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Peace often feels as strong as steel and simultaneously fragile as tin foil. If we were to follow the imagery of George on the bridge just outside the little town…

The Advent season is an entire time of the year, traditionally four weeks, that gives again and again the gift of perspective. The groundswell of anticipation felt, building with each passing week, until it gives way to celebration. If hope comes to our address, if faith opens the door, then joy is the emotion that fills the house. Christmas is a celebration of life. The gift of a life that had been prophesied down through the ages and arrived in an unassuming manner. In short, the birth of Jesus makes a new type of joy possible. Let me explain.

In week one, we met George Bailey standing on that bridge. We saw something resembling hope on the horizon. For George it was demonstrated in his willingness to converse with…

In the late 1930’s, American writer and Civil War historian Philip Van Doren Stern began working on a Christmas story. It would take several years for the fable to take…

Guiding Students Through Life’s Tough Questions Last month, I was in Singapore and was asked to speak at a Christian school for its weekly chapel program. When I accepted, I…

After the most recent Presidential campaign and election cycle, most Americans had their fill of the tumultuous (and frequently bizarre) escapades of vote-getting. As a youth pastor, did you take…

I have been blessed to spend good time with leaders of Christian schools and outstanding youth pastors. Having the chance to talk about their ministries and the impact that their ministry has on…

Your relationship with God, your family, and your youth are the three most important relationships defining your ministry. They require constant nourishment to grow deeper, broader, and more spiritually vibrant.…

When I served as a youth pastor, mental health issues were not even on our radar. Today, these issues have risen to the top of concerns for this generation of…

In grad school, I was asked to serve as a youth pastor for a small church nearby. I had only become a Christian a few years before and was unsure…