Is Self Harm A Sin? (Questions Teenagers Ask 1.)
Part one of my series on Questions Teenagers Ask. All posts in this series are responses to questions I’ve had from young people written in the style I answered them. Question: Is Self Harm A Sin? We’ll start with self harm because, well, it hurts! And we must look at it! Answer: This is a […]
Can Demons Cause Sin? (Questions Teenagers Ask 2.)
Part two of my series on Questions Teenagers Ask. All posts in this series are responses to questions I’ve had from young people written in the style I answered them. Question: Can Demons Cause Sin? // Is It Demons Fault When I Sin? Answer: Hmmm… great question. I think my answer is: No, not directly […]
Blog Shoutouts!
Nine years of blogging, and the 100th post on this ‘new’ blog! Exciting times. 🙂 I’m celebrating by buying a new domain name (www.puddlelump.com), updating a few bits n’ pieces, and giving a shoutout to some amazing and edifying blogs that I read. These all encourage my life and my work – hopefully they will […]
3 Things Better Than A Youth Worker
So you’re Eldership board have finally let you spend some money on a youth worker – fab! Great news. I’m full on behind you. But let’s take a lean back for a second and look up at the giant 22nd Century looming before us… is a youth leader really what you need? I’ve got to […]
Advent in the Youth Group
Every week I run a small group of between 10-25 young people called ‘Redefine.’ It’s aim is to disciple believers to embrace seekers and grow seekers into believers. It’s a group made up of young people from 8 or so churches in North Wales and has a strong family ethic. Each session includes food, Q&A […]
Youth Ministry MOT
Every car I’ve ever owned bar one has failed its MOT every time. Sometimes they failed on stupid things like ‘there’s residue on the windscreen below the mirror where a GPS was once suckered on.’ Once or twice however, they have failed on cataclysmic problems. I once owned a Peugeot 406 which needed the entire […]
Open Theism and Youth Work
I believe that it’s really really important as Youth Workers to have some knowledge of Open Theism, or at least some of the tricky theologies associated with it. Why? – Because as Youth Pastors, we’re probably the worst people in the world for dumbing stuff down! And when we dumb certain things down, we run […]
From Youth to Leader, by Ben Slee
Guest post by Ben Slee, London Based Worship Pastor and Song Writer. Tim asked me if I could write a brief note on the thrills and spills of growing from a youth group member into a youth group leader, based on my own experience, mistakes, God’s grace, and some general observations. If you’re in […]
Helping Young People Understand the Bible – Not Just Read It
Getting young people to independently open the Bible and read it for themselves is half the battle, but it isn’t the whole battle! The second half of this battle is helping young people independently examine and understand the Bible – and this is frankly where most of us wimp out! Not training young people to […]
Supernatural Signposts for Spiritual Teens
I just got home from giving a presentation at a school Christian Union to about 35 mainly unchurched & non-believing 12-16 year-olds. We looked at New Year’s Resolutions and I encouraged them to take Jesus seriously in 2012. I’m once again simply encouraged and a little amazed at just how spiritually open young people today […]
Things Youth Workers Do On Their Day Off – Comics
From cartoonchurch.com
How to relate to young people… ish
I gave a training night a few days ago on ‘Relational Youth Ministry’ mainly ripping off Mark Yaconelli’s brilliant book, ‘Contemplative Youth Ministry.’ Mark outlines the premise to his book in the phrase “young people are not blank slates, and Christianity is not words” and hints at the tendency we have to try and fill […]
Hasn’t Science Disproved God?
This is a question that will stick to the heels of your apologetic discussions with students like a hungry dog convinced that you’re hiding a dead pig in your pocket. Our culture’s scientific zeitgeist is incredibly dogmatic because of a very specific philosophy of science that’s constantly alluded to in our education system. In the […]
How NOT To Teach The Cross To Young People
By our newly minted In House Comic, Chloe Perrin. Volunteer Youth Worker, Musical Theater Tutor and Youth Charity Trustee. Check out her work at chloescomics.wordpress.com