Most news broadcasts in the last two weeks have touched on the tragedy of the crash of the Germanwings airliner in the French Alps. 150 lives were lost in what appears to have been the intentional grounding of a passenger air flight. Quickly after news of the crash surfaced, officials and everyday citizens around the…
Christian Response to Preventing Youth Violence in Pennsylvania
The spectrum of youth violence categories ranges vastly from elementary school bullying to teen homicides. In a 2011 nationally-representative sample of youth in grades 9-12, 20.1 percent reported being bullied on school property in the preceding 12 months, and 16.2 percent reported being bullied electronically (e-mail, chat room, website, texting). [1] The effects of bullying…
Holy Week in a High-Church Church Plant
Holy Week is my favorite time of year to be a pastor. That’s not to say it isn’t stressful. It is intense and tiring. But the extra effort seems worthwhile because of what it allows: For one week, we focus solely on Jesus. For one week, all the petty distractions and concerns that disproportionately consume…