I spend my days writing for and training youth workers JUST LIKE YOU.
This Week: The 100 Words Or Less Challenge
This week I ‘m going to try something. I am gong to try not to write, as in: not so many words. I love longer posts because I like to expound and offer background on whatever I am writing about. This week I hope to share shorter posts, 100 words or...
7 Cautious Questions To Ask Before Preaching After A Tragedy
The story from Oregon, regarding the Umqua Community College shooting, has several points which the media keeps hammering: Was this a religious hate crime against Christians Gun control laws Politics Mental Illness Loners The Internet Heroism How...
I Don’t Own A Gun, But I’m Thinking About Buying One
I, like everyone else, are sick of hearing of these mass guns shootings by insane people. This latest shooting in Oregon rekindled my thinking on owning a gun. I currently do not own a gun, which in Alabama is some kind of sin, but I'm thinking...
7 Lies Youth Pastor’s Have To Overcome To Succeed
I imposed a false realty on myself that has bitten me in the but more times than I can count and it all started with a lie. A false belief that made it's way into my actions and sabotaged my future. Tackle these 7 lies with the truth and watch your...
Can We Stop The Blood Moon Madness?
The title of of this post is both a plea and a question. Let's begin with my plea. As a Christian and a believer in Christ's return, I wish Believers, across the spectrum, would stop hyping these events as "end of times" phenomenons. I wish they'd...
The Problem Isn’t In Our Title It’s In Our Character
I was reading about Ahmed, the 14 year old boy who built a clock and was accused of building a bomb, and felt bad for all those involved. People were quick to judge Ahmed and then we were quick to judge those who judged Ahmed; the teacher, the...
This is My 500th Blog Post And This Is Why It Matters
Some say you shouldn't make a big deal about mile stones and that I should act like I've been here. But I haven't been there. To be honest, I almost didn't make it. This 500th blog post matters to me because I don't think I wasn't suppose to be...
Youth Ministry + Culture + Re-Purposing = Innovation
As a youth pastor I try t keep up with culture and sometimes culture come to me like the Whip/Nae Nae dance. Which, by the time of this writing is already so July 2015. Culture has a life-cycle but that does not mean it can't be re-purposed once...
What Are Your Chances?
I saw where Serena Williams lost today. Most of us thought she would dominate as usual. Possibly even Roberta if you listened to her post victory speech. She was beaten by Roberta Vinci. I've never heard of her. In the post interview she was told...
3 Ways To Pray For Your Students That Will Keep You Engaged
I pray for my students in all kinds of ways because I am a little ADD I need to pray for our students in different ways or I'll fall asleep. O.k., not really fall asleep but you know what I mean. Here are three ways that work for me and they may...
25+ Hats You Didn’t Think Your Youth Pastor Wears (But They Do)
Today is Labor Day and I'd like to highlight some of the hats youth pastors pastor wear that you may not be aware of. The youth pastor role has evolved and morphed into many responsibilities depending on how many people are on staff, size of the...
So, What Do You Do All Day?
Just a week ago I had a student tell me what she thought I got paid to do. I asked her if she'd like to call everyone in for the meeting. I was half joking. I wanted to give her a shot at ownership and leadership. Granted the task may have been...
New Resource: Insta-Prayer 21 Days of Prayer and Social Engagement
Trying to keep up with the teens in my group is a task but I am trying to do a better job through social media I recently wrote a post about a failed attempt to connect and what it taught me. But I am not dissuaded. I am going to keep trying. One...
Cracking The Code Of Social Media With Your Youth Ministry
Is it worth knowing and understanding your kids social media habits? Considering our students pretty much live there I thin it is. This teen wrote about social from the teen perspective, back in January, and breaks each medium down into whether it...
It Took A Song From 1986 To Get Me Motivated
I went the thrift store the other day to buy an album I saw the day before. Well, the album I wanted had been snatched but in it's a place I found an album that rocked my face off when I was a senior in High School. Lone Justice only put out three...
The Disciple Project OUTREACH MANUAL
HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR DECAYING YOUTH MEETING INTO A FLOURISHING CITY-WIDE MOVEMENT