Talking About Las Vegas
How do you talk with your teens about what happened in Las Vegas? Gwen has great advice for having a hope-filled discussion when talking about tragedies and events like the mass shooting in Las Vegas.
Be Confident and Courageous
Fear 15,000 years ago when you went out into the wild and you got nervous, you turned the other way. Journeying into the uncomfortable or unknown could be fatal. Today that same instinct exists. When you meet someone new or find yourself facing an uncomfortable situation, your mind and body often tell you to run. […]
Spiritual Advisory
Do you take precautions and protect yourself and your ministry spiritually? Gwen talks about the importance of always looking forward and remembering the battle is already won.
How to Succeed in a Youth Ministry Interview
Summer is almost over. For the field of youth ministry, summer is a hiring season. I know of a number of parishes that are hiring here in my diocese. This process can seem difficult and intimidating. Submitting a resume and preparing for an interview can give you butterflies that remind you of asking someone on […]
Small Things with Great Love
My primary goal is to lead others closer to Christ through building Christocentric relationships and loving them as Christ loved us. I strive to do this with my family, friends, coworkers, and in my ministry. I’d love to say that this can be seen in the big and small ways of each of my interactions […]
13 Reasons Why: A Youth Ministry Perspective
13 Reasons Why…or Why Not? You’ve seen the various posts on social media. Netflix made a show and teens are watching it. What to Know It’s not a show about suicide, it’s a show about manipulating people through suicide. It’s not a show for teenagers, its rated MA for Mature Adults, I’ve never met […]
Triumph from Tragedy: 18 years later Hope Prevails
As a junior in high school I was looking forward to going to prom in a week and celebrating my 17th birthday a few days after that. But in one fateful morning all of that became inconsequential and my life was forever changed. It was a beautiful spring day and we begged the teachers to let us […]
Caught and Not Taught
Think back to last summer. I know for some of us ministers this might be impossible, but humor me for a moment. Yes, since then there have been countless events, meetings, and distractions. But think back to those first few months of planning for this ministry year. Scheduling topics for particular nights, looking through your curriculum, […]
Continuing the Conversation
This post is based off of thoughts and reflections resulting from How Not to Hijack Your Youth. I encourage you to read that post, which shares how to facilitate discussions on controversial topics found in music, movies, or other media. The youth are able to think critically in a setting that allows for open and honest discussion. […]
The Vital Need for Ritual
My shampoo bottle says lather, rinse, and repeat. That is some great advice for ministry. My wife and I celebrated our first Thanksgiving together at her parent’s home a year before we married. It was great, but didn’t feel exactly like Thanksgiving. They didn’t have mashed potatoes. The following year we journeyed to my parents […]