Blog posts from Alvin
We are excited to announce a new way to connect with you! A text message system called msgbox allows you to text our CBOQ Youth office number 416-620-2946 and one of our youth staff will respond to your inquiry. You can still call us if you like, but when you text it’s just like texting any number; nothing changes on your end. What will be helpful is our new text
After each retreat season, someone inevitably asks me which one was better. After going through 31 separate Blizzard retreats, I've realized that, from a life transformation perspective, each one has its own unique distinctions. For Blizzard 1, Leanne and Dallas Friesen used 4 sign posts to see where Jesus reroutes us: intersection, detour, one way and traffic lights. (For those who attended, see if you can remember what each one
AVALANCHE 2017 It's been almost 2 weeks since Avalanche finished. But the impact of Avalanche hasn't faded. Over 560 students and leaders gathered at Muskoka Woods, to see how Jesus might intercept their lives. Our speaker Heather Flies challenged students with the gospel in a way that made sense to them. She left them with these five challenges: What distractions need to be removed? Who will you connect with so
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Today, most students head back to school after two weeks away, which means many youth ministries kick into the unofficial second half of the ministry year. At CBOQ Youth, we’re able to enter our high season. We have seven events within 10 weeks that range from Avalanche to Centre Court. We appreciate your prayers as we enter this season. Many of you will be returning to the
The Christmas season is usually full of energy (perhaps a feeling of hurriedness). We celebrate the birth of Christ on earth with gusto. But we need to sometimes step back. In Luke 2, there are two instances the Bible tells us where Mary stepped back and “treasured these things in her heart.” Once was after the shepherd’s exclamation (Luke 2:19) and the other happened several years later when Jesus stayed
Can you believe Christmas is only 27 days away? The advent season has begun. What will make it unique for you and/or your youth ministry this year? Here are some thoughts: What “out of the routine” adaptation can you make? Sometimes we get so used to tradition/routine that we miss the essence of Christmas. Try varying what you do, for example if you always serve at a soup kitchen, try
Last week, our Canadian Baptist Youth and Family team met together. This semi-annual gathering allows us to pray and discuss what opportunities might be available for us nationally. CB Youth & Family team exists to advocate for and make possible national and global synergies in the areas of youth, family and young adult ministry. In order to achieve this, there are four objectives: Make possible both national and global youth and
“Divine Interruptions.” Several people (from John Ortberg to Rachel Held Evans) have elaborated on this concept . We’re aware of their existence, but how do divine interruptions intersect with social media and our digital lives? First, I offer a working definition of a divine interruption: a moment that shifts you from your expected or routine state toward a God-intended purpose. These are unexpected moments, during which we might step back
“Life moves pretty fast, and if you don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it.” (Ferris Bueller) There are moments to remember in youth ministry, especially those that happen later on in the year. Here are some suggestions. Have a prayer board. You can outline the parameters that are needed to ensure appropriate materials are posted. But post both praise items and prayer requests (and
The Christian church has always wrestled with how to engage with the culture that surrounds it. Halloween is a prime example.How does your church approach Halloween?. How might you approach next Monday? In many ways, this is a cross-cultural moment. While there are many parts of Halloween that I (Alvin) don’t endorse, there are some redemptive elements in it. There are ways to engage the community without giving up one’s
