Recently I was in a meeting of the youth ministry minds where this question was asked: “How often does your group, your youth or your church think of missions?” The answers ranged from weekly to monthly to an honest, “never.” It was a great question that I felt was poised around “opportunities” to “go […]![]()
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Would You Give Up Your Seat?
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Beginning of a significant cultural shift
We all know college has become an important and, in many cases, a necessary step for people to take in our culture. In 1950 only about 9% of 18-24 year olds were attending degree granting schools (which included those attending high school) whereas today 77% of 18-24 year olds are attending degree granting institutions (not […]![]()
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Ebola and Church
Ebola. As I write this post, I’m watching a newscast of how my Cleveland area airport had a recent passenger come through it who had the ebola virus. All the sound bytes indicate that everything seems to be fine and contained, even though I can’t help but remember the epilogue of “Rise of the Planet […]![]()
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Boundaries Are Good
I live in an area that actually registers a little below sea level. Yet, I was able to spend the last week in Colorado at heights like 5,000 and almost 12,000 feet ABOVE sea level. The Rocky Mountains are awe inspiring and my husband with the geology degree likes to geek out and tell me […]![]()
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Help, I’m A Terrible Small Group Leader!
The above picture was taken last night, the first gathering of a brand new small group of awesomely awkward 7th grade guys. See me leaning in on the right? The smile on my face masks a ton of anxiety about the year ahead. - I rarely lead a 7th grade group because should I need […]![]()
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POLL: Cloud Storage
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SALE: Time to Refresh Your Youth Min Resources!
Hey Insiders! It’s that time of the fall season when your pre-planned lessons and sermons may be starting to dwindle. A refresh of your arsenal of youth ministry resources is due! In order to help you fill the gaps and keep the momentum going before the holidays arrive and it’s nearly impossible to get a […]![]()
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The Damage Of Opinions
A friend of mine says that opinions are like bellybuttons: everyone has one. We have them about EVERYTHING from frivolous things like the best flavor of Jolly Ranchers (cherry of course) to very serious “issues” like politics. As Believers in Christ we have particular thoughts on which translation of the Bible is “best,” when the […]![]()
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44 Apps for Better Productivity
Saw this cool infographic on some great productivity apps. Here are eight project management apps that you might want to check out. Click the image and see a list of all 44. ![]()
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Funding ministry, a la carte?
There is a financial pinch being felt among churches. I shared in a recent article how my own church has felt it, and how we must all be “resigned to serve” in ministry. It’s why I want to run something by you, given the tension we all likely know between your budget crunch and the vision still […]![]()
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LTYM: 4 Tips On Growing Your Youth Ministry
This week we continue with 4 tips on growing your youth ministry!!! Here are a few things we want you to know. Kurt and I are committed to keeping the show around 20 minutes in length. Subscribe to the Let’s Talk Youth Ministry YouTube channel and check out other episodes that you may find helpful. […]![]()
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Skubala
As my sabbatical is coming to an end this month, I had the opportunity to meet and share life together with an amazing group of youth workers at Group Publishing in Loveland, CO. During this summit, we had a chance to go out to spend some time alone with God at Sylvan Dale Ranch. I […]![]()
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$5 for just about anything?
Have you heard of Fiverr? It is a freelance marketplace where you can get just about anything done for $5. Part of me wants to try it out, but the other part says it is too good to be true. Maybe a new ministry logo, series graphic, or some digital event bling? They have categories like design work, audio, marketing […]![]()
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When Things Aren’t Clicking
You’ve been there. I’ve been there more times than I care to admit. “There” is that moment when you admit, and determine to do something about, what you’ve already been sensing for a little while: Things in your ministry just aren’t clicking. You’re frustrated. You’re stagnant. You’re hitting the gas but can’t get traction. You’ve […]![]()
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Study Helps
I led a workshop and Half-Track on technology in ministry at KidMin last month. I shared a little about Bible software and message prep, attendees had some great suggestions for free study resources. Check this out, maybe you will find something new, and if you know of a useful online study resource share it in the […]![]()
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Save 1 Gazillion % on Sermon Series! Well, almost.
Okay…so 1 gazillion percent isn’t a real calculation, but it doesn’t change the fact that for a limited time, ALL of our sermon series are on sale! This includes sermons on every topic, from every author, spanning 2-9 weeks in length…with savings of up to 80% on some of the best sermon series ever […]![]()
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A Rant: Discipleship Battles With Millennials
I’ve always said, “Giftedness can get you places, but character will keep you there,” for more on that, click here. I believe that statement. But one of the toughest aspects of leading younger people who want to be in ministry is teaching them that being developed sometimes means limiting the use of “gifts.” This can be viewed as […]![]()
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Your Next 2 Months: Fall into Christmas
OK, Small Church Peeps, let’s huddle up! For the next 8 weeks, there are as many ministry moments possible as there are falling leaves. You can do one of two things: 1) Use the calendar as a way to bounce into memory-makers OR 2) Miss the moments and do blah stuff or nothing at all…and […]![]()
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9 Gadgets on the go…
I have a lot of gadgets in my Timbuk2 Commuter TSA friendly messenger bag but these 9 things are the most used when I land at a study spot. 1. Portable Power Strip 2. Book (1 real book and dozens of Kindle books) 3. Headphones 4. Americano (my battery) 5. iPad/iPhone stand 6. Device charger 7. NOMAD Key Charger cable […]![]()
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Sick Games
Every student got the flu… really bad. This was the quick story I shared with our church’s youth pastor last week, right before we were about to do something short-sighted. He’d be leading one of our student groups through a popular curriculum for the past few weeks. It just so happened that the suggested game for this […]![]()
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