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Jen Bradbury
Oct 08 · 5 min read

Set Aside Judgment

Judgment

Whenever we come into contact with other people, there’s a temptation to play the comparison game. This is true of theology as much as anything else.

Theological differences are often especially apparent during events like the 30 Hour Famine,...

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#youth ministry #race #Prayer #worship #service projects #evangelism #scripture #Jesus #30 Hour Famine

Jen Bradbury
Aug 28 · 5 min read

To my daughter on her baptism

Sweet Girl -

This is the week of your baptism, an event which is a big deal to your dad and I.

Baptism is a strange thing for us... Something we both have some baggage with.

Our parents had each of us baptized when we were babies. Me at your...

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#church #baptism #babies #mentor #Jesus #scripture #Prayer #justice #confirmation #Community #grace #worship #crucifixion #evangelism

Jen Bradbury
Mar 26 · 5 min read

Curriculum worth repeating

Gjmaui Image

Since January, I've been using Dare to Share's Gospel Journey Maui with my high school teens during Sunday school.

Initially, I was a reluctant to use this curriculum. Despite having heard other youth workers speak favorably about it for years,...

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#Youth Worker Journal #discussion #Teaching #evangelism #Jesus #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Mar 12 · 5 min read

In defense of Youth Sunday

Youth Sunday Readings

When I first interviewed for my current position, I remember asking the pastors, “How are youth involved in worship?”

Their answer to this question was important to me because I was coming from a non-denominational setting wherein we had a...

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#youth ministry #Youth Sunday #worship #faith formation #Jesus #Missions #graduating seniors #scripture #church #evangelism

Jen Bradbury
Mar 10 · 5 min read

4 things you can do to equip teens to talk about their faith

In response to last week's post about how a fear of offending people keeps teens from talking about their faith with others, a reader reminded me how at that age, even if he'd wanted to talk about his faith with others, he wouldn't have known how....

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#Jesus gap #discussion #Teaching #Leaders #evangelism #youth ministry #faith formation

Jen Bradbury
Mar 03 · 5 min read

What if I offend people?

Throughout high school, I was actively involved in my congregation's youth ministry. This was, in many ways, the activity that was most important to me during that time period. Even so, I rarely invited friends from my high school to join me for...

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#Jesus gap #scripture #evangelism #youth ministry #faith formation

Jen Bradbury
Feb 24 · 5 min read

Sharing faith vs. sharing Jesus

This year in our confirmation Sunday school class, we're discussing the five promises we ask teens to make at their confirmation:

- To live among God's faithful people. 

- To hear the word of God and share in the Lord's Supper.

- To share...

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#youth ministry #confirmation #Community #evangelism #justice #Jesus gap #Jesus #discipleship

Jen Bradbury
Dec 23 · 5 min read

Why I won't be using "God's Not Dead"

God's Not Dead

Although I failed to see the movie, God's Not Dead, when it was in theaters last spring, knowing the basic plot - A Christian kid decides to defend the idea that “God's Not Dead” to an atheist philosophy professor – I made a note to myself to...

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#youth ministry #movies #apologetics #evangelism #Jesus gap #Jesus #hope #tragedy #art

Jen Bradbury
Oct 28 · 5 min read

Teens know who Noah is, right?

This year, our junior high Sunday School class is learning about each of the five promises they'll be making at their confirmation:

- To live among God's faithful people.
- To hear the word of God and share in the Lord's Supper.
- To share the...

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#confirmation #youth ministry #Community #evangelism #justice #research #Jesus gap #identity #faith formation

Jen Bradbury
Sep 24 · 5 min read

How much should we invest in those who don't come?

My first year in ministry, I was haunted by a girl I never met.

Her name was Laura and she never attended anything.

She didn't come to our weekly youth ministry gatherings.

She didn't come to our special events – regardless of whether they were ...

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#justice #church #social events #evangelism #Missions #youth ministry

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Latest Posts

  • Set Aside Judgment
  • To my daughter on her baptism
  • Curriculum worth repeating
  • In defense of Youth Sunday
  • 4 things you can do to equip teens to talk about their faith
  • What if I offend people?
  • Sharing faith vs. sharing Jesus
  • Why I won't be using "God's Not Dead"
  • Teens know who Noah is, right?
  • How much should we invest in those who don't come?

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