A good reminder for all Christian leaders by Pete Johnson from YouthWorker.com. His article begins, This issue of YouthWorker Journal contains some great articles about resources, methods and techniques, which can improve our effectiveness in working with teens; but I want to remind all of my fellow youth workers that all this stuff doesn’t mean a … More Our Lives are the Best Curriculum
The Josiah Smith Band have been a special part of my season of ministry at Fusion. They have been part of nearly all of our Fusion retreats and have left an impact on our group with their music and their sincere love of our students. One neat moment was when Josiah came to our morning … More Josiah Smith Band – “With Open Hands”
Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed is exploring Christian Smith’s new book: Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults. What do emerging adults think of religion? This next chp in Smith and Snell discovered in their fantastic new book: Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults will be of use to all … More Today’s Emerging Adults 2
Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed is exploring Christian Smith’s new book: Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults. Today the question is: What is the cultural world of the emerging adult? We’re talking about 46 million emerging adults… so generalizations need careful backing of evidence and all kinds of nuance. What … More Today’s Emerging Adults 1
One of my good friends in youth ministry, Paul Baudhuin at St. Croix Valley United Methodist Church, has an outstanding vision and purpose set out for his youth group. I can’t help but share it. While many students often only see what’s on the surface level of the “youth group experience” — the fun and … More More Than ‘Youth Group’
Read my article “Guard Your Treasure: Teens, Sex and Cellphones” recently published at http://www.YouthWorker.com. Just click image below to read.
Every few months youth pastors get a promotional box in the mail luring them to jump on the bandwagon of the next big Christian movie, book, conference or concert. Marketing madness bombards you with free promotinal posters, t-shirts, devotionals, bookmarks, bumper stickers. Sadly, the Christian entertainment sub-culture often disappoints. I usually don’t bite. I’m the … More MOVIE REVIEW: To Save A Life (2010)
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matt 7:7-8) “Look! I stand at the … More Sacred Doors to the Presence of God
Once and awhile I like to post a video giving my readers a glimpse into the wonderful high school ministry I get to lead. Here’s a peak at our annual Christmas dance we call “Shimmer & Shine.” This year we went back to the 1940s to the Hollywood Canteen for some swing dancing. Enjoy!
YouthWorker Journal editor Steve Rabey talks with Andrew Marin about ways youth workers can reach out to gay and lesbian youth, and how in the past churches have failed to minister to those struggling with same-sex attraction in a Christ-like manner. Andrew is the director of The Marin Foundation, and the author of “Love Is an … More VIDEO: “Love Is An Orientation” (Andrew Marin)
One of my favorite resources for finding timely research on youth culture and understanding teenagers is the Fuller Youth Institute. A recent article explores the “secret underworld” of what Michael Kimmel calls “Guyland.” I highly recommend reading the FULL ARTICLE HERE. So, what’s going on in the hearts and minds of today’s teenage boys? What … More Welcome to Guyland – What’s up with Guys?
Associated Press featured an article this week entitled, ‘Sexting’ Is More Common Than You Think. The article begins: WASHINGTON (AP) — Think your kid is not ”sexting”? Think again. Sexting — sharing sexually explicit photos, videos and chat by cell phone or online — is fairly commonplace among young people, despite sometimes grim consequences for … More Teens & Sexting – Why?
When it comes to studying the youth culture and the direction we’re going as a whole, my go-to expert is Walt Mueller. (That’s why he’s listed under my favorite blogs.) Here’s his latest observation and warning: Youth culture is a map and a mirror. It is both directive and reflective. We watch it to see … More Wisdom Gap: “Do what just feels right…?”
Yesterday I shared an alternative model of evangelism shaped by the interactions and approach of Jesus in the Gospels. I thought it might be helpful to offer a concrete example of this approach in action. As I was planting the Revolution ministry in Mound I was helped along by my daily interactions with teens … More Jesus-Shaped Evangelism in Practice
FROM THE DI ARCHIVES: Prior to my current ministry role I spent a few years living “missionally” in a smaller town community where God called me to use new and innovative means of reaching unchurched and ‘de-churched’ teens for Christ. Check out The Revolution. I wrote the following reflections while in the trenches trying to … More Jesus-Shaped Evangelism for the 21st Century
In my first review of this film I pointed out some of the underlying spiritual/psychological themes in the film: (1) the danger of letting a relationship take over one’s entire life, (2) turning a relationship into an idol which we cannot live without, (3) engaging in self-destructive behaviors (e.g., self-injury, suicide attempts) as a desperate … More MOVIE REVIEW: “Twilight: New Moon” – Part 2
This particular Friday night I was proudly wearing both my “good husband hat” and my “committed youth pastor hat” as I went to see the much anticipated “Twilight: New Moon” film on opening night. (Keri asked me to go to the midnight opener the previous night and I had to draw the line somewhere!) Gazillions … More MOVIE REVIEW: “Twilight: New Moon” – A Youth Pastor’s Perspective
Rob Bell is one of the most popular pastor-teachers in America today. He is best known for his Nooma short films used by churches everywhere. He was recently interviewed by YouthWorker Journal at a national conference to give us some of his thoughts on youth ministry today. Here’s the interview originally published on October 2, 2009 … More Rob Bell on Youth Ministry
USA TODAY.com News featured a story entitled How Stressed Are Kids? More Than We Think. I care deeply about the world today’s teens inhabit and the unique challenges they are facing. To the best of my knowledge and from my own personal observation, the world of teenagers has been changing over the last couple decades … More Teens and Stress
I read an article today about the things that teens today are most stressed about. I was rather surprised by the results and wanted to take my own poll to see if it matches the results of this finding. So, if you wouldn’t mind, please take a moment to weigh in on this poll if … More POLL: What stresses TEENS out most?
I spent the weekend with 400+ senior high teens at Trout Lake Camp’s fall “Break-away” retreat. The weekend featured energetic worship led by the talented and fun Bensonwells and animated speaker Ketric Newell. Most excitingly, I saw students ministered to and challenged to be a generation that rises up and takes the baton and lives all … More Fusion Fall Retreat
I love this kind of thing. Check out this moving story on VIDEO. Who’s hanging out in your church parking lot? And a bonus video below that I found beautiful — even though I’ve never stepped foot on a skateboard. God bless the skateboarders! If Jesus came back today, I think he might be found hanging … More Skateboarding with Jesus
Many families have been blessed by the common sense, biblical approach to money management taught by Dave Ramsey. Financial Peace University is bringing hope to those drowning in financial debt and providing a way forward toward a debt-free lifestyle and wise stewardship of our money. But what if we could help young people avoid the … More Teenagers & Money
Jeremy L. Berg 