Blog
The First 30 Seconds of Meeting Someone
At CE National we often repeat a great phrase that encompasses our mission and vision. Living ON MISSION. However, I often find it odd that when I speak of living ON MISSION (we even write it in caps, so you don’t miss it), what we mean is often lost. So then I add, “You know, living out the great commission.” Jesus said to go and make...
Making Changes in the Church: Pastorpedia
People hate changes and surprises! We can argue with the idea if we like, or just try a change to surprise everyone at home. It's just plain true. People do not just get shocked—they get negative. Yet at the church we easily surprise our people with a change in mood, presentations, style, or schedule. And when the reaction is negative...
Four Challenges Young Church Leaders Will Face
I was recently asked to give a talk to a classroom of ministry students at Trinity International University. The topic was on some of the challenges they will likely face as they enter church leadership. Kind of a broad topic don’t you think? I first considered that every generation has challenges awaiting them on the other side of the...
Confusion About Groups in the Church
Let’s not Kid Ourselves Many people in our churches yawn and think about what’s for dinner when someone is giving an announcement about groups of the church. Some of them think it's about alcoholism, drug problem, or sexual deviation. It must be a support group. There are still a few around who think that groups are divisive and a...
Dig In: Tips on Communicating Christ in a Post-Christian Culture
Recently, I attended a gathering of youth workers from all across the country. I love these times because I get to reconnect with old ministry friends and make plenty of new ones. But during my time there, my conversations, and others I caught wind of, seemed to continually turn to a single struggle that many youth workers are having....
Why Bring Your Bible To School Day Matters
It might not seem all that important. It might seem like just another day we can ignore and move on to more important things. It might even seem like a day we kind of laugh at because there has to be a more impactful way of bringing our faith into public spaces—especially our public schools. It is just far too simple and not significant...
The Future of Youth Ministry Starts Here
Over the last eleven years, I have taught students apologetics and worldview training in the classroom from the laid-back suburbs of Detroit to the cultural epicenter of Los Angeles. The students may dress different, act different, have different experiences, and sometimes very different challenges. But when it comes to their faith, the...
The Basics of Spiritual Growth in Students
If you like sports, you have heard this story. In the 1960 NFL Championship game, the Green Bay Packers suffered a heartbreaking defeat to the New York Giants after blowing a fourth-quarter lead. Vince Lombardi opened the following seasons training camp determined to return to the basics. Standing in front of 38 professional athletes,...
Help! I Prepared for 20 Students, but Only 5 Showed Up!
I will never forget the very first time I lead a youth group meeting. In my early days of seminary, I was volunteering in the youth ministry, working closely with the youth pastor, learning all I could. When he gave me the chance to plan and lead group for the night, I jumped at the opportunity and spent countless hours in study and...
What Works in the Classroom Can Work in Ministry
I am sure, like me, you have all been there. You feel like what you have to say is literally from the Spirit of God. You have prepped all week; you carefully crafted your talk, studied the text, prayed through the text, and even created some of the greatest tweetable one-liners. You are convinced that your picture with a great quote is...
