Christians You Should Know: J.C. Ryle
“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” – Hebrews 10:24 A Snapshot of the Life of John Charles Ryle: Born: May 10, 1816...
GUEST POST: Seven Steps for Seniors
Each year thousands of High School students graduate and begin to take the next step on their journey. I always enjoy speaking to graduating seniors about the will of God...
What Are Your Eyes Saying?
Recently, while studying Proverbs 4, I began to wonder about the physical connection between the various members of the body and the heart; this theme is woven throughout the chapter....
Christians You Should Know: Eric Liddell
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee...
Christians You Should Know: William Borden
"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." - 2...
Hymn History: I Gave My Life for Thee
Francis Ridley Havergal was a famous hymn-writer and singer. Raised in a preacher's home, her talent was recognized very early in life. Her father was both a faithful pastor and...
Listen to the Old Man!
Western culture is far removed from the ancient culture of Bible times. Sadly, in the midst of so much modern “progress” there are many eternal values that have been lost....
Hymn History: Jesus Savior Pilot Me
"For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death." - Psalm 48:14 We are thrilled to share a series of brief...
A Single Moment
Many years ago the Lord providentially brought across my path a young man by the name of Micah Hendry. Little did I know that he would become a key part...
New Bible App Plan!
"Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not." (Psalm 17:5) We are firm believers in the power of God's Word. Enjoying the Journey is dedicated to...
Recent Reads & Recommendations
A few nights ago I had the privilege after a meeting to spend some time with a group of young preachers. We had a wonderful conversation on a range of...
5 Books To Read To Help Young People
Much of my ministry has been connected to young people. It was my privilege to serve for many years as a church youth director. I enjoyed teaching youth ministry at...
3 Days for Young People and Those Who Love Them
The key to a nation is a generation. I believe if we lose the next generation we lose the nation. Truth endures to every generation but every generation must hear...
5 Ideas For Teens @ This Time
If you are a teenager I am quite sure that your social life has been disrupted and your school year has been less than you imagined. (Or perhaps, better than...
How NOT To Choose A Mate
When I was a young man someone told me, “Choose only a date who would make a good mate.” That was good advice. A casual relationship can quickly turn into...
Finding Your Way
Frequently I hear it said of someone that he is still trying to “find his way” in life. Our world is full of aimless drifters and empty souls. Another toy....
Reaching A Generation
We are all concerned about the direction of our communities and our country. It is easy to spend all of our time listening to the commentators and talking about how...
An Open Door To Reach The Colleges And Universities Of America
One of the early gospel efforts Tammy and I were privileged to serve in at Temple Baptist Church was the Christian Volunteers ministry on the campus of the University of...
Guest Post: “Reaching Children”
Twenty five years ago I shared a college dormitory with a friend who would become my brother-in-law. Jason Caldwell and his family have committed themselves to reaching and teaching children...
What Is Your Drug Of Choice?
An opioid epidemic is now sweeping our nation. Everywhere I travel I read the horrific stories of death and destruction being caused by illegal drugs. Even as politicians and health...
Thank God For Christian Education
The last two days I have been speaking in Michigan at a wonderful Christian Educator's Convention. It has been a privilege to spend time with men and women who are...
GUEST POST: “Finish Strong”
Kurt Copeland has been a faithful youth pastor at the Franklin Road Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee for many years. God has used he and his wife to make a...
You Are What You Eat.
This is not an article on health and wellness. It is much more important than that. (If my mother is reading this I want to go on record as saying...
What Is The Most Important Lesson You Have Learned?
As I write these words I am sitting in northern Michigan. It is a beautiful summer day at camp. This morning at breakfast I had an engaging conversation with a...
Last Week’s Report And A Challenge For The Future
Just a few days ago we hosted a county-wide baccalaureate service for the graduating seniors of our home county. God blessed in a marvelous way. Hundreds of seniors, parents, grandparents,...
10 Ways To Help A High School Senior
Over the last few weeks I have been privileged to spend time with a number of high school seniors. One of them is living in my own home! Just yesterday...
What Is Going On In Our Schools?
This generation needs the good news of Jesus Christ! Young people are growing up in a world of violence and hate. Only the love of God can make the difference....
Advice To A Teenage Preacher
Recently a teenage boy wrote to tell me that God had called him to be a preacher. What a joy to see another generation of young people yielding their lives...
A Word to Younger Preachers
Recently a precious friend introduced me as "a young preacher." I love those words. In fact, I am now at the age where I want to hang onto them as...
Suicide is More Than A Statistic
Suicide is up 300% from my father's generation. Over the last few months I have read an alarming number of articles on the suicide rate in our nation. A quick...
The Most Important Lessons I Learned in My College Years
A few days ago I had the joy of addressing a group of college students in a local church. There were freshmen and upperclassmen, full of hope and excitement as...
How To Keep the Next Generation
A fellow preacher and personal friend asked me recently how I believed we could do a better job of retaining young people in our churches. It is a problem of...
A Post By My 17 Year Old Daughter
Tammy and I thank the Lord for our children. Like every parent we pray that they will desire to follow Christ. More and more I understand the words of John,...
“How Do You Know When You Have Been Called?”
When the Lord first began dealing with me about being a preacher I asked my dad, “How do you know when you are called to preach?” He gave what I...
Go East Young Man!
