When I was younger I had a fear of being asked a question and not knowing the answer. It was a genuine fear that covered a wide range of life aspects--from not knowing the correct pronunciation of a word to not being able to answer deep theological questions. I felt like I always needed a prepared answer for every question. Honestly, it was pretty ridiculous and prideful. And if we're completely honest, I'd venture to say that most of us fear not having an answer for questions we might be asked. This fear keeps many people from … [Read more...]
Why Your Ministry Should Be a Model
Are the ways I minister on a daily basis establishing an appropriate model for my college students? This is a question I've been pondering a lot recently. College ministry is both a wonderful privilege and a deeply heavy responsibility. We're doing our students a disservice when we model something that runs contrary to the gospel. What you do and don’t do, the way you carry yourself, and the time you spend says just as much as your words. The ways in which we minister to our students are a model for their life. Everything we do … [Read more...]
Why Social Responsibility Matters to Young Adults
Fact: There are places around our world that have no access to clean water, therefore thousands of children die every week because of disease caused by unclean drinking water. Fact: There are more slaves today than at any point in human history. Fact: Sex trafficking has become a multi-billion dollar industry around the world and endangers the lives of countless young women, young men, and children. Those are the facts. No doubt, some troubling issues are at hand in our world. Millennials are asking, "What are we going to do … [Read more...]
3 Lies College Ministry Leaders Must Silence
If you're attempting to make disciples among college students, you have an enemy who wants to discourage and distract you from the mission God has called you to. If he can get you crippled with doubts, fears, and excuses, the ministry will be hindered. Remember, this is a battle for the souls of students. We can’t afford to waste time with the mind games of the enemy. Here are just three of the many lies that I have fought regularly, along with some encouragement the Lord has given me related to each one. 1. “We don’t have … [Read more...]
Why You Must Lead Yourself Before Leading Others
I don't like to fly. I believe that if God had really wanted humans to fly a lot, he would have given us a couple of wings on our back. Occasionally, though, something calls on the other side of the country or that's just too far away to drive. When forced, I will fly. I fly probably 5-6 times a year. I'm not a pro flyer, but I'm no rookie either. I've flown my share, even though I don't have medallion status. Everytime I get on a plane, I dread having to sit and wait for everyone else to board (I'm impatient, so I try to be one … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Endure Life’s Desert Seasons
Ever watched the show Man vs. Wild? It's an ingenious reality show that attempts to show you how to survive in any number of hostile environments—from the Costa Rican rainforest to the Alaskan frontier to a wide array of desert locations. The host is an aptly-named British gentleman, Bear Grylls, who parachutes into these remote locations, and spends a great deal of time running from, yes, bears, lions, and elephants. In fact, there is only one thing he spends more time doing—and that is looking for water. In one episode (at … [Read more...]
Why Should Leaders Proceed With Caution?
There's major road construction happening near my home. While driving along this obstacle course of a road recently, a sign caught my attention. It was flashing the warning, “Proceed with caution!” every few seconds. I thought to myself, Has that sign been there for the past few days or is it new? Had I completely looked past the sign and proceeded with no caution on this path that seems to change every day? For those of us leading college students and young adults, these "proceed with caution" warnings have several important … [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...]
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...]
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...]