Never really posted this, so I thought I would share it now. I did a reading a long time ago called Crucify Him. Someone took ...
Continue Reading →I’m not really sure why more people seem to come looking for creative ideas for Good Friday more than any other day. Maybe it is ...
Continue Reading →Tonight I preached a new sermon about how we as Christians are “re-sewing the curtain” that was torn into at the time of Jesus’ death. ...
Continue Reading →I closed the Areopogus (a little used forum) a few months back, but I wanted to revive a thread from there. This post from Jen ...
Continue Reading →To me one of the big parts of the story of the cross is when the crown chooses Barabbas over Jesus. In that moment when they all yell, "CRUCIFY!" I want to think that I would be different. I want to think that I would say, we want Jesus and not Barabbas. But knowing what I know I think I would have to stand and shout for His death. It sounds harsh. It sounds wrong, but here is what I know. I am a sinner. Everytime I try to forget that I find myself chasing after sin again. I am a sinner and because of that I deserve to die. The only way for my sins to be paid--the only way for me to have a relationship with God--was for Jesus to die.
I can't believe that the King of kings would suffer and die for me. But I do know that my whole life, all of me cries out for a savior so I have to stand with the rest and shout, "CRUCIFY!" because I can't save myself.
For that same idea in poem form check out The Cost.
I have this idea for a responsive reading that will probably never work, but if it did it would be pretty powerful, check it out after the jump.
Continue Reading →I don't have all of the answers and some weeks it feels like I don't have any of the answers. I forget students names sometimes and say stupid things that hurt their feelings. I often find a good word picture or object lesson and build the lesson off of that instead of the other way around. I have put the finishing touches on a Wednesday night Bible study on Wednesday more times than I can count. I don't always pray as much as I should and I never study as much as I should. I try every new youth ministry model that comes from the "experts" and I have had at least 3 mission statements over the past 5 years.
But I love students ministry. I love watching teenagers as they serve God. I love to see them worship and forget about themselves for a while. I love seeing someone wake up to the love of God if only for a little while. I love to see them out serving their community and sharing the love of Christ with others. I love to be a part of their lives and I love seeing the world through their eyes. Like I said, I'm an average youth pastor.
For almost 20 years now I have been trying to add creative ideas for use in the local church. In the early days Nailscars.com was just a place to publish some scripts, but it has become a collection of creative ministry resources for youth ministry and worship.
I began writing a blog more to process my own thoughts more than anything else. As I started writing the comments that I got back from people amazed me. As I was honest with my struggles most of them would write and say “Thank you.” “It is just nice to know someone else struggles with these same things,” was a common response.
So this has become a place where I share the struggles and successes of being in youth ministry. I hope that you find something that God can use in your life and ministry.
Thank you for coming to check out Nailscars.com. Everything here is free to use in any non-commercial way. Feel free to use the resources without giving me credit. If you are want to republish an idea let me know and I will probably give you permission.