Our culture is obsessed with the ability, beauty, and virility of youth. Somehow in all of this obsession we have forgotten the wisdom of age. Young people miss the examples...
10 Suggestions for Those Who Work With Youth
Thank God for faithful youth workers. While raising our children I realized more than ever that no one raises their children alone. My wife and I praise God for every...
One Thing I Do Not Do With Social Media
Some time ago a friend said to me, "Do you ever have a bad day?" I laughed. Of course, we all have bad days. When I inquired as to why...
How to Make This A Great School Year
Our children have just begun a new year at a new school. We have been blessed to have had our children in a wonderful school through the years and are...
My Advice to Those Who Are Seeking God’s Will
This week I will speak in commencement exercises in a couple of states. I love these special meetings and it is an honor to be part of such a great...
This Is Our Generation
Last night I finished preaching in another youth conference. These are special meetings and more needed than ever. It was a privilege to have our daughter Morgan with me on...
The Battle That Never Ends
As a young Christian I imagined that some day it would get easier. My flesh would not rear its ugly head; the world would not seem as attractive; the devil...
My Struggle with Doubt and the Victory I Found
It was the darkest time of my life spiritually. Like many believers, I struggled through a period of tremendous doubt about my salvation. There were many factors that contributed to...
Identity Matters
We are living in a day of identity confusion. Gender confusion. Political confusion. Doctrinal confusion. A confusion of roles within the family. Confusion seems to be the order of the...
What I Learned from a Child About Singing Hymns
You can learn a lot from a child. Sometimes those we are teaching become our teachers. This happened to me again recently. As I walked through a certain place I...
Happy Homes
One of the most wonderful gifts that my parents gave to me growing up was a happy home. Yes, they had rules. No, we did not get to do whatever...
Counsel to Young People and to Those Who Counsel Them
It is my privilege to work each week with hundreds of middle school, high school, and college age young people. It is fascinating that the older I get the younger...
Conducting An Effective Youth Rally
The youth rally is not the entire youth ministry, but it is a component part. Like summer camp or Vacation Bible School it serves as an emphasis on the things...
3 Dangers of Technology Overload and What to Do About It
Look around you. Heads are bowed. People are quiet. No, they are not praying. They are all looking at the device in their hands! The technological advances of the last...
My First Sermon and What I am Now Learning From It
On a Thursday night in July of 1989 God made clear to me that He wanted me to be a preacher. I was 12 years old and full of fear...
When Young People Ask Hard Questions
Questions are opportunities to teach. God gave explicit instructions to Israel about what to say when your children ask (Deuteronomy 6:20-25). And ask they will! All of us who have...
A Message Christian Young People Desperately Need
It is my privilege to speak to young people on a regular basis. I have to admit that they are my favorite group to preach to! You always know where...
A Daily Habit Everyone Should Form
All of my books have my name in them. They are like members of the family (just ask my wife!). In part, I put my name in the flyleaf of...
Sarcasm is Not a Spiritual Gift!
The wisest man who ever lived wrote, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). Death is mentioned first because it is what naturally comes out....
Finishing Well
Earlier today our students at Crown College completed their final exams and departed for Christmas break. There is something terribly exciting about the successful conclusion to another semester of college....
For Christian Young People: You ARE Missing Out!
"A prudent wife is from the Lord." This verse means more to me the longer I am married. Tammy and I were driving along in the car recently. The kids...
Why I Believe in Local Church Youth Ministry
For the last twenty years I have had the joy to be involved in youth ministry in some way. It is the passion of my life to point another generation...
A Word for Young People About Parents
Like most children, when I was very young, I memorized the Ten Commandments. The fifth commandment says, “Honour thy father and thy mother.” It is repeated eight times in the...
Acres of Diamonds
When I was thirteen years old an elderly preacher in the mountains of West Virginia gave me a book. It was old and dusty. There were no pictures and at...
The Secret of Enthusiasm
Frequently I have said to youth workers that the key to connecting with young people is simple: BE ENTHUSIASTIC! Not the fake, plastic "put on" that often passes as a...
Resources Just for Youth Workers
Today we had the privilege to host a number of youth directors on our campus at Crown College. In the luncheon we discussed plans to begin a new youth fellowship...
Advice for High School Seniors
The senior year of high school can be both frightening and exciting. I love talking and praying with young people at this stage in life. Following the Lord is a...
Tips for Those Who Teach Teens
One of the great joys of my life is the privilege to speak to young people. Recently I was listening to one of our youth workers at the Temple Baptist...
The Urgency of Youth
My favorite group of people to speak to is young people. There is something special about their energy, their authenticity. Some time back I was preaching to a fine group...
Teens for Christ
One of the greatest privileges of my life has been the opportunity to work with young people. Youth ministry is not a stepping stone to another ministry. It is the...
Help! I Have A Teenager?!?
This past Sunday our oldest daughter, Morgan, turned thirteen. Is that possible? Where have the years gone? Tammy and I are very grateful to God for all of our children...and...
My Favorite Biography
Many years ago I learned that reading biographies of great men and women was a good way to keep my own heart hungry for more of God's blessing. Well written...
It Must Be Personal – The Story of a Young Skeptic
Adoniram Judson was born August 9, 1788. I first met him as a freshman in college through the pages of his life story. Growing up in church I had heard...
A Word for Those Who Love Young People
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 For many years I have heard this...
