By Sandra Dorsainvil and Kristin McAtee Many of us recall the first years of adulting where the world was ablaze with possibilities. It was also full of anxiety as we worked to discern which opportunities to follow. The StudentServe program has been a wonderful place for young adult Baptists to consider the opportunities of mission … Continue reading
The following is a press release from CBF-partner Baptist History & Heritage Society. TUCKER, Ga. — Who is your Baptist hero? The Baptist History & Heritage Society (BHHS) announced today a free e-book and teaching resource highlighting the stories of Baptist heroes spanning the 415-year history of the Baptist tradition. Portraits of Courage: Stories of … Continue reading
By John DeWitt Danny Steis is the Children and Youth Pastor at Yates Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. Like so many other youth ministers, Steis was challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. “COVID Zooms were awkward. Many youth, children and families didn’t fully return, and something was just ‘lost’ when we resumed.” However, the youth ministry … Continue reading
Passport’s Growing Faith Initiative offers digital resources, engagement opportunities, and accessible spiritual activities to families with youth and children. Passport, Inc., a national student ministry, has received a grant for $1,000,000 from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc to support The Growing Faith Initiative. This grant is the largest independent donation grant in Passport’s 30-year history … Continue reading
It’s been a while since I was a teenager. So I’ll spare you the years and my embarrassment. Nevertheless, things have changed since my day of awkward pubescents. Teenagers face challenges today that I never faced. One thing hasn’t changed, though, the questions we wrestle with about our identity, belonging, and the Divine. “Life is … Continue reading
By Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed Back in the 1990s, when I was a teenager, youth ministry was relatively straightforward. My peers and I met for junior high and high school Sunday school and then attended worship. We came back on Sunday evenings for a less formal worship service and youth group (which often involved outings such … Continue reading
By Daniel Potter As I left the beautiful village of Montreat, NC, I passed through their familiar stone gateway. This year, specifically, it occurred to me that each time I have passed through that portal, I’ve done so as a different person. Life, certainly, has dictated that change. The first time I crossed as a … Continue reading
If I had access to a time machine, I’d travel back to my 14-year-old self and punch him in the face. But let’s be clear, I’d still do that to my nearly 38-year-old self too. I guess what I am trying to say is that I was not a successful teenager. Despite having remarkable parents … Continue reading
BSK’s Flourish Center for Congregational Imagination is offering a special workshop series for youth leaders. These online, non-credit workshops, entitled, Introduction to Youth Ministry and Essential Topics for Youth Ministry, include 6 sessions each. These workshops are geared not toward youth ministers who already have a Masters of Divinity degree, but toward those who may be working in … Continue reading
By Christian Davis In 2016, the Barna Group published its most recent edition of The State of Youth Ministry. This report contains studies of youth attendance and involvement in church activities, parent expectations, ministry strengths and weaknesses, and many others. Amongst the wealth of statistics gathered from these studies, there are also several interviews with … Continue reading