I cannot get the image of Phoebe Prince out of my mind. The first time her photo was flashed on my TV screen my heart was broken for her, her family and all the other “Phoebes” of this world. The tragic end of a life so short, so needlessly snatched at the tender age of 15 reminds us that life…
Women who faithfully serve in Youth Ministry are the heart and soul of reaching and discipling students. They play a vital role and their contribution to the cause of Christ will only be measured in eternity. As a consultant to Local Churches, I have the privilege of working alongside great Student Ministry leaders who are having a global impact. Some…
In Second Timothy 2: 2, Paul not only gives us a great plan for world evangelization; his words also serve as a model for cultivating students of influence. Paul says, The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (NASB95). From Paul’s…
Right now there is a great deal of buzz about Health Care and what the new law means for everyone. I am sure the debate will continue to rage as everyone wants to be heard. All of this discussion and debate has caused me to think about ministries that are concerned about both Health Care and Soul Care. This Health…
The teen years are not a “holding pattern” but should be a time of utilizing the power of youth. We are not preparing them to be leaders in the future; we are preparing them now for this moment. Being salt and light is not a post-graduate concept. Some of the most vocal advocates for change in student ministry are the…
My study of the Attributes of God began more than 20 years ago when I came to the realization that I knew God but I really did not KNOW God. So I studied the Scriptures, read classic books on the Character of God and began to mine the depth of His Nature for myself. Recently I came across a new…
It’s that time of the year again when students head to warmer climates for Spring Break. We hear headlines like Students Gone Wild or read reports of arrests, sex and alcohol abuse and wonder what can be done to stop the madness of shattered lives. There are a handful of ministries and churches who are deliberately reaching out to these…
Ecclesiastes is more relevant than the newspaper printed this morning and is a perfect book for students. Solomon expressed many of the same questions and philosophies we see in Millennials today. For example, nine out of ten teens say that they ponder their future at least once a week. Solomon questions life, death and the future in general. His opening…
The clock is ticking, the time is approaching, the students are coming and you still have not settled on what you are going to teach tonight. If you say, “I never did that,” then either you are not really in youth ministry or you are being delusional is a comfortable state of mind. At some point in our ministries, all…
I love my granddaughter; my wife says I lose all sense of reality when I am with her. When she looks at me and sweetly says my name, Dida (her name for me), I am convinced that giving her what she wants is logically reasonable. That’s how we landed at the beach on a less than perfect day. We had…