Relational Capacity and Ministry Burnout:
When I served as a pastor in my church, one of my primary challenges was navigating my own capacity, or lack thereof, for relationships. Every person has a certain capacity for relationships, influenced by factors like age, gender, and levels of extraversion. Have you ever stopped to wonder:
How many active relationships do I have?
How does my network of friendships impact my risk for burnout?
Helping youth find joy in the city
Children and youth have an ability to experience joy in the here and now; an abandonment of their present reality in order to enter an altered one temporarily. They don’t deny the reality of the pain and fear they live with, but they also know how to embrace joy.
Young people will witness and experience pain, suffering, challenges, and injustices in their lives. How can we help them to discover God’s joy for them in the midst of these circumstances?
Relationships
4 ways to make this summer unforgettable for your family
We are determined to savor all that this summer holds. Which is one of the many reasons I wanted to read Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s new book, The Power of Moments.
Leading short-term mission trips that do less harm and more good for orphans
Unfortunately, much of the short-term mission work done in the name of orphan care risks more hurt than help for the vulnerable children who feature as the objects and main characters of these trips. I’m grateful for others who have invested in research and gathered courage to call us to better work with orphans—work that can truly lead to justice and shalom.
Three reasons you shouldnt call your teenager a tech addict And five things you can do instead
You don’t need us to tell you that mobile devices are pervasive in our culture, specifically among teenagers. Roughly 3 out of 4 teenagers own a smartphone today in the US, granting unprecedented access to and constant contact with their peers and indeed the entire world.
Last week Common Sense Media released a comprehensive research brief on technology addiction among kids and teenagers. Addiction has been a buzzword swirling around young people and digital media for a while.
We’re as concerned as anyone about this at FYI.
-
Phantom Community: Whats the Power of Talk in a Digital Age?
Jan 21, 2016 -
How can I help my family recover from a post-holiday digital tech hangover?
Jan 07, 2016 -
Should I Buy My Teen an Apple Watch for Christmas? 4 Questions to Consider
Dec 17, 2015 -
How do I help my 13-year-old with social media- without losing my mind?
Dec 10, 2015 -
Why technology is the one area of our family thats not fair
Dec 01, 2015
4 ways to make this summer unforgettable for your family
We are determined to savor all that this summer holds. Which is one of the many reasons I wanted to read Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s new book, The Power of Moments.
Finding abundance through reclaiming our immigrant stories
“Your voice matters.” I cognitively know these phrases echo biblical truth. But as an Indonesian American, born in Indonesia but raised in Los Angeles, I have trouble believing the phrases for myself.
-
Neighboring well as an ethnic-specific church
Jun 01, 2018 -
When church is family: 4 ways to fuel warmth with young people
May 18, 2018 -
4 healing steps for leaders of color serving in white spaces
Apr 13, 2018 -
Guiding values for multicultural youth ministry
Mar 29, 2018 -
Our conversations about race can get better.
Jan 11, 2018