Blog Archives: January 2009 — December 2009
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December 28, 2009
Sexting Trend Continues to GrowThe sexting trend continues to spread like wildfire at schools throughout the country. What many view as a harmless flirtation can develop into felony charges. Check out the latest incident...
December 06, 2009
Dancing BabyMerritt Johnston
People love babies, but we really love dancing babies. Do a search on YouTube alone, and you’ll get over 200,000 results that include baby break-dancers, Beyonce-spoofing babies, and even some moon-walking toddlers. So what’s the big deal? Why do we love seeing a baby dance?
Maybe we just enjoy thinking about the days when we had that same sense of freedom and uninhibited joy, when the mere sound of music moved us enough to make us dance. We didn’t care who was watching or if we were on beat. But that changes for most of us, probably around ...
December 01, 2009
The Star of ChristmasLaura Polk
I've always been fascinated by the star of Bethlehem.
As a small child, I remember hearing the story of Jesus' birth on Christmas Eve, then anxiously waiting to get outside so that I too could see the star. It was a magical star, it seemed. A star unlike any other star before. I mean, a star that suddenly appeared in the sky and led people across desert plains and strange lands to...a child in a manger? The story was incredible. And, unfortunately, one that tended to stay with me on Christmas Eve, but pass quickly as I moved on to more ...
November 30, 2009
Are We Invisible?A recent Washington Times column by Julia Duin entitled "Women Invisible in Religion Realm" begins with this thought-provoking concept: "Fifty percent of the evangelical Christian world is hidden. They're known as women."
While we know this is word-smithing for the sake of an engaging intro, it is scary to think about the amount of truth that exists within the article as well. Duin's article is focused mainly on the imbalance of women versus men authors within the non-fiction realm, and she certainly makes some points worth considering....
November 24, 2009
Are You Thankful?Merritt Johnston
In hundreds of homes this week, people will stand up and share a thanksgiving testimony of how God has blessed their lives. I hope you will choose to do the same. Listed below are a few thoughts to get you started on your journey toward thankfulness...
SALVATION: (2 Corinthians 4:14-15) "Because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to ...
November 19, 2009
"New Moon" DebateAfter months of insane publicity, New Moon, the long-awaited cinematic sequel to Twilight, will hit theaters tomorrow. Girls across the nation will fill movie seats in eager anticipation of this tale of vampires, werewolves, and forbidden romance.
We received an email today from a concerned parent, and we'd love for all our readers out there to join in the discussion about this film. An excerpt from her email is included below:
"I am in a quandry with some pressure to make a decision by tomorrow regarding this movie...I have heard that it ...
November 16, 2009
Why the World Needs Good Mama'sMerritt Johnston
In light of this month's Girls United focus on family, I am re-posting an article I wrote months ago that addresses the critical need for strong mothers:
I've recently seen two of my best friends enter a new stage in their lives: motherhood. It's an interesting paradigm shift to see someone you've experienced so much life with bring another life into the world. But I am confident that both will rise to meet every challenge that comes along in parenting with patience, wisdom, and most importantly, love. I am confident about this because I am ...
November 12, 2009
Help! My Family is Driving Me Nuts!"My siblings drive me crazy! Why are my parents so strict? Why does everyone else seem to have a better, more 'normal' family than me?"
As a gal in her teens, it can be a bit difficult to manage everything that is going on in your own life, while at the same time trying to figure out how to deal with the family that God has placed within that life. In today's society a family can take on a lot of different looks, ideas, people, and meanings. Everyone's is a little different, but in the end we all deal with the same struggles, weaknesses, ...
November 11, 2009
Mandatory Sex EdMerritt Johnston
Sex is certainly one of the most difficult issues to address with today's teens. So to avoid the giggles, awkward moments, and deer-in-headlight stares, we often choose not to address the issue at all within the walls of our churches. Or there are some out there who reiterate, "Just don't have sex," and hope that covers it.
But all of us know that does not even begin to cover it.
Teens today have access to more information than ever before, so they'll find a way to get answers to their questions. But in a sexually-saturated culture, we ...
October 31, 2009
When the Church Hurts YouMerritt Johnston
Over the last few weeks, I've had some heart-wrenching conversations with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ...conversations that reveal the worst about our human condition and the way our sins manifest themselves within the church...conversations that reveal how damaged we can become in the process of trying to serve God's people...conversations that reveal how much we desperately need more Christ and less religion.
Having personally served on staff at several churches and then worked with countless others through SAGE, I am saddened to ...
