Category Archives: Theology or Church Life

What a year!

The Chinese have called 2016 the year of the monkey and that is fitting because this year has thrown some poo around!  This has been for many one crazy year.  Now I am not going to speak in hyperbole and say that it is the strangest year ever, or the most divisive year ever orContinue reading “What a year!”

What is the mission?

Yesterday I began a series of posts sharing the strategy of Surge Youth Ministries.  I will take the next few days examining each part of it.  If you get anything out of it great…really I just like sharing it because it solidifies it in my heart. The mission of Surge is to REACH the students,Continue reading “What is the mission?”

Surge Youth Ministries (an organizational structure)

Every successful ministry has to have a structure.  The pastors who wing it week to week will burn out and they nor their ministry will grow.  Every ministry I have led since the 90’s have been different in culture and style but one thing is constant they needed structure.  My church subscribes to the “PurposeContinue reading “Surge Youth Ministries (an organizational structure)”

Love God Love People

This month in Surge we are doing a series called Love God Love People.  The series is based on Mark 12:30-31 and will concentrate on 2 areas that we are to love God and two where we show our love for people.  This Sunday we will unpack the power of Prayer and moving from a consumeristicContinue reading “Love God Love People”

Teens prefer hard copies to digital

A new Barna study came out that revealed quite a lot of interesting things about current teenage culture in regards to faith.  One intersting insight is that teens prefer hard copies to the bible to their digital counterparts.  Teens Still Prefer to use a Hard Copy Bible in a Digital Age When teens read theContinue reading “Teens prefer hard copies to digital”

You need more than God

Now don’t pick up your stones to throw at me yet…hear me out.  Better yet hear God out. Genesis 1:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.” 19 So the Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky,Continue reading “You need more than God”

Can it be that simple?

I am placing the finishing touches on tomorrows sermon.  I am having a tough time.  We are systematically going through the book of Romans. I am preaching on Romans 5:12-21. It is a great passage that contrasts Adam and Jesus.  Death and Life.  Judgement and Justification.  I don’t have a problem with the text orContinue reading “Can it be that simple?”

3 ways to kill your Connection Group

We are getting ready to launch a new season of connection groups. Let me give you a few things to avoid as you gear up this semester.  These are 3 things that will certainly reduce your effectiveness if not outright kill your group. Forget the purpose.  The purpose of Connection Groups are to connect to God, eachContinue reading “3 ways to kill your Connection Group”

5 things I’ve learned working with teen recovery ministry

At the church I currently serve we offer a ministry to those who struggle with addiction, codependence and other struggles called Celebrate Recovery.  Last January we began to offer the youth arm of this ministry called “The Landing”.  As a pastor I love this ministry.  Taking the broken, the down trodden and the needy andContinue reading “5 things I’ve learned working with teen recovery ministry”