This week was youth camp. There were some unbelievable obstacles. The camp facilities we used were not exclusive nor Christian. In fact I learned that it has been used for many thing in the past. Back in the 50s it was a Jewish camp. Of course I have no issues with this, but it began changing hands and was used as a Wiccan camp, nudist camp, and general drunken idiot party camp over the years. Beyond the deep spiritual issues there were many other problems, likely due to the spiritual issues. The camp had gone into disrepair in the past few years and had just been started back up. The … [Read more...]

So I'm a Christian, now what? That is what our series has been for the past several weeks. We have talked about baptism, communion, worship, prayer, reading the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and witnessing. Last week was about witnessing and the students were fired up and excited. I'm serious. They were shouting and wanting to get out and do it. This week I brought them into the main service and quickly went through the past several weeks for everyone so the "adults" would be caught up. Then I asked the students to get into small groups with the adults. Roughly 2 students and 2 adults. Then … [Read more...]

I'm finishing up a series with my students, "I'm a Christian, now what?" Basically I'm talking to them about what we can be doing as Christians and what the first steps are. I'm sharing with them some stories of Biblical heroes that did amazing things, and how we can start doing those things, but then sharing with theme some very real, practical first steps. We have talked about baptism, worship, prayer, and reading the Word over the past few weeks. Tonight we talked about the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I talked about how before Jesus, God's Spirit was with a very limited … [Read more...]

I am not dead, I tweet occasionally, but finding time to write more than 140 characters lately has been a stretch. It's been about two weeks since ATF and I still haven't done a follow-up post, so I guess that is what this will be about. Just to summarize, ATF was great. Now driving in Baltimore was evil, but worth it. Speaking of "worth it." They must have a bug on my computer that lets them in on my sermon notes. Over the course of the weekend they pretty much summarized everything I said for the last several months. The first night has a powerful drama that illustrated this idea. I … [Read more...]

I am a broken person. It might look like I have it together on the outside, but on the inside I'm totally broken. The thing is, I have a lot of people looking to me for the answers. It is tempting to try and put on a facade, to make it seem like I'm great. It would be nice if I had the answers, it would be nice if I could keep the juggling act going so that everyone would think I had the answers. I don't have it all together. I don't have the answers. I don't even know all the questions. I can't keep juggling things because eventually everything comes crashing down. Do you want to … [Read more...]

I am a person that internalizes everything. I'm always thinking, analyzing things. I pick up on a lot of things and build huge stories around them. Often this serves me well, but it also makes my full of doubt. I am constantly aware of others. I am picking up on their moods and how they look at me, talk around me, and act around me. I think these things through for a long time after the fact. Days later I am likely to be thinking through conversations and trying to figure out if what I said could have been done better or if I misunderstood things. This often leads to a lot of self … [Read more...]

Last week I wrote about the prevalence of depression in the students I work with and know of and how I want to try something different to help them. I am asking advice as I go forward because I know that the answers are bigger than I can imagine. I received this email and have obtained permission to publish it hear anonymously. I have stripped a couple of pieces out to keep anonymity, and I think later this week I will share some personal experiences I have with depression. This is the story of a real person, and I believe something that should guide me and others like me who seek to make a … [Read more...]