One of the beautiful truths that has jumped out at me in the last several years is that the Bible remains profoundly relevant. “Gender identity” was hardly a concept until recently, yet an ancient book, the Bible, speaks to it. Within its pages, we find the truth this world desperately needs.  We also discover the Person of Jesus Christ, who exemplifies the best way to interact with those who struggle with the deep pain, confusion, and sin associated with gender identity issues. Based on the truth of the Bible and the example of Christ, I offer this blog and the next to answer three quest ..read more

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.” 2 Timothy 1:6 (NLT)  “Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,” 2 Peter 1:12-13 (NASB)  “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:11-1 ..read more

The Easter season will soon be upon us! In this week’s blog, which will be published only a few short weeks before Easter, I just wanted to share an idea with you that could potentially have a great impact on your students and help them understand the meaning of Passover. I believe this idea will make your Easter celebration fun – but more importantly, memorable, and impactful to the students that you are ministering to.   A memorable way to celebrate is to put together a Seder meal for your students, or better yet, have a representative from Friends of Israel come in and demonstrate ..read more

The goal in my previous post was to help you understand the level of trauma children and teenagers experience when their parents choose to divorce. In this post, my goal is to give you some practical ways to minister caring, compassionate help to their hurting hearts.  If you’re like most youth leaders, you probably thought the most trauma you’d ever have to face in your ministry would be a twisted ankle from a game of football or a broken bone at summer camp. If you’ve been a leader for any length of time, you know that youth ministry is much messier than that!  The truth is that th ..read more

From the beginning, God created man to be in relationship with Him and each other. God ordained marriage to be a covenantal, life-long relationship between one man and one woman until death. God has a perfect design for marriage!  If you simply read through the first three chapters of Genesis, you are confronted with the destructive impact sin has on interpersonal relationships. At the very moment that Adam and Eve made the conscious choice to eat the forbidden fruit, their relationship with the Lord and each other was radically changed. Covered in shame and guilt, they clothed themselves ..read more

The experience that students receive on short-term missions trips often goes above and beyond their expectations. They learn that it’s not their skill or even their desire, but rather the Lord working in ways beyond their understanding that makes the real impact.   Here are three ways that short-term missions impact our youth:  Missions build individual faith to trust God for physical needs and build relationships.   Missions develop compassion for others. We find ourselves less self-focused, witnessing God’s hand at work changing lives and often it is our own life ..read more

The topic of student missions has become a controversial topic among many Christians and churches in recent decades. Some claim that sending students out on missions trips can hurt those they are trying to serve instead of helping those they are trying to serve. Others claim that student missions are glorified vacations and that the money donated to these opportunities would be better spent elsewhere in the church budget. Still more claim that student missions trips are no longer practical in our world that has been recently ravaged by illnesses like COVID-19, not to mention the growing politi ..read more

The journey of guiding teenagers in developing a devotional habit is no easy task. As leaders, it’s crucial to steer away from the temptation of resorting to sternness or imposing expectations. In this blog, we’ll explore a compassionate and effective approach to help teens establish a meaningful quiet time habit without the need for forceful tactics.  Addressing Faulty Thinking  Before diving into strategies, it’s essential to address faulty thinking that can hinder the development of a quiet time habit.  Sternness is Not Leadership  Being stern has the potential to create ..read more

When I think about the end of each year, two things come to mind. One is celebrating Christmas with family and the other is reflecting on the past 12 months. Hopefully, as a ministry leader, you are not only taking time to evaluate your personal life, but also to assess the ministry God has entrusted to you as well. It is so important to focus and energize the areas of our lives and ministry that may have lost momentum throughout the year.  The need for evaluation reminds me of one of my favorite childhood toys. This will certainly date me, but in 1974, Hot Wheels introduced the Redline T ..read more

Editor’s Note: Rick Thompson is the author of this year’s (2023–24) Word of Life Fifty1 curriculum module called, “Relationship Goals: Navigating with Wisdom.” This article is based on the content of that module. For more information on the module or to download it, visit www.teachersource.life.  One of the many beautiful things about the Bible is that it doesn’t only offer ethereal ideas and intangible theology. Rather, it gives us real-world, practical help with heartfelt issues. And what can be more heartfelt than the relationships students experience?  Relationship advice seems t ..read more