When I've spoken about teens having new tools to stay connected 24/7, I often use the analogy of the three-way call or how we used to stay on the landline phone as long as we could.

In a previous post I asked if one of the major changes we face as youth leaders today is to orientate our young people away from a consumer mentality (which some argue has gripped the western church) to an attitude of service.

3. Youth ministry isn’t a real career.  It’s good for those who still aren’t sure what they really want to do when they grow up, which is why I don’t ever plan to “grow up” to what the world expects. Sure, it doesn’t pay the salary that a normal job would, but a short 50 year career on earth is nothing compared to an eternity of treasures in heaven.

Over the last several years neuroscientists have been discovering new information about the brain development of adolescents. We are learning amazing things about how dynamically the teenage brain is changing during adolescence.

In the Gospel According to Luke, we encounter Jesus as an adolescent. Jesus is growing up, and like all families, this creates great challenges and opportunities. Adolescence is not easy for any family – including the holy family. The tension, pain, and miscommunication between mother and son is clear and unmistable in Luke’s story.