Author: Seth Barnes

3 Things to do before you’re 30

Written by Seth Barnes on December 9, 2009. Posted in Spiritual Formation. 16 Comments on 3 Things to do before you’re 30

Several days ago a young man asked me what advice I had for him concerning his life. My general advice to all young people is pray more, risk more, love more. But there are three...

Shouting in the Nicaraguan night

Written by Seth Barnes on December 8, 2009. Posted in Poverty. 6 Comments on Shouting in the Nicaraguan night

I’m sitting on the balcony of the Kaye’s house in Granada, Nicaragua. I’ve got the headphones on for a reason as I type this blog. It’s been a week of celebrating...

Missionary life can be comical

Written by Seth Barnes on December 7, 2009. Posted in Culture and Faith. 9 Comments on Missionary life can be comical

I’m in Nicaragua today. We’ve got a base down here that Charles “Carlitos” and Sarah Kaye started. My son Seth is down here discipling a group of young people...

Let them go!

Written by Seth Barnes on December 5, 2009. Posted in Parenting. 20 Comments on Let them go!

Although the World Race has dramatically impacted the majority of those who have gone on it, there are many days that Michael Hindes, the World Race Director, and I have been ready...

All we like skunks have gone astray

Written by Seth Barnes on December 4, 2009. Posted in My Life. 7 Comments on All we like skunks have gone astray

I let Whimsy out the front door at 6 a.m. in the morning darkness. Our morning routine is usually uneventful. By the time I go into the kitchen to make the coffee and clean a few...

How to find and manage a mentor

Written by Seth Barnes on December 3, 2009. Posted in Discipling. 7 Comments on How to find and manage a mentor

The role of a mentor is to make you great. Her time is nothing but a gift to you. She could be having coffee with a friend, but she’s trying to help make you great. There is...

5 life lessons from Gary Black

Written by Seth Barnes on December 2, 2009. Posted in Dealing with junk in our lives. 11 Comments on 5 life lessons from Gary Black

Gary Black and his family have been on a fascinating journey these past three years. At some point, I hope that he’ll be able to share it with you. He’s learned some...

Make space for prayer

Written by Seth Barnes on December 1, 2009. Posted in Prayer. 10 Comments on Make space for prayer

The world needs more prayer. It’s the mechanism through which we collaborate with God. Great men and women of faith have always had prayer at the center of their lives. Our...

The 20 year responsibility project

Written by Seth Barnes on November 30, 2009. Posted in Parenting. 13 Comments on The 20 year responsibility project

God’s design for the parenting process is that we should take our children and turn them into responsible adults. We do this by allowing them more and more autonomy as they...

The 5 secrets of Jesus

Written by Seth Barnes on November 27, 2009. Posted in Discipling. 6 Comments on The 5 secrets of Jesus

I have a book that I started writing a couple of years ago addressing the subject of how our model of discipling is different than that of Jesus. As I’ve studied him, I see...

Thanksgiving ’09 at Barnes home

Written by Seth Barnes on November 26, 2009. Posted in My Life. 5 Comments on Thanksgiving ’09 at Barnes home

Me and the girls plus Steph Connors, family member for the day Group pic Turkey Kids...

What are you thankful for?

Written by Seth Barnes on November 25, 2009. Posted in Blog Community. 17 Comments on What are you thankful for?

We have so much to be thankful for. I begin by thanking God for being in my life and for giving me family and friends like you. What a blessing many of you are to me. And from there,...

Jesus will destabilize you to grow you

Written by Seth Barnes on November 24, 2009. Posted in Spiritual Formation. 9 Comments on Jesus will destabilize you to grow you

Estie, my middle daughter, returns from Zambia this morning. She’s been there for three months practicing nursing skills. It’s been a difficult journey – not one...

Authority: Its use and abuse

Written by Seth Barnes on November 23, 2009. Posted in Leadership. 14 Comments on Authority: Its use and abuse

If you pay attention, you’ll notice many Christians dancing this strange little tango that I call “the Dance of the Burned Believer.” I’ve danced it myself...

Buy purses that feed orphans for Christmas!

Written by Seth Barnes on November 22, 2009. Posted in Eswatini / Swaziland. 6 Comments on Buy purses that feed orphans for Christmas!

In Swaziland where the HIV infection rate is the highest in the world (45%), chances are good that you’ll die before you reach 30. If AIDS doesn’t get you, some other...

Youth pastors should only work for spiritual fathers

Written by Seth Barnes on November 20, 2009. Posted in Youth Ministry. 11 Comments on Youth pastors should only work for spiritual fathers

I got an email from a guy who is going to write an article about how training for short-term missions is inadequate. I replied,”The problem is not that youth leaders don’t...

Clive’s struggle to find love

Written by Seth Barnes on November 19, 2009. Posted in Orphans. 11 Comments on Clive’s struggle to find love

Tiffany Berkowitz is something. The youngest leader on our July ’09 World Race, she is on a roll in Swaziland. This is probably the first time I’ve posted two blogs by...

What it’s like to die of AIDS – Jane’s story

Written by Seth Barnes on November 18, 2009. Posted in A broken world. 4 Comments on What it’s like to die of AIDS – Jane’s story

Kari Miller is a friend who has developed a deep sense of community with a group of widows in Uganda. One of her best friends from that group, a widow named Jane, has battled AIDS....

What impacts your worldview?

Written by Seth Barnes on November 17, 2009. Posted in Missions. 7 Comments on What impacts your worldview?

In yesterday’s blog, I challenged readers to take a look at the narrowness of their worldview. But how do we even know what’s narrow and what’s not? There are the...

You need a bigger worldview

Written by Seth Barnes on November 16, 2009. Posted in Kingdom Reality. 16 Comments on You need a bigger worldview

We are way too parochial in America. We grow up speaking only English, thinking that ours is the only fishbowl to swim in, immersed in a culture where everything comes to us in...

Giving birth in a broken-down van on a dusty road in Swaziland

Written by Seth Barnes on November 14, 2009. Posted in Eswatini / Swaziland. 5 Comments on Giving birth in a broken-down van on a dusty road in Swaziland

Our work in Africa continually overwhelms us. The issues of life and death are so immediate there. This morning I read a report from from Tiffany Berkowitz in Swaziland that I just...

Coping with pain upon pain

Written by Seth Barnes on November 13, 2009. Posted in Justice issues. 5 Comments on Coping with pain upon pain

Nsoko, Swaziland is the most pain-filled place on earth I know. In a country where 45% of adults have the HIV virus, the people of Nsoko have an infection rate that, astonishingly,...

10 qualities of a great marriage partner

Written by Seth Barnes on November 12, 2009. Posted in Better Living. 11 Comments on 10 qualities of a great marriage partner

After encouraging my readers to more actively consider marriage in yesterday’s blog, I thought a good follow-up blog might be in order. This article by Suzanne Hadley on the...

When are you ready to think about marriage?

Written by Seth Barnes on November 11, 2009. Posted in Community and Covenant. 15 Comments on When are you ready to think about marriage?

I remember as a senior in college being greatly perplexed by the issue of marriage and its timing. Although I was head over heels in love with Karen, I spent three months in Thailand...