About Our Youth

If you’ve ever been around small children in any capacity, you know that sometimes they throw temper tantrums. The truth is, though, we've all become a little... entitled.

We do not say “thank you” because we “deserve” stuff, we “earned” things, it’s our “right” to get, accumulate, have. 

If you’ve ever wondered why Christ warned that it is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mark 10:25), cautioned not to store up treasures on Earth (Matthew 6:19-21), and warned about enslavement to our “stuff” (Matthew 6:25), look no further than the mirror, because He was talking about us.

Read on to see how we can safeguard our family from stopping the habit of crying over spilled milk and taking a sneak peak at our fall line-up.

A new school year always comes with a rush of mixed emotions for me. Of course, there is some relief to get the schedule and routine back in the house not just for me, but for the kids. There is some tension with said kids who are not as “relieved” to have school coming back (and “denial” that summer is coming to an end). And of course – throw in some anxiety because of all the “things” – supplies that need to be bought, forms that must be signed, back to school meetings or tryouts that must be attended… and maybe that last beach trip to squeeze in.

If you are also in youth ministry, Bridges to Orthodoxy hopes to help you with the curriculum planning. Every year we try to compile Orthodox resources we find. See that list HERE.

As for BtO specifically, we have a great 2025-2026 scope this year and we hope you keep looking back. Occasionally, I will get an email asking me if we had any units with particularly good feedback or my personal favorites, so I figured I would dedicate this post to my personal top 5 favorite units over the years (and it was hard to choose).

I'm not what you'd call a "nature enthusiast" ... so when I went to visit a friend of mine who is more of an adventurer, I was expecting a week of chaos, but I returned with a new sense of perspective and a thought provoking experience. Just like Elijah had to pass the wind, the fire, and the earthquake to hear the still, small voice - sometimes we must be open to escaping the noise of our life to realize God is and always has been speaking.  Are we willing to listen to what He is saying, even if it is difficult? Outside our comfort zone? Hard? Chaotic? This summer that is exactly what we are challenging our teens to do. Read on to learn more about our summer series, our summer challenge, and the difference between chaos and the adventure God has in store for us.

In many areas of our life, whether it be advertising, work, politics, or social gatherings, a message can be heard by many, but received by few. The problem is not that the message is too hidden, it's that we need better ears. Christ's parables often ended with "for those who have ears to hear let them hear!" and these days it seems we can understand what He meant more than ever. When things matter to us, we listen, when we do not, well.... Its a scary thought that we may not "hear" because we do not care, but honestly - it might be as simple as that. Christ's parables are filled with imagery, layers, practical lessons.  They were easy to understand, easy to place yourself in them, and hard to forget... at least for those who had ears to hear. 

When you are a youth worker there are some Sundays that are uplifting, others that are deflating, and others that are just exhausting.  Sometimes, you have those Sundays. In those moments, I wonder if anything I’m doing is even sinking in or making a difference.

I love the humility and selfless love and generosity I see in so many youth workers I encounter.  That is the love of Jesus they are emulating for our kids.  At the same time, wanting, needing to be told we are a part of something valuable, that we are doing a good job, that we are in this together is not anti-Biblical or prideful.  In fact, that is part of service.  That is why in this post, two important outlets are highlighted to give or receive such comfort and edification as talked about in 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Purity, Dating, Marriage, and Sex were sometimes addressed when I was a teen growing up, but rarely done well.  All too often we avoid these tough topics, which means teens are learning from their default teachers:  TV shows, movies, music, social media, the internet, friends in school, and even friends in church.  These teachers portray sex and dating in an attractive and enticing way, but a lie nonetheless.  It is crucial that we broach this subject and deliver the message properly.  That is why I was honored to contribute to the Dating and Purity Curriculum developed by Bridges to Orthodoxy.  This is a resource our teens so desperately need, and one I wish I had growing up.

As a special Christmas gift to you all, I am including a link to a poem I re-wrote and reclaimed back to the original story of our beloved Saint Nicholas.  See the link in this blog post.  Keep in mind, our site will be operational during the holiday season, but I will be unplugging/off -line for the next couple of weeks to enjoy some family time.  I will see you all in the New Year!  Merry Christmas!

Most of us love Christmas, but we do not typically have the same images in our mind thinking of the "season of Christmas" and the "season of Advent." Let's change that this year by taking our teens to see three spirits - the Spirit of Christmas Past, the Spirit of Christmas Present, and the Spirit of Christmas Future. 

As the prophet Isaiah said:

 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6

Centuries before Christ was born, there were prophecies of anticipation of this miraculous birth, of what it would mean for our lives today and in the future. 

I remember with clarity my first day of Law School receiving some important advice- not to use the skills we learn on argument, communication, and negtoitation on our friends and family or they will cease to be our friends and family.

Unfortunately, I catch my self in the midst of arguments completely disregarding this advise all the time - my instincts take over and I often forget that I'm speaking to a human I love and not merely a "point" to win. 

The Bible tells us to do our piece to keep the peace with all people - and that is especially important with our most precious relationships - our parents, our siblings, our family. These people love us unconditionally, but their words can cut deeper than most.  This fall, let's help our teens form good habits and choose "people over points" and remember that Christ came not to destroy lives, but to save them.

If you've ever worked in an office, you'll probably relate to the experienced frustration of IT personnel minimizing your computer disaster with the simple advice of "reboot your computer." Frustrating, but effective.

God can and does the same thing in our lives if we just trust in Him.  As we see in the lives of Ruth and Naomi, God turns tragedy to honor, rags to riches, and a cursed heritage into a blessing. This month, we hope to encourage our teens to trust God not only in the best of times, but in the worst of times - ESPECIALLY in the worst of times because it is those moments that God uses to set us up for an Ultimate Reset.

As a parent, I often struggle with how to navigate raising my kids up in God’s character and not worrying so much who we offend.  I wish I had a little of my dad’s moxie for pushing that envelope. True - his sense of humor didn't "age" very well, but he always emphasized character over substance. 

I suppose that is why with my own kids and my Church’s Youth Ministry, I’m really big on something we call the “252 effect.”  What’s that, you ask? (Or maybe you didn’t – but just humor me).  It comes from Luke 2:52 and it is the moment when the world was astonished with the amazing character, wisdom, and stature of a 12-year old Christ.  Isn't that what we want for our kids?  Let's mirror our Youth Ministry off that blueprint - no dad jokes required.

It's that time of year again!  Just like last summer, we've compiled a list of pan-Orthodox resources, some free, some not free - a variety of ages, to help you find the right resources for your youth ministry effort.  While we LOVE Bridges to Orthodoxy, we always stress that curriculum is merely a tool - it is not "magic" and it is certainly not "handcuffs."  Take the time to precisely define the mission statement of your youth ministry effort and that will help you figure out what tools you need to further that mission.  Don't use a hammer when you need a screwdriver for the job.