Pastor – Coach – Reader – Cook
In my last post on David Kinnaman's book You Lost Me I talked about nomads, those young people who walk away from church involvement but who still consider themselves Christians. There are two other groups Kinnaman looks at in the book: prodigals and exiles. Prodigals are young adults who leave the faith of their childhood…
Continue reading ➞ Young Adults Who Wander From Faith (You Lost Me 5)
As I mentioned in my previous post, I spent a week with Penn State Berks students, many of whom could be classified as "nomads." David Kinnaman defines the nomads in his book You Lost Me: For these young adults, faith is nomadic, seasonal, or may appear to be an optional or peripheral part of life.…
Continue reading ➞ Young Adults Who Wander From Faith (You Lost Me 4)
I spent most of last week dressed as Noah: tunic, cloak, itchy wig and a staff. The staff was perhaps confusing, some people saw me and thought I was Moses or just a crazy lost shepherd. The reason I dressed like this was that I had the privilege to join eleven Penn State Berks students…
David Kinnaman, in his book You Lost Me, notes that there are three broad ways of wandering from the faith. Nomads walk away from church engagement but still consider themselves Christians. Prodigals lose their faith, describing themselves as “no longer Christian.” Exiles are still invested in their Christian faith but feel stuck (or lost) between…
Continue reading ➞ Young Adults Who Wander from Faith (You Lost Me 2)
The Public Research Institute recently released their study titled "A Generation in Transition: Religion, Values and Politics among College-Aged Millennials" It is filled with interesting findings for campus ministers, or anyone who is connected with, college students. *They are generally independent but lean towards the Democratic party. *There is a move towards no affiliation with…
This semester our theme for Thursday nights is "God Questions?" We are looking at questions people on campus have about God, religion, the Bible and so on. Last night we discussed the Bible and slavery. Modern-day slavery, human trafficking, is an issue that more and more Christians are learning about and taking steps to end.…
Each year Beloit College releases a "mindset list". The goal is to provide "a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall". I love reading this list each year as it provides a window into the world incoming freshman have grown up in. Some of my favorites from…
"The soul needs amazement, the repeated liberation from customs, viewpoints, and convictions, which, like layers of fat that make us untouchable and insensitive, accumulate around us. What appears obvious is that we need to be touched by the spirit of life and that without amazement and enthusiasm nothing new can begin" - Dorothy Soelle …
Continue reading ➞ Almost Christian 8- Hanging Loose: The Art of Detachment
Drew Dyck writes the following in his article "The Red Bull Gospel: Over the past year I've conducted dozens of interviews with 20-somethings who have walked away from their Christian faith. Among the most surprising findings was this: nearly all of these "leavers" reported having positive experiences in youth group. I recall my conversation with…
Continue reading ➞ Almost Christian 7 – Going Viral for Jesus
My Kindle is getting a workout as Junia sleeps a lot, like many newborns. I enjoy holding her in one arm, and reading the Kindle in my other. There are loads of free books available on the Kindle, old books that are now public domain. The Kindle is perfect to hold in one hand, while…
