The age of one-size-fits-all youth ministry is over. It has to be. We live in a dynamic time filled with diversity. This is an exciting time to be in ministry to youth. Our world is smaller than ever before. Cultures are not only clashing but blending to create new expressions of culture. In this new era [...]
Archive for the ‘Adolescent Development’ Category
Each Student is a Culture (art of connecting pt. 4)
Posted: September 20, 2011 in Adolescent Development, emerging adults, extended adolescence, Spirituality, systemic abandonment, Technology, Teens, Youth MinistryTags: Cultural artifact, Cultural Intelligence, David Livermore, God, IPod, Religion and Spirituality, Youth Ministry
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Cultivating a Spirit of Learning (art of connecting pt. 2)
Posted: September 14, 2011 in Adolescent Development, systemic abandonment, Teens, Youth MinistryTags: High school, Kampala, Student exchange program, Uganda, United States
Immaculate was a foreign exchange student from Kampala, Uganda. She was new to our country and culture. When asked about how she felt when people noticed she was different she responded: “It’s okay to ask. People sometimes notice something special about me – my accent, the way I look – and that’s okay. It’s just [...]
Building Bridges (art of connecting pt. 1)
Posted: September 8, 2011 in Addiction, Adolescent Development, Depression, drug prevention, emerging adults, extended adolescence, LGBTQ Youth, Mental Illness, Parenting, Spirituality, Suicide, systemic abandonment, Teens, Youth Ministry, Youth With DisabilitiesOne of the Apostle Paul’s most famous speeches took place at Mars Hill, the Areopagus, in Athens. He noted that they appeared to be a very religious lot of people due to the sheer number of statues they had to their gods. In a brilliant move he identified the one statue that was for the [...]
Disabled Youth and Youth Ministry Gatherings (pt. 4 – cognitive disabilities)
Posted: August 30, 2011 in Adolescent Development, Spirituality, Teens, Youth With DisabilitiesTags: Developmental disability, Disability, Education, Intellectual disability, Learning, Learning community, Student, Youth worker
Accommodations for students with cognitive impairments can include the use of visual cues, mixed media, and the repetition of major points. Experiential exercises is often effective for a young person with intellectual or cognitive disabilities. Role-playing works well for a person with developmental disabilities – the process of playing a role themselves helps them to internalize [...]
Goofus and Gallant in Youth Ministry
Posted: August 17, 2011 in Adolescent Development, Spirituality, Teens, Youth MinistryTags: Christianity, God, Highlights for Children, Pastoral Resources, People, Religion and Spirituality, Student, Youth Ministry
Remember the old Highlights Magazine we use to read as kids? I remember spending hours looking for the hidden objects scattered throughout the magazine. I also remember the Goofus and Gallant comics. They were two polar opposite characters meant to teach the children reading about right and wrong. I used to love reading them but must admit [...]
ScreenWorld vs. RealWorld
Posted: July 27, 2011 in Adolescent Development, Family, Mental Health, Parenting, Technology, Teens, Youth MinistryTags: Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Online Communities, Real life, technology, The Real World, Twitter
I ‘ve been reading a challenging new book, Virtually You – The Dangerous Power of the E-Personality, written by Elias Aboujaoude, MD from Stanford. In this book he pulls on years of research the looks at how our online personalities (e-personalities) are shaping how we interact with the offline world. While he recognizes the unlimited [...]
Understanding Family Systems (Exploring Family pt. 1)
Posted: July 13, 2011 in Adolescent Development, Parenting, Youth MinistryTags: Domestic violence, Family, God, Jesus, Parental alienation syndrome
So much has been said about the current state of the family that there’s hardly anything new to add to the conversation. It is regularly reported that the family is under attack and is falling apart due to changes in our culture. However, the future need not be bleak for families that are seeking recovery from [...]
What You Assume Is What You Get
Posted: June 29, 2011 in Adolescent Development, Teens, Youth MinistryTags: Harvard University, Robert Rosenthal
“Most of us are aware that our expectations affect our own behavior. If you envision yourself losing this afternoon’s tennis match, you are more likely to lose. If you assume you will win, your chances of winning increase significantly. We call these self-fulfilling prophesies. What many people don’t know is that one person’s beliefs can [...]
