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Jen Bradbury
Aug 05 · 5 min read

Beautiful Hospitality

Surely there’s a church somewhere that practices the kind of hospitality Jesus did, right?

I wanted desperately to believe this after my family found itself unwelcome at church during the last several weeks. Since then, I’ve continued to wrestle...

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#hospitality #worship #church #children's ministry #Pandemic #Jesus #youth pastor #scripture #Community

Jen Bradbury
Jul 17 · 5 min read

On not being welcomed at church

Last Sunday during worship, I sat in the comfort room with my two-year old, Kendall, in tears.

To be clear, I was the one in tears, not her.

We’d gone into the cry room to nurse. When we returned to the sanctuary, she started chattering. A LOT...

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#toddlers #parenting #church #worship #breastfeeding #baptism #books #youth ministry #Community #student leadership #culture of welcome #Pandemic

Jen Bradbury
Jun 22 · 5 min read

On finding a new church home

“You guys are making me not even want to go to church anymore!” shouted Hope, my six-year old daughter, from the backseat of our van as we headed home from our first day of church shopping.

We began church shopping at a local church that’s part...

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#church #worship #children #children's ministry #youth ministry #Pandemic #discipleship #faith formation #Community

Jen Bradbury
Jun 11 · 5 min read

Church Shopping

The last time I went church shopping I was a freshman in college. My first Sunday on campus, I walked to the Methodist church that was a block from me. I’d grown up in the Methodist church and truly expected to find a church just like the one I...

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#college #Community #confirmation #church #Jesus #culture of welcome

Jen Bradbury
Apr 26 · 5 min read

10 QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE WHETHER TO STAY OR GO

Note: I wrote this piece a while ago, in connection with my new book, Called. In the days since when it live, however, I have accepted a new job with Fuller Youth Institute and so am now (ironically) in the process of transitioning out of my role...

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#vocation #conflict #parents #church #youth pastor #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Mar 29 · 5 min read

The problem with Bible Bucks

I’ve seen several recent posts in various online youth ministry discussion forums about how we can get kids and tweens to read Scripture.

Several people have suggested instituting a “Bible Bucks” program. The idea is that when young people read ...

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#Easter #Teaching #scripture #children #Jesus #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Feb 23 · 5 min read

Notes from the Pandemic: Pandemic Babies

NBC news has recently been airing a series of reports about the mental health toll of the pandemic on young people. As a youth pastor, I’m well aware of these. I’ve seen the toll this pandemic has taken on the young people in my ministry. I’ve...

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#youth pastor #children #Pandemic #marriage #parenting #books

Jen Bradbury
Feb 22 · 5 min read

3 educational priorities

It’s school enrollment season and as the parent of a kindergartener, I’ve been thinking about education a lot.

A few weeks ago, I listened to a podcast by The Mom Hour in which they reflected on their school priorities. That got me thinking about...

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#Teaching #youth pastor #children #diversity #education #parenting #books

Jen Bradbury
Feb 11 · 5 min read

How the Bible Ruined the Berenstain Bears'

I have fond memories from my childhood of curling up in my mom’s lap, in her big (ugly) green recliner and reading the Berenstain Bears’ books. They were classics that every kid my age loved.

I’ve loved introducing these books to my own girls,...

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#Community #scripture #children #diversity #Jesus #books

Jen Bradbury
Feb 08 · 5 min read

Review: How to Listen So Your Kids Will Talk

Filed in Book Review

I’m an introverted youth pastor who has, for years, considered myself to be a pretty good listener. Sadly, I fear that I sometimes listen BETTER to other people’s kids than I do my own. Having recognized this in myself, I was excited to read Becky...

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#books #introvert #youth pastor #parenting #children's ministry #children #Pandemic #conflict

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Tags

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Latest Posts

  • Beautiful Hospitality
  • On not being welcomed at church
  • On finding a new church home
  • Church Shopping
  • 10 QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE WHETHER TO STAY OR GO
  • The problem with Bible Bucks
  • Notes from the Pandemic: Pandemic Babies
  • 3 educational priorities
  • How the Bible Ruined the Berenstain Bears'
  • Review: How to Listen So Your Kids Will Talk

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