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The other day our youngest son had his mom's iPod Touch with him as he headed to the bathroom. Resting the device near the sink seemed safe. That is, until he started washing his hands. Moments later...

Recently, Seth Godin made this statement on his blog. I think if you're remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular, you probably shouldn't have a resume at all. The reason is simple. If you are...

There have been a lot of newspaper articles about sexting lately. Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 What in the world is sexting? Simply put, sexting is using your mobile device...

When they first started building on the corner of M-53 & 32 Mile Road I hoped that they would either open a Starbucks or Tim Hortons at that location. The latter was realized this week.  For...

Each year I'm shocked that few Christians latch onto Saint Patrick's Day as a holiday to celebrate international missions. I think it comes from few people knowing Patrick's story. They have heard the...

Am I the only one that finds it disturbing that a majority of evangelicals are all about owning guns? I find it a bit of a difficulty that you can be both pro-life and anti-gun control. That seems...

Sometimes I embarrass my wife. And on our July trip to Haiti I offered her one very embarrassing moment when I refused to go through the new backscatter TSA screening machines while opting for a...

Last night I got hooked on a Discovery Channel show called The Alaska Experiment. I found it fascinating that they could take a few people from all over the lower 48 and they would not only survive in...

Quick Bio: A lifelong youth worker, Adam McLane is a Partner at The Youth Cartel and Principal at McLane Creative. He is a purveyor, connoisseur, trader, and collector of ideas.  Kristen and...

As they say, my dock is full. Kristen and I have been iPhone users for a couple of months now. So far we love it! One unintended consequence of using iPhone is that our monthly cell phone bill...

Editorial note: This is part 2 of a guest post from a local San Diego friend. (Part 1) I don't normally offer guest posts, but this point-of-view is important. Church and youth leaders need to hear...

How do I use Facebook to enhance my company, church, organization, or club? As a person who utilizes Facebook in the repetoir of how I make my living, I get this question a lot. With hundreds...

The dark side of attractional ministry is that it's a short term strategy. True confession-- I was a perveyor of an attractional ministry model. It never permeated any youth group that I've...

Walt Kowalski is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his Michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Kowalski is a grumpy, tough-minded, unhappy an old man, who can't...

Every organization can measure success. It doesn't matter if you're running a non-profit, a government agency, a corporation, small business, or an educational institution... you need to have some...

Don't apologize.... For being 39 and loving to hang with teenagers. For giving a student a hug, it might be the only hug they get all day. For pursing a career in something your parents think...

Since I first wrote about people stealing my content last November, "How to blog, write, and speak with integrity" I've gotten lots of contacts asking me how to properly repost or cite blog posts,...

This absolutely blew my mind. Check out what Bobby can do via audience participation. Not only is this facinating showmanship, it's fascinating science. How does everyone in the audience just know...

It's June. Professional youth ministries most dangerous month. I've served in three churches and all the hiring, firing, quitting, and retiring with the youth ministry seems to happen in June....

I've got a bone to pick with men who describe their wife as "hot" all the time. To me, it's in the same category as the "I heart boobies" bracelets. It makes me cringe every time I see it or hear...

As Kristen mentioned, yesterday we had a Wii bowling competition in our family. 4 competitors, 4 controllers, boys vs. girls. The entire game Paul (4) is talking mega-smack to mommy and Megan...

The other day I was reading Steve Dublanica's blog, Waiter Rant, in which he had a post entitled "Who are the worst tippers?" Essentially, Steve was querying his reading audience... people who...

Let's face it. For many of my readers I am the geek in their life. I'm the nerdy friend you tell your IT guy about when you don't know what else to talk about because you want to talk about the...

I've heard this phrase to the point where I think people actually believe this is somehow a biblical concept. God has opened the door for me to ____. I was pursuing something I really felt called...

A bottleneck is a phenomenon where the performance or capacity of an entire system is limited by a single or limited number of components or resources. The term bottleneck is taken from the...

How much cash do you typically keep with you?polling Maybe it's just me, but I'm shocked to see how many people carry $50-$100 in cash in their wallets. Just so I know if I'm weird or not,...

You know me. I like to try out new things. One of the new things I've been testing out is Google Voice. I'll talk about it more in another post but let's just say it's solving a lot of problems for...

The YS offices have a mix of California and non-California people. On top of that, we often host guests from all over North America. So it's pretty common to here a debate that sounds like...

Editorial note: I don’t normally do guest posts. But in this case I am making an exception. The following post is from a friend of mine, a local San Diegan with an advanced ministry degree from a...

It's kind of funny, isn't it? We live as though we are in charge. As if we decide and determine everything. Do we put the Bride of Christ into a cheap box and make it seem as though church is just...

