Resource Browser Page
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| May 2, 2011 |
Finding Youth Ministry Resources with a Reformed PerspectiveYouth I have to admit that whenever I’ve looked for resources to share with youth groups, the first thing I look for is a great program that will be of interest to students. I haven’t always looked for or selected resources that teach from a Reformed perspective. With my own children now involved in youth groups, I have a |
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| December 9, 2010 |
It's Time To LaughLeadership Development Most of our work as youth pastors isn't nearly as gratifying as the last few moments of this skit. It's challenging work made up of continuous interactions with youth, parents, pastors, council members and our own families. It can be long, dark nights of the soul wondering if the work we do is really making any difference at all... |
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| November 16, 2010 |
Christmas ChallengeYouth Group Nights With the hustle and bustle of Christmas also comes the unique opportunity for you to do something different in youth group. It’s a great time to step out of the norm of regular teachings and game nights and be revolutionary. Be intentional this year and bring your youth group out into your community for the next month! Spread the Christmas cheer of Christ's birth once a week for four weeks! Are you ready to take the challenge? |
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| November 1, 2010 |
Set Your Truth ClockYouth What surprised me as I reflected on this from the front pew (only seat left at 10:05) was NOT that real time caught up with me, but rather that I could have allowed myself to become so dependent on something that was so clearly not correct. Literally, the truth was staring at me from every other corner of the house, but I was blind to it. How often do we do that as Christians? How often do we know what is right, but choose to set our life by the worldly clock that tells us a different truth? |
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| October 18, 2010 |
Build or EmpowerIntergenerational Ministry In my humble opinion, would it not be better to work along-side the national people in their building projects giving them the ownership and the accomplishment of a job well done? We need to empower the national people!!! Perhaps they can’t afford the buy all the materials needed and we can assist financially but I think we are setting ourselves up for bigger problems if we do the work for them. |
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| October 6, 2010 |
Parenting the ParentsNew to Youth Ministry Youth Pastors have become the first person parents go to with a problem. What did they do prior to youth pastors? My guess is they went directly to the source and talked face-to-face with the person. In today’s day and age face-to-face conversation seems odd. Going to the youth pastor is a much easier solution... |
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| September 29, 2010 |
Youth Workers and Councils: It Can Work!Leadership Development Church Council! This is not a word that makes many youth pastors smile. Instead it’s a word that more often will cause heartburn—the kind that popping a Tums won’t fix. Dealing with a Church Council is a reality for every youth worker – you can’t hide from them, so it’s best to embrace them. Over the years of networking with youth workers one of the greatest struggles I’ve heard has been dealing with Councils and their lack of support to you, the youth worker.
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| September 17, 2010 |
The Inner Circle...Leadership Development Your youth group might have more youth – perhaps 20 on a regular basis or 60 or even more. Can you, as a youth pastor, truly be effective in ministry if you try to mentor all the youth in your ministry? It’s a question that needs to be asked. The answer might be a harsh realization of your ministry approach. If I were to answer this question I would say it’s impossible. |
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| September 17, 2010 |
ReTREAT Yourself: Youth Worker RetreatsLeadership Development, Youth Worker Events/Training Be honest with yourself – YOU work hard all year long spiritually feeding the youth of your church. It’s long hours, 7 days a week! You deserve a break! It’s time to recharge, reconnect and retreat! |
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| August 27, 2010 |
Love On...Leadership Development As I talk with Youth Workers across North America and listen to interviews of prominent youth workers such as Mark Hall, lead singer and song writer for Casting Crowns, I hear the phrase ‘LOVE ON’. It’s not a new phrase; it has been around for a while within the youth ministry circles. It’s a cool phrase because it captures the essence of youth ministry – loving youth the way Jesus loves them! |
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| August 10, 2010 |
Effective LeadershipLeadership Development An effective leader does not keep things at status quo but develops an environment where there is forward and upward momentum to achieve new goals. In order to do this it takes more than just a great vision. It’s sharing with people that you can no longer stay where you are and as a result ‘there’ is where you need to be moving towards... |
