Games, humor, dance, singing, and unadulterated silliness are basic human needs. Peekaboo! Ready or not, here I come! Row, row, row, your boat… How did reading these words make you feel? Perhaps they made you feel nostalgic or excited. Maybe you felt a longing for a simpler time. Whatever it was, hopefully it reminded you … Continue reading "The Playful God" Read the article
If handled well, tough questions can provide you and your young people a tremendous opportunity for discipleship and growth. “If God loves me, why did he let my father die?” William was a quiet, shy young man and rarely spoke. I was a youth pastor at the time, and he regularly came to our weekly … Continue reading "Taking on the Tough Questions" Read the article
Have you ever gone an extended period of time without sleep? It’s awful! My wife, Afrika, and I have two wonderful children who are around 12 months apart. While they were both in diapers, they decided to stagger their schedules. Neither child could talk, so I am not sure how they coordinated their efforts. Nevertheless, … Continue reading "The Gift of Rest" Read the article
What would youth ministry look like if we helped youth and young adults identify and use their gifts? I love working with young people. Prior to becoming a pastor, every job I’ve had from the time I was 16 was working with or for young people. Serving youth is a passion and one of the … Continue reading "What Mr. Peters Taught Me" Read the article
An important step in helping youth deal with trauma is to be a listener like Jesus. One day while Jesus was addressing a crowd, a synagogue leader named Jairus begged the young rabbi for help. Although he had status in the Jewish community, he unashamedly pleaded with Jesus to heal his daughter. Jesus agreed to … Continue reading "It’s Time to Talk About Trauma" Read the article
Youth Vision Jesus was a master storyteller. He communicated profound truths using images easily recognizable to his audience. He was able to make his message relevant and immediately applicable. A good example is found in Luke 13: Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a … Continue reading "Contextualizing Jesus" Read the article
The statement “children are the future” has become so common that it is a cliché. As someone who works with young people, I have said the phrase more than a few times. I always said it with the best intentions to audiences of well-meaning adults who sagely nodded their heads with me. My desire was … Continue reading "Children are the Now" Read the article
