Just a few words
Sometimes, just a few words is all it takes. Have you ever thought, “I don’t know how to encourage people.” Most of us have. But […]
Youth
Caught Between Two Cultures
Second generation Canadians find the immigrant church they grew up in to be an institution that is out of touch, irrelevant and intolerant.
What I Learned at Camp with 60 Teens
Think campfires, loud cheers, a no-cell-phone policy, crazy costume competitions, zip-lining, Jesus songs, nick names, canoeing, under-the-sun devotionals, flashlight Marco Polo in the dark, and […]
Build Your Kingdom Here
Imagine entering a worship service to find a party going on.
Seeing and Believing
With the encouragement of my parents and my friends, I decided that I might as well give this conference a try. I still felt quite skeptical about attending, as I associated CY with the typical “Bible camp” stereotype (having no fun and having to hang out with self-declared “Bible scholars”).
Becoming Neighbours
“Canada’s darkest secret is being exposed; more importantly, it is being exposed with our younger generation.” Those were the emotional and difficult words of Eugene Arcand, residential school survivor and keynote speaker at Canada Youth 2014.
Talking To Your (Small) Kids About Easter
Last year I blogged about this very thing. So here it is again with a few tweaks: How do we teach our children about the […]
The Day I Got Old
I know it’s a weird blog title. I almost deleted the whole thing—but realized that would be to succumb to the very thing I’m warning […]
Small Beginnings
I sat among young people in the wood-paneled chapel of Presbyterian College. It was just after 9 a.m. on a Saturday and the city of Montreal was quiet. We were beginning a journey. For one week, these young people would be learning to preach.
Confirmation as Coming of Age
In our branch of the church, many teens are invited to “confirm” their faith, to own for themselves the promises their parents or godparents took […]
Oh How Hard It Is To Name Our Baby!
Perhaps you have some wisdom to help. My wife is expecting our third child. What a mind-blowing blessing. Hurricanes of gratitude coupled with wide fields […]
Signs You’re Getting Older (If You’re In Your 30’s)
Birthdays make you think about how young you are. They could make you think about how old you are too—but I’m thinking more positive these […]
Timeline: Youth Ministry and the National Church
The story of a sometimes growing, sometimes shrinking, sometimes embattled young people’s organization.
Want Young People in Your Church?
Our first Presbyterian Young People’s Society weekend was the catalyst that transformed our youth group from a small, improbable family affair into a vital, ongoing ministry. There is no single experience of PYPS. It once thrived in every synod in the country.
Ministry by Youth
As a preacher’s kid, I grew up in Presbyterian churches in small Ontario towns. Church was always a part of my life. But there’s a difference, in my experience, between attending a church and being part of a church.
Let Go, Let God
I’m not one who is big on change. I struggle with go-with-the-flow type plans and find sudden changes uncomfortable at best. So as God would […]
Living Fire
What does it mean to be “on fire”? This was a question I heard often prior to Canada Youth. Since I was invited to lead […]
How One Week Changed my Life
I started off my week at Canada Youth 2012 with a question in my head: “What on earth do I want to do with my […]
Christ In All Generations
Our ministry with youth is nothing more and nothing less than a participation with them in what the triune God is doing, across cultures, across social and economic groups and across generations. It involves everyone.
Experiencing God Together at CY2012
e are in the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre at Brock University and there is an awesome excitement in the room. Five hundred youth from all over […]