This one is a blog to youth ministers from a youth minister. Jared Waldrop wrote #Trustissues// Leader Teens From Revoked to Renewed Trust. This blog post is on the broken trust of this generation, why it is important to reestablish trust, and some ways to try to go about establishing it. Another helpful item on Waldrop’s blog is this tip sheet, Notes From the Trenches. It has tons of helpful tips. It will be especially useful for young youth pastors.

Acclaimed singer-singwriter Sandra McCracken wrote Children’s Music Matters for Christianity Today. In the article, she explains the importance of children’s music done well. She also talked about a new album she contributed to for children called Rain for Roots: Big Stories for Little Ones. Inspired by the  words of children’s author Sally Lloyd-Jones, this new project raises the bar for the genre.

Are you comfortable using the word “heresy?” How about when applying it to the popular “God within” belief in America? Scot McKnight writes up a summary of Ross Douthat’s new book, “Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics.” He offers a synopsis of this popular belief in four easy points and appraises it very succinctly.

Ed Stetzer reports on the growing diversity in America’s denominations. He raises some intriguing points about the details of the figures he provides, demonstrating that statistics need to be interpreted carefully. His conclusions reveal important implications for those doing ministry.    We’ve all heard the stats of church planting failures. This article, 5 Confessions of a Failed Church Planter at Pastors.com, offers some unique insight into the challenging process of planting.    Can pastors learn from business leaders? Brad Lomenick from Catalyst offers some suggestions.