Jessica Misener recently shared 33 ways you may know you were a part of a youth group during your teen years, including You were so excited your crush was going to the lock-in; You went on a mission trip to Mexico, Guatemala, Haiti, Ghana, Nicaragua, Uganda, or Venezuela; Your parents bought you a purity ring; You prayed at school during "see you at the pole;" and All the concerts you went to gave you the opportunity to sponsor a kid. So What? I was never very involved in a youth Read More …
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Mega-Interest in Megachurches (#0991)
Warren Bird, research director at Leadership Network, recently shared the ten most popular blog posts on Leadership Network's blog during 2012. Interestingly, 40% of the posts on the list include the word megachurch in their titles: Youngest Megachurch Pastor World's First Megachurch How Many Megachurches? Biggest Megachurch Sanctuaries So What? Megachurches, congregations with worship attendance of at least 2,000 per weekend, have been growing in number and significance in Read More …
Power of Thought (#0989)
"The Scientific Power of Thought" is a short (just under 3 minutes) video that highlights the significance and far reaching implications of thoughts. So What? In less than a week, this video was viewed over 1 million times. In a culture that often appears obsessed with measuring any and every aspect of human doing, understanding the power of imagination allows for a more robust appreciation of its value. How do you seek to develop your own use of imagination? Does your Read More …
Being Teen Online (#0972)
Zone Alarm recently posted an important infographic: The Secret Life of the Online Teenager. While more than 4 in 5 teens use social media and more than 95% of all teens are confident in their ability to stay safe online, the details of their online behavior offer parents, educators and other caring adults reasons to monitor the online actions of teens. More specifically, 69% openly reveal their physical locations 32% of teen girls and 24% of teen boys chat with strangers Read More …
Memorable Moments in Worship (#0938)
Some church services are more memorable than others. While many faithful churchgoers have heard hundreds or even thousands of sermons, most can only recall a few in any detail. The following video from Hickory Grove Baptist Church illustrates what I imagine was the most memorable moment for almost everyone present in that service. Catch The Kid from Hickory Grove Baptist Church on Vimeo. So What? Pastor Clint Pressley likely prepared for many things, but apparently not Read More …
Youth Ministry Is (#0937)
Rachel Blom is a seasoned youth ministry leader who founded Youth Leaders Academy: "a blog aimed at training youth leaders worldwide to serve better in youth ministry." Recently she wrote about her understanding of the shift underway in the preferred model or paradigm for youth ministry. More specifically, she believes it is shifting from big youth ministry to smaller youth ministry; from event-driven and program-oriented to personal and relational; from making Read More …
Does Distance Matter? (#0926)
Cor Chmieleski, senior associate pastor at Hope Community Church (Minneapolis, MN), recently asked "how far is too far?" when it comes to the distance people will travel to participate in a community of faith. Chmieleski lives six miles from the church he serves, but passes "more than 50 churches" on his commute. He questions whether, in the current era, distance should matter and if there is a point at which a congregation should encourage those who travel over a certain distance to Read More …
Thankful America Is Not a Christian Nation (#0921)
On this Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful that America is not a Christian nation. Parker Palmer, a best selling author, regularly dispenses incredible wisdom in his writings. In a Huffington Post Thanksgiving article, Palmer shares why he is "grateful that America is not and cannot be a Christian nation." More specifically, he argues that historical and present-day reality clearly show that America is not a Christian nation: Lack of a government established Read More …
Teens & Sleep (#0899)
Understanding the Zombie Teen's Body Clock may sound like a Halloween challenge, but is actually the title of Sue Shellenbarger's recent Wall Street Journal article exploring just how different the adolescent sleep cycle is from that of childhood or adulthood. Zombie teens experience a "biological 1-2-3 punch:" Puberty creates a median 1.5-hour delay in the body's release of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. The buildup of the need to sleep as the day wears on, Read More …
Removing the Cross (#0895)
Louisiana State University recently shared an image of the Painted Posse in the school's e-mail newsletter that has generated significant controversy. Rather than using the original image, the school shared an edited image that removed the small cross painted on each man's chest. When questioned, the following explanation was offered: We don't want to imply we are making any religious or political statements, so we air-brushed it out. Later, the University reversed Read More …