Ministry To Parents Blog

Over the past few years, I’ve been working on several projects that have opened my eyes to some things about teenagers and the world they are growing up in. After more than three decades in youth ministry, years of coaching...

I really like to play golf. I don’t get to play nearly as much as I would like, and I’m certainly not a great golfer, but I’ve been navigating my way around golf courses since I was 14. Golf is...

The performance trap in ministry rarely announces itself. It can begin with good intentions. It’s a desire to serve well, reach more people, and steward our ministry faithfully. Then it quietly shifts into measuring our faithfulness by what we accomplish....

The pressure to perform starts earlier than many of us realize. A kindergartner worries about not being able to read or write "good enough" to move to first grade. A third grader loses sleep over a test. A young athlete...

My husband and I recently received a wonderful promotion that came with new titles – Grandpa and Mimi! Many of our best days are now filled with baby snuggles, diapers, smiles, coos, and bottles. We are fortunate to live nearby,...

Walk through most children's ministry areas on a Sunday morning, and you'll see many young families. You'll likely find parents serving in classrooms and teens helping where needed. But there's another group in the church that is often overlooked when...

Over the last decade or so, I have become a bit of a gardener. I love all things landscaping and, every spring, I start my summer vegetable garden. I have hopes and dreams of homemade salsa and salads, and I...

When I was first hired as a youth director, I can remember the excitement of coming up with a list of things to do with the youth group. The church was looking for new ideas and a new direction, and...

My husband and I are both teachers. When our kids started school, we thought we had all the academic bases covered to help them with homework, but we were in for a surprise. Our guidance and instruction were well received...

As I think about the mentors in my life, one couple from our group of family friends comes to mind - Mr. Dave and Miss Nancy. We met their family when I was in second grade. Their love for Jesus...

We’ve all been there. We encounter a situation or opportunity, and we’re not quite sure what to do. We have some thoughts and ideas, but we know that we need help sorting through them all. We need wisdom and discernment...

I can remember the first time I really saw it happening. We were at our middle school youth group, and my son was standing in a crowd of his friends. They were talking, laughing, and having a great time. Right...