One common concern I often hear from parents and other adult church members about including children in the corporate worship setting is that kids won’t “get” anything out of the worship or the sermon. From an adult perspective, there are…
The No. 1 reason teens keep the faith as young adults
The holy grail for helping youth remain religiously active as young adults has been at home all along: parents. Mothers and fathers who practice what they preach and preach what they practice are far and away the major influence related…
When churches want a pastor who can ‘bring in young families’
. please consider sharing this post. Almost every church I’ve ever known has wanted to Attract Young Families. The reasoning behind this includes the following: If we don’t regenerate, everyone will eventually get old and die. It’s energizing to have…
A minister to median adult households trumps a youth minister
Did you get a chance to read my post on having a minister to young adult households trumps having a minister to children? For those of you who thought that was an interesting approach worth considering, how would you feel…
We need covenant parenting in covenant communities
Often, as we discuss sexuality and marriage, the word covenant comes up—specifically whether marriage should be a covenant between a man and a woman or whether LGBT friends have the right to enter into such a covenant. When we limit…
When her good news makes you feel bad
“Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.” – Wayne Dyer I think comparison and competition exist partly because we believe that there is a scarcity of good things in the universe. And that belief makes…
The clergy parent’s Christmas Eve survival guide
For clergy with small children, it’s kind of a sick joke: your longest work day of the year falls on the night before your children’s earliest morning. You can see it unfolding, but you’re powerless to stop it. You’ll get…
Practicing Until We Need It
Practicing Until We Need It
How can Jesus and Santa get along?
Every year I struggle with a Christmas ritual that millions of parents have no problem with: a visit with Santa Claus in a season that is about Jesus. How can Jesus and Santa get along? Why do I struggle? For some parents, Christmas…