In 1992, I began a Ph.D. program in developmental psychology at the University of Oregon. This was an exciting, groundbreaking time to study young children in research labs across the country. The field of infa...

J.W., a preteen, went through a spiritual conversion during youth ministry. No, I did not lead J.W. down that path. To be honest, a number of caring adults and youth contributed to that monumental moment. The o...

We are living in amazing times. The fact is we've learned more about teenagers in the past 10 years than in the previous decades combined. We've been exposed to challenging and solid research about youth minist...

There's been a lot of talk about the teenage brain in the past several years. Neurologists, psychologists and a host of other researchers are weighing in with vital information that could affect the way we do y...

Imagine the following three scenarios:A parent emails you saying her child will not be able to attend your upcoming mission trip meeting, despite the fact they signed a covenant agreeing to prioritize these tri...

The prince of preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, once wrote in his wonderful John Ploughman's Talk, "I would have everybody able to read and write and cipher; indeed, I don't think a man can know too much; but...

Gather the teens in a circle, unwind a length of string or yarn around the inside of the circle (with everyone holding the string taught). Before breaking the string and tying it to form a circle, place a cheap...

My encounter with the human brain as it's related to adolescent spiritual formation started in 1995 when I struck up a friendship with Dr. Frank Minirth, a well-known Christian psychiatrist. Minirth's generous ...

I recently had a very interesting lunch with a defense attorney who told me something that reminded me of just how powerful the choices we make really are. Specifically, his words drove home the point that what...

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6).In a few days, my grandmother will be 100 years old. Many in our family will be gathering at her bedside to cele...