Deep Fry

Like many, there's much on my mind in light of Friday's Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage.

First off, I don't support the decision, as I strongly believe God instituted the covenant of heterosexual marriage for our highest good (not to mention what God creates and establishes is infallible*).

Yet while it's difficult to watch our country celebrate an assumed idea of freedom (i.e. culturally defined) as opposed to an absolute reality of freedom (God defined), I’m not discouraged.

Why? Because ultimately…God is in control**.

I mean…if hell is God’s way of showing respect for human freedom, why would the issue of homosexuality be any different?

Granted, I know the topic is a hot one...and we all love to be right…to be the victim…to be the hero; I’m not writing this to start a war.

However, I do want to make a few things clear I feel would benefit everyone:

1) Just because I don’t support gay marriage, doesn’t mean I hate gays.
2) Just because I don’t hate gays, …

In a previous post, I outlined five important lessons for 21stcentury youth pastors. Today, I'm going to switch gears by discussing three of the biggest challenges youth leaders face on a daily basis.

1) The Parent-Youth Pastor Relationship

As a parent of two under two, I can’t fully relate to the stress of seasoned parents; however, while I may not have conquered potty training or the volcano science fair project, I do know:

While parents understand their youth better, this doesn’t mean they understand the youth group better1.While parents can be a youth pastor’s most challenging relationship, if trust and communication is established from the get-go, it will have a greater opportunity to flourish.

In my experience, I’ve seen it all: parents asking other parents or staff questions they should be asking me, parents criticizing my effort to other pastors and parents, parents pulling their kids out of youth group without explanation, parents not making any effort to connect, parents …

No question, we were made for community…to dwell in peace and harmony with one another (Romans 12:16; 1 Corinthians 1:10, Colossians 3:14).
Unfortunately, in this day and age, it’s far too easy to lose sight on what real community is. And while many point the finger to “rugged individualism”, technological advances, and unholy tolerances…perhaps the biggest culprit lies in how we culturally define relationship, specifically…that relationship and community are the same thing…and that community is the byproduct of formed the relationships.
Granted, such falsehood is easily bought, especially when you factor in we’re living in the most narcissistic age the world has ever seen. Yet, when we take what we hear and experience and contrast it to God’s Word, we find the truth looks radically different.
You see, before creation, community existed within the Trinity. There was no need for God to bond with Jesus…no need for the Holy Spirit to befriend God…no need for Jesus to send a Facebook friend …