Each week we compile a list of helpful articles from other sites, in a variety of categories, for youth workers to read, reflect on, and/or discuss with parents and volunteers. If you have any articles you’d like to suggest, we’d love for you to share those in the Youth Pastor Theologian Facebook group. That’s a great way to bring them to our attention and to discuss them with like-minded youth workers! (Inclusion in this list does not imply complete agreement with the publishing source, but we have found these articles to be beneficial.)
Youth Ministry
New Research: Mom, Dad, Jesus or AI? Who Teens Turn to for Advice (Barna)
Seven in 10 teens (70%) feel pressure to answer the question of who they really are. When they need advice on it, the people they say they’d feel most comfortable asking are still at home: mom (84%) and dad (78%), ahead of friends (75%), teachers (67%) and AI (35%), according to new data from Reimagining Ministry for Gen Alpha, a report from Barna produced in partnership with Christ In Youth.
Using the Horror Craze for Gospel Conversations with Teenagers, Bradley Blaylock (Rooted)
A lot of modern, non-horror storytelling would attempt to make sure the audience knows the exorcism is only symbolic. The demon would be a metaphor for PTSD or something of the like. That is not the case in The Exorcist. In fact, the film explores this contrast in depth. Reagan sees various doctors who try and fail to diagnose the issue. There’s no attempt to rationalize the demon away precisely because the demon is real. The film doesn’t wink at the viewer, as if Father Merrin’s prayers are silly, because in horror, they aren’t. Evil isn’t explained away as the awakening of childhood trauma; it’s just evil.
Biblical & Theological Studies
Christian Universalism Is Alive (Just Go to a Funeral), Jonathan L. Shirk (Gentle Reformation)
I’ve been to many funerals and memorial services in my life, and through the years, I’ve encountered religious people who give off the impression that they believe everyone goes to heaven. Culture gives the same impression. Words reveal worldviews. The deceased person may not have received Christ by faith, may not have gone to church, may have even lived an unrepentant and selfish life, and some people still seem to assume they went to a “better place” or went to heaven. Might Christian Universalism be more prevalent than we think?
Three Things to Teach Your Kids from the Book of Acts, Mary Van Weelden (Core Christianity)
Once Christ rises from the dead and after his disciples witness his ascension into heaven, what do we put on the Sunday school felt board? Most of the New Testament is filled with letters rather than narrative, and even the stories we hear in Acts can seem polemic and unattached from the point of Scripture. What do Paul’s journeys have to do with Jesus? But it’s here in Acts that we learn some vital things about Jesus, his church, and his gospel. And you don’t want your kids to miss them!
Concupiscence: Are Our Unholy Desires Sinful?, Mark Jones (Logos Word-by-Word)
To say, then, that without the act of the will there is no moral culpability is to say that we can think and desire apart from the will. This is an ontological impossibility, since to be is to be willing. Since concupiscence is evil in its root and forbidden by the moral law, it does not need to “give birth” (see below) for sin to occur.
Cultural Reflection & Contextualization
Video: 5 Signs Your Church Might Be Too Seeker Sensitive, Adriel Sanchez (Sola Media)
Is it wrong for a church to be seeker sensitive? Pastor Adriel Sanchez expounds on the differences between seeker-sensitive and seeker-driven churches, and why ordering our services to be palatable for certain demographics is a way of domesticating the worship of God.
Pastoral Ministry
Best Practices from Evangelistically Effective Churches, Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra (TGC)
These days, evangelistically effective churches are keeping evangelism front of mind in the way they preach, train, and encourage their congregations. They’re celebrating small wins. And they’re leading with a high view of Scripture, prayer, and God’s sovereignty.
Reformed Doesn’t Mean Robotic: A Case for Expressive Worship, Thembelani Maqajana (TGC Africa)
We must worship God “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). So worship must be both genuine and governed by God’s revelation. Biblical truth must shape our worship, but worshipping in truth doesn’t mean suppressing every physical or emotional response.
Family & Parents
The Questions Your Kids Shouldn't be Asking, Melissa Edgington (Your Mom Has a Blog)
But there is one decision you can make as a Christian parent that is easy. It’s a no-brainer, in fact. You should take your kids to church. Not a few times a year. Not once a month. Not every other week. Your children should know exactly where they will be every time Sunday rolls around again. Your kids need a foundation of consistent biblical influence.
8 Ways to Help Your Kids Love the Church, Shiphrah Lakka (IndiAanya)
Children often mirror the emotional tone we attach to things. If Sunday mornings are stressful and rushed, church can easily begin to feel like an unpleasant obligation. But when parents intentionally cultivate joy around Sunday gatherings, children begin to look forward to them.
From YPT this week
What is the Image of God and Why Does it Matter for Teenagers?, Mike McGarry
It’s easy to assume people know what you mean by the “Image of God.” But what does it actually mean, and why does it matter for youth discipleship?
