The only time I have been superman—and I have been superman—was for superhero day during Spirit Week at the boarding academy I worked at. That was the only time. Youth leaders (and teachers) often suffer from a superman complex, where they think they need to act like superheroes to be good youth leaders. A Superman Complex is […]
Families are God’s foundation for a healthy society–and our foundation for a healthy church community! Below is the nitty-gritty of why families are so important. At a Youth Specialties’ National Youth Workers Convention (NWYC) in 2010, I spent time with Wayne Rice, who co-founded Youth Specialties in 1968; he helped shape professional youth ministry as we […]
When I lived on Orcas Island, WA, I started a youth club called Next Level Pathfinders. For a field trip, I took them to Seattle’s IMAX to see a film on George Mallory and Mt Everest, then to REI to climb the third tallest indoor wall in the world. On that day we literally took […]
Having a really good dream and waking up realizing it wasn’t true—that is disappointing. But having a really good dream and waking up every morning to live it—that is exciting! Like Martin Luther King said to a crowd of 200,000, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of […]
Are you preparing your child to live courageously? Charles A. Smith, in his book Raising Courageous Kids, said “We are not born heroes. The journey to find courage begins at birth. As the seed of courage begins to grow, young children discover their emerging power, influence, and capacity for love.” Like one makes it to […]
How did my mother ever do it!? A single mom with two boys, she put my brother and me through Christian School (an expensive proposition), gave us the opportunity to learn how to ski (another expensive activity), took us to church, and did many other things to give us the best life possible. I know my […]