Is there anything worse than awkward silence in a small group? I used to dread those moments and would avoid them as much as possible by breaking the silence and answering my own question or rephrasing it. It was my poor attempt to keep the conversation going because I failed to recognize the most important aspect of a conversation: it requires at least two people! Small groups do not have to be mini-sermons to mini-audiences. They can be vibrant, comfortable conversations reminiscent of casual campfire talk where everyone is contributing freely and purposefully. The following principles can ..read more

“Daddy has to work again.” This was the one-line dagger that my two-year-old daughter stabbed me in the heart with. I had just gone back to work off of bereavement after my dad had passed away, so I was trying to catch up from all the time I had missed—I was putting in longer hours. I was working more than enough for my toddler to notice it, and when she said what she did, it caused me to reflect. Is this what I want my daughter to think of me when it comes to ministry? That I work all the time? The answer was no. But how do I manage the responsibilities at home and church? Who do I tell no ..read more

Being a servant leader is core to Christian Leadership. We all remember Jesus washing His disciples’ feet as an example for them to follow in their ministries. Christian leaders serve first and lead second. That’s why the best spiritual leaders are the ones who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. Even when it’s not in their job description, they pick up trash, stay late, and eat last. What if we applied this foundational leadership principle to one of the most important aspects of our gatherings: communicating God’s Word? Communicating God’s Word is normally the ..read more

I think most people would say that a lot of theological training is centered around a combination of a few things: proper biblical interpretation, pursuing Christ-like character and leadership, and preaching/teaching. And I believe most of us would say these are worthwhile pursuits! During my husband’s time in seminary, he learned all those things and so much more, and we would both describe his time in seminary as a beautiful season of life full of rich spiritual formation. Whether you have received a formal theological education or attended conferences or trainings in the past, almost all o ..read more

This is probably an understood point. But for the sake of conversation, did you know that your students are gifted? I’m sure you have students who are gifted athletically and are phenoms at their sport. I’m sure you have musically talented students who could play concerts for large crowds. But what I’m talking about is students gifted spiritually for the work God is doing. One thing I have felt purposed with lately is equipping those around me for the ministry that God is calling them to. I will regularly ask adults in our ministry if they feel comfortable doing more than just being in the roo ..read more

  Youth ministry is a job that requires much of us emotionally and spiritually. We are asked to give of ourselves so we can serve our youth and their families. When navigated mindfully, this is a wonderful thing. However, it is easy to slip into tendencies that can lead to burnout quickly if we are not careful. Burnout is kind of a buzzword right now and is essentially a harmful mental/emotional state after prolonged or unmitigated workplace stress. How can we serve sacrificially as God calls us to while still protecting ourselves and preventing burnout? Here are some ideas ..read more

Each day of our lives, we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. -Chuck Swindoll   More than most other facets of ministry, student ministry has many varying factors that can make the “balance” of family and ministry tough. Weekends, summer, and holidays are times when your ministry responsibilities ramp up. Ministry is especially tough when you have small children. We can’t simply tell our newborn to sleep through the night. We’ve all been there and wrestled with the physical exhaustion and the emotional/mental struggle of being there for students vs. being there for our fam ..read more

Middle School students are some of my favorite people in the world, yet when I tell people that I teach 8th-grade English, the response is typically, “I don’t know how you do it!” I get it. Middle schoolers are navigating life in the middle between being a kid and quickly becoming an adult. They have boundless energy, a roller coaster of emotions, and that’s not even factoring in their incredible quirks. Did you know that other than infancy, middle schoolers’ brains are growing faster than they ever have or ever will? No wonder they can be a little strange. They have so much going on in their ..read more

When I came on staff with FCA, I was a wide-eyed 22-year-old who just graduated from college and felt like the world was my oyster. Although I was sad to hang up my cleats from college athletics, that sadness slowly faded in light of my excitement to take on my new adventure in full-time ministry. Two things come to mind when I think about that 22-year-old – she was incredibly passionate, and she truly felt the weight of being in a position that allowed her to influence the spiritual lives of young people. As the years went on and I grew both as a person and as a minister, that passion was st ..read more

Are you old enough to remember learning from a “felt” or “flannel” board at church? In case you don’t have that tucked away as a core memory, here’s how Sunday morning used to go. The leader would teach by using the felt board. Flat characters, buildings, and objects would magically appear on the board. If you were lucky, you might get to “help” move them around as the story was told. If you have no idea what a felt board is, google it! I can’t tell you how many Bible stories I learned from the felt board. They are the foundational stories of everything I’ve learned from the Bible. And I’m co ..read more