Why We Need to Rethink Automatic Bible College & 22-Year-Old Youth Pastors

by Sheila Wray Gregoire | Nov 8, 2019 | Faith, Parenting Teenagers

What if the way churches are hiring youth pastors is hurting our youth and hurting our youth pastors? This is going to be a long one. My girls and I have been talking about this for years, as they have watched friends go the Bible college/youth pastor route, and we...

One BIG Reason Teens Leave the Faith — and What Parents Can Do

by Rebecca Lindenbach | Aug 2, 2019 | Faith, Parenting Teenagers

There’s a lot of conversation about what causes people to leave the faith right now. Why do people reject Christianity?Josh Harris, author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, has publicly stated he’s no longer a Christian and it’s sparked a ton of...

Is Youth Group a Safe Place for Your Kids?

by Sheila Wray Gregoire | Nov 15, 2018 | Parenting Teenagers

When I was a teenager, I went to a small youth group where we were lucky to get about 12 people out every Friday night. We were very close. We did everything together. They were my lifeline. Over the years we lost touch, but last week I had a thought, and I contacted...

Dear Young Christian Guys: Love Her Like a Man

by Sheila Wray Gregoire | Jul 30, 2012 | Family, Parenting Teenagers, Sex, Sexual Intimacy

As I speak around the country and talk to young people, one thing that really disturbs me is the cavalier attitude so many Christians have about living together before marriage. And I think of a few young men that I know in various geographical areas right now who are...

8 Steps to Deal with a Depressed Teenager

by Sheila Wray Gregoire | Oct 18, 2011 | Parenting Teenagers

I’m currently surrounded by high school students who are really depressed. Not my own, thankfully. But we’re watching several young people we know go through some very difficult times, with parents at a loss as to what to do. And at the same time, news has...

Unconditional Love Does Not Equal Unconditional Acceptance

by Sheila Wray Gregoire | Dec 20, 2010 | Faith, Family

I’ve had a variety of snippets of interactions going through my head over the last few days, which have led me to a certain conclusion. So let me share my thought process with you, and see what you think. Exhibit A: I talked with a woman whose live-in boyfriend...