On a fateful day during my third-grade year, my family was playing a board game and I was nearing victory. I rolled the dice and landed on a square that read, “Go back 17 spaces.” My family all laughed, as…
Why church expectations for a youth minister may be unrealistic and how to change them
For several years, as an adjunct professor teaching youth ministry courses and giving leadership to the Center for Church and Community at Campbell University, I have received requests that sound like this: “We are looking for help finding a youth…
American young people report huge gaps between what matters to them and what appears to matter to the church
Young people in America do not believe churches care about the issues that are important to them — by double-digit disparities — according to a new national survey released today. Springtide Research specializes in data and resources related to the…
Raised a Baptist, Lance Bass feared who he was couldn’t be in sync with his faith
Talk to any adult who grew up in the 1990s and ask them to name the No. 1 boy band in the country at the time, and you’ll likely hear the name NSYNC. What most of those fans didn’t know…
Inside the spiritual life of Anne Lamott
I recently sat down with Anne Lamott, beloved and debated American novelist and non-fiction writer, to discuss her new release, Dusk Night Dawn. This book has all the trademarks that make Lamott a household name and New York Times best-selling author: Empathy,…
In-person worship dropped in January as more churches were directly affected by COVID
Concerns about spiking COVID-19 cases led to a rise in the number of U.S. churches canceling in-person gatherings in January, a new Lifeway Research study shows. Meanwhile, the new research offers some of the most detailed data yet about how…
CBF Georgia adds coordinator for young Baptist ministries
Megan Turner Doud grew up Baptist without knowing of the diversity of the Baptist universe. “I didn’t know what CBF was. I didn’t know women could be in ministry. It wasn’t until I started looking for seminaries that I learned…
3 current trends youth leaders need to know
If you’re still measuring the success of a congregation’s youth ministry on programs and attendance, you’re missing the boat, according to an extensive national survey by Springtide Research Institute. The new research organization specializes in studying young people ages 13…
Summer youth ministry was definitely different but still happened
Summer usually is a high-water mark in youth ministries — a time of long hours but tremendous growth. Summer allows youth ministers to spend more time with students, going on lunch outings or to the movies, and traveling for hours…