As I have worked with students over the years, I have noticed that many go through seasons of spiritual dryness in which desires for attentiveness are thwarted by feelings that God is distant and unresponsive. Quiet times feel empty, small groups lifeless, worship songs stale, prayers fruitless and tiresome. Such times, of course, were not…

It seems like every time I turn around I am hearing something about Sherry Turkle’s new book, Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. Whether it is an interview, a podcast, an article or a review, this book appears to have hit a nerve with the general public. Indeed, concern about how…

Emerging adults often have their focus directed squarely upon the future. Parents and other concerned adults regularly ask them about the five and ten-year plans they are devising for adulthood. They are preparing for a future career and, at least potentially, a future spouse and children. They develop dreams of what they hope to be and…

“Where is your body taking your heart?” This is a question that I have been asking more and more in my work with emerging adults. I find that it is a startling, and sometimes disconcerting, question for many. We typically assume that the spiritual life works in one direction—a change of heart leads to a…

For emerging adults, life is often consumed by thoughts about the present and the future. A host of new responsibilities and life skills beckon for attention. Learning to “stand on their own two feet” requires significant energy on a daily basis. In addition, they are often probed to think deeply about the future. What major…

“You have to understand how shocked I am to be in this interview.I assured my husband, when we were engaged, that I would never join a church staff.” Stacie was a vibrant, passionate, highly gifted thirty-something. We were pursuing her as our Associate Pastor of Disciple-making. She was currently a doctoral philosophy student, a veteran…

How can pastors, teachers, parents, and other mentors foster attentive hearts in emerging adults, who are in the midst of the manifold distractions that tend to blunt a responsiveness to God and his work in the world and in their lives? Asking good and timely questions can be one of the most powerful ways we facilitate…

Roles are essential in every human context. Roles define expectations and responsibilities, and structure the division of labor. Roles enable the implementation of shared vision and mission; they shape conversations. As a result, how a community’s leadership The role of emerging adults as conceived and communicated by a local church’s leadership is of paramount importance.envisions…

In Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, C.S. Lewis speaks to the fact that Christians must recognize God in the everyday matters of life, not only in explicitly sacred settings: “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God,” he suggested. “The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And…

This past weekend, a group of pastors, researchers, and educators who work with and alongside emerging adults gathered together for two days of conversation and professional development. This gathering included leaders in churches, parachurch organizations, and institutions of higher education. Though we came from different backgrounds and ministry contexts, we shared a common commitment to…

For the past few months, I have been rather perplexed by the juxtaposition of two songs on one of my playlists. I downloaded the first because of how both its lyrics and musicality depict reality of pain in human relationships. I downloaded the second because of how it captures a sense of hope. While attending…

“More than anyone in my life, you have not only witnessed but pilgrimed with me in my singleness and now also in my relationship with my new husband. You have challenged me in sin, encouraged me to life, sharpened me through conflict, loved me deeply in listening and spoken God’s presence to me. . ….