Author: Seth Barnes

It takes a tragedy to birth compassion

Written by Seth Barnes on May 10, 2008. Posted in Orphans. 1 Comment on It takes a tragedy to birth compassion

The FYM program (First-Year Missionaries) gives college students a chance to spend a a year-abroad being discipled. We started it several years ago and have seen it change hundreds...

Swaziland is dying – here are the facts

Written by Seth Barnes on May 9, 2008. Posted in Eswatini / Swaziland. 9 Comments on Swaziland is dying – here are the facts

Sometimes, it seems melodramatic to say it, but there is no escaping the fact that Swaziland is dying. The official numbers show a relentless pandemic sweeping through the countryside,...

Revival in Lakeland, FL

Written by Seth Barnes on May 8, 2008. Posted in Revival. 60 Comments on Revival in Lakeland, FL

Here’s a guide, a one-stop shop , to what’s going on in Lakeland, Florida. Some are calling it the the beginnings of a global revival; others say it’s a farce....

Roles should shape but not define your identity

Written by Seth Barnes on May 7, 2008. Posted in Identity issues. 5 Comments on Roles should shape but not define your identity

Rusty Jackson has been on a steep learning curve. When we first talked a year ago he said, “Seth, you and your blog have wrecked my life. I prayed that God would do something...

Feeling accepted by God

Written by Seth Barnes on May 6, 2008. Posted in Identity issues. 8 Comments on Feeling accepted by God

For the longest time, through my 20’s and most of my 30’s, I allowed myself the luxury of judgmentalism. Classifying people who thought differently than I did made my...

Your family should move to Antigua, Guatemala

Written by Seth Barnes on May 5, 2008. Posted in Culture and Faith. 15 Comments on Your family should move to Antigua, Guatemala

Karen and I just got back from doing a debrief in Guatemala. On our way back, we stopped off in Antigua, the old colonial capital of the country. As we wandered the cobblestone streets...

Things learned while circumnavigating the globe

Written by Seth Barnes on May 4, 2008. Posted in Identity issues. 5 Comments on Things learned while circumnavigating the globe

Wow! What a blog from Julie Lortz. She just returned from the World Race this weekend and didn’t lose any time in processing her experience. Her list shows why I believe this...

Great stories activate people for the kingdom

Written by Seth Barnes on May 3, 2008. Posted in Living Free. 1 Comment on Great stories activate people for the kingdom

Jamie Finch just wrote this article for Wrecked, AIM’s online magazine for spiritual misfits. Wrecked is a place where anybody can share a good story about how God is transforming...

Being passionate versus being driven

Written by Seth Barnes on May 2, 2008. Posted in Youth Ministry. 1 Comment on Being passionate versus being driven

My friend Mark Ostreicher, President of Youth Specialties, is writing a book called Youth Ministry 3.0 (his working title) and has some great insights on youth ministry and slowing...

Celebrating Estie’s life on her birthday

Written by Seth Barnes on May 2, 2008. Posted in My Life. 8 Comments on Celebrating Estie’s life on her birthday

Today is Estie’s 22nd birthday. In 1986, Karen and I were in a Charlottesville park at a cookout with our business school friends. Karen is a small-framed woman and was more...

How to write a win-win agreement

Written by Seth Barnes on May 1, 2008. Posted in Leadership. 2 Comments on How to write a win-win agreement

One of the best tools I’ve found for managing the agendas of two people whether in business, missions, or marriage, is the win-win agreement. And the best explanation I’ve...

My favorite tree’s fight with adversity

Written by Seth Barnes on April 30, 2008. Posted in Living Free. 4 Comments on My favorite tree’s fight with adversity

We all have a favorite place, a location that calls us to a younger, more idealistic version of ourselves. It’s where we rest when we’re tired, where we can be still...

Wrecked for the Ordinary Update: Last few weeks

Written by Seth Barnes on April 30, 2008. Posted in Kingdom Reality. No Comments on Wrecked for the Ordinary Update: Last few weeks

Here are some new articles at Wrecked, our online magazine where spiritual misfits can share their stories. Check out the last few weeks. Click on any articles that sound interesting...

Fathers, here’s how to date your children

Written by Seth Barnes on April 29, 2008. Posted in Fathering & Men's issues. 7 Comments on Fathers, here’s how to date your children

With five kids running amok in our house, it was sometimes easy to get caught up in the business of just living. I had to be intentional to give them the part of me their hearts...

Is an artist only as good as those who love him?

Written by Seth Barnes on April 28, 2008. Posted in Mobilization. 9 Comments on Is an artist only as good as those who love him?

So this Westmont alum named Joe Bunting emailed me: “I like how you said, ‘I was made to start things.’ I feel like I’m that way too. Do you ever have too...

The filthy orphans we are

Written by Seth Barnes on April 27, 2008. Posted in Orphans. 1 Comment on The filthy orphans we are

The following is a story from Wrecked for the Ordinary by Lorie Newman. I met Lorie on a vision trip in Swaziland last year. I loved the way she loved orphans. And when she returned...

Doing Short-Terms Missions without Doing Long-Term Harm

Written by Seth Barnes on April 26, 2008. Posted in Short-term missions. No Comments on Doing Short-Terms Missions without Doing Long-Term Harm

I ran across this good article from the Chalmers Center, part of which I excerpt here: Doing Short-Terms Missions without Doing Long-Term Harm by Chalmers Center Staff Given the...

Surprised by relationships I wasn’t looking for

Written by Seth Barnes on April 25, 2008. Posted in Spiritual Coaching. 8 Comments on Surprised by relationships I wasn’t looking for

Karen and I are headed to Guatemala tomorrow morning to do the final debrief of our World Race team that has been going around the world for almost a year now. It is such a thrill...

A conversation with Peter Lord

Written by Seth Barnes on April 24, 2008. Posted in Discipling. 57 Comments on A conversation with Peter Lord

Peter Lord helped me to first hear God’s voice and has been influential in my life. Jeff Goins and I had a chance to meet with him last year at a Cracker Barrel on the interstate...

Fathers exasperating their children

Written by Seth Barnes on April 23, 2008. Posted in Fathering & Men's issues. 4 Comments on Fathers exasperating their children

The feedback from the last couple of blogs on parents apologizing to their kids was good. A lot of us have struggled either as a misunderstood parent or a frustrated son or daughter....

Things I wish my children had told me

Written by Seth Barnes on April 22, 2008. Posted in Parenting. 3 Comments on Things I wish my children had told me

The Bible says that we parents shouldn’t exasperate our kids. But sadly, there are a lot of exasperated and wounded kids walking around. They’d love to talk to their...

How to Repent to Your Children

Written by Seth Barnes on April 21, 2008. Posted in Parenting. 15 Comments on How to Repent to Your Children

It’s almost May, a time when many children leave the nest. Some of you parents don’t have much time left to finish some important business before your child leaves home....

My world spins pretty fast

Written by Seth Barnes on April 20, 2008. Posted in Missions. 2 Comments on My world spins pretty fast

My life is unusual, my world spins fast – at any given time of the day or night I might get a phone call or an email from some random part of the world asking for prayer or...

More of us need to live in community

Written by Seth Barnes on April 19, 2008. Posted in Community and Covenant. 6 Comments on More of us need to live in community

I was made to start things – it’s what I do. So I’ve been asking God, “How do we help young people live in community and find mentorship?” Something...