Month: March 2012
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The death of the Youth Talk…?
A while back I read Rick Lawrence’s article on www.ymtoday.com in which he reveals first his view of the effectiveness of youth talks or the sermon and then shares his guidance for speakers at Simply Youth Ministry events. While the latter is beside the point and something few can take much issue with, the former…
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Invisible Children, Kony, and Uganda… Truth and opportunity…
The Invisible Children’s Kony viral video caught the attention of the world, not only for the issues at stake, but the reality that social media can stir something so quickly. It also caused many to notice how easily the truth can be distorted to fit an agenda and cause a response. (one can compare the…
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Courageous Christianity?
At convention (diocesan that is) we saw a very brief clip from the film “Courageous”, a movie I have not taken the time to watch on the ridiculous basis that it will surely put me in tears and leave me feeling less than the dad that I ought to have been. I avoided it like…
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Convention Report
From my report at convention today: Two summers ago, we took a team of students who live in a culture where an active Christian faith is normal and who are part of church youth groups and brought them to a country where active and faith are not heard often in the same sentence nor is…
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You Lost Me…
Six in 10 young people will leave the church permanently or for an extended period starting at age 15, according to new research by the Barna Group. Barna Research president David Kinnaman details several reasons why in his book “You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church … and Rethinking Faith”. Leadership Journal has…
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As you plan your next mission trip…
Often we don’t understand the impact our mission team has on those who host us. Yes, we see the results or hear lots of thanks and appreciation. But do we know how disruptive hosting a team can be to a missionary in the field? It does not mean we don’t take teams, but we can…
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Religion in modern Britain: ten recent conflicts
Given the current encroachments on religious freedom here in America, I think it is worth paying attention to what is going on around the globe – especially in places we think of as having the religious freedom that we do. Take a look at this roundup of issues in Britain. They include: Shutting the office…
