This year I am celebrating my 50th year focused on teenagers and the adults important to teenagers. What a blessing it has been for the Lord to give me this ministry focused on youth for my lifetime. Yet, after a...
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I have encountered very few youth workers who intentionally marginalize the gospel. Most youth workers genuinely care for students and want to help them discover God’s calling on their lives. Despite our good intentions and all the attention given to…
Whenever I’m faced with a big project, I try to approach it in pieces. I break it down into doable parts and work my way towards finishing the whole. When I heard Dr. Richard Ross speak at D6 Conference, I…
Recently I asked a group of almost 300 youth workers from across the country who primarily work with students ages 12-18 this question: “What is your biggest challenge in partnering with parents?” This was a cross section of those who…
I love going to conferences for children, youth, and family ministry. Mostly because I love the energy around this particular group of people. Let me explain. These people work with the future. They are constantly immersed in working with “the…
Planning Center loves churches. In fact, two thirds of our team have worked on staff at churches. We know what it’s like to be in the trenches, struggling with the complex problems a church faces. Sometimes, adding a complicated management…
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) Parenting teens is a tough job….
We live in a fast paced world. Due to technology, the rate of change increases exponentially every year, and as churches, ministry organizations, and families, it can sometimes be difficult to know exactly where to plug in. At D6, we’ve…
I have good news for you parents! Your darling pre-teen/early teen will one day emerge from the months of awkwardness and you will find yourself looking into the face of an amazing young man or young woman. Can I get…
There are some people that you just click with. It’s easy to sit down together and talk about what matters most because you share something: an unspoken affinity for what drives you. Conversation flows naturally. You’re inspired by hearing each…