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| July 20, 2010 |
More Than a PaycheckNew to Youth Ministry This is for all those who started new in youth ministry in September. Or perhaps it’s for those who have been in ministry but have become stale. Regardless of your stage in ministry, this principle is true: as a youth worker you need to keep proving that you are worth the paycheck... |
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| June 30, 2010 |
Lesson From a 6-Year OldLeadership Development “Dear Jesus, thank you for today. Thank you for the weather – if it rains I will be happy. If it’s sunny I will be happy. Whatever you give us Jesus I will be happy. Love you Jesus. Amen.” It sometimes amazes my wife and I how much truth can lie in a 5-year-old’s prayer. “Whatever you give us Jesus, I will be happy.” How awesome is that? |
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| June 8, 2010 |
MezuzahIntergenerational Ministry A mezuzah (Hebrew: מְזוּזָה "doorpost") (plural: mezuzot (מְזוּזוֹת)) is a piece of parchment (often contained in a decorative case) inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21). These verses comprise the Jewish prayer "Shema Yisrael", beginning with the phrase: "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is One" |
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| May 25, 2010 |
Top 10 Reasons to LOVE Being Married to a Youth PastorYouth In Letterman-style, I've decided to work back from 10 and save the best for last... #10. The FREEBIES!! --You know, CDs, concert tickets, food, leftover funeral flowers (yes, this HAS happened!), balloons for the kids, use of the church photocopier... the list goes on! |
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| May 14, 2010 |
Have We Missed The Boat?Leadership Development It’s a bold statement but I will say it: The teens in our churches are having sex and perhaps we have played a part in it. There you go, as a youth pastor I said it and I also claim some responsibility for this problem among our teens. But it’s never too late for us as youth workers across North America to turn this ship around and teach our youth about God’s perspective on sexual intimacy. |
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| April 28, 2010 |
Are the Sheep Biting?New to Youth Ministry As a youth pastor or worker, you are a shepherd! To some this may seem to be a revolutionary statement because normally that ‘S’ word is only given to the senior or lead pastor of a church. But rest assured, according to the definition found in Webster’s Dictionary, you are a shepherd! |
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| April 6, 2010 |
The HC is on the Cutting Edge of Youth Ministry!Leadership Development Could the Heidelberg Catechism be on the cutting edge of youth ministry after all these years, capturing today’s youth culture in its first question? I think so! I am currently reading through a very interesting book entitled Youth Ministry 3.0: A Manifesto by Mark Oestriecher. It’s an interesting book that talks about the ever changing history of youth culture. If you have not read the book, I would encourage you to do so. It’s not a huge book but it does provide some interesting information. |
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| March 25, 2010 |
Primary Influencer Involvement: Can It Be Done?Intergenerational Ministry I wanted to know if my impressions of PI’s in youth ministry were similar to others' experiences. Did they have the same joy with PI involvement or did they suffer some of the same kind of hair-pulling frustrations? We began our discussion by struggling with the concept of whether or not PI involvement was even a good idea. We debated the issue and realized... |
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| March 22, 2010 |
Sidelines: On Being A Big ToeYouth As I write this, I am trying to elevate my big, broken, black and purple toe. Actually, I have found myself thinking in the last 24 hours that I may as well have broken my leg or arm for all the fuss this incident has caused. Who knew a small, mostly behind-the-scenes little body part could play such a big role in my quality of life? And who knew how blessed I would be ... |
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| May 15, 2012 |
How Do We Get Youth Interested in Our Denominations?Maybe the question should be “Is it important to get youth interested in our denominations?” I believe it is, indeed, important and the blessing and missional impact of denominations like the CRCNA should be shared with youth. Maybe you disagree. |
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| April 30, 2012 |
Seek Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly...in Youth GroupYouth Sometimes I think that while everyone in my church thinks it’s important to care for the poor, when we start to actively participate in projects around social justice, there’s an uneasiness that gets in the way of support for our efforts. |
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| April 23, 2012 |
Breaking Down SilosYouth Every church has them. Every business has them. Silos go up when individual areas get caught up in their own goals and fail to work cross-functionally with others within the organization. It’s certainly not written in your job duties that it’s the responsibility of a youth leader to break down silos in a church. However, |
