Mark Twain once quipped: “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow as well.” This should be the new motto of today’s adolescent. While adulthood has many benefits to be desired, its responsibilities make it something to be put off until many days after tomorrow. The good news for teens today…
Category: News
Leviticus is for First Graders
It had been at least five years since we did a major expired food clean-up out of what we call the “deep freeze” in these parts. All sorts of unidentifiable food encased in ice had to be chiseled out of the bottom shelf. My son and I enjoyed chipping out Zip-lock bag after Zip-lock bag,…
Is the Church Unbalanced?
In a recent interview, Pope Francis said that the Roman Catholic Church had become “obsessed” with abortion, gay marriage, and contraception, so he has chosen not to talk about those issues in the first months of his papacy. He also criticized the Church for putting dogma before love and for prioritizing moral doctrines over serving…
What our kids need now more than ever
I was intrigued by a recent Fox News opinion headline that stated: “America’s kids need football now more than ever.” So before reading the article itself, I tried to guess what the author’s argument would be (a little game I like to play when reading commentaries). I figured he was lamenting the current spotlight on…
Just Say No…to Say Yes
In 1982, First Lady Nancy Reagan introduced the slogan “Just Say No” in an effort to combat the rise of illegal drug use among youth. Growing up in that era, I’m not sure how much it curbed the drug use of my fellow high schoolers, but it was certainly a good message. Unfortunately, we have…
It’s Just Too Expensive to Have Kids
According to a recent U.S. government report, the average cost of raising a child born in 2012 to age 18 is now $241,080 ($301,970 if you adjust for inflation). And believe it or not, this projection doesn’t include money for college! This is a 2.6% increase from the previous year. The study also showed that…
Grieving Forbidden
We are edging ever so close to living in a world where grieving is forbidden–if the modern mental health establishment has anything to say about it. While that may sound wildly paranoid to you, consider the historic changes to the DSM (the diagnostic manual for mental health professionals) reviewed in an article in USA Today…
Just a Piece of the Bigger Kingdom Puzzle
It was a joy to travel to Huntsville, Alabama with my wife this past weekend to conduct a teacher training at Westminster Presbyterian Church (PCA). They are one of our latest churches to fully implement OSM’s Sunday School curriculum. It was great to be able to encourage them in the Biblical foundations of the Christian…
On Rainbow Flags and Boy Scouts
As a symbol of gay and lesbian pride, the rainbow flag has been around a long time–actually since 1978. But your children may ask you about it more often as of late, since it is showing up in all sorts of places–and is rumored to be making appearances in children’s television shows and movies. So…
Man on a Wire: Fearless, Faith-filled, or Foolish?
I grew up idolizing the daredevil Evel Knievel in the 1970’s. Not only did I watch every televised event, but I had my own Evel Kneivel action figure (and bike) so I could re-create the amazing stunts over and over again. As I got older, I grew out of my hero-worship, realizing that this man…
Are People Really Less Committed Today?
Those of us who make our living in full-time church ministry regularly lament that people are less committed today than they were in the past. It seems much harder to find people who will commit to teaching Sunday School (for more than a few months at a time), serve on a committee, lead a ministry…
The Bible is for Boys Too!
Warning: The following post contains many broad generalizations on the subject of boyhood and girlhood. Please trust that the author knows that not ALL girls or ALL boys are exactly alike. He certainly realizes that there’s a spectrum of both masculinity and femininity–so not ALL boys enjoy blood, guts, hunting and football; nor do ALL…
One Story Ministries 