Time flies! But before the idea of the New Year disappears, let's celebrate beginnings. This devo for your group focuses on the first beginning of them all, when God said, "Let there be light." Use this devo to...

When Jesus spoke, people often tested Him to see what He meant. Even if He was crystal clear, some people sought loopholes they could exploit. Here's a devo you can use with your kids to help them love their ne...

I'm a recovering messaholic. I'm recovering in the sense that I finally get the value of order, but I can still clutter any horizontal surface on a moment's notice. Similarly, I can also clutter up my relations...

The BackdropLet's admit it. Sometimes it's hard to love God. Maybe it's not so much that it's hard, but we wonder if it matters. We want to love God, but it's a little similar to shopping for someone who h...

A recent poll by Fuller Youth Institute revealed that 56 percent of high school seniors wished they had "more" or "much more" Bible study in their youth ministry experience.Think about that for a moment.Because...

The Backdrop If you've ever leafed through the Gospel of John in a red-letter edition of the Bible (where the words of Jesus appear in red text), you've probably noticed a section that is a sea of red. This co...

Love God. Love others.In the previous issue, we looked at the first half of the above phrase: Love God. I'm just obsessive compulsiveness enough to have to dedicate this column to the last half: Love others. Yo...

The BackdropI'm tired. That's one of the most common answers given by teens during the school year when asked, "How are you doing?" The school year brings an ambitious combo of early mornings, late nights, long...

The BackdropWhat's the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the phrase "back to school"? For most people, that phrase conjures up some negativity: early mornings, homework, lots of reading. We tend...

The BackdropDuring the first century after Jesus' ministry on earth, people accepted the good news that Jesus is the Christ at phenomenal rates. This surge of new believers called for strong discipleship action...