Earlier this week I started noticing the Facebook "like" button popping up on some of my favorite sites. And then, my co-worker Jonathan installed it on our site at work. When I saw that... I knew...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5bfxGNMY9c& Kristen and I decided to introduce lent to our church hating, Awana loving kids. Our kids aren't game for anything. I get jealous when I go to my...

This is more fun in person. As a good friend and SDSU alumni is quick to tell me, I joined the Aztecs fan-dome at just the right moment in history. It's been amazing to see this school go from...

Having spent 29 of my 32 year in the upper midwest, I am resolute that we will not need to turn on our furnace this winter. Seriously, it doesn't get cold enough in San Diego to even turn on the pilot...

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in...

If you don't have young kids, than you probably have no idea that social networking has really taken off for kids. In fact, I'd call these social play sites. Our kids are completely addicted to them....

The sign reads, "”In case of the disappearance of True Christians, there are instructions located in the above box to help those who are left behind." Kristen sent me the link to this from a...

I have a fervent belief that if we want to reach a post-Christian society, we have to be Good News before someone will listen to Good News. Here are 10 ways you can begin transforming your church...

If I were to plot out the average youth ministry attendance in a local church this is probably what it would look like. So when I say, "The way you are doing ministry is failing to reach...

We have a fascination with the little guy. Foundational to American storytelling is the little guy overcoming adversity to make it big. Americans love happy endings. The movie credits roll when...

Last night my friend Gavin Richardson posted an interesting quandary on Twitter. To paraphrase, "Why is it that in some parts of the world people die trying to go to church while here in the states...

American Airlines, once the largest airline in the United States, declared bankruptcy. This is not surprising news for the beleaguered airline industry; what is different is what is emerging from the...

Right now there are a lot of people making a lot of money telling churches how they can grow. Along the same lines, there are a lot of church boards and pastors wasting a lot of time discussing church...

If Santa were a Calvinist, we'd all be on the naughty list! For non-church folks, here is a link to help you understand the Calvinism joke. Seeing that we now go to a Presbyterian church,...

I'm as excited about the Obama presidency as everyone else seems to be. But I have to say... all of the hype about Obama kind of scares me. I thought it would be good, 24 hours before Barack Obama...

Christians have a weird history with celebrating Halloween. Not growing up in the church I was appauled when I heard church people refer to it as "Devil's night" and say things like, "Of course we...

The inevitable happened on Sunday. Tiger is officially over-the-hill. The once invincible has been defeated by the South Korean. There's a new sheriff in town and Tiger Woods needs a job. So,...

My kids don't get excited about going to church most Sunday's. That's putting a nice bow on it, isn't it? Let's take the pretty bow off for the sake of this post. They hate going to church....

Tonight on NPR's On the Media there was a segment that talked about the hot trend in politics to use antimetabole. For those who need a refresher from 11th grade english literature...

I'm still thinking about this. And typically I don't carry on like this. But there were so many good comments that, in my mind, this deserved a follow up post rather than endless comments. Dave...

Last night I watched a fascinating documentary on the National Geographic Channel called, "Alone in the Wild." It was difficult to watch. Here was this outdoorsmen named Ed Wardle. He wanted to...

There's a growing movement within the American church that puts youth ministry under the umbrella of family ministry. There are youth ministry organizations, publishers, conferences, and lots and lots...

Here's a random list of things I learned about my trip to The Price is Right. #1 It's so clear that I've found a new tribe of people in the San Diego Tweet-up. Had a lot of fun and useful...

I was starting to wonder if this was just a Romeo phenomenon. But here's the deal. For every eligible single Christian man I meet there seem to be 20 eligible women. Seriously, Kristen and I talk...

I am daring you and your staff to take this challenge. I promise you it isn't as dangerous as it sounds. In fact, I think it may just fundamentally change the way you interact with the people in...

Note: My blog is already #1 in Google for all the search terms I want. Please don't send me your proposals.

I have an ultra-swanky Smartphone. You know, one of those devices you see people carry around and you think... I'd like to be surfing the internet too! It takes 2 megapixel pictures, connects...

Spring firing season has begun. The end of the school year is a dangerous time to be in youth ministry. With the program year winding down it is prime time for church leadership to make a decision...

I love documentaries. I think it's the non-fiction narrative that gets me. But given the choice between a feature film and a documentary, I'll take a documentary every time. Now that we have...

One thing I learned when I was on church staff-- rarely does a person really want what they are presenting what they want. In other words, when a parent wants to come in and talk with you...

Top 10 places you made out with your smoking hot wife. I know she's a stone cold fox. But keep your special sauce under wraps, OK? Top 10 iPhone apps you used on the can. There's a good chance...

For as long as we've lived in this house I've tried to keep our wireless network open. My feeling has always been that access to the internet should be free and high speed whenever possible. And since...

I've got great respect for Walt Mueller. If you are in youth ministry, there is a good chance that you've bumped into Walt and his ministry, The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding, many...

