Americans care alot about rankings and who gets chosen and in what order. Did you get excited or groan at the NFL or NBA draft? Did your team make a good choice? You can hear the cheers and jeers from fans in the gallery. They voice their opinions at the choices their leaders make. What…
I’ve seen a series of stories lately about teenagers making a difference and there was a story about a girl with a painful knee condition. The only time she had relief was when she was laying down and reading. She said, “When I read, it’s a real escape,” Bearup says. “I try to take myself…
Flashback 2010! I am leaving these old posts up because, well, nostalgia. Today, I offer you The Youth Ministry Round Up, a bi-monthly newsletter for youth workers filled with quotes, articles, videos and my version of the Top 10 best in a Spotify playlist. Subscribe today and get the free resource I am offering. What…
I love a good story. I love stories because I can’t tell jokes. Everything for me that is funny is in a story. My youth group liked to hear stories about my younger days because much of it is humorous. I like to tell the tragic parts because it involves God’s grace. I’ve been thinking…
I love movies. I love movie about teenagers because they remind me why I wanted to minister to teenagers in the first place. These movies range from the 80’s to 2018, but regardless of the year, they are timeless in their portrayal of kids just trying to grow up. The Breakfast Club 1985 – They need empathy Napoleon Dynamite 2004 – They need role models…
I remember being frustrated with the boys in one of my youth groups, in the early aughts. I was frustrated with their commitment to just about everything. I saw boys wearing eyeliner, listening to emo and acting in ways unbecoming. Let me say, a man can be manly no matter what tribe he’s a part of,…
We had a new member or prospective new member at a luncheon. Each of the staff had a minute or two to introduce themselves and share what they did at the church. I thought I made a good pitch but our Pastor made an interesting observation about all our introductions. He said, “What I noticed…
I was just thinking about all the Sunday “duties” a pastor/associate might have in addition to preaching, Touch base with someone Meetings with lots of someones Teach someone Counsel someone Make sure certain people know certain things Announce something The list is endless. In addition, associate pastors have our minds on everything we have to…
We’ve all been through it. We inherit a volunteer who you think you can work with and then you notice you can’t. Why? In my case it was about getting the volunteer to teach the curriculum given to him My standards for the teacher were simple, teach, connect with new students, show up to appropriate…
In the previous posts I shared how the different ways students could graduate. Now, the gate has been narrowed. Most states offer some sort of exit exam. What is the point of an exit exam?
“to make sure no students graduate or move on to other courses without proving they have mastered what they have studied.”
This begs the question “Have our students mastered what they have studied?” Never mind mastering what have studies, but what have they studied? How do we know if a student is ready to leave our youth ministry?