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| April 16, 2012 |
Time to Plan Your Summer StrategyYouth I know, I know. You are busy wrapping up this youth group season and there’s still plenty you have to get done. And yet it’s still an appropriate time to begin planning for your summer season. You may not have weekly meetings during the summer, but hopefully you are finding opportunities to keep the youth group community together. |
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| April 9, 2012 |
Get Your Youth Involved in VBSYouth As you wrap up your youth group season, it’s a good time to think about active participation in VBS. If your church is running VBS later this summer, consider getting your entire youth group actively involved in the program. My experience is that this will bring a wonderful energy to the VBS, and it will have a long-lasting impact... |
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| March 26, 2012 |
A "Reformed" Fund Raising IdeaYouth I have blogged in the past about the importance of reformed resources and reformed theology within youth ministry programs. It’s just as important to have resources with a reformed perspective for the entire congregation. Faith Alive Christian Resources has come up with a creative idea that will share reformed resources within a congregation AND raise funds for the youth group. Youth groups will earn 40% profit on all books sold through this program. You can check out the program at youthgroupbooksale.org. |
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| March 26, 2012 |
Revisioning Youth MinistryYouth While numbers are an important tool to help a youth worker gauge the relative health of a ministry (I always keep attendance for my own records), high attendance does not always mean that all is well in the group or that youth are being transformed by the Gospel... |
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| March 19, 2012 |
Late Winter BluesYouth It’s March and you’ve been at this youth ministry season since last September. You are running out of lessons (the ones you so proudly put together late last summer). The routine of your youth group and those who attend is set, and there aren’t many surprises. If you’re not careful, you will start counting down the weeks until the youth group year is complete. I can’t speak for you, but I can tell you that when I get into that mode, I’m not serving my youth group as well as I should. |
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| March 12, 2012 |
The Most Important Members of our CongregationI have a friend that often talks about the 4-14 rule. He believes that the most fragile population within and outside our churches are those between the ages of 4-14. The individuals in our communities and our world who know the least about Christ are between the ages of 4-14. The opportunity to reach individuals for Christ is most fruitful in those age 4-14. |
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| March 5, 2012 |
Bringing Lent into Youth MinistryYouth I gotta be honest…for most of my years in youth ministry, I didn’t do a very good job of bringing our youth group into Lent with an appropriate sense of this incredible season. But come to think of it, I never heard other youth leaders discuss the critical lessons of Lent or share successful activities or resources either. Anyone got ideas or proven lessons to bring youth actively into Lent? |
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| February 20, 2012 |
FollowershipYouth I believe followership is just as important as leadership. I just wish we lived in a world where the gift of following was recognized and given value as an integral aspect of the Christian life. When was the last time you highlighted the work of young people who showed dedication, humility and a servant attitude in their followership? |
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| February 13, 2012 |
Giving Up on StudentsYouth I’ve thought about writing this for a while, but it’s not particularly fun to write about some of my lowest moments as a youth leader. There have been times when youth have given up on our church and our youth group, and I’ve chosen, sometimes consciously and often subconsciously, to give up on them... |
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| February 6, 2012 |
March MadnessYouth So when it comes to advice and suggestions for events, Youth Leader 101 typically notes that special events, like school, community or national sporting events are often great excuses for getting students together. The NCAA basketball, known as March Madness, is a perfect example. Though I would suggest this also makes an outstanding community outreach opportunity. |
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| January 30, 2012 |
Profession of Faith - the Next GenerationYouth When I made profession of faith, I decided it was time, alerted somebody at church, and then stood before the consistory while they quizzed me mostly on my faith but with just a bit of Bible trivia as well. Once I was approved, I stood before the church, said “I do” after the pastor read a long liturgy... |
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| January 23, 2012 |
