When you reach the 20- and 30-something stage in life, it's easy to see how friendships come and go. Those kids from 8th grade camp are no longer in your e-mail list. Buddies from high school who wrote in your yearbook, "We'll be friends forever!" are already a distant memory. Young adulthood is a chapter of life for forming new relationships. Naturally, certain connections grow spontaneously when you least expect it. Those are thrilling and unforeseen. Others, however, form because you sought them out. At this stage, it's important … [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 committing 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...]
Why Patience Is A Process
We all have a specific calling in life. Some of us already know what that is, and others are struggling to find it. Either way, we all have an idea of where we want to end up in life. For some, we want to be the next great doctor or nurse who uses their medical expertise to provide healthcare to impoverished people across the world. Still, others desire to use their artistic talents to change the world through media and music. Some, like myself, feel called to preach and teach God’s Word and build up the church. All of these careers … [Read more...]
3 Ways Churches Can Better Connect with Millennials
Every church looks different when it gathers to worship. I’m not talking about whether a church uses pews or folding chairs; whether the lead instrument is an organ or a bass guitar ; or whether it’s casual dress or suit and tie. I’m talking about the vast difference in the ages represented in church congregations. Over the past few weeks, I've been interacting with the question of where are the college students and young adults in modern-day churches? Recent reports have indicated a steady decline in Millennials being present in … [Read more...]
Why the “Hook-Up Culture” Affects You
The hook-up culture -- this "no strings attached" paradigm toward casual sexual encounters -- has become the new normal among many Christian collegiates in America. According to Relevant magazine, "Eighty percent of young, unmarried Christians have had sex. Two-thirds have been sexually active in the last year. Even though, according to a recent Gallup poll, 76 percent of evangelicals believe sex outside of marriage is morally wrong." Yes, college students are having sex at alarmingly high rates, but truth be told, everyone is not … [Read more...]
3 Reasons Sharing Is Good for Leaders
Mom and your kindergarten teacher said it best – It really is a good thing to share! Recently, I've had the opportunity to travel around the country and meet with some of my heroes – collegiate and young adult leaders in churches and on college campuses. The creativity and energy these leaders possess provides countless opportunities to connect with college students and young adults in our communities and on our campuses. But I have a confession to make: Some of my best ideas as a college minister were not my own. Many of those … [Read more...]
Asking Better Questions: Young Adults and Depression
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...]
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...]
Trust Me
"Trust me. It's going to work out." Has anyone ever comforted you with that phrase? As a campus minister, there were many times when college students would swing by my office and share their anxiousness about graduation, an internship, or a relationship. And I'd point them toward that word trust, encouraging them to claim the promises found in God's Word. I've seen it happen time and time again. When we surrender control and begin to seek God for simply who He is, He then shows us something so different than we ever expected. So … [Read more...]
The Ups and Downs of Rejection
"Let's just be friends." Many of you had a visceral reaction to that sentence. Maybe your heart rate shot up, your muscles tensed, or you felt a slight gag reflex. Regardless, if you've ever been on the downside of uneven feelings in a relationship, those words bit you. When romantic feelings go unreciprocated, it's hard not to feel a little hurt and discouraged. It's easy to understand. Let me tell you what I don't understand: people who say rejection shouldn't hurt. After all, if your self-esteem is rooted in Christ and the love … [Read more...]
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