One reason youth ministry is flatlining is crappy theology. Kara Powell, executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute, was recently interviewed by Relevant Magazine about the present...

Here's a brief history of sexting. Some students got in trouble for sending sexually explicit pictures of another student around a school. Local news reported on it, after all it contained...

Each week I encounter a new story of a church worker that angers me. These are stories from youth workers who have been wronged by the people they trusted with their lives... their church...

Since I spend so much time thinking about and managing iPhone apps getting developed, I thought it would only be fair if you saw the types of apps I use on my phone. Sidenote: This is a...

Have you ever noticed that people who have reached the pinnacle, the elusive American Dream, are actually miserable? "That's just a Hollywood cliche." Really? Think about your own interaction...

As another week begins and another year winds down I hope that you are pausing long enough to reflect on who you have become, who you are becoming, and the trajectory/pace you are taking. If that is...

I have a fervent belief that if we want to reach a post-Christian society, we have to be Good News before someone will listen to Good News. I asked some teachers, "How could a local church be Good...

I don't know about you, but I'm growing a little tired of the lack of progress and new ideas coming forth for health care reform. I wonder if instead of making private citizens scream at their elected...

My view of discipleship has radically changed in the last two years. I'm increasingly convinced that my role as a shepherd to high schoolers is about putting them in moments of spiritual crisis...

At lunch yesterday 3 guys sat around the table getting to know one another better. In the course of the conversation we chatted about kids. Each man had two. The guy sitting next to me affirmed that...

You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother...

I've been involved in youth ministry in one form or another since I was in high school. One thing I love about being involved with youth group is the cast of characters that each ministry seems to...

I'm a connoisseur of storytelling. I can't get enough of the genre. Whether its a personal narrative, or non-fictional piece, investigative storytelling, or fiction-- I love it all. As a...

The second fastest way to make a church leader roll their eyes is to ask, "How do you minister to homeschool kids?" The fastest way to make a church leader roll their eyes is to ask, "Do you have...

After not seeing Star Trek, even refusing to pay attention to the trailer, I have this simple review. Don't see it. It  just encourages them to make more. That is all. Here are five...

O, Awana. How I've hated ye all of these years. I've hated your uniforms. I've hated the cult-like dedication adults seem to latch onto you, especially at budget time.  I've hated how you eat up...

Are people generally looking to do bad things in the world? Is the world full of evil people set out to destroy you? If you take some doctrine too seriously you fall into this heretical view of...

The cost of college has gotten out of control When I tell people that I have never had a student loan and paid for my undergraduate (and the 50% of my graduate) studies out-of-pocket, their jaws...

The retail world is made or broken based on what happens the 6 weeks surrounding Christmas. The entire world may not bow at the throne of Jesus, but a made-up celebration of his birthday is the...

You're a naughty one. I like that about you.   Like you-- I have contrarian tendencies. The crowd goes one way and I wonder what is happening with those going the other? There's a good...

I guess this diagram is rather self-explanatory, eh? Over the last 4-5 months I've had several conversations in which the discussion centered on this diagram. So I submit it to you to chew...

C.S. Lewis is to Christians what McDonalds is to American children. C.S. Lewis is to Christians what beer pong is to college students. C.S. Lewis is to Christians what Dave Ramsey is to...

It's becoming increasingly popular in large churches for pastoral staff positions to be filled with people trained in business skills and not ministry skills. (i.e. They've got the title "pastor" and...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4SNu1f0puA iPad 2 Pros: Fun to play with. Feel cool in coffee shops. Lots of apps. Perfect for consuming media. Fun for taking short notes, like a giant...

Which came first? The staff who ran the programs or the programs which required the hiring of staff? No offense to my friends who work at churches-- but I wonder if their goal is to secure a...

Everything I'm doing from Thursday to Sunday is measured by the following questions: "What  time does ___ start and who is playing now?" I love March Madness! And all of those basketball...

It's Wednesday already. I was in 6th grade at camp and first heard the term, Hump Day, I've always giggled at that expression. I'm 32 years old and it still makes me snort a little. Here are...

A friend recently expressed a frustration that anyone who works in a church feels all the time. He said, "We just get the leftovers of people's time, energy, and heart." He said it in a negative way....

There's a lot of smack talk about church staffing these days. Senior pastors rightfully elevate the role of various staff members and do their best to put all staff on the same "level" as themselves...

In nearby Plymouth, Michigan the local government is discriminating against figure skating. That is, according to some angry moms. The story is that the local government has decided that since hockey...

My byline is: "Crazy enough to change the world." Mutability. Change. Delta. The concept of change is the fulcrum of the Gospel message. Am I willing to look at myself in the mirror, accept who I...

The problem with autonomy in church leadership is group think. Allow me to unpack that a little. It's early. Maybe you haven't had your coffee? Autonomy - a self-governing community. Group...