Blog
Is life getting better for gay teens?
The answer, it seems, is yes and no. According to Joseph Kahn of the Boston Globe: “While physical assaults on gay teens may be declining overall — thanks to many factors, including tougher antibullying laws and more support systems for high schoolers who choose to “come out’’ — there’s ample evidence, too, that bullying and…
Read MoreWalk Where I Walk
Michael Smith is your typical middle or high school student, with one exception. He’s one of the millions of students who live in an urban setting. The term urban has taken on many definitions, however most would say that urban areas are made up of many different races, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds. Michael’s also one…
Read MoreUrban Youth Worker Survey
Running the Race in Urban Youth Ministry This survey is to get a sampling about how various ministries are doing Youth Ministry. There is no magic formula for what we do but there are best practices based on the needs of the youth you serve. Thank you for your input as our ministry does some…
Read MoreHigh-Risk Youth
by Efrem Smith When I was growing up, I was labeled at risk simply because I was African- American and lived in the city. On further review, once it was known that I lived in a two-parent, middle-class home, that label was lifted (for some). Some people label youth at risk because of how they…
Read MoreAct now to help our Dreamers
At the recent CCDA National Conference in Chicago, we heard some amazing stories about a group of undocumented young people we called Dreamers, via CCDA member organization, Neighborhood Ministries, in Phoenix. One young man’s dreams of playing football and more importantly, having the money to attend college, seemed within reach after being pursued by a…
Read MoreMore teens becoming ‘fake’ Christians
If you’re the parent of a Christian teenager, Kenda Creasy Dean has this warning: Your child is following a “mutant” form of Christianity, and you may be responsible. Dean says more American teenagers are embracing what she calls “moralistic therapeutic deism.” Translation: It’s a watered-down faith that portrays God as a “divine therapist” whose chief…
Read More“I am my School” and other Student Prayers for New York
Goliaths fall when adults like Saul get out of David’s way. For the last twelve months, student leaders from greater New York have proven this truism time and again. Now some are organizing a citywide prayer walk of 1,600 public schools the weekend of Halloween and inviting the city’s 7,100 churches to participate. Imagine that:…
Read MoreUYWI West Coast – Early Bird $79 deadline is Thursday
Tomorrow, Thursday April 15th, is the Early Bird Deadline. The conference cost is $79 right now, but after Thursday it will go up to $99. Are you coming?
Read MoreWebinar Recording: Faith Based Leadership
Did you miss today’s Webinar? Watch the recorded broadcast here:
Read MorePart 4: Think Gobally, Act Locally: Teaching Your Urban Youth to See the World
By Leneita Fix About four years ago a good friend of mine from The Acts 2 Ministry in Roanoke, VA called me with a proposition. “Do you think that I could bring a couple of our inner city youth, to serve in your city for a week?” She had this brilliant idea to help students…
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