From my article Don't Cancel Youth Group Yet at RootedMinistry.com: I remember my high school youth group with fondness. Death-defying games, sitting legs-crossed on Berber carpet, acoustic guitars and songs sung in a round, overhead slides slid the wrong way, worn out back pocket Bibles…these images stir my heart as much as they cause me to grin and chuckle.Most of the … [Read more...] about Don’t Cancel Youth Group Yet
ministry
Ignite Takeaways
This past weekend we hosted our annual in-town retreat, Ignite. I shared some of my thoughts prior to the event, but now I have the joy of looking back over a great time together. I will take with me many memories, but in particular, I will remember... The Joy of Partnership. We had an army of leaders partner together for Ignite. This weekend literally would not work … [Read more...] about Ignite Takeaways
The Beginning of Ignite
Every year for the last several years, we host a winter weekend retreat with our students at West Park. In the middle of dreary winter, the weekend together is meant to Ignite our faith by employing the various means of grace available to us. Some of the key ingredients include prayer, worship, community, recreation, service, and the word. These elements are interwoven into … [Read more...] about The Beginning of Ignite
Rethinking Short-Term Missions
Short-term mission trips have been scrutinized in recent years, receiving both constructive and critical feedback. I believe these mission trips still have their place, but we would do well to rethink our approach. Ramon Lull has written a helpful article over at DesiringGod.org about changing our perspective on "short-term" missions. Essentially, he argues we should prepare … [Read more...] about Rethinking Short-Term Missions
The Meaning of Missional and Why It Matters
Missional. It's a big buzzword in churches. Pastors love to use it. But what on earth does it really mean? Oh, buzzwords... Usually, they come and go quickly, but this buzzword is different. It's actually worth getting and keeping. The move to Missional represents an important shift in modern ministry and in our understanding of what it means to be a Christian. So what … [Read more...] about The Meaning of Missional and Why It Matters