christian Albums of 2016
You might wonder how I pick my albums of the year. Like most lists, my list subjective. I do had a few questions I have to answer in order for an album to make my list. Can I listen to it the whole way through? Does it cover a...
The Disciple Project OUTREACH MANUAL
HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR DECAYING YOUTH MEETING INTO A FLOURISHING CITY-WIDE MOVEMENT