I was annoyed the other day by someone who texted me wanting to make an appointment with me to talk about something over the phone. My first thought was, “This is a waste of my time.” I even tried to persuade them to send an e-mail, nope, they had to talk to me. After the…
I have been doing these lists for a while now because I find that the perfect song at a graduation service is one more chance to inspire the student, the student’s family and the church as we send off those students who have meant so much to out ministry. These songs can also make room…
This lesson is a part of my Media2 Message Bundle where I take what is going on in the world and bring a biblical context to to it. Focus: Helping students respond, compassionately, to the needs of others. Opening: Lonely Authors Video Clips: Author One or Author Two (both are under a minute) Both of…
Teens are going to use Ai for plenty of things, mostly research an doing their book reports for them, but that doesn’t mean they can’t use it to help grow their spiritual life. We are working through Proverbs right now, in Sunday School, and I thought I’d go undercover as a teenager and ask ChatGPT…
I love me some sports and though, “How can I pair up March Madness and my speaking calendar?” I hope these message seeds will give you a quick “What am I going to talk about tonight?” message or, and even better, sparks your own creativity to come up with your own. The Elite 8 of…
I feel like I am about to talk to you about 8 track tapes, those boxy clunky pieces of plastic that held music inside and you would pop them into your 8 track player in your car or home stereo. Like the 8 track tape, the altar call feel like an bygone method of people…
It’s that time of year. It happens every March. Some students in your youth groups are excited for it and others could care less. Here’s the good news, your group doesn’t have to have a lot athletes for you to use March Madness as a fun tool to have fun or spiritually challenge students. For…
I have been a Notre Dame fan for 40 years. I can hear some of you saying, “Oh, you poor thing”. The last time I saw them play in a National Championship was 1988, 37 years ago. Head coach Marcus Freeman said something a few weeks ago that inspired me and I want to pass…
In episode #326 of the Youth Ministry of Motion podcast, host Paul Turner welcomes Cicely Corry, the Editorial Director at Barna, to discuss valuable insights from recent Barna studies. They explore Gen Z’s unique challenges, their priorities, how they perceive authenticity, and the importance of spiritual practices. Cicely shares practical advice for youth pastors on…
In May of 2023, the Surgeon General of the United States issued an advisory about loneliness, “The physical health consequences of poor or insufficient connection include a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Additionally, lacking social connection increases…
