[Author’s preface: In my travels I have visited many churches (mainly Lutheran) and have experienced both the best and the worst in terms of how congregations welcome or do not welcome outsiders. Some well-intentioned efforts go awry and can be counter-productive. Sometimes the effort is not even made to welcome newcomers. I have the impression…
By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary – Are your ministries with young people more interested in program participation or cultivating a faith that matters in everyday life? – Are you spending more time and energy coordinating events than fostering conversation about faith? – Are you struggling to…
By Derek Tronsgard Earlier this week Mike King led a First Third Dialogue session talking about the power of space in our ministry and it got me thinking. About a year ago a woman in my congregation cornered me on Sunday morning. “We need to talk,” she said. Crap, I thought. She went on to…
By Dr. Terri Martinson Elton, Director of the Center for First Third Ministry at Luther Seminary Thanksgiving has been celebrated, and now the Elton family has turned their attention to preparing for Christmas. There is excitement in the air, and there’s no turning back. We have entered the holiday season. This season is filled with…
I read articles all through seminary like “Spiritual Nomads,” an article The Lutheran published to offer their explanation about what makes us Millennials tick (i.e. why don’t we come to church). I used to read these articles and wonder myself why my peers didn’t go to church. What wasn’t working for them? What was I…
By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary – Are your ministries with young people more interested in program participation or cultivating a faith that matters in everyday life? – Are you spending more time and energy coordinating events than fostering conversation about faith? – Are you struggling to…
By Dr. Terri Martinson Elton, Director of the Center for First Third Ministry at Luther Seminary I am sitting on a plane, exhausted and with a full heart. You see I have spent the past week in the church and in the world, listening, playing, and being in conversation with people who have a heart…
By Neil Christians In view of the upcoming conference at Luther Seminary on November 26-27 entitled “Why Can’t Church be More Like Camp”, I thought that I’d write a pre-event blog and pose a few questions for us as a community to think about. Philliber Research Associates and the American Camp Association did a study. That…
By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary Change is hard isn’t it? Many Children, Youth, and Family ministry leaders find themselves thinking and talking about change in the church almost all the time. And even if you have identified and can clearly the see the change that needs…
We are getting excited about our upcoming First Third Dialogue titled “Why Can’t My Church Be More Like Camp? The Power of Immersion Learning in Faith Formation.” We’ve only got a couple of spots left, so register today! We wanted to start this conversation because we think there is a lot that churches can learn about faith…
By Andy Sahl I served for several years with a leadership camp in Western Illinois. High school kids labeled as “student leaders” (read, well connected to their youth group) from all over the country would come together for a week of small groups, worship, workshops, and free time fun on a college campus. What was…
Here’s two video resources featuring Dr. Andy Root of the FirstThird Team. One Simple Thing: Andy Root speaks about one piece of advice for every youth minister. Recognizing Sucess in Youth Ministry: Andy Root speaks about recognizing what success looks like in youth ministry. Youth Ministry: Now is a monthly lunchtime lecture series bringing leading theologians and…
By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary Crowds have been a part of Youth Ministry culture since Youth Ministry began. The Christian Endeavor Movement found itself with 50,000 attending its 1895 meeting. Denominations started their own fellowships in response, and many still hold large events that are a…
Have you seen the topic of the 2012 First Third Dialogue? It’s “Why Can’t Church Be More Like Camp?“ We wanted to start this conversation because we think there is a lot that churches can learn about faith formation from camps. We asked Mike King of YouthFront in Kansas City and Paul Hill, current president…
By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary Last week, Terri Elton and I were at a conference about the future of the church. It was great conversation, but my brain is still stuck on some of the realities that were laid out about the state of the current…
