Sending Them Off on Solid Ground

Sending Them Off on Solid Ground

Anyone who works with high school students can attest to how difficult it is to be a senior facing the road to graduation and beyond.  Especially ominous can be the weight of knowing they must decide what to do for the rest of their lives.  What 17 or 18 year old can...
Deli Sandwiches & High Fives

Deli Sandwiches & High Fives

Deli Sandwiches Recently, I had a student text me and ask if we could meet up.  He had been struggling with negative thoughts and an overwhelming/crippling bout of anxiety.  I could tell he needed a touch from Jesus and someone to just listen.  We grabbed a deli...
The Big Life Questions

The Big Life Questions

Every couple of months I pass out a blank 3×5 and ask my middle school & high school students to write down their answer(s) to the question at hand.  The question is always different, but has a common theme.   (Just to name a few, we’ve asked...
The Sunday-Monday Gap Kills Church’s Growth

The Sunday-Monday Gap Kills Church’s Growth

One of the most life-giving gifts that pastors can ever give to a local congregation is wise understanding for how to live life as it is meant to be lived; a life of loving service to God and to our neighbors. Try reading the New Testament epistles that way and...
Why Big Events Are Good

Why Big Events Are Good

I know people like to emphasize often that its “not about events and programs.” I get it. We want it to be about people, and relationship, and the Spirit. Plus, events cost money, they are hard to organize (have you ever tried to get teens to commit to...