I’m always on the lookout for resources that can help young adults understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and how that affects every aspect of their life. When young adults begin to embrace that following Christ is not just a part of their life, but it is their life, you’ll see a young adult that has been completely transformed for the gospel. Recently, Lifeway released a new resource called Disciples Path: The Journey. I’m convinced that young adult ministries would benefit significantly by leading their small groups … [Read more...]
Do Groups Really Matter?
Anytime I'm in the presence of collegiate or young adult ministry leaders, I’m always intrigued by the conversations that surface about our ministries. “What does your large group worship time look like?” “What are some of the issues you're tackling in your group gatherings?” “What type of missions opportunities does your group do?” Are those relevant and important questions to ask? Absolutely. They're all aspects of what draws young adults to our ministries and keeps them involved with the ministry as a whole. However, … [Read more...]
Starving for God’s Word
In Matthew 4:4 Jesus says, “Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” If you go for any period of time without eating, what happens? You get hungry! If you go for a long period of time without eating food, not only would you be hungry but you would also begin to get weak. In the same way that your body needs food, your soul needs God’s Word. If you go for any period of time without it, it hungers! And if you stop feeding on God's Word for a long period of time, it gets weak. God's … [Read more...]
Is God’s Word my daily bread?
We called it my “Meat Party.” For my birthday last year, my husband hosted a dinner party at our house, complete with white linens, fancy drinks, a few obligatory greens, and eight enormous, juicy, salty steaks off the grill. You see, my favorite food is steak. Or, to be slightly more general, I love any hot, salty meat, really. My friends laugh and cringe a little when I say it, but anyone who knows me knows this passion of mine. I’m sure I lost a handful of you at “hot, salty meat,” but it’s the truth. For me, meat can be … [Read more...]
Following Means Growing
Our oldest son, Hayden, and I were out in the yard a few months ago. I was checking things off my project list while he accompanied me. Although his presence sometimes slows my progress, it’s well worth it. These are some of my favorite bonding moments with him. He’s so content to be out “working” with daddy, and I’m proud to have him by my side. The back of our property runs up to a neighbor’s fence. It’s a tall fence that provides complete privacy to their property, including their pool. They don’t use the pool often, and we … [Read more...]
Peace for the Journey
Sheep get a bad rap. They tend to be followers. If one jumped off a bridge, there’s a good chance the others would too. Without the shepherd, the sheep are helpless. Sheep know the sound of their shepherd calling, and they respond because they are dependent on the shepherd to give them guidance and keep them safe. They have a devotion to their shepherd. When the shepherd calls, they respond. David, the author of much of the Book of Psalms, was a shepherd. He knew the intimate relationship he had with his sheep. He knew they … [Read more...]
Making Disciples Who Make Disciples: the University of Oklahoma BCM story
This past week, I was at the Southern Baptist Convention in Columbus, Ohio. All of us here at Lifeway Young Adults are proud of the partnership we have with collegiate ministries all over North America through local churches and campus-based ministries. One highlight of the convention was a video that focused on the importance of making disciples among college students. A hero among many in the collegiate ministry world is Max Barnett, who started at University of Oklahoma Baptist Student Union with a vision of making disciples. The … [Read more...]
It’s All About New Life
If you've taken any type of Biology class, you’ve likely studied DNA. Generally, DNA is the blueprint for life: It stores the genetic code for all living organisms. Virtually every cell in your body contains the exact same DNA code — and no two people have the same code. Even the tiniest parts of your cells contain the hardwiring for your existence. Spiritually, we’re also programmed with a kind of DNA. Just as we inherited a physical generic blueprint from our ancestors, we’ve also inherited their sin. It permeates every part of … [Read more...]
Why the Easter Celebration Deserves a Second Look
If you’re like most americans, you start playing Christmas carols — “O Holy Night” and “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” — at least a month before Christmas. You spend hours wrapping gifts and hanging lights, jaunting off to countless Christmas parties. But in the weeks leading up to Easter, do you sit around listening to “up from the Grave He Arose?” or RSVPing to that rockin’ Easter party? Not so much. Why the lack of enthusiastic preparation for the holiday celebrating Christ’s resurrection? Like Christmas, Easter plays a pivotal … [Read more...]
How Can We Help Collegiates & Young Adults Who Are Overcommitted?
Jobs. Classes. Friends. Intramural Sports. Small Group Bible Study. Internship. Volunteer at Big Brothers/Big Sisters. College students and young adults have a lot on their plate. Some of these commitments are necessary (it’s expensive to go to college!), some of these commitments reflect personal priorities, and others are just fun. Then, there are those commitments that are made simply because it's hard to say "no". Within our ministries we all have students that are way overcommitted and have nominal participation within the … [Read more...]
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