Why Youth Leaders on a Church Staff are Important InvestmentsYouth Let me start out by saying my wife and I were volunteer youth leaders for 15 years. But I do think that our church made a mistake in asking for volunteer youth leaders, rather than investing money and resources in staff. I think it implied to many youth that they were not as important as “adults” in the church. |
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| January 16, 2012 |
Youth Leader AccountabilityYouth I wonder how many youth leaders are in accountability groups. I would suggest that if you are a youth leader and you are not in an accountability group, you consider doing so. It’s a very personal decision. I can only tell you that I have been blessed and improved by my group. |
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| January 9, 2012 |
Losing Youth in Our ChurchesYouth This is a topic that’s discussed in consistories/councils, by congregations, Synods, and pretty much anywhere there are church-going folks or church leaders hanging out. I don’t expect to solve the challenge in a short blog, but I think youth leaders might have a different perspective than many in the church. |
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| January 2, 2012 |
New Year's Resolution - Seek God's FaceYouth Yeah, I know that we, as youth leaders, parents, students, Christ-followers, strive to seek God’s face constantly. That’s good. Keep that up. I just figured that in this first week of a new year, it might be good to push all of the “stuff” out of your head and just simply listen to God. |
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| December 26, 2011 |
R U Txtng w/ Ur Yth Grp?Youth For some of us who are, well, not so young, there was no texting 10 years ago. For younger leaders, texting has been a part of your lives for much of the past few years. In either case, I wonder if you are using text messages to communicate with your youth group and if not, why not? |
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| December 19, 2011 |
Measuring Youth Leader SuccessYouth I’ve got a friend who feels a lot of pressure to increase participants in youth group and roll out consistently high numbers of profession of faiths among their church young people. Really? So this is how we measure performance for a youth leader? |
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| March 22, 2011 |
A Conference on Sustainable Youth MinistryThere's a conference on Sustainable Youth Ministry occuring at Western Seminiary in Holland, Michigan on May 5-6. The conference will include speakers and workshops. Check out the website for more information: http://www.westernsem.edu/journey/events/youth-ministry-conference/ |
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| January 19, 2011 |
The Distraction Model of Youth MinistryYouth Group Nights What do the internet and youth ministry have in common? Quite a lot, it seems, particularly when it comes to strategies for keeping "users" engaged. But is this a good thing? What are the implications for those of us engaged in ministry with teens? |
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| November 30, 2010 |
Heidelberg in RAPYouth Group Nights Allan 'Voice' Curt was challenged to make a RAP SONG introducing the Heidelberg Catechism. Sit back and enjoy! |
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| October 13, 2010 |
Out Of The Trenches | Youth Unlimited (October 8th Issue)Leadership Development Effective youth ministry, like any ministry, is not static. It needs to be evolving year after year, ready to change to the needs of those we are serving. Sometimes this is driven by our youth and at other times we as youth workers play a role. One area that has seen a shift in my thinking has been “Mission Trips.” I began doing mission trips almost 15 years ago in Sarnia, Ontario, and since then have been to Winnipeg, Manitoba three times, once to Chicago, and three times to Peru. |
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| September 24, 2010 |
Young Adults Spirituality PollLeadership Development How do you assess the spiritual lives and Bible views of young adults when surveys find they view Paris Hilton more favorably than Billy Graham? Think Wicca is patio furniture? Say the main reason they never watch evangelist Robert Schuller's Hour of Power is because, they "don't like violence"? |
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| September 7, 2010 |
What is it About 20-Somethings?Leadership Development This question pops up everywhere, underlying concerns about “failure to launch” and “boomerang kids.” Two new sitcoms feature grown children moving back in with their parents — “$#*! My Dad Says,” starring William Shatner as a divorced curmudgeon whose 20-something son can’t make it on his own as a blogger, and “Big Lake,” in which a financial whiz kid loses his Wall Street job and moves back home to rural Pennsylvania. A cover of The New Yorker last spring picked up on the zeitgeist: a young man hangs up his new Ph.D. in his boyhood bedroom, the cardboard box at his feet signaling his plans to move back home now that he’s officially overqualified for a job. In the doorway stand his parents, their expressions a mix of resignation, worry, annoyance and perplexity: how exactly did this happen? |
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| August 27, 2010 |
