Why Cheating Sucks: The Merits of Academic Honesty
It was tempting because nobody would find out. I also needed the money. And it was one paper. I remember the moment clearly, standing at my locker and contemplating the offer. $20 for a paper. My friend, desperate for a decent grade, asked me to write his English paper in […]
Serial Killers on TV? : Why Curiosity isn’t always Healthy
The Thrill of the Fall As the leaves begin to change and the weather cools down, we embrace pumpkin spice season once again (!!) and the liturgical calendar carries us to the Solemnity of All Saints and the Memorial of All Souls. It is time to prepare for shorter days […]
Small Group Time Doesn’t Need to Be Torture
As a former youth minister, I remember how my Edge core team dreaded small group time. At a point, it became such an obvious frustration that I decided to investigate the cause of this hatred by leading the small groups myself. One Edge Night, I donned my “Small Group Leader” […]
10 Ways to Affirm Your Core Members
Affirmation is one of the Life Teen Core Values. We need to affirm each other, especially those in our life which we couldn’t do ministry without- ie. Our core members.
Dealing With Disobedience
I always think about how Jesus would react to middle schoolers. Every time they misbehave, I imagine that Jesus would say to them, “You have no idea all that I have done and will continue to do for you.” And so I aim to love them just as Christ does.
Faith First: God at the Center
This raises an important question: how does a teen like Kyle find a way to be committed to sports, academics, and his faith while so many other teens struggle? In Matthew 6:21 Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there also your heart will be.” If our Catholic faith and our relationship with God is something that is truly a treasure in our lives, we then place it at the center of our lives.
Social Media Privacy Settings
A legitimate concern for parents over social media use is the accessibility that companies and strangers might have to their teens. This is a valid concern, and we’d love to address a few privacy features available on each of the most popular social media platforms among teens.
Three Lessons from St. Gianna Molla
The extreme sacrifice she sealed with her life testifies that only those who have the courage to give of themselves totally to God and others are able to fulfill themselves.” Gianna’s situation is perhaps pretty unusual; even so, she has important lessons to teach us. So here are three things to learn from St. Gianna Molla.
The Four Necessities for Reaching Middle Schoolers
I worked in church ministry for a long time, positioning my involvement in proximity to middle school youth ministry. (I have the evidence documented in retreat and camp T-shirts.) I was just close enough to develop a genuine appreciation for the youth ministers and core members but not close enough to commit to a year-round official association with Edge.
