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Jen Bradbury
Jul 29 · 5 min read

Yay! Jesus Bread!

My daughter, Hope, has literally grown up in church. (That’s what you get when your mom works for one…)

When Hope turned two, she began asking questions about communion, which wasn’t surprising since she’d gone forward to the communion rail with...

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#children #parenting #church #youth pastor #worship #communion #faith formation #Jesus

Jen Bradbury
Jul 26 · 5 min read

Review: Glorious Weakness by Alia Joy

Filed in Book Review

After finishing Alia Joy’s Glorious Weakness, I Instagramed a photo of the book with the caption, “Hands down the best Christian book I’ve read in a long time.”

Glorious Weakness

That’s not a statement I make lightly.

I read a lot of Christian books – some for...

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#identity #grace #youth pastor #Jesus #books #faith formation

Jen Bradbury
Jun 27 · 5 min read

Why you shouldn't build mission trips around seniors

There’s a fairly common perception in the youth ministry world that graduated seniors are a critical part of a mission trip and as such, should be honored accordingly during such a trip (with things like special anointings or opportunities just...

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#student leadership #graduating seniors #Missions #youth ministry #discipleship

Jen Bradbury
Jun 12 · 5 min read

Why opening presents is an important part of toddler birthday parties

My daughter, Hope, recently turned four. Of course, we wanted to celebrate her well, with a duo of Frozen themed parties, one for friends and family, and one for a handful of her school friends.

Having gone to a number of toddler parties in...

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#gratitude #Community #toddlers #parenting

Jen Bradbury
Jun 05 · 5 min read

Should you confirm in the spring or the fall?

The other day, I was asked whether confirmation should be held in the spring or fall – a common question for congregations that offer confirmation. There are pros and cons to each practice.

Confirming teens in the spring gives families a sense of...

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#confirmation #transitions #Missions #youth ministry #faith formation

Jen Bradbury
May 15 · 5 min read

6 ways to make a service-oriented mission trip more justice focused

I blogged recently about 5 marks of a justice-focused trip and was immediately bombarded by questions about where you find such a trip. Youth workers immediately jump to this question: "Which mission trip organizations are focused on justice ...

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#justice #Leaders #A Mission That Matters #Missions

Jen Bradbury
Apr 22 · 5 min read

5 marks of a justice-focused mission trip

At a recent mission trip meeting, my teens wrestled with whether or not our summer mission trip currently focuses on serving others (meeting needs) or on enacting justice (recognizing, understanding, and addressing systemic brokenness).

By...

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#vocation #justice #A Mission That Matters #Jesus #Missions #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Apr 12 · 5 min read

Review: Parenting Beyond the Rules by Connie Albers

Since taking a new call, my responsibilities have expanded to include youth and family ministry. As such, I’ve become much more intentional about ministering to parents than I ever have been before. I’ve also become much more aware of resources...

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#vocation #brave #parents #toddlers #parenting #books

Jen Bradbury
Apr 09 · 5 min read

4 reasons why rules are important

A student recently told me, “We used to like going on the mission trip because it was relaxed. There were no rules.”

She was referring to a mission trip I inherited.

Truth be told, I’d suspected this was the case for a while but never had someone...

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#grace #Rwanda #A Mission That Matters #Missions #culture of welcome #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Mar 20 · 5 min read

Review: The Eternal Current by Aaron Niequist

Filed in Book Review

I live in Barrington, in the shadow of Willow Creek. I’ve long been familiar with the service they offer called, “The Practice”. As a youth worker in the ELCA, I’m intrigued by an evangelical community dabbling in a more liturgical style of...

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#hope #church #youth pastor #Jesus #liturgy #books

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Tags

youth ministry books church Jesus parenting Missions scripture student leadership Leaders youth pastor babies Pandemic worship Prayer toddlers

Latest Posts

  • Yay! Jesus Bread!
  • Review: Glorious Weakness by Alia Joy
  • Why you shouldn't build mission trips around seniors
  • Why opening presents is an important part of toddler birthday parties
  • Should you confirm in the spring or the fall?
  • 6 ways to make a service-oriented mission trip more justice focused
  • 5 marks of a justice-focused mission trip
  • Review: Parenting Beyond the Rules by Connie Albers
  • 4 reasons why rules are important
  • Review: The Eternal Current by Aaron Niequist

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