But wait—Easter is about us, right? It’s about our hope? It’s about our security? It’s about our salvation? Yes, and no. The whole Easter thing, in a bigger sense, is about justice. It’s about God. It’s about God re-affirming His commitment to justice and confirming His perfect nature again. Coming into the very first Good Friday, the perfection of God was in doubt. See if God is perfect, then all His attributes must be the perfect expression of that attribute. Take His love for example. We tend to think of love as we think … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Overcome Disappointment in Ministry
We’ve all been there. We planned something for months and the day finally comes--and only 3 people show up. We had a significant conversation with someone in our collegiate or young adult ministry about a life decision--and a few days later, they're making choices as if that conversation never happened. Disappointment is a regular factor of ministry, but it's a topic we rarely discuss. We often treat it like a forbidden topic to talk about as leaders. So how do we deal with disappointment in ministry? I’ll be honest: … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Avoid Mental Overload
With demanding schedules, intense workloads, and the desire to succeed in all areas, it’s easy to get bogged down with responsibilities and even make an idol out of achievement. With that in mind, what things in your life (“good” things) are preventing or hindering you from pressing into God's presence? As I reflected on this question, I found several hindrances (also known as idols) that were holding me back from complete abandonment to the Lord, and they simply weren’t necessary. Perhaps you have some of those too. It's … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Celebrate Heroes in Ministry
Everyone loves a hero. There’s just something that stirs within us when a hero shows up to save the day. As I recently sat with strangers in a sold out theatre, I observed (and participated in) the spontaneous applause when the hero did something that proved he was fighting for something bigger than himself – when he was fighting for something that mattered. For those of us who lead collegiate and young adult ministries, there are heroes in our midst every single time we gather. We could never do what we do without the … [Read more...]
Why Does the Holy Spirit Give Us Gifts?
My kids love getting gifts. (I guess that whole “blessed is the giver” thing hasn’t caught on yet.) My son likes Legos®, light sabers, and baseball bats. He could care less about getting clothes. In a big stack of presents, he’ll open a package of socks, nod politely, and then quickly throw them aside in search of a new action figure. But my little girl? Well, clothes are an entirely different story with her. She’ll open her socks and squeal with glee. She doesn’t see clothes as a necessary evil that has to be dealt with every … [Read more...]
Why Every Day Is Like Opening Day
For every fan of Major League Baseball, Opening Day is something special. Baseball parks are spruced up. There are new rosters. Teams are a mere 162 games away from their first game in the playoffs. Opening Day is a day full of hope for every baseball fan (even Cubs fans – sorry, couldn’t resist since I’m a lifelong Cardinals fan). Opening day represents a new beginning and a lot of promise. Similarly, the impact that churches and collegiate ministries are making in the lives of college students and young adults is even more … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Make College Worth Every Cent
We’re experiencing an epidemic of “What now?” — 20-somethings who reach the end of their college careers without any idea who they are, what they like, and where to head next. College isn’t just about making it through; college is about making it matter. So how do you do college right? How do you increase your chances that all the time and money you’re investing will be paid back in full? Here are seven ways to make your college experience worth the cost. Get Uncomfortable: Too many students treat college like that big college … [Read more...]
3 Things to Remember When Sharing the Gospel
I’ve been in reflection mode after spending parts of the past three weeks in Panama City Beach, Fla. helping with Beach Reach 2014 (check out the Facebook page HERE). If you're not familiar with Beach Reach, here's a quick run down of what happens. College students from campus ministries and churches all over the country come to Panama City Beach (one of the hot spot destinations for college spring breakers) to provide free van rides, serve lots of pancakes every day, and genuinely share with the thousands of spring breakers that … [Read more...]
Are You a Faith Snob?
One of my greatest desires is to be humble. When people hear the word humble, I want them to immediately think of me. I want to become the national spokesman for an organization that’s about humility. In fact, I’m hoping to get a large statue of myself erected in downtown Knoxville, Tenn., with a huge plaque naming me “a model of humility for the ages.” At the end of the day, I’m striving to become the most celebrated humble person in the world. OK, OK. What you just read about “humility” is made-up. But unfortunately, a noticeable … [Read more...]
Have We All Gone Mad?
Come springtime, the NCAA tournament comes with a craze for basketball and brackets. March Madness sweeps the nation, and anything is possible — underdogs come out on top, the elite come up short, and a shot at the buzzer ends in ultimate glory. Nothing is guaranteed except excitement. Get in on the fun by filling out a bracket. If you're not a basketball buff, don't worry. Try one of these strategies: Pulling Rank Each team in the tournament is ranked based on regular season performance, and this ranking is reflected on the … [Read more...]
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