…

As I write down these thoughts, I’m neck-deep in preparations for our annual state Youth Convention. A few thousand teenagers will descend upon Syracuse in a couple months, all with the hopes of having a wonderful weekend. There will be …

Yesterday I had the opportunity to talk about Relational Leadership to a group of seasoned pastors (who all oversee paid staff). While very few youth workers have the opportunity to lead a paid staff, most have the privilege of leading …

Have you ever noticed that in ministry-circles we’ll often treat busyness as a badge of honor? You run into a friend at a ministry conference who you haven’t seen in awhile and the exchange might sound something like this:…

Thanks gang for voting on the cover of my newest book (click here to see results). There were 5 options and your vote really counted. Now, there’s 3 variations of the winning cover! You might ask, “Why?” Well, …

As the school year ramps up and our team begin to get back into the groove of things, it is important to give volunteer leaders a refresher on what being a leader is all about. In the midst of communicating …

Working in youth ministry for 30+ years has given me a strong taste of what it’s like to feel odd. Over the years, I’ve received odd remarks, looks, and reactions for liking teenagers and caring about their lives. Some comments …

This last Saturday I was struggling with the message that I was going to teach on Sunday. That’s not unusual. Typically, when that happens, I ask Cathy (my wife) to read it and then help me wrestle with it until …

A few months back I spoke at a church that looked like most of the churches I speak at—think modern, worship service, a big crowd, suburban. I hate to write this, but the congregation looked like they could have been …

As I write this, two of my three kids are at camp. The 24 year old is on a youth ministry staff where she has been in charge of running this particular camp, and her 21 year old brother went …