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How important is it for people to know and respond to the Gospel?
One person explained it to me like this: 1. Christians don’t need to hear it explained or expounded upon on Sunday morning. Most people who show up to church on any given Sunday already know it. 2. And when it comes to non-Christians, other faiths have revelations about God too; Christianity doesn’t have a monopoly…
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New Year Indeed
I haven’t posted anything for a bit, but that is because my family has been going through a pretty difficult process of leaving our church of 5+ years. Through this process, we have been stretched in our faith, beliefs, and ability to show restraint and kindness when chastised for leaving. As a result, I feel…
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Depravity–Do you too know it well?
Let me start this post by warning you–I’m sure this will be much longer than a typical blog post. I would like to flesh out a series of thoughts I’ve had recently. I would appreciate anyone’s feedback to what you read. These thoughts have originated because of two separate events in my life recently. One…
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Thanks, Marko
I would like to be the first (even though I may not be the first) to say “Congrats, Marko!” on your recent firing/release from President of Youth Specialties by their parent company, Zondervan. While many others are offering their condolences, I can’t help but want to throw a party for the latest person in ministry…
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New Worship Song Tops All Charts!
News has been made once again with the newest release from the Anathema/Killsong worship company. Their latest release has worship leaders all around the country jumping with joy. Why? “For so many worship songs, there’s just this disconnect with the audience. They don’t get into it–they can’t relate to the words. It’s like a foreign…
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What Doesn’t Impress Me About Your Thriving Church
The hundreds or thousands of people who’ve decided to pick your church to attend. How smooth your worship services are executed. The modern facilities you’ve developed. The focus of God bettering your life that your church baits its congregants with week after week. You’ve got programs for every age group (Infant Bible Quiz) and every…
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Churches Who Duel, part 2
If you’re going to be a church who duels the world, you actually need to be a church who duels the church world. Because all too often, churches reflect the values of society rather than standing out as a light to society. As a youth pastor, I have found that much of youth ministry out…
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Churches Who Duel
Some churches out there aren’t willing to engage or confront the world/culture. Others take up the challenge. Those who refuse to do so are becoming increasingly irrelevant. For those who take up the challenge, I offer a metaphor. Imagine going into a duel…would you want to have a weapon (sword, gun, whatever) that is superior…
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I find it hard to worship when…
1. Everything is so loud that you can’t hear yourself or any of the congregation singing, even if they are. Makes it feel like a concert, not a congregational worship time. We really aren’t adding anything. 2. The music is all clappy-happy. We often seem to gloss over the fact that we are singing to…
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Testimony Time!
At the beginning of youth, I always ask students to compete for the most amazing story of the week that happened to them. The winner receives an “Infuse” (Gatorade knockoff) drink, because our youth ministry is named “iNFUSE!” Tonight, one of the students shared that she became a Christian this week on Thursday night because…