Encouraging Youth to Speak Up for Christ
I don’t remember much from my middle school years, but I do remember one song we shared in our spring choir concert that has stuck with me throughout my life. With summer close on the...
Read Article
Youth and Social Justice
Repeat after me: “Having been created in the image of God, all humans are equal in value, honor, and dignity.” It’s a statement that I go over and over again in my theology classes. It...
Read Article
Your Youth Are Epic Warriors
Who am I? What does God want with me? During my youth, and perhaps even still now, those were questions I constantly considered. After all, I’m just a simple human without a grand life...
Read Article
Creating Routine for Your Teenagers
Our teenagers are not immune to the stress caused by the ongoing shutdowns due to the coronavirus. High school seniors have seen much of their culminating experiences canceled or...
Read Article
The Courage to Forgive
Have you ever wronged somebody? I mean truly wronged somebody. Maybe you yelled at co-workers, gossiped behind a friend’s back (who then found out), or even told blatant lies about...
Read Article
Shine: Your New Favorite Ministry Tool
Summer is officially here. Now that school is out, it is a constant battle to keep the kids entertained. To all the hardworking, selfless, tired youth ministry servants…
Read Article
The Bad News & Good News about Teen Girls
First, the bad news . . . our teen girls are in crisis. I'm worried about them, and you should be too. My oldest daughter, Catie, is in high school and my younger daughter, Elisabeth,...
Read Article
Effective Youth Ministry Is Personal
When I was a seventh grade student, a friend from middle school brought me to church for the first time. My family had an adversarial relationship with God, and church was really far...
Read Article
Faith Development in High School
Teenagers will discard some aspects from their previous experiences of faith, moving on to new ideas and beliefs that make sense to their ways of thinking. Discussion of theology and...
Read Article
Faith Development in Middle School
Middle school students need to be loved and valued. They need to know that they are important to adults, even though they often communicate that adults are not particularly important to...
Read Article
Getting Feedback from Your Church Youth Group
It’s during the spring when things seem to get really busy. With the end of school approaching, spring activities starting, and Easter right around the corner, it can be a fast-paced...
Read Article
