“One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4 (ESV)
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A Milestone
30 years ago today I started this journey in youth ministry on a full time basis. Prior to that I had some years in college as a volunteer but this day was the big scary first. Would it work out? Had God called me to be a full time youth minister? I was nervous to…
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Life Explored!
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What Is Happening To Our Mother Church?
In the mid 1980’s about 45% of the population of England and Wales identified themselves as Anglicans. Today that number is less than 20%. A new study conducted by St Mary’s University, Twickenham, which was focused mostly on the Catholic Church, revealed some rather disturbing numbers for the Anglican church. The Roman Catholic Church in…
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Three Reasons To Take Attendance…
A conversation over lunch this week with a youth minister prompted me to reflect on the following… Years ago a wise sage (he was actually younger but infinately wiser than me) taught me the value of tracking attendance at youth group, Sunday School, and pretty much anything in our ministry. He showed me a database of…
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Are Youth Pastors An Endangered Species?
I stopped by Rob’s office on my way back from teaching a seminar at our camp. Rob has been doing full time youth ministry in our diocese longer than the 15 years I have been in SC. In those years he has served just two churches. Rob is a prime example of the longevity I…
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Staff Unity
I shared this last month at St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center with the staff. I spent a summer during college working at a Christian camp. One day the entire staff had a meeting with a local pastor who was brought in to speak to us. We did not know him, and…
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Is This Election?
About a month before my younger brother passed away in the hospital of cardiac failure, he sent me the following message. “Someday I’ll know why God gave me a bum ticker (heart). I believe that in some weird way that I can’t see or have considered, it will be good.” My reply was that God is…
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Four Observations about Leadership from Pelicans
What can we learn about leadership from Pelicans? Recently on vacation in the Outer Banks of NC, Jane and I were observing the flight habits of pelicans. We were captivated as they moved their way up and down the coast in search of food. Their flight patterns got us talking about leadership. Leadership creates order.…
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Vacation & Mourning
While on a vacation with my wife last week, we learned the news that my former boss, Bishop Edward Salmon passed away following a battle with cancer. He was 82 at the time and lived a very full life, touching the lives and ministries of many people I know. Bishop Salmon served as the diocesan…
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How “Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide” Came to Be
I have been giving away copies of this book to the Youth Ministers in the Diocese of South Carolina at our monthly Fusion meetings. Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide (a book authored and inspired predominantly by Rooted writers) was actually born in Café Osceola at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Oh yes,…
