Benjamin Kerns

It is easy for the students in our ministries to get the wrong idea about Christianity. To be fair, it isn't their fault; most of our students are connected to our ministries because their parents want them to be. At some point in their parents' lives, they made a profession of faith and gave their...

This year for Lent, I decided not just to give up coffee but to give up caffeine. I knew this was going to be difficult, but that is partially why I chose this discipline. In my mind, I know that I don’t want to be mastered by anything. I want to be in control of my body, mind and spirit. Yet in my heart,...

For the longest time, I have tried really hard to relate to students. I have known that music was a very powerful gateway, and if I just had a little guidance I would be able to relate to them, to understand them, would be able speak their language. Even more than relating, I would be able to influence...

A call to student ministry is a special and unique thing. We have been called by God to participate in the spiritual development of students. For a very specific and often chaotic season, we get the privilege and honor of being adults who coach, mentor, disciple and journey with adolescents who are exploring...

A couple of weeks ago, I experienced the “Twilight Zone” in Sunday School. Even though the room was full of students, there was this strange silence. At first, I couldn’t tell what was happening. I know Sunday School is early, but as I looked around at the group, I could tell it wasn’t that everyone...

According to the California Teachers’ Association Web site, Generation Z is the generation that “while they may be named for the last letter of the alphabet, they’ll soon be at the forefront of solving the worst environmental, social and economic problems in history.” This generation, born in the mid...