by Seth Vopat | Nov 17, 2014 | Opinion
I experienced one of those moments recently in which you know what’s about to happen is going to be important for you. You don’t know why, but you have a sense that you’re going to experience a transformative moment. An encounter with Frank X Walker...
by Seth Vopat | Jun 16, 2014 | Opinion
I was initiated into adulthood through more than the traditional graduation from high school. I will never forget that summer because I was excited to be participating in the National American Baptist Youth Gathering as a small group leader. My anticipation of an...
by Seth Vopat | Feb 6, 2014 | Opinion
I have been a fan of Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger Games” trilogy for several years and have incorporated clips from the first movie into my ministry on a variety of occasions. In Collins’ fictional dystopian future, the country of Panem (formed...
by Seth Vopat | Jan 13, 2014 | Opinion
I often ask members of my youth group how their relationship with God is going. Sometimes I get typical one-word answers such as “good” or “OK,” and the conversation moves on. Other times, there is a longer engagement as they wrestle with the...
by Seth Vopat | Dec 20, 2013 | Opinion
Like many, I find Rachel Held Evans to be a thought-provoking writer. I recently came across a post on her blog titled “It’s a Miracle Any of Us Survived Youth Group.” It was a Twitter compendium of games played in youth groups, which highlighted...