March 1st is Self-injury Awareness Day (SIAD), to be honest. Two Write Love On Her Arms is at the forefront of offering hope and help in the arena of depression and self harm. Founder Jamie Tworkowski recently spoke at TEDxMalibu on the subject of depression and young adults. He shared a few facts: 20 million struggle with depression. Untreated depression is the leading cause of suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death. Two out of three who struggle with depression don't seek help or treatment for … [Read more...]
Join Us for a Groups Matter Twitter Chat
Groups Matter. A lot. Based on some recent research (featured in Transformational Groups), people in groups report that they give more generously, serve more sacrificially, confess and repent more frequently, and share the gospel more boldly than those who are not in a small group. So this Friday, Thom Rainer, Ed Stetzer, and Eric Geiger are hosting a Twitter Chat to talk about group life. They'll have questions for you like, How do you keep people involved in the groups at your church? And, How do we change the fact (based on … [Read more...]
Intentionality is Not By Accident
Recently I sat at dinner with four other collegiate ministers and realized that there was over 100 years of combined ministry with college students and young adults represented around the table. Over 100 years of conversations about relationships. Over 100 years of mission trips and serving together. Over 100 years of investing in college students for future leadership in the church. As collegiate and young adult ministers we have a unique seat in the lives of young adults. Often times they come to our … [Read more...]
Why Aren’t More People In Your Groups?
In churches today, many people fly under the radar, never connecting to groups or plugging into the body. Families are stretched by the demands of life and grow weaker as spiritual leadership at home becomes increasingly rare. And among churches themselves, debates continue on effective methods for discipling individuals. As distressing as these realities can be, churches have an opportunity to step in and make a difference through their small group ministries. They simply need to make a few intentional choices. Join us on Wednesday, … [Read more...]
Do You Stand Up For Christ? :: Acts 4:13, 18-20
Before and after photos are fascinating, and weight loss photos are some of the most dramatic. The hit NBC show "The Biggest Loser" has shown us just how shocking such a transformation can be. When you view the before and after photos of the show's finalists, it's sometimes hard to believe they're the same person. That's what it's like to look at Peter in the Book of Acts compared to Peter in the Gospels. For all of his faith and love for Jesus, in the Gospels he's impulsive and often motivated by his emotions; he displayed fear and … [Read more...]
College Ministry: A Long-Term Career?
by Guy Chmieleski A couple of years ago I started polling my readers so I could: •Better understand who you are •Gain some statistical data •Test out some theories I have •Attempt to provide some posts that are meaningful and relevant to the work we are doing One of the first questions I ever posted was: How long have you been serving in college ministry? Nearly 70% of those who took the poll reported having served in college ministry for 6 years or more (6-10 years 31%; 11-20 years 31%; and 20+ years 6%). I, myself, am just … [Read more...]
How to Lead a Group with Differing Levels of Spiritual Maturity
We’re often asked the following question from young adult leaders: What do I do if my group has differing levels of spiritual maturity? That’s a valid question, and a challenging one. For starters, separating groups according to their supposed spiritual maturity isn't a good solution. It creates pride and division, and it prohibits community. But how do you lead a group of mixed spiritual maturity when you want to make sure everyone is challenged? Here are a few suggestions: Teach to the level at which you want people to … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Engage Young Men in Your Ministry
For as long as I can remember, I have heard this saying: “If you get the girls to come to church, the guys will follow.” For several years I believed that saying and even have a number of friends who followed girls to church and ended up becoming great men of faith. Unfortunately, most of the ministries I’ve known over the years have had tremendous women involved and serving, but still the group struggled to have consistent male connectivity. So, I wonder if the old adage is really true? If the Scripture is true … [Read more...]
How to Counsel Through Grief
My heart joined hundreds of sad hearts this week as I learned of the death of Palmer Maphet, a sophomore at Tennessee Tech University who was serving as a missionary in Maine through Baptist Collegiate Ministry. Palmer and his team were traveling to minister at Laconia Motorcycle Week in Laconia, New Hampshire, when a car accident ended his life on earth. I met Palmer on February 6 at a Freshmen Retreat that he coordinated. His leadership and organizational skills, quick smile, and the ability to talk and ice-skate simultaneously … [Read more...]
Leading when Natural Disasters Strike
Editor’s Note: During the first weekend of May 2010, Nashville, Tennessee, and surrounding areas experienced record-breaking flooding that killed several and displaced thousands. Here, worship pastor Nathan Loxley describes how 24church in Pleasant View, Teneessee, came to the immediate aid of their community. Loxley’s story reminds us of the critical role of the church in responding to local and global disaster relief. As an official grown-up, the word “birthday” does little more for me than highlight a date … [Read more...]
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