Travel Archives - Jonathan's Blog From The Source

7 Things This Camp Does Right

Posted on: 03/2/19 10:00 AM | by Jonathan McKee

That all camps should emulate

I’ve been speaking at Camp Timber-lee in Wisconsin for over a decade now, and this past weekend I was thinking, This camp does soooooooooo many things right… I wish every camp could visit and glean from the experience.

So here’s the next best thing. Here are 7 things I see them doing right again and again and again for their winter camp weekend retreats…

1. Kids start having fun the second they arrive.I’ve been to countless camps where kids don’t get to do their favorite thing—hang out—until literally the second day after lunch. Really. A lot of camps immediately file kids into a long program, then small groups, then bed, then breakfast, then another program, some forced rec time, then lunch… THEN finally free time! Camp Timber-lee has free time programmed for the Continue reading “7 Things This Camp Does Right”

Posted in Speaking/Training, Travel, Youth Ministry Planning | Tags: camp, effective programming, weekend retreat | Leave A Comment

10 Flight Tips If You Actually Want to Get There

Posted on: 11/20/17 4:35 AM | by Jonathan McKee

This year I flew over 100,000 miles, mostly domestic. That means a lot of security lines, boarding groups, layovers… and bad airport food. It also means learning a few tricks of the trade actually getting from A to B (while many others were stuck in A for days at a time).

I’ve been doing this for two decades now, and in those years I’ve learned a lot of travel lessons the hard way. I’ve also observed a lot of people missing flights and having their vacations completely ruined for one simple reason…

Ignorance.

That’s not an insult… I mean it in the true sense of the word. They just didn’t know better because no one had ever told them vital information… like if you are Continue reading “10 Flight Tips If You Actually Want to Get There”

Posted in Personal, Travel | Tags: airlines, flight delays, flight tips, Southwest Airlines, travel tips | Leave A Comment

Coming to a city near you

Posted on: 09/21/17 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Fall is always pretty busy with speaking, youth leader trainings and parent workshops. Take a peek at my upcoming schedule and see if I’m coming to a city near you:

THIS WEEKEND- Sept 23, 24, New Hope Assembly Church, Rogers, AR
Parenting workshop, preaching in morning services

October 15, Steel City Mennonite Brethren Church, Bethleham, PA
Preaching in morning services, Parenting workshop 6-8 PM

Continue reading “Coming to a city near you”

Posted in Speaking/Training, Travel | Tags: Focus on the Family, Jonathan McKee, parenting workshops, speaking, training youth leaders | Leave A Comment

building into young people during their gap year

Posted on: 08/9/17 9:32 PM | by Jonathan McKee

What do Chick-Fil-A, rapper Trip Lee and Sean McDowell have in common?

All three captivated my attention last weekend… and I think you’ll find ‘why’ fascinating.

Let me back up. For the last decade the youth ministry world has been wrestling with a tough question—one that parents are asking just the same:

Why are so many kids walking away from their faith during/after high school?

Continue reading “building into young people during their gap year”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Faith, Leadership, Travel, Youth Culture | Tags: chick-fil-A, Christian Education, Impact 360, kingdom influence, sean McDowell, transformed, trip lee | Leave A Comment

“Here’s the passage”

Posted on: 07/5/17 3:34 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I’m as type-A as you get. My wife says I’m borderline OCD. I don’t go on a picnic without exhaustive preparation and planning. That’s why Africa is always a stretch for me. Africa is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

“I’ll meet you at 9:00.”

That means maybe 9:00… or maybe 10:00. Depends on if something else comes up.

They call it Africa Time. Continue reading ““Here’s the passage””

Posted in Money, Speaking/Training, Travel | Tags: Kampala, parable of the shrewd manager, sermon prep | Leave A Comment

A remarkable man

Posted on: 03/14/17 3:46 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Last weekend I encountered a man so remarkable, the experience was life changing.

I didn’t expect it. I was visiting Maui by myself for the quickest trip to the island I’ve ever had, there and back in just a weekend for a friend’s wedding (not the choice way to do Maui). The ceremony was ocean-side in the beautiful Kahanu Gardens in Hana, a truly precarious drive, but breathtaking scenery.

As we were waiting for the ceremony to begin… this man caught my eye.

He was Hawaiian with a chiseled jaw, a tribal tattoo on his left cheek, and his grey hair pulled back tightly into a bun. He was probably one of the eldest people at the wedding, but no doubt one of the most physically strong. He was perfectly composed Continue reading “A remarkable man”

Posted in Evangelism, Faith, Personal, Travel | Tags: Alii, aloha, elder, Hana, Hawaii, Jesus, respect | Leave A Comment

Parenting Amish

Posted on: 10/22/16 8:30 PM | by Jonathan McKee

In the beginning of my book More Than Just the Talk I give an example of speaking in a conservative Mennonite Brethren church in Amish, PA, and listening to parents share stories of the racy content their kids were exposed to in this perceived mecca of purity in North America.

This weekend I returned to Amish, PA to speak at yet another church (my third in Lancaster County), and I decided to visit the local Target to take a peek for myself. After all, every other state I visit I hear frustrated parents mumble under their breath, “Maybe I’ll just move to Amish, PA… then I won’t have to deal with any of this!”

Is that true?

Continue reading “Parenting Amish”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Music, Parenting, Speaking/Training, Travel, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment

Are Any of These Cities Near You?

Posted on: 09/29/16 4:00 AM | by Jonathan McKee

This month I fly to 5 different U.S. states to teach parent workshops… and I’m hoping that I’m coming near you! (and if not… let’s start a dialogue about bringing me out to your city)

ARVADA, CO
It all starts this weekend when I fly to Colorado to record a radio interview about my new book on Jim Daly’s show on FOCUS ON FAMILY, and while I’m there I’m teaching a FREE parenting workshop just outside of Denver. The workshop is Sunday night, October 2^nd, from 6:00 to 8:00 at Peace Lutheran. This will be my brand new workshop: Continue reading “Are Any of These Cities Near You?”

Posted in Speaking/Training, Travel | | Leave A Comment

5 Realities That Made Us Pause in South Africa

Posted on: 11/3/15 5:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

As I sit here on my 12-hour flight from Cape Town to Munich, my mind can’t help but decompress, processing my week of teaching at the Imagine Ignite conference and hanging out with youth workers in South Africa. God’s hand was so evident through this whole experience.

The week provided plenty of perks (pardon my alliteration), from the trip up Table Mountain, to wine tasting in the beautiful coastal vineyards, tasting a “Pinotage” for the first time. But none of those moments hold a match to the interaction my family and I experienced with the Continue reading “5 Realities That Made Us Pause in South Africa”

Posted in Personal, Speaking/Training, Travel | | Leave A Comment

Heading to South Africa

Posted on: 10/22/15 10:28 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I’m not sure how to pack…

Lori and I are headed to Los Angeles (85 degrees) to run a half marathon, then we fly to Cape Town (73 degrees) where I’ll speak at a conference next weekend, then we stop off in Munich (49 degrees) for an extended layover (3 days) on the way home just for fun.

Do you even own 14 pairs of underwear?

I’m really excited about this conference in South Africa. My dad and I are training youth workers for 3 days, then we’re speaking in a local church. Should be great fun! If you’re in South Africa… take a peek HERE, or get your tickets HERE.

Posted in Personal, Speaking/Training, Travel | | Leave A Comment