Stand-Up Jesus

by Mark Gladman

As a stand-up comedian, one of the questions I’m constantly asked is, “Who is your favorite comedian?” I have many to choose from, but my answer is somewhat out of the ordinary: Jesus Christ.

The idea of Jesus as a comedian might seem a little unusual, even heretical or disrespectful. But the more I read the Gospels, the more firmly I conclude that Jesus was probably the most effective user of humor and comedy than any communicator who’s ever walked the planet.

I also believe that Jesus was one of the most fun leaders in history. While not necessarily obvious in the….
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The Purpose of Doctrine

by Enuma Okoro

Lessons from the Master of Humor and Fun

When I was a full-time youth minister, I sought to teach kids to love Jesus, read the Bible as much as they could, and consider how their faiths affected their actions. Like most youth workers, I suppose.

But if someone had asked me eight years ago if I were teaching Christian doctrine, I probably would’ve shaken my head knowingly and—with a deep sigh suggesting all the hard work of guiding youth—answered, “No, we’re not there yet.” (And then I would’ve locked myself in my office and frantically researched the teaching of doctrine.)

Doctrine. It sounds….
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Sort, Keep, and Toss

by Justin Spurlock

A Road through the Resource Pile

A few years back, a ministry colleague came into my office, took one look around and scoffed, “Maybe we should meet in my office!”

Although I was aware of the mess, I didn’t realize the piles of garbage on my desk and around my office felt chaotic to others. After the meeting, I reentered my office with a new eye.

Most of the piles consisted of youth ministry products that I’d received from one company or another. I believed all of this “stuff” would be helpful to me at some point in the future; what I didn’t….
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