Teenage Suicides
Brad, my awesome FYI colleague, sent me an article about teen suicides by train in Palo Alto, where I went to college. I can picture the train tracks…
Archive October 14, 2010
Family Dinner Day
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University recently released its fifth report on the Importance of Family Dinners, compiling yet another set of research…
Abandoning Teen Athletes
I’ve long been concerned about what we do to teenage athletes in our culture.
Ben Stephens Interview Ministry to Young Men
Kara Powell interviews Pastor Ben Stephens, minister to youth and young adults at West Angeles Church of God in Christ and Doctor of Ministry student at Fuller in the Youth, Family and Culture program. Ben shares about his ministry and research specifically with the opportunities and struggles facing African American young men.
A Place for the Marginalized
One of the most outspoken Americans on behalf of the marginalized died yesterday. Eunice Kennedy Shriver died at 88 years old, far from a marginalized person herself.
Bouncing Back Increasing Resilience for Hurting Kids
Our kids face obstacles every day — difficulties with friends, stress at school, issues with boyfriends or girlfriends.
But many of the students we work with also face larger obstacles-poverty, violence at school or in their neighborhood, parents getting divorced, …
Megan Hutchinson Interview Help for Hurting Kids
Brad Griffin interviews FYI Advisory Council member Megan Hutchinson, youth pastor and author of Life Hurts — God Heals and Secret Survivors: Real-Life Stories to Give You Hope for Healing, about working with hurting and broken kids and families even through our own brokenness.
When Hope is Thin
Last Sunday my wife and I led our church’s middle school group. We talked about apathy — the “Who cares?” response to situations or people around us, and sometimes our response to God.
Ministering to Abusive Families Changing the Rules
There are few more paralyzing situations in youth ministry than facing families trapped in the cycle of abuse. If you’ve ever wondered, “What can I do to help?”, this article offers deeper understanding and helpful starting points.
Fair Sentencing for Youth
The foremost responsibility of any society is to ensure the well-being of its children. If we are going to be faithful as the people of God, then we must care for the Children of God, regardless of where they are …