Transition: Part 1

Transition. This word can very much sum up the last 6 months of my life. As I write this, it was exactly 6 months ago when I recited my vows to my beautiful wife Nicole in front of all our friends and family. Next to my decision to follow Christ and his calling, this was the [...]

The Three Types of Language

Think back on the last three conversations you had with middle schoolers. How would you characterize those conversations? Were you relaying information, trying to persuade, or building personal relationships? In his book the “Contemplative Pastor,” Eugene Peterson notes that there are three types of language he uses in running a church: Descriptive Language - This language [...]

The Big 13

Happy birthday! You just turned 13! Welcome to… adulthood? The journey of a pre-teen becoming an official teenager is an adventure much bigger than we tend to acknowledge. It’s eerily similar to the 39-year-old going “over the hill” to his 40’s, except the thirteen-year-old tends to be a little more excited about his birthday… One [...]

Don’t Be the Answer-Guy

Don’t you just love when middle schoolers ask deep questions? If one of my students asks a really good question during a youth group or small group function, my heart just lights up. Whether it has anything to do with the actual topic we’re talking about… well, I don’t really care! Whenever I see evidence of [...]

Planting for Tomorrow

Whether you’re a youth pastor, a volunteer, a teacher, or a parent, you know that investing in middle school students can be a difficult experience at times. It’s not always hard, and it shouldn’t be, but there are times when everyone wonders, “Is this worth it? Am I making a difference?” I go back to [...]