Faces Change. . . The Youth Worker and Pornography. . .
When living out your calling includes hour after hour spent standing at the front of a room, your intuitive ability to read the faces in the crowd sharpens. Are they with me? Are they bored? Am I connecting? Do I…
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A Desperate Sign of Our Crazy and Empty Times. . . .
You could call this news of the weird or just too crazy to be believable. Still, my newspaper says it’s true. . . and it got me thinking. It’s one more sign of the times and our complete obsession with…
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Shhhh. . . It’s a Secret. . . Don’t Tell Verna. . .
I’ve got a friend you need to meet. And if you’re in Atlanta at the National Youth Workers Convention tonight, you will. . . but you have to keep it quiet. Verna Kline is in her 80’s. She drove to…
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Thanksgiving, Drought, Famine. . . and Ibrahim. . .
Thanksgiving is one week away. I thought about that this morning. Sadly, the thought was sparked by knowing that there’s only a week to get any preparation finished. . . and there’s lots to do. Realizing I needed to re-focus…
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An Invitation into Praying Deeply. . . .
I’ve found a new morning companion in Scotty Smith’s recently released book, Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith. Scotty invites us to pour our hearts out to God each morning in ways that are truly transforming. I am…
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Sexual Predators. . . Some Facts from the Penn State Case. . .
I’m sure there’s much that hasn’t been said that’s going to surprise lots and lots of people. What has been already been said is quite horrifying. . . almost too horrible to digest. Have you read the grand jury report…
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Joe Paterno. . . And More Lessons. . .
Yesterday morning I was sitting with my wife in the Susquehanna Club at the Harrisburg International Airport. The TV to our left was on Fox News. I looked above Lisa’s head and saw a large framed photo on the wall…
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Thinking About Coach Sandusky. . . .
We have a picture of our son Josh with Jerry Sandusky. During his middle school years, Josh attended Coach Sandusky’s local football camp. Meeting Sandusky was a treat. The guy worked under the legendary Joe Paterno, he was the defensive…
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Homeschooling. . . Now This Makes Sense. . . .
What took the longest on this post was coming up with a title. I’ve got the sneaky suspicion that anything I write in that title slot is going to get me in trouble with somebody. I’ve settled for what it…
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The Lesbian Homecoming King and Queen. . . .
This is a story that is much more multi-layered and complex than any of us might imagine. In day’s past, you might read the headline someone sent me from the San Diego Reader – “In Bold Step Forward, Patrick Henry…
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The More I Think I Know. . . .
Yesterday was a shot in the arm. We had a full day with a room full of pastors, youth workers, parents, and seminary students at the Evangelical Theological Seminary Fall Forum on “Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture.” I typically…
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Educational Masochism. . . Kids Who Study Too Much. . . .
Never did anyone accuse me of spending too much time on my homework. Nobody. Not teachers. Not my parents. Not even me. To be honest, I put in more time during my middle and high school years plotting how to…
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