D6 Blog
5 Things a Youth Pastor Will Gain from Seminary
You’re already busy and on the front lines of youth ministry, so why go to seminary now? Denise Muir Kjesbo, Bethel Seminary’s children’s, youth, and family ministry program director, along with Heather Flies, the program’s youth ministry advisor, weigh in on five benefits you’ll gain—perhaps unexpectedly!—from seminary. 1. Advocacy for those you minister. Although the list of skills and knowledge you’ll gain at seminary is lengthy, the young ones you serve also gain something:...
5 Reasons Not to Do Family Ministry
Many churches are jumping on the Holy Spirit powered reformation of family ministry. Unfortunately, some are exploring family ministry for the wrong reasons. Here are five reasons NOT to build a family ministry in your church. The majority of children and teens...
2 Reasons Why Perfect Parenting Won’t Work
I was blessed to grow up as a pastor's kid. That's right, I was blessed to have the parents I have. Some seem to resent the fact they grew up as a PK, but I do not. Not that I'm better than other PKs; just that although there were times I wish we could have gone to...
Our Marriage Evaluation
Every year on our anniversary my wife Lynsey and I have what we call "Marriage Evaluation." I was talking to a friend about it yesterday and he said, "Did she get a raise?" The answer is yes! Lynsey gets a raise every year and I almost get fired every year! 🙂 But...
Christianity’s Orphans
I just watched a new version of Oliver Twist. It shows the barefoot, ill-kept orphan boys carrying their bowls to mealtime where each will receive one measly serving of an awful gruel. Those who run the orphanage gorge themselves on a delicious feast a few feet away...
You Are Free to Disobey
Thanks to the ministries of guys like Dr. Kevin Leman, Dr. James Dobson, and Dr. John Townsend, we learned some pretty key parenting lessons early on. One of the lessons that resonated with us early in our parenting journey was this: One of our primary goals as...
Calm Decisions Under Pressure
Ever face critical decisions with only seconds to think? Watching sports may cause some to think of coaches who have to quickly decide a call to make. Do I kick the field goal at this stage of the game? Do I bring in the left-hander? Do I make the line change now or...
D6 to Families of All Abilities
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And He has claimed you as His, regardless of any other labels the world places on you: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. even if inattention or...
Please Do Not Disturb
When I check into a hotel alone, I have a personal policy that I hang the “Do not disturb” door hanger on my door immediately for three primary reasons, each of which fits the category of personal protection. First, you will laugh, it helps me remember which room I am...
Oops, I Missed One
When I was eight, one of the activities I most enjoyed was coloring, hiding, and finding Easter eggs. Yes, I know Easter was several days ago, but hang in there with me. After church we always went home for lunch. There was always more food on the table than the...
Bonsai Leadership
The Karate Kid movie made bonsai trees popular in America. In this 1984 movie, Mr. Miyagi teaches a young boy Karate through unusual methods and the famous phrase “wax on, wax off.” Mr. Miyagi also grew bonsai trees, a curious looking botanical oddity. Bonsai trees,...
“Doing Book” With Your Kids: Tales of the Not Forgotten
Recently, I began to read the book Tales of the Not Forgotten by Beth Guckenberger, with my oldest son, Warren. Warren is nine but is an advanced reader. He’s reading some four hundred+ fiction books that he loves; my challenge has been to try to pry him away from...
The Fruit of a Godly Legacy
I hear a lot about how young adults leave church. Some believe this to be the fault of the parents. No discipleship going on in the home. A hypocritical faith of the parents. No intentionality in their parenting. My story is not like that. By God’s grace, I haven’t...