Tag: youth ministry
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Inside out youth ministry
A couple Sunday’s ago our senior pastor, Ed Noble, was talking about the inside out revolution underway at Journey. He gave an example about an area of the property where the church used to meet weekly for a big, family dinner. Now that space is used to run a food pantry for families in our…
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What the &%#$? When did cussing become OK at youth group?
Observation is one of my core skills in life. I notice things. Subtle and not-so-subtle shifts catch my attention. Then when I see them in several contexts over a period of time my brain starts to categorize them as emerging trends. So here is an emerging trend I’m seeing: It’s now OK to use the occasional cuss…
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The Solid Rock, The Sinking Sand
What do I see happening in youth ministry? I think this song sums up the conversations I’ve had with youth workers of the last 2-3 years. On Christ the Solid Rock, I Stand All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking sand Things that have always worked, successes that we could always…
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Kid’s Attention Valued at $1.12 Trillion Annually
My kids can tell me about all the latest Disney movies. And they can rattle off the specs of just about every toy that they want. Worse yet? They are armed with lines that tell me all about why buying that toy is good for them and the deal they will get if they buy…
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Clips, the newest app for youth ministry
One direction I think youth ministry resources need to go is mobile In the latest edition of Immerse Journal I have an article called “Technology Swiss Army Knives” that’s all about apps that help you spend less time in your office and more time with students. I’d actually like to see apps for youth ministry get…
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Viva la Cartel!
After three amazing years of working at Youth Specialties, it’s with a crazy concoction of sadness and excitement, that I’m sharing today that I’m leaving Youth Specialties to start a new venture. It’s impossible to put into words the emotions I felt just now as I wrote, then again as I rewrote, and over the…
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Homeless Teenagers Among Us
[Video enclosed] The poverty rate for those under 18 will soon hit 25% in America. This video from 60 Minutes broke my heart yesterday. While riding the trolley to work I listened to the audio and wept. 16 million kids in our country are currently living below the poverty line. That’s an increase of 2…
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Behind the Scenes on this Year’s Top 20 List
Today I published the YS list of top 20 bloggers in youth ministry. It’s the second year for publishing it (third year I’ve done it) and I’m really pleased with how it turned out. I thought it’d be cool to pass along some notes from the process: Overall, there was exceptional growth this year. In…
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Three Ways to Reach More Teenagers Starting this Fall
In your community less than 10% of 6-12th graders are a part of a youth ministry. In most communities 2%-3% of eligible teenagers are involved on a good week. Ouch. Here’s a strategic reality check for you: Tweaking your mid-week program or plugging in a new communications tool or even working harder isn’t going to…
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20 Types of Youth Ministry Volunteers
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 have. If I were to write a novel and wanted to include all of the types of youth workers…