Paul had a somewhat tenuous relationship with the Galatians. He loved them, but when they abandoned the gospel for a hybrid of Christianity, he had to come down on them. Hard. And through the first three chapters, Paul is angry, irritated, and direct. But in chapter 4, his tone starts to ease up a bit. That’s when you get this verse: My children, again I am in the pains of childbirth for you until Christ is formed in you. Galatians 4:19 In that statement, we find what should be the end to all our relationships. Our … [Read more...]
Redemption at the Cineplex
While some movies are clearly meant to be nothing more than escapist entertainment enjoyed with a big bucket of popcorn, there’s an ever-increasing number of films that have far more substantial (and spiritually charged) take-away value. A quick glance through the Gospels reveals that Jesus was a pretty big fan of a good story. While He could’ve easily resorted to blasé, timid preaching to get the message across (He’s the Son of God, after all. Who was going to argue with His methods?), He instinctively resonated … [Read more...]
5 Tools to Help Bring Depth to Your Bible Study
One of the four markers we talk about in young adult ministry is “depth.” Depth of Bible study is more than just knowing the whos and whats, of the Bible; it’s also being able to talk about and wrestle with the whys. The goal of depth is not just intellectual stimulation; true depth is measured by the level of encounter one has with the information. Given that, someone can facilitate a group of depth whether or not they have a seminary education because the question is more about how deeply you encounter the Bible … [Read more...]
An Attitude that Reflects Christ
Seeing Is Believing
They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:16-18 Remember back in the day when MacBook Air computers came out? They were so remarkably thin that Newsweek writer Steven Levy even managed to lose his. He thinks it was so thin that either he or his wife (she’s the only one to blame, right?) threw it out with a stack of … [Read more...]
Effective Mentoring Relationships Defined
One of the markers of young adult ministry we talk about often is “connection.” When we say connection, we’re talking primarily about intergenerational ministry—the connection and relationships between young adults and those who have been before them in life and ministry, and generations younger than them who young adults have the chance to influence. Mentoring relationships are one of the best ways for intergenerational ministry to happen. But what actually makes an effective mentoring relationship? A mentor … [Read more...]
Threads Staff Blogroll
In the search for new ideas and ways of doing life and ministry, we seek out insights from a variety of sources. It’s no surprise in today’s social media obsessed culture that there’s a blog for everything. So how do you weed through the clutter and get to thoughtful and compelling ideas? Whether we’re navigating through our personal lives or helping to lead people in young adult ministry, we have several blogs we turn to for helpful insight and entertainment in our day-to-day lives. So, we’ve compiled … [Read more...]
Tips for Managing a Large Sunday School Class and Young Adult Ministry
This week we’re answering the following question raised at last year’s Connect Conference: When your Sunday School class/young adult ministry is large and only has a couple of leaders, what are some tips to help organize and manage the class effectively so that the leaders can connect with each person individually? A large Sunday School class or ministry offers some interesting rewards while simultaneously posing a few unique challenges. On the one hand, there is great energy in most large crowds, so getting people to talk, have … [Read more...]
In the Meantime
Listen in as Michael Kelley at 2008’s Collegiate Week West talks about living in the meantime—between when Jesus broke into the world the first time and when He’ll do it again for the final time. So what really are we to be about while we wait? … [Read more...]
A Sinful Obsession with Ourselves
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