Conflict in youth ministry is always present. As Charlie Brown once said, "I love mankind, it’s just people that I can’t stand." The truth is...where there are people, there's conflict. According to a Stanford University study, the success of an individual in corporate America depends only on 15% product knowledge, but 85% people knowledge. I think the same thing applies in youth ministry.

My life in youth ministry over the decades has had all sorts of opportunities to handle conflict. This is such a critical skill to have in ministry! I pray that you'll apply these ten principles to the conflict you are bound to encounter in your own ministry.

Your "long-distance" cheerleader,

When you hear "Code Blue" over the hospital intercom, it's never good...a life hangs in the balance, it can go either way. And, when life doesn't go as planned, we experience our own "Code Blue" moments.

"What's Your 'Wheelchair'?" is part of our "Code Blue" series designed to address issues that can leave our lives hanging in the balance. Though probably not physical, there is past and present pain crippling both our students and ourselves that, left unaddressed, can leave us spiritually hanging on for dear life. In this Source, we'll share four Biblical principles that will help us to gain wholeness and victory despite life's hurts. Together, we'll learn what it means to "write and fight," "cut the ropes," "create new worlds" and "establish new beachheads."

You'll need your journal, Bible and pen for this one...for what you feel you can heal, what you write you can fight! Thanks for letting me be a part of your life!

Cheering you on,

When it comes to conflict are you a "Hider," "Hurter," or "Healer"? As you might guess, to be a "Healer" is the desired answer, but not always the easiest to pull off. Using Matthew, Ephesians and Galatians as our text, in this Youth Leader's Coach we learn how to speak the truth in love and gently guide those we love back onto the right path.

While no one in their right mind enjoys confrontation, if we are going to make a difference for Jesus Christ, learning how to do this well is crucial. "Caring Enough To Confront" is an essential part of helping move people toward maturity in Christ. So, grab a cup of coffee and learn from my recent struggles and victories as we navigate this challenging world...together!

Lovingly,

When it comes to adversity, it's not a matter of "if," but "when" it will appear in our lives. Many of us know what it's like to have been hurt deeply by people we love, faced a hardship that seemed impossible to conquer, or perhaps had a tragedy happen to someone close to us. All of us have or will face adversity. The defining question is though, how will you respond in those crisis moments? How will you keep the times of adversity from paralyzing you from life and allow them to make you stronger instead?

In this Youth Leader's Coach I call, "Resilience: Surviving The Shark Attacks," I look at seven resilience tips for moving on after a trauma, from Laurence Gonzales' book, Surviving Survival: The Art and Science of Resilience. While I hope you will never experience any traumas as severe as the ones Gonzales outlines in his book, my simple prayer is that when times of adversity do come your way, this Youth Leader's Coach will help to prepare you to come through them victoriously resilient.

In Your Corner,

I was prepared for SPIRITUAL WARFARE when I entered ministry. But the unexpected punches emotionally came from the CRITICISM that became an almost "daily norm" for me especially from other Christian people. Criticism reminds me of the phrase "Death by 1,000 cuts," referencing slow slicing, a form of torture and capital punishment practiced in Imperial China. And as repeated small criticisms come, we find ourselves slowly dying on the inside.

In this month's Youth Leader's Coach, "Criticism: It's Not For The Weak," I'm navigating how to deal with criticism. Elbert Hubbard once saying, "To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing and be nothing." Isn't that true? As a leader, criticism comes with the territory. So, listen in as I share some of the lessons I've learned through the years while navigating the "world of criticism."

Lovingly,