God to Guys: Grow-up!Leadership Development September 12 is the second annual national "'Back To Church Sunday", according to Outreach Magazine and LifeWay Research. (No, they can't tell you how many of the 1.2 million invites already in the mail from 3,000 churches are going to the Obama White House, although six nearby evangelical churches are participating in the event.) |
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| August 26, 2010 |
Out Of The Trenches | Youth Unlimited (August 24th Issue)Leadership Development In this issue of OUT OF THE TRENCHES: Analyse your Teens Tips on Counseling Spiritual Leadership and much, much more. |
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| August 12, 2010 |
Forget the PizzaNew to Youth Ministry "I blame the parents,"who didn't grow up in a church culture, says Jeremy Johnston, executive pastor at First Family Church in Overland Park, Kan. |
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| August 10, 2010 |
Out Of The Trenches | Youth Unlimited (August 6 Issue)Leadership Development Here is where it gets cool. Since my trip to Israel, the Bible has reached a whole new level of experience – it is now more than just words on a page. I experienced the surround sound journey through the pages of the text. Being in Israel and walking were Jesus, David, Abraham, Elijah, the disciples and many others walked, lived in community, fellowshipped, suffered hardship, endured trials and rejoiced with family has changed the stories I heard as a kid. |
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| July 23, 2010 |
Out Of The Trenches | Youth Unlimited (July 23rd Issue)Leadership Development In youth ministry, the question arises whether or not it’s wise to move from one church to another after a set period of time. There are different philosophies in regards to this question. Some feel that after you have worked in a church for five or more years, it would be wise to move. It is time for the youth and the church to see a new face. The ministry needs to be refocused because you just get into your old habits. A new start is good for both the church and for the youth pastor. |
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| July 22, 2010 |
NEW: Barna Group ResearchLeadership Development A new research study from the Barna Group explores the changing religious environment of teenagers, comparing their participation in personal and group forms of faith over the past dozen years. |
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| July 22, 2010 |
Teens Spending 7 Hours A Day In Front Of TV's, ComputersLeadership Development For parents who fret about the amount of time their kids devote to electronic media, consider this: In Ontario, hundreds of thousands of teens spend nearly seven hours a day staring at a computer or TV screen. |
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| July 9, 2010 |
Your Sons and Daughters Shall ProphesyLeadership Development God has poured out his Spirit on our young people. Let’s pay attention to what they have to say. |
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| July 9, 2010 |
Trusting God in Youth Ministry: Living Your Faith TogetherIntergenerational Ministry “I have nothing against adults leading youth ministries. But it seems adults just take over the youth participation. They give another class just like we have in school. Adults don’t stress that youth can be involved in activities, spiritual experiences, and worship.” |
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| July 9, 2010 |
Despicable Me: Movie ReviewYouth Group Nights Has Pixar ruined the animated film? Of course not—it's simply raised the bar for all other contenders in the world of animation, and that's a good thing. |
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| July 9, 2010 |
Out Of The Trenches | Youth Unlimited (July 1st Issue)Leadership Development Going to the Rink - a new kind of ministry! This issue will give insight into Hockey Ministry, a Youth Worker Development Trip to Israel and an interview with Professor Ron Nydam. Check it out! |
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| June 24, 2010 |
Out Of The Trenches | Youth Unlimited (June 17th Issue)Youth Group Nights Church and School - can they work together? |
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| June 24, 2010 |
Young Adults are NOT rushing marriageLeadership Development Relationships today are far different from the whirlwind courtships that blossomed in the uncertain 1930s and '40s. Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird met in August 1934, and he proposed on their first date. They were engaged in October and were married in November. |
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| June 23, 2010 |
Survey on the Christian Reformed ChurchLeadership Development The Christian Reformed Church in North America is aging, becoming better educated and is in need of enhanced spiritual development for its members, according to a study whose results were presented to Synod 2010. |
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| November 16, 2010 |
An Angry Believer: Relevant MagazineLeadership Development But then the shrouded heavens parted and the spirit of a dove descended from the clouds. It fluttered to a tiny, empty parking spot on the curb leading into the observatory grounds. A monk choir began echoing hymns all around us, and a beam of sunlight illuminated this small opening between the cars. Suddenly... |
