Flat tires and flexible schedules
It’s 6:30 in the morning and my cell phone is ringing. As a youth pastor, that’s usually not a good sign. “Hello,” I answer. “You’re never going to believe this, but I’m on the side…
Category Archives: Ministry
Lesson from a Racing Homing Pigeon…
The bird on the right came to visit my family last weekend. It is a Racing Homing Pigeon (yes, people do this) that had lost its way. It was tame enough that we could capture it,…
Dress for Success: Response
The original article this post addresses is found here… In 13 years of Rural Youth Ministry, there are a few things I’ve learned. One of these important lessons is that the daily schedule of a…
Dress for success
I am not your typical youth pastor. For one, I detest coffee. I don’t touch the stuff. I also don’t dress like the “typical” youth minister does. I hate flip flops. I’ve never worn them,…
Lessons about the Bible, found on the farm: #1 – Animals are Dumb and So are we…
Growing up on a farm can bring some insight to the lessons that Jesus teaches us in the Bible. This lesson comes from John 10: 1-16 (ESV) 1″Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does…
You need time boundaries in ministry
I had just sat down to a dinner out with my family. We had only been in the community a couple of months as I started my new ministry at the church. Between hosting families…
Ministry at a moment’s notice
It was 4 a.m. when my cell phone rang one morning. Sheepishly, I picked up the phone and answered it. “Hello,” I groggily replied. “Wayne, they’ve taken my dad away. He wasn’t breathing. I’m so…
#RuralYouthMinistry is out there….
Rural Youth Ministry is out there. It is on the “fringe” of what many are planning for and talking about in youth ministry today. It’s not glamourous. You are more likely to feed livestock than…
Contextualizing Tragedy
This post may just be cathartic. I’m a writer. When I’m upset, aggravated, frustrated or out of answers, I write. It’s what I do. It’s how I best communicate with the world and with Jesus. …
Things Heard in the Car on the way back from CIY Believe…
In Rural Ministry, it’s not often that you get a chance to take a weekend and focus on “just” middle school or high school students. However, CIY Believe is one of those weekends. I get…
A Day at DOFO with Michael Brown
When we get groups to come and visit our home one of the questions they always ask is what does an average day at DOFO look like? So here is my attempt… The day starts…
You are an expert
In my first ministry, I had the dreaded conversation many youth ministers fear. As I was gently talking to a parent about their child’s behavior, the father placed his hand on my shoulder and said,…