The season of Advent is upon us. In the last few days, you may have been inundated with ads for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping deals. To help swing our collective focus away from consumerism and towards charity, tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. For Jesus’ church, it goes without saying that every Tuesday (or any day of the week really) is Giving Tuesday. Jesus reminds us we are to serve, not be served. We are called to give rather than receive (which
Note: There were unforeseen disruptions in the setup and during the recording. Our apologies for those who were not able to join online. 3 Key Insights from Adrian and Louise For many in other parts of the world, COVID-19 isn't in the top 3 of their current crises. Our Canadian churches have much to learn from the Global South. Partnerships between Canadian Baptist churches and field
Christmas is (at the time of publication) 46 days away. It seems soon, and perhaps overwhelming when, with our current pandemic, many of the ways we celebrate Christmas will change. Changing how we celebrate doesn’t lessen the significance or the message of Jesus’ birth, however. I (Alvin) hope your church (at least within your youth ministry and among some of the church leaders) has already started those conversations about what Christmas celebrations will look like this year. If you haven’t,
Many youth continue to look for ways to make a difference with their life. As the church that is invested in the lives of these young people, we desire to see them deepen their faith and develop the gifts and skills God’s entrusted to them. We care about their faith development. One key question is: what could be a next step for them? In what area do they need help to stretch and grow as disciples of Christ? There are many ways your church can help facilitate next steps. It could be partnering youth (individually
“Identify your high school grads and their plans.” High school graduation is an exciting time in a person’s life. It’s the closure of one chapter and the anticipation of the next one to come. As the pastor, acknowledging this rite of passage is crucial. At least know who’s graduating this year in your church. You may not be able to connect with them regularly, but at least knowing who they are is a great start. What specific
3 Key Insights from Tanya Digital discipleship needs to be an integral part of the entire discipleship strategy. Curate a playlist (of activities, videos, etc.) for asynchronous learning. Learning can be customized specific for the individual based on their learning intelligence, current faith stage, interests, etc. Bonus Content Designing Faith Formation Playlists (from Lifelong Learning) Designing Faith Formation Playlists (from Vibrant Ministry) Guide
In a couple of weeks, neighbourhoods across Quebec and Ontario will be celebrating Halloween. It’s a time when people in the community are out and about sharing a little fun with one another, which gave us opportunities to interact with them. Pre-COVID, many of our youth ministries were involved in community Halloween events or fundraising efforts such as “Trick or Treat for Hope” to share the love of Christ. This year will look different. First of all, stay up to date with what your local public
Youth Pastors Retreat 2020: Reloaded Follow-Up Download the Focus Group Questions
It goes without saying that 2020 has held unexpected events. So much has happened since March. We are asked to approach Thanksgiving with hearts of gratefulness, but as it approaches being grateful will be easier for some than for others. There are many in our communities (local or regional), and maybe in our churches, who are feeling great anxiety, tension and stress as a result of COVID-19. However, the question remains for each of us individually, “Do I come to God with unreserved thanksgiving?” In Psalm 27, David reminds us of
Although most high school students are getting into some kind of back-to-school rhythm, their year will be unlike any other. And think about how different it will be for those who are graduating in 2021! It’s just as vital as ever for us to come alongside them as they navigate their move from high school to whatever post-secondary chapter they choose. Our grad mentoring kit is still available as a
