By Julianna Shults In my years of writing and speaking about youth ministry, one statement has gotten more looks of surprise and skepticism than others: “A congregation can have healthy youth ministry even if they have two or three youth.” I make this statement when sharing the Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry, designed by LCMS Youth Ministry after careful study of Scripture, Lutheran theology, research and practitioners. Each practice is something any congregation, regardless of...| The Lutheran Witness
How do you know God loves you? Stated so baldly, I’m sure you know the answer: Because He has declared it to be so. He sent His only Son to suffer and die for the sins of the world — yours included — and declares that you are forgiven on account of Christ’s sake and that you are His child. In practice, however, this question can become more difficult to parse. Consider two men: One has a successful job and nice house, a wife and four upstanding children. He donates regularly to church...| The Lutheran Witness