YouthguySteve

Photo by John-Mark Smith on Pexels.com For those of you who might be interested in reading your Bible in a year. In 2024 I led a Bible Study group reading through the Bible in a year. I pray this will be a blessing to you as you try to read through the Bible. We followed the Historical Plan of reading through Bible in a year on the Bible App. You can find that on the YouVersion App. Power…

What is a Divine Call?… Seeking the greatest impact in Kingdom of God.

This past week I received a Divine Call to serve as the Director of Director of Christian Family Life Formation at Christ our Savior in Livonia. As this has gotten shared in my congregation I have been asked lots of questions. I am hoping this will help some of you better able to understand the process and join me in prayer as I contemplate these two calls. First, I now have two divine calls…

Please pray I deliberate this call.

This past week I received a Divine Call to serve as the Director of Youth and Media at St Paul Lutheran Church and School in Ann Arbor Michigan. As this has gotten shared in my congregation I have been asked lots of questions. I am hoping this will help some of you better able to understand the process and join me in prayer as I contemplate these two calls. First, I now have two divine calls…

We need more lights…An extra strand on the tree

Does it feel too dark today? No I don’t mean the sun setting early. I mean does it just seem dark? Like life is a little more dull this year? A couple of weeks ago I was talking to a friend of mine about all the people we know who have lost their lives this past year. He said he was talking to parents about it and they said just wait it only gets harder. As we age death stops being something…

Mask mandates, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

Tonight life changed again. Many families were excited by the news, many were upset. Mask mandates changed in my county and you see both sides of the issue are either angry and calling it child abuse, others are relieved by the news saying finally someone cares about people. Knowing people on both sides of this argument I can tell you this post isn’t about the merits of wearing a mask or not…

Lessons from the mission trip #2: Do you remember what real Christian community feels like?

Did you notice this year that you have been isolated from your faith community? How connected are you to faith in Jesus? Do you even remember what real community feels like? Isolation was a real challenge this past year. For many of our young people, and even some of the adults, it has been months since they had been in a church or were part of a faith community. This past year has been hard on…

Lessons from a Mission trip: Everyone needs a site coach

Group Mission trips, over the years have taught me many lessons about my faith and life. I learn from students, adults, and staff that I get the pleasure of serving with for the week. It is an intensive week of service that makes me slow down and listen to what God is doing in and around me. Over the next couple of weeks I am going to be writing about things I learned this year. I want to tell…

The tomb is empty. He moved the stone so we could see.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/531397404

Who meets Paul at the pearly gates..How can I cheer on those who hurt me?

Photo by Adam Kontor on Pexels.com This was a quote I read this week from a Christian “The crazy part of the Gospel is that Stephen would be the first one cheering on Paul when he arrived at the pearly gates.” Have you ever thought about those who will be waiting at the pearly gates when you arrive. I know I don’t often think that way but this week quote caught my eye. I suppose I always…

The Gates of Hell- Rethinking the Text

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com This week I was confronted with a text that I saw completely differently. One I have heard a hundred times but this time I heard it totally differently. Jesus was with His disciples on the mountain and he asked them who do you think I am, and they say he is the Christ (or Messiah). His next words are what caught me off guard. The gates of hell shall not prevail…

One God- What golden calve do we worship?

https://player.vimeo.com/video/514959229

Broken Glass, and Paying the Price | Ash Wednesday

I grew up in a family of three boys. As you can imagine we often had moments of messes and broken things. We wrestled on more than one occasion, and to be honest I am not sure how my brothers and I didn’t break more things. One day when I was probably 9 my older brother and I were playing with a large stuffed animal my younger brother brought home. We did our best WWF style moves and smashed…

Journey to the Cross | A reading plan for Lent

https://player.vimeo.com/video/511617985 To download the booklet click here

In stead of responding in anger maybe we need to listen.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com I don’t know what to say. I really don’t know what to say to my kids or to the youth and families that I work with. For those of you who know me, know I am not normally at a loss for words. Today as I watched the events unfold at the capitol I was saddened, shocked and disturbed. What was more shocking to me was the number of posts on facebook about…

Why Would a Wise Guy Steal the Wise Men?

I have a confession to make. I know many of you will be shocked by this, but I am a thief. Every year around this time, I go around my house and take all the Wise Men. I also take them from church if I see them and they can be removed. You might be thinking, “How can you do this? Steve, why would you do such a thing?” Well, let me tell you it is something I have done for the last 25 years and it…

A tough year…So lets read through Isaiah this Advent

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

I will be honest. I am ready for Jesus to come back. This has been a rough year. This has been a year of anger, and hate. It has been a year of broken promises, divorces and all sorts of pain for many of us. It has been a year with very few moments of joy, and lots of moments as a parent trying to move our family forward. Sometimes it feels like we just have to…