Tag Archives: biblical living

Before You Criticize Your Pastor…

By caryschmidt | March 15, 2010

Ever noticed that some people relish the criticism of pastors? Like kids and candy—they addict themselves even though it’s rotting something in them. While choosing voluntarily to stay under his leadership, they commit themselves to finding and exploiting every possible imperfection. I’ve never understood this thinking. Selecting a pastor, only to proceed to condemn the [...]

Posted in christian life | Also tagged church staff, danger, leadership, local church, ministry, satanic, team | 5 Comments

Great Books for Christian Parents

By Cary Schmidt | March 8, 2010

Frequently someone asks what books I would recommend on youth ministry or parenting. They are generally the same books. While there are some good books on youth ministry, the most helpful to youth ministry are those on the family. Whether you are a parent or a youth pastor, I would urge you to read everything [...]

Posted in books and resources, family, student ministry | Also tagged adolescence, book review, books, family, parenting, student ministry, teaching, teen life | 5 Comments

Andrew Murray on Trials

By caryschmidt | March 6, 2010

This quote about trials from Andrew Murray found its way to me through Dr. Mark Rasmussen. Perhaps it will encourage you!
“First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place: in that fact I will rest.”
“Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to [...]

Posted in christian life | Also tagged counseling, teaching | Leave a comment

Problems with Fun-Focused Youth Ministry

By caryschmidt | February 15, 2010

Is your youth ministry Bible-focused or fun-focused? It’s easy to focus more on making the youth group fun than on making it biblical. I’m all for having a good time with students in the right context, but we have a much higher calling. How easy it is to fall into the trap of spending more [...]

Posted in student ministry | Also tagged local church, ministry, student ministry, sunday school, teen life | 8 Comments

New Curriculum—Salt and Light!

By caryschmidt | January 28, 2010

Striving Together Publications is excited to announce the soon availability (Feb. 12) of this new adult curriculum from Dr. Mark Rasmussen! This 13 lesson series was over two years in development, and I’m extremely happy with the finished product. Dr. Rasmussen is one of the greatest Christian educators alive today, and you will find this [...]

Posted in books and resources | Also tagged book review, local church, striving together, sunday school, teaching | Leave a comment

7 Myths of Single Life

By caryschmidt | January 19, 2010

Seven Myths of Single-Life
Myths abound in today’s culture—through urban legends, chain emails, speed-diets, and beyond! Thanks to snopes.com, it’s pretty easy to run an email, a story, or a bizarre event through a quick research test to find out if it’s true or not.
So—do you have a “snopes” for life? Has it occurred to you [...]

Posted in ministry & outreach | Also tagged college and career, counseling, dating, sunday school | 4 Comments

You Are What You Listen To (Part 2)

By caryschmidt | December 29, 2009

This article is part two. You can read part 1 here.
Music Influences Your Heart (Your Mind, Will, and Emotions)
Music, primarily harmonies, always communicates emotion. In many ways, music is emotion. This means it powerfully impacts your thoughts and decisions. You could say your music is the soundtrack of your life—it paints emotions, thoughts, meditations, moods, and [...]

Posted in christian life | Also tagged music | 1 Comment

You Are What You Listen To (Part 1)

By caryschmidt | December 8, 2009

You’ve heard the statement “you are what you eat.” And, physically this is true—your body and health are merely products of what you digest. But rarely do we make the same connection to our spiritual lives. In other words, “you are what you listen to.”
Have you ever considered that your musical listening habits have a [...]

Posted in christian life | Also tagged ministry, music, teaching | 2 Comments

A Funny Reminder to be Thankful!

By caryschmidt | November 26, 2009

Several weeks ago, a dear friend sent me this story and the encouragement that follows. I repost it here, on Thanksgiving Day in hopes that it will encourage you.
Two old friends met each other on the street one day. One looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, “What has the world [...]

Posted in christian life, humor | Also tagged humor | 2 Comments

Making God’s Will Less Confusing

By caryschmidt | October 19, 2009

Life is complex. God’s will isn’t. In fact, at any given moment, there’s a powerful question you can ask to determine if you are in or out of His will. It’s simply this:
“Did I follow God to where I am right now?”
The Holy Spirit will instantly resonate the answer in your heart—you will know it [...]

Posted in christian life | Also tagged college and career, counseling, leadership, parenting, sunday school, teaching | Leave a comment

How to Help a Wounded Person

By Cary Schmidt | October 6, 2009

One of the most difficult circumstances of life and ministry is to try to help someone who has been deeply hurt. These are hard moments. More than anything, you want to take away the hurt, undo the pain, and fix the problem. But it’s just not that easy. Woundedness—regardless of how it occurred—requires time and [...]

Posted in counseling, featured | Also tagged college and career, counseling, student ministry, teaching | 1 Comment

The Top Questions of Young Christian Singles

By Cary Schmidt | September 10, 2009

Throughout the year, our ministry to College and Career and Singles brings us into counseling, retreats, and venues where young Christian singles are airing really good questions. I have previously shared the details behind our Q&A times (both for teens as well as singles) and also the top 15 questions that teens ask.
Here’s the most [...]

Posted in counseling, student ministry | Also tagged college and career, counseling, sunday school, teaching | 2 Comments

Defeating the Media Monster-Part 2

By Cary Schmidt | September 8, 2009

Media will eat your family alive unless you tell it not to!

In part one we uncovered five challenges that modern media brings into our lives and homes. To beat the challenges, tame this monster, and prepare your children to have discernment and wisdom, may I make the following suggestions:
1. Build healthy relationships committed to purity [...]

Posted in family, media & tech | Also tagged danger, family, media & tech, parenting, social networking, student ministry, technology | 1 Comment

Defeating the Media Monster—Part 1

By Cary Schmidt | September 4, 2009

Media will eat your family alive, unless you tell it not to!

I have a deep inner aversion to living things that crawl, creep, fly, or slither around and find their way into places they don’t belong. They bother me. They creep me out. I just want them dead as quickly as I can make it [...]

Posted in family, featured, media & tech | Also tagged counseling, danger, family, satanic, separation, social networking, student ministry, teen life, twitter | 1 Comment

USATODAY Reports on the New NIV 2011

By caryschmidt | September 1, 2009

Revealing Words from NIV Translators Regarding Their Next Version

Thanks to Eric Johnson, Youth Pastor at Liberty Baptist Church in Newport Beach, CA for twittering the link to this article in USA Today. The article details the planned release of yet another NIV bible in 2011! The most amazing quote from the article was this:
“The scholars [...]

Posted in books and resources | Also tagged books, local church, striving together | 1 Comment