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 ‘Spirituality’ 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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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. 6 – marketing to disabled youth and families)
Posted: August 31, 2011 in Spirituality, Teens, Youth With DisabilitiesTags: Accessibility, Disability, Education, God, Hearing impairment, Student, Youth Ministry, Youth worker
It is not enough for a youth ministry program to simply be ready to serve the Disabled Youth Community. Rather, the ministry should be proactive in making the Disabled Youth Community aware of it’s accessability. It is hoped that any ministry targeting youth with disabilities will be in contact from the outset with any known families or organizations [...]
Disabled Youth and Youth Ministry Gatherings (pt. 5 – physical disabilities)
Posted: August 31, 2011 in Spirituality, Teens, Youth With DisabilitiesTags: Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Hearing impairment, Student, Youth Ministry, Youth worker
As a general modification to the typical youth ministry gathering, it is necessary to accept different types of body positioning for people with disabilities – some people may need to stand up or move during group, and this activity should not be considered rude. Youth workers may have to keep group meetings short or schedule frequent breaks [...]
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 [...]
Disabled Youth and Youth Ministry Gatherings (pt. 1 – overview)
Posted: August 24, 2011 in Spirituality, systemic abandonment, Teens, Youth With DisabilitiesTags: Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, God, Student, Youth, Youth Ministry, Youth worker
This is the first in a series of posts on youth ministry and youth with disabilities. While accommodations may be needed to integrate people with disabilities into your youth ministry group settings, it is important to first emphasize what all group members have in common. Youth workers can emphasize to the group that, despite a wide variety [...]
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 [...]
Privilege And Oppression In The American Church
Posted: August 3, 2011 in News, Spirituality, Youth MinistryTags: God, Law of Privilege, Oppression, Racism, Religion and Spirituality, United States, White people
There’s no denying that there are a handful of Evangelical churches that largely shape and control the American Christian culture. You can probably think of a handful of them right off the top of your head. Those churches have contributed much to the Kingdom and this post is not an attempt to argue whether their success is [...]
The Trinity Of Depression
Posted: October 4, 2010 in Depression, Spirituality, Youth MinistryTags: Cognition, Cognitive distortion, depression, Disorders, Great Depression, Health, Hope, Mental health, Mood
Beck (1963, 1964) noted the way depressed patients interpreted their current life experiences. The depressed person tended to distort their experiences; they misinterpreted specific, irrelevant events in terms of personal failure, deprivation, or rejection; they tended to greatly exaggerate or overgeneralize any event that bore any semblance of negative information about themselves; they also tended [...]
Stress Management (youth pastor life skills series pt. 2)
Posted: August 30, 2010 in Mental Health, Spirituality, Youth MinistryWhat Happens To Our Bodies Under Stress? You are driving down the interstate highway on a rainy evening. Visibility is very poor and you are being more cautions than usual. You are a few minutes late for youth group and are a bit preoccupied with getting there on time. Suddenly the car in front of you [...]
