By Steve Anderson One of the world’s largest ships stumbled in the Suez Canal, turned sideways, and got stuck in the sand, completing blocking passage through one of the world’s most important trade routes. For six days, ships were backed up into the sea, their precious cargo of everything from shoes to TVs to barrels of oil stuck on floating …
4 Ways to Protect your Senior Pastor
By Steve Anderson I’ve never quarterbacked an NFL football team, but I’m certain it’s the most difficult position in sports. No other position requires such high levels of decision-making, vision, responsibility, leadership, and talent. Despite the fact there are 52 other players on the roster, 21 other starters, and three aspects of game play (offense, defense, special teams), the quarterback …
Comrades and Savages
In a few days, they will find their way to the deep recesses of Western Maryland. Far from the maddening crowds, they will arrive in groups of two or three, gathering together to rekindle their passion and bolster one another’s courage for what lies ahead. For three days and nights, they will eat meat without napkins, sleep when they feel …
7 Things to be Grateful for in Youth Ministry
By Todd Jones It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle (and the occasional drowning feeling) of youth ministry that we forget to pause and be thankful. There are so many things for us as youth workers to be thankful for. Sometimes it’s “wow, that parent didn’t actually get as angry as I thought they would” or …
How to Remove a Leader
By Brant Cole One of the harsh realities of youth ministry is that every once in a while you will have a youth leader who needs to be removed for one reason or another. They might have an attitude problem, they might be a domineering leader, or they may just not possess the skills right now to function well within …
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The Crash
By Steve Anderson It’s Tuesday. I’m crashing right now. We just returned from our High School Winter Retreat. It was a great time. We spent two nights at a nice camp in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania. Our theme was “Whisper.” Instead of live teaching, we watched a video series by Mark Batterson. From there, we launched into discussions in …
Don’t Check Your Email
By Steve Anderson I know you want to. Don’t do it. I know your finger is twitching and your mind is spinning. It’s only been a few hours since you left the office, but you are already feeling disconnected. It’s Monday (or Friday). You are supposed to take the day off, but it’s hard. You love what you do, and …
The Power of X-Ray Vision
By Mathew McCabe Youth Workers are my heroes. I know I am a bit biased on this subject but…for real, you are my heroes. The significance of pouring into middle and high school students can’t be overstated. The often messy and difficult job of standing in the gap with students during the most significant developmental stage of their lives has …
Taking One for the Team
by Mathew McCabe Sometimes the right thing to do is not to be right. Sometimes, in order to be pastoral, in order to live completely into your calling as a youth worker, you have to take one for the team. A few years ago, I placed a wager with my students. It was a foolish wager on the surface, one …