Group Devo: Counting the Days
Quick BackdropCheck this out. Here are the first two verses of the Bible."In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,...
Youth Culture Lesson: Do You Think I’m Pretty?
Asking the Wrong Questions on YouTubeGet downloadable PDF.Get downloadable PowerPoint presentation.About/DisclaimerWhat Happened:Am I pretty or ugly? It's one of the most common questions asked by tween and tee...
Shoe In
Shoe in is a wonderful rainy-day game—or a large-event game if you need energy. Begin by inviting the group (or groups) to sit in a circle. Everyone then removes his or her shoes, tosses them into th...
Generation Gaps
"An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah" (Matt. 1:1).There has been much written in recent years about the various generations—especially the Millennials. In a recent article in Time magazi...
The Complex that Captures Us
Comparativitus. It's a made-up Latin word by my professor friend Dr. Larry Dixon. The word cannot be found in any dictionary, yet its truth is every leader's battle with this complex. I wonder if comparing ours...
Youth Group Devo: Build Your Own Devo
Quick BackdropWhat's your favorite Bible verse? Write it down on a blank piece of paper. If no verses come to mind, here are a few well-known verses. Feel free to use one of these for this devo.John 3:16Ro...
The Power of a Respected Champion
When a leader with long tenure and lots of chips in the bank supports a new idea, its odds of gaining a fair hearing skyrocket. So do its odds of success.But what happens if you don't have much tenure or a pile...
Tough Days
"At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there" (1 Kings 19:9).When a person has been in ministry for a time, he or she understands there are seasons to the work. There are seasons when minist...
Worship: Missional or Manipulation
This year, I had the opportunity to lead a session at The Roots Seminar at the University of Jamestown. Roots is a student-led ministry organization that plans worship services, lock-ins and other community eve...
Missional Master Chef
Since I was a young boy, I have enjoyed watching cooking shows. In the beginning of the cooking show genre, there were not very many chefs who had their own shows on TV. I remember watching "Yan Can Cook,"...