the    sides

Here is part of the Q & A I had with youth leaders across the southern states of Brazil.. Name a couple of early leadership lessons that still impact you today. First, I’m not God. Second, if I’m going to make it long term in ministry, I better get good at feeding myself spiritually. Both [...]

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One of the highlights of the trips for me had to be the opportunity to sit with over 20 youth workers from all over Rio Grande de Sol, Brazil. Most churches are very small and Catholicism & Spiritism still dominates the culture. Think Voodoo mixed with patron saints. We were told that most folks go [...]

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Sunday may have been the most significant service we’ve had at WH since I’ve been here. We put our graduating seniors on stage and then let the church loose. For the next 90 minutes, these students heard how we have seen God work in them and through them. No agenda, no music, just God-stories all [...]

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Sunday, August 2 9.00 am I’ve been up at the church for almost an hour now, listening to the worship team practice, smelling the eggs and sausage from the men’s breakfast. I didn’t go to the breakfast this morning. I normally do but today is going to be a long but an awesome day. We’ll [...]

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Ebenezer: name of Hebrew origin meaning “Stone of the help” (derived from the phrase “Eben ha-Ezer”). Stone of the help. “Here I raise my stone of the help.” A marker to help us remember the provision or presence of God. Our students are having their own “Ebenezer Moment” this coming Sunday night. (6 pm, at [...]

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We’ll show this in the morning at church but it gives some pictures to what I was talking about yesterday.

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Yes, I’ve been quiet over the last few weeks. A much needed time of recharging and DOING life instead of just writing about it. This past year in Christian Education (don’t get me started on that term) circles there has been some debate over the need/effectiveness of student ministry in the ‘new culture.’ There is [...]

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It’s been 10 days since I last blogged. It was good to have a break. Now time to break the fast. Last night we had our Christmas Party/Junk Food/Gift Exchange Extravaganza. It was a blast. Couple of highlights for me. First, commissioning Toby. I got Toby a real shepherd’s crook as well as a copy [...]

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For whatever reason…there were a lot of funny moments at Student Parking last night. I will not provide context. Just enjoy… “So…you’re saying they are redoing the Sonic in Elizabeth?” “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” “This is it.” “Alrighty then.” “You can turn down the heat but you can’t turn off the hotness.” “Some [...]

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It’s over, done, finished…at least the event is. Let’s hope the effect of it keeps working for a lot longer. Here’s the quick hit of the weekend… 3 Sessions – snapshots of Jesus. His temptation (no shortcuts), his sermon (on the mount – extreme truth), his heart (sinners loved to hang with him – extreme [...]

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