A quick survey of our current culture in America today would demonstrate that the truth is not a high value for many, if not most people. Constant stories bombard the news of high-level leaders who have cheated, stolen, or lied. In many workplaces, these same practices seem to be the law of the land and can even be celebrated. For some, these practices contribute to career advancement. Similar stories have plagued churches and ministries as well, causing many to question if there is any difference at all between the Church and the … [Read more...]
Back to School with Intention and Purpose
It’s mid-August, and where I live, that means one thing: school has started. I’m married to a teacher and work with college students, so the rhythms of the school year are what I live by. That’s why I would rather make a New Year’s resolution in August than in January, and it’s also why I prefer starting a new planner this time of year. It feels like such a fresh start. Like most people, I like to begin a new thing with intention and purpose, and the new school year is no exception. Here are my hopes for the next 9 months or so. … [Read more...]
What Culture Can Show Us About Young Adults
I remember the first time that I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a child. I, of course, fell in love with the adventure, while missing much of the scathing social rebuke that was featured in the character development. It was not until much later that this story was revealed in to me in a new light. I saw the slave-owning Miss Watson, the Grangerfords, and Shepherdsons, who listen to a sermon about brotherly love with their rifles between their legs in church, or Mr. Phelps, who prayed with Jim daily while locking him up to … [Read more...]
3 Things to Remember to “Work as Unto the Lord”
My first job was pretty typical: I mowed grass all summer for a guy in my town with a lawn care business. It wasn’t a great decision for a kid who suffered from allergies, but it did put a little money in my pocket for a while. At least I had something to use to buy Kleenex. That’s pretty much what that first job was—it was a means to an end. The means was pushing a lawn mower for eight hours a day; the end was money. I felt no great calling to agricultural engineering; nor did I sense the presence of the extraordinary in the … [Read more...]
3 Essentials for Connecting with Young Adults
He was your server at your favorite restaurant after church on Sunday. She was sitting next to you on your bus commute this morning. They get together as a group at your local coffee shop. They fill your local college campus from August until May every year. Who are they? They are young adults (a.k.a…Millennials or Generation Z or 20-somethings or college kids or young professionals or the list goes on). In our communities from the rural towns of Alabama to the major metropolitan cities of Seattle and Nashville, young adults are … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Love Yourself Well
Our culture talks a lot about self-care, but a lot of what self-care talks about isn’t biblically-centered. As Christ-followers, we are called to a high standard. Our lives (and the way we view ourselves) should reflect Him, but we often get in our own way. When we understand the depths of what we’ve been forgiven and saved from, we begin to understand God’s love for us in a new way that allows us to truly love ourselves (Luke 7:44-48). We are able to love because God loved us first. Here are a few ways you can love yourself … [Read more...]
The Beauty of Active Listening
Ernest Hemingway is one of my favorite authors, and I read a quote from him once that really got me thinking. He said: “When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” I couldn’t help but think of this. Every one of us can probably remember a conversation with someone else where you had to fight to get a word in. Or, how about that individual who turns every comment into a personal story they have experienced. The most dreaded is the famous “one-uppers,” who surpass everything being said with a more outrageous or … [Read more...]
Say Hello to CollegeMinistry.com
For those of us in young adult ministry, we are always looking for new ideas, the latest resource, and a community of practitioners who understand why we do what we do. If that sounds like you, be sure to check out a new website that was created for college ministry leaders by Baptist Collegiate Network (BCNet). BCNet is made up of folks like you who are on the front lines of ministry. You can find this new tool at www.collegeministry.com, but let me give you a little insight into the most important features! Downloadable … [Read more...]
Why It’s Time to Overcome the Fear of Commitment
More options exist for you today regarding education, career, relationships, and experiences than for any prior generation. You possess a burning desire to make your life significantly count, and you don’t want to get it wrong. You might be hesitant to commit to life’s decisions due to distrusting the future. You’re afraid of messing it up. Many people are fearful of making wrong decisions, thus distorting God’s entire plan for their lives. Some people—especially young adults—believe God has mapped out every twist and turn of … [Read more...]
Campus Community and God’s Desire for Us
“We want you!” This was the message that pulsed throughout the room at summer orientation this past week. The clock struck 9:00 pm, and the auditorium filled with energetic, incoming first-year students. It was loud, chaotic, and exciting. Freshmen stood at our table filling out info cards as students swarmed around them and other student organizations yelled for them to come check out their tables. I don’t know if you have ever been to a student organization fair, but they are fantastic and fascinating to watch. It is the essence … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- …
- 86
- Next Page »