What kids want to talk about

Group magazine asked Christian teenagers, "What do you wish your youth leaders would ask you?" Their top 5 responses:

1. What ideas do you have for youth group activities?
   
2. Why did/do you come to youth group?
   
3. How's your relationship with Christ? How can I help?
   
4. How's your family life?
   
5. How do you feel about more teenagers having sex these days?

Violent schedules

Recently a friend e-mailed this bracing reminder from Thomas Merton:

To allow one's self to be carried away
by a multitude of conflicting concerns,
To surrender to too many demands,
To commit one's self to too many projects,
To want to help everyone in everything,
Is to succumb to violence.
Frenzy destroys our inner
capacity for peace.
It destroys the fruitfulness
of our work
because it kills the root of inner wisdom
which makes work fruitful.

Health checkup

How can you tell if your church is healthy?

Stephen Macchia, president of the Evangelistic Association of New England, worked with colleagues ...