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It’s December. It feels different. There’s a sense of something in the air. Maybe it’s the cooler weather, lights, smiles, or knowing you’re about to hit a different rhythm for a few weeks. Christmas parties, choir specials, and gift exchange...

One of my most memorable Christmas gifts was a brand new Xbox 360 when I was in sixth grade. My dad, who lived in a different state from me, got me the Halo 3 edition, the envy of all of...

“I don’t think I ever knew how much I needed this...” That’s what I thought as I sat in the easy chair in a cabin on my first pastoral retreat. No agenda, no plan, and no idea what to do...

Student ministry is simple. It’s not easy. But it’s simple.  Just care.  Just care about your students. Just care about your volunteers. Just care about the parents.  Just care.  Now I understand that sounds like a no brainer. I am...

If you’re like most youth pastors, you’re already thinking about the next semester or the next year. You not only think about it, you dream about it. You may have a note on your phone or some scribbles on a...

I remember exactly where I was the first time my then fourteen-year-old son said, “Dad, can we have a conversation that’s just between you and I and we don’t have to tell mom about.” I pulled the car off to...

The church has plenty of dry-cleaner parents. These are parents who drop their student off at the youth group and expect them to be cleaned, pressed, and spiritually ready to go. In other words, they hope the church (specifically the...

Leading a volunteer team is much more than managing; it's a stewardship of people who are themselves shepherding young lives. In an environment full of challenges and the constant shifting of the culture, your leadership approach shapes not only your...

A myth is often thought of as something that is commonly believed but is untrue. We’ve all heard some wild myths before. Here are a few… Gum stays in your stomach for 7 years. False. Perhaps this myth came from...

Dude Perfect has made millions laugh with trick shots, creativity, and competition. But behind the scenes, Cory Cotton (one of the twins) has faithfully served as a volunteer youth leader, discipling students through the ups and downs of teenage life.In...

Ministry comes with numerous challenges, but being honest with yourself may be the most difficult. It means being able to see ourselves clearly. But too often, shame actually keeps us from doing this. Let me give you an example that...

I was able to be “in the moment” instead of trying to preserve the moment. Life is filled with tens of thousands of moments. Most of those moments are the mundane and ordinary ones that give us a connection to...