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| September 24, 2010 |
Accessibility AuditYouth Group Nights Not the normal place to find a great activity for your youth group. Check out the Disability Concerns page on the NETWORK and read the blog entitled "Ask Your Youth Group to Do an Accessibility Audit". |
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| June 9, 2010 |
Changing SEAIntergenerational Ministry What is the Changing Spirituality of Emerging Adults? |
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| June 2, 2010 |
Relevant: God. Life. Progressive Culture.Leadership Development Relevant is on the cutting edge of ministry. Check out their website and enjoy the many articles, movie clips, Hollywood interviews. A great magazine that will keep you up-to-date on youth culture. Go and grab a drink, sit back in your comfy youth ministry chair and spend the next 2 hours reading and exploring this website. You won't regret it! |
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| June 2, 2010 |
Youth UnlimitedLeadership Development Youth Unlimited is a Christ-centered youth ministry that supports over 500 churches across the United States and Canada. Our mission commits us to assist youth ministry efforts in the local church to effectively reach junior high (early teen) and senior high youth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. |
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| June 2, 2010 |
Youth SpecialitiesNew to Youth Ministry It's a no brainer - this needs to be a link on any youth ministry page. Enjoy exploring all that YS has to offer in the form of events, articles, resources and more. |
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| June 1, 2010 |
SEE the Truth: Movie MinistryYouth Group Nights Shrek's perfect life has settled into a routine, that has turned into a grind. He is having a mid-life ogre crisis. He longs to be the carefree and feared ogre he was in his youth. After a particularly trying day, he makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to magically get back to his old life for one day. The problem is that he has to trade one day of his past to get it. And that is where the trouble starts. Shrek Forever After contains good sermon illustrations about temptation, how husbands should love their wives, and why we should not allow the pleasures of the world to make us unfit for spiritual battle. |
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| May 13, 2010 |
Contemplative Youth MinistryLeadership Development Where else in their multitasking 24/7 lives can youth find loving adults who join them in meaningful prayer, silence, and conversation to connect with God? You know there’s got to be more to youth ministry than paintball, pancake breakfasts, pizza, and pop (also known outside the Midwest as soda, coke, or soft drinks). But how do you get to the more? |
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| May 11, 2010 |
Digital NationLeadership Development In Digital Nation: Life on the Virtual Frontier, FRONTLINE presents an in-depth exploration of what it means to be human in a 21st-century digital world. As a youth worker it's important to understand how the digital nation is shaping today's culture. Take some time to watch this informative video that will give greater understanding into today's digital nation. |
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| January 25, 2010 |
What's Happening in Your AreaYouth Worker Events/Training Want to know where a convention is happening? What about a youth retreat or leadership training? Check this section often to get the latest information. If you know of a convention, retreat, seminar etc. that's happening in your area and it does not show up on the North American map email Youth Unlimited today to get it added!! |
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| January 20, 2010 |
ministrypower.comYouth Group Nights This is a great resource for finding Bible-based powerpoint games. On this website, you'll find over 100 powerpoint games for all ages, sermon slides and much more. There are freebies available but most items do need to be purchased. This is a great website to have in your toolbox of ministry tools. |
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| January 18, 2010 |
Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU)Leadership Development The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding is a nonprofit organization committed to building strong families by serving to bridge the cultural-generational gap between parents and teenagers. |
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| January 18, 2010 |
Life in Student MinistryNew to Youth Ministry Tim Schmoyer is a full-time youth pastor at Alexandra Covenant Church in Alexandria, Minnesota, where he serves an incredible group of students with an outstanding team of adult youth leaders. Tim and his wife moved to Dallas, Texas, in February 2006 and loves watching the Lord work through them to these teenagers. After serving for a couple years in a small church with almost no youth ministry budget, Tim knows the frustration of not being able to afford resources and training for himself,his volunteers and the ministry in general. That’s why everything on this site is free, just because he want to bless you and your ministry to teenagers. |
