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Jen Bradbury
Apr 11 · 5 min read

The tearing of the curtain

Several years ago during an overnight event at the church I served, my high school youth ministry filed into our sanctuary and participated in a prayer ritual around the altar that involved lit candles. Unbeknownst to me, the wax from the candles...

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#Prayer #church #communion #worship #culture of welcome #discipleship #faith formation #scripture #Holy Week #youth ministry

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
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 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
Jan 07 · 5 min read

On the Capitol Siege, President Trump, and Epiphany

Like so many others, I watched in horror yesterday as domestic terrorists seized the US Capitol.

I’ve been in the Capitol building.

As a child, I visited it with passes from my Illinois senator. As an adult, I availed myself of my rights and went...

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#politics #scripture #Jesus #ALS

Jen Bradbury
Dec 22 · 5 min read

Review: Defiant by Kelley Nikondeha

Filed in Book Review

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Kelley Nikondeha speak a couple of times, first at the women’s’ retreat she mentions often in Defiant, and more recently at Evolving Faith. Having heard Kelley in person and experienced first-hand her heart for the...

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#hope #justice #scripture #books

Jen Bradbury
Oct 02 · 5 min read

What teens need from their youth ministries right now

Yesterday, my student leaders and I were talking about a chapter from Bob Goff’s Everybody Always and wrestling with how we can spread hope & courage within our ministry – now, during a time when we’re meeting virtually, in a season when...

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#student leadership #books #hope #brave #Pandemic #youth ministry #scripture #church

Jen Bradbury
Jul 14 · 5 min read

6 things I learned from virtual VBS

My congregation held virtual VBS a couple of weeks ago. As I’ve continued to reflect on the experience, I keep returning to these six things I learned from virtual VBS:

1. The problem isn’t Zoom. Four months into this pandemic, you’ve no doubt...

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#children's ministry #Pandemic #discussion #Teaching #student leadership #discipleship #faith formation #children #Leaders #scripture #parents

Jen Bradbury
Jul 13 · 5 min read

17 Keys to Making Virtual VBS a Success

In late April and early May, my VBS leaders and I began wrestling with what to do with VBS this year. We felt skeptical that things would be open enough for us to offer in-person VBS. We felt even more skeptical that people would come if we did...

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#children's ministry #Leaders #Teaching #Jesus #scripture #Intergenerational #communication #Pandemic

Jen Bradbury
Jun 05 · 5 min read

Is the church going extinct?

Perhaps in the last few weeks, you’ve seen a meme like this one:

Murder Hornets

I certainly have.

Between the pandemic, the murder hornets, the killing of another black man, the protests, and the riots, I've heard more people than ever before say something...

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#youth ministry #scripture #church #Leaders #research #racism #worship #justice #youth pastor #Pandemic

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Latest Posts

  • The tearing of the curtain
  • Beautiful Hospitality
  • The problem with Bible Bucks
  • How the Bible Ruined the Berenstain Bears'
  • On the Capitol Siege, President Trump, and Epiphany
  • Review: Defiant by Kelley Nikondeha
  • What teens need from their youth ministries right now
  • 6 things I learned from virtual VBS
  • 17 Keys to Making Virtual VBS a Success
  • Is the church going extinct?

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