October 20, 2009
Seasons Come and Seasons Go: Growing in Times of ChangeBy Amy Duncan I am sitting on my back porch drinking my Diet Dr Pepper with a hint of lime. I'm overlooking a beautiful forest and taking in the sounds of nature (and Brooke Fraser). This environment is the perfect setting for my "inspirational" side. My dad calls me "the contemplative one," and that is exactly what I am doing right now - thinking.
I am in a new environment due to a recent change of scenery in my life. I am taking it all in, pondering what the Lord has in store for me. As I pensively sit here and watch what is going on in ...
October 13, 2009
Share Your Mentoring Story with UsMerritt Johnston
One of the cornerstones of our ministry is the biblical command found in Titus 2:3-5, which says, "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."
In all my years of traveling and attending churches around the world, I have never ...
October 06, 2009
Mentoring Takes GutsMerritt Johnston
In Philippians 4:9, Paul makes a gutsy statement: "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice."
Um, yeah, can you say, "Gutsy"? Pretty sure I'd be scared to tell people to put into practice anything they learned from me, unless someone was wanting to live out clumsiness on a daily basis.
But Paul is resting in the fact that his life was a complete pursuit of Christ and His call. Just check out what he writes in 1 Corinthians 11:1 - "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." ...
October 06, 2009
Being an InfluencerKarla Carlson
Have you ever had the opportunity to influence those around you in a significant way?
The term "mentor" can be very intimidating, yet mentoring is simply being willing to get involved and influence someone else's life. As you consider mentoring, Jesus is one of the best examples because his relationship with his disciples was a mentoring relationship. Mentoring consists of four basic concepts:
Get Involved
Listen
Pray
Be a Role Model
Understanding these concepts can help you appreciate this unique relationship and become an ...
October 02, 2009
Are You Lonesome Tonight?Kristy Tyler
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." - Zephaniah 3:17
Surrounded by so many, yet I feel so alone. Ever been there? I have. I am now. I am at a place in my life where I am lonely. For a while, I have been too ashamed to say that. Christians aren't supposed to be lonely - are they? I felt that to say I am lonely means that I am not trusting God to be what I need and take care of me. I felt guilty for feeling ...
September 29, 2009
The Dark Secret No One Wants to Talk AboutMerritt Johnston
Mackenzie Phillips' interview with Oprah certainly resulted in one of the buzz-generating stories of the last week. In the interview and her recent book release, "High On Arrival", Phillips shares a disturbing tale describing a drug-induced rape by her father which later evolved into a decade-long consenual relationship.
With family members weighing in on both sides of confirming and denying the report, it's truly impossible for us to know if the story is real. However, the sad tale certainly does bring awareness to an issue that is one of ...
September 29, 2009
Money TalksMerritt Johnston
Our money definitely talks. The choices we make with the resources we have been given say a lot about what we value. God knows that our natural bent is to want the things that everyone else has. We want to keep up with the Jones, and the Smith's, and the Miller's, and you get the picture. That's why we have verses like 1 Timothy 6:10 that describe money as a "root of all kinds of evil."
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many gr ...
September 24, 2009
A Look at the Age Segmentation ApproachMerritt Johnston
Dr. Kara Powell, this year's Outfit Conference Keynote Speaker, has some interesting insight to share in a recent Christianity Today article discussing the age segmentation approach we have used for so many years within the local church.
She reiterates many of the points that we have been hammering at our SAGE events in our adult breakout sessions. A few of the most interesting quotes are listed below...
"A lot of kids aren't going to both youth group and church on Sundays; they're just going to youth group. As a result, graduates are ...
September 15, 2009
MTV Video Music Awards CrazinessMerritt Johnston
This year's Video Music Awards was definitely the most memorable in years, but mostly for the wrong reasons.
The night began with a surprisingly candid and powerful Michael Jackson tribute from Madonna, dressed respectfully in a black suit. After Madonna's intro came a dance medley featuring some of the King of Pop's most iconic music video moments, ending with a brief performance from Janet Jackson. Classy all the way around and enjoyable to watch.
But unfortunately, it was pretty much downhill from there. Russell Brand made his entrance ...
September 15, 2009
MTV Video Music Awards CrazinessMerritt Johnston
This year's Video Music Awards was definitely the most memorable in years, but mostly for the wrong reasons.
The night began with a surprisingly candid and powerful Michael Jackson tribute from Madonna, dressed respectfully in a black suit. After Madonna's intro came a dance medley featuring some of the King of Pop's most iconic music video moments, ending with a brief performance from Janet Jackson. Classy all the way around and enjoyable to watch.
But unfortunately, it was pretty much downhill from there. Russell Brand made his entrance ...
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