Youth pastors often complain that the biggest hindrance to raising the bar in youth ministry is parents. Many parents don’t think of the long-term implications of a youth ministry that’s based on silliness, yet it is the parents who cry the loudest when their children aren’t having “fun.” American youth have parents who grew up when being a parent too often meant being a “buddy” to children. The failure of parenting, and of marriages for that matter, has had a serious, negative impact on millions of youth. But if many of the problems facing youth begin with parents, the solution can begin … [Read more...] about Parents Engaging Gen Z
Live at Peace With Everyone
The Apostle Paul’s admonition to the church members in Rome to “live at peace with everyone” is a message of truth we desperately need in our culture and as Great Commission Baptists. Too often on social media, in churches, and recently on committee Zoom meetings, we witness people in conflict speaking inciting words in an aggressive tone. Daily on Twitter, we see clashes between pastors who preach the love and peace of the gospel yet use words towards other pastors that are foreign to those fruits of the Spirit. Amid this conflict, it’s tempting to call for civility as the lowest common … [Read more...] about Live at Peace With Everyone
Speaking Words That Build Up: A Dying Practice
Do you speak words that build up or tear down? In his letter to the church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul wrote: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29) ESV Sadly, whether on social media, texts, phone calls, emails, or in personal conversations, too many of us speak words that tear down rather than build up. Our conversations are not salted with the grace of the gospel (Colossians 4:6). We do not represent the love, patience, gentleness, humility, and … [Read more...] about Speaking Words That Build Up: A Dying Practice
Army Chaplains: Clearing Up Some Myths
There is a good bit of misinformation circulating around the internet regarding military chaplains in general and Army chaplains in specific. I’ve seen posts that claim that Army chaplains cannot pray in Jesus’ name when they conduct their worship services. Some people claim that chaplains are forced to conduct services for other religions. Hopefully this post will help clear up some of these common myths related to military chaplaincy. Myth #1: Chaplains Cannot Pray in Jesus’ Name This myth stems largely from confusion regarding military ceremonies versus worship services. Attendance at a … [Read more...] about Army Chaplains: Clearing Up Some Myths
Time Keeps Ticking Away: 8 Steps to Time Management in Youth Ministry
While deployed as an Army Chaplain on Operation Enduring Freedom in Europe, God taught me some lessons about time management. While my unit was not in a combat area, the deployment made me think about the brevity of my life and how I had spent my time up until that point. I grieved over time I wasted and committed that I would seek to try to make the most of each day, seeing each day as a stewardship God gave me with which to make Kingdom investments. I vowed that I would not waste my time. Scripture communicates the importance of managing our time well due to the brevity of our lives and the … [Read more...] about Time Keeps Ticking Away: 8 Steps to Time Management in Youth Ministry
Preaching Effectively to Generation Z
In practice, too many youth leaders portray a subtle skepticism about the power of the Word of God to change lives. I’m still shocked that I continue to receive invitations from youth pastors to preach to their students. I’m convicted that I have nothing to offer students to whom I preach but the hope of the gospel and the truth of the Scriptures. I don’t share a lot of stories. I’m definitely not trendy or cool in their eyes. I am simply a messenger who God has tasked to carry a message to parents, adult leaders, and teenagers who desperately need to hear it — the message of the … [Read more...] about Preaching Effectively to Generation Z
Social Media: 7 Tips for Christians
Last night I experienced a first on social media. A person claiming to follow Jesus Christ questioned my salvation. This individual did not know me nor anything about my beliefs — other than the fact that I differed with him regarding a political issue. A third person who also commented on the Facebook thread said they left evangelical Christianity because of the type of comments my critic used in the exchange. It doesn’t bother me that someone who doesn’t know me would make such a ridiculous claim regarding my faith. The incident, however, did make me think of how many times Christians have … [Read more...] about Social Media: 7 Tips for Christians
Youth Ministry Networks: 3 Reasons I Like Them
Leadership is a lonely place. Youth ministry leadership can be especially lonely, as youth ministers shepherd students who are facing challenges and issues unprecedented in previous generations. They sometimes serve in churches whose members resist their efforts to contextualize the gospel to reach students and find themselves in the role of trying to help these members, and even their pastors, to understand the importance of such contextualization. Youth leaders work long hours in ministry, often with little praise or recognition from members of their congregations. They fight the … [Read more...] about Youth Ministry Networks: 3 Reasons I Like Them
What Ever Happened to Repentance?
Repentance. It’s a word that is largely absent as I’ve listened to prospective church members share their testimonies with me over the last decade. They mention sin, separation from God, the atoning work of Christ and the subsequent forgiveness it brings, but largely leave repentance out of their stories regarding their “conversion” experience. I’ve even heard some church leaders speak of their moral failure as if they were indifferent bystanders observing something being forced on them from an outside source. They talk about “fresh starts”, “new beginnings”, “forgiveness”, and others being … [Read more...] about What Ever Happened to Repentance?
Diversity and Unity in the Gospel
Growing up, I had the privilege of living in West Berlin, Germany during the Cold War (1981-1986). While in Berlin, my family attended Berlin Baptist Church, an international church whose members came from England, Lebanon, Vietnam, Indonesia, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia, Germany, and Cambodia. Being a part of such a diverse body of believers. taught me two important lessons. First, I learned to celebrate the beauty of cultural diversity as a gift of God. Each culture at our church possessed different customs and cultural expressions. Even though we had English in common, our native … [Read more...] about Diversity and Unity in the Gospel