I wondered, could I become an expert in prayer? Why not? Prayer is central to who (and whose) I am. It’s how I set aside time to listen to God and share what’s on my heart. It’s the foundation of our relationship. Of course I’d love to be an expert in prayer. Have it down pat so that when I prayed, I’d have instant access. A crystal clear direct line.
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The Latin word vocare means to call forth or be called into a new existence. When placed with a theological framework, vocation requires choice and a journey of formation will eventually bring new life and identity. The Biblical tradition establishes the genesis of creation as vocation, a calling forth by God through the agency of the Holy Spirit.
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As children of God, we are called to work for the eradication of racism, whether in the church, or in the community. With the utilization of education, group interaction, anti-racism dialogues, and prayer, the goal of such training is to bring about mutual understanding, respect, appreciation, and fair treatment of people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.
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Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: adults, anti-racism, children's ministry, Christian formation, diversity, resources, social justice, young adults, youth ministry 
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I can’t tell you whether the “f” word was used or implied with a bleep. I can’t tell you how many times the bullies did horrible things to the boy on the bus. I can’t even tell you if what I saw was rated R or PG-13. What I can tell you is that I will be taking my youth group to see this film.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: Bully - The Movie, bullying, movies, parents, The Hunger Games, youth ministry 2 Comments »
Two great ideas from two great presentations: a group building exercise that is formational and a handy wallet-size prayer practice to tuck into all your teens’ pockets.
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Choosing a curricular resource is an important decision. It is one that you can hopefully live with for at least two or three years. But remember, curriculum (currere = a course to be run) is a tool to help you and your student get from “one place to another.” It is hopefully one of a variety of resources you will tap into to help others along their spiritual journey and faith development.
| Posted in Featured, Ministry |
Tags: adults, children's ministry, Christian formation, curriculum, resources, young adults, youth ministry Comments Off
Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve.
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Tags: Christianity, God, movies, resources, young adults, youth ministry Comments Off
“We don’t need kids because they are ‘the church of tomorrow,’” said Root, who holds a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. “We need them because we need their theological voice now.”
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Tags: Christian formation, teacher training, youth ministry Comments Off
If we are to live into a vision of theological education for all, we must be single-minded. Yes, money is important. Yes, diversity is important. Yes, paying attention to the everyday needs of our particular institutions is important. But one of the demands of this vision is a single-minded focus on education as a central need for our church.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: adults, advocacy, children's ministry, Christian formation, future, leadership, mission, theological education, young adults, youth ministry Comments Off
Are there spiritual formation implications with The Hunger Games? Christians have our own history that includes children dying in arenas, and we have plenty to talk about here.
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Tags: Christian formation, culture, movies, The Hunger Games, youth ministry Comments Off
Holy Week is a time to stay current and connected to your youth. Consider with the youth ways in which twenty-first century discipleship calls us to go to the cross. What are the crosses youth will need to bear in the twenty-first century?
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry, Spirituality |
Tags: Christian formation, Holy Week, youth ministry Comments Off
We have learned that tending to growth requires tending to worship and education for all ages. Arguably the most significant shift in our congregation has been our emphasis on education and worship for all.
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Tags: adults, children's ministry, Christian formation, worship, youth ministry Comments Off
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