Friday Review (3/6/26)

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

Why Preschool Ministry Matters, by Jared Kennedy (New Growth Press)

In a joy-filled preschool Sunday school class, we cultivate implicit memories that can help children grow to love and embrace the good news. Toddlers and preschoolers soak up their teacher’s facial expressions and example. Habits form as they learn the weekly routine of coming to church, listening to God’s word, and responding through hands-on crafts and games.

Helping Teenagers Meet with Jesus at the Lord’s Supper, by Mike Jones (Rooted)

The Lord’s Supper isn’t an empty ritual—it’s a meal the Spirit uses to strengthen faith by focusing our hearts on three vital dimensions: the past, the present, and the future. Let’s explore each of these and consider how we can help our students see Christ more clearly through them.

Biblical & Theological Studies

Repentance Without Compromise: A Return to the Heart of the Gospel, by Peter Mead (Biblical Preaching)

One of the most remarkable and yet most neglected themes in Scripture is the call to repentance. In the prophets of the Old Testament, we see God’s people repeatedly summoned to turn—not simply to behave better or to correct their actions, but to turn back to God Himself. It was always relational: a call to restoration, not just reform.

Sacred Bones? Why Roman Catholicism Needs Relics, by Leonardo De Chirico (Vatican Files)

 If the Christian faith starts from the empty tomb of the risen Lord Jesus, why has Roman Catholicism filled its churches with objects to be venerated?

How Marriage Actually Refers to Christ and the Church, by Chase Krug (Mere Orthodoxy)

As an objective reality constituted by one-flesh conjugal union, a marriage that refers to Christ and the church isn’t a bar to live up to. It is a reality to live in to.

Cultural Reflection & Contextualization

Edgelords Won’t Inherit the Earth, by Joe Carter (The Gospel Coalition)

Somewhere right now, a young man is watching a 30-second clip of a Christian influencer calling a fellow pastor a coward on a live stream. The clip has 40,000 views. What he didn’t see is that his own pastor posted a thoughtful, Christ-centered reflection that same day. It got 14 likes.

Pastoral Ministry

What Every Christian Should Know, by Kyle Borg (Gentle Reformation)

The Scripture isn’t given to us so we can win a game. It’s given so that we can read, meditate, understand, and be trained in righteousness and holiness.

With that in mind, there are certain things every Christian should know about the Bible — not obscure details or academic debates, but foundational truths that shape how we read, study, and receive God’s Word.

5 Ways to Care for Divorced People in Your Church, by Linda Seabrook (The Gospel Coalition)

Research shows that almost half of church attendees who get divorced leave their current church, and for those who remain, their relationships and service within the church dramatically decline. So how can the body of Christ better support people experiencing the pain of divorce?

Family & Parents

It’s Sad That You Believe That, by Stephen Jones (Increase Our Faith)

What we simplistically think of as teen rebellion is a process of trying to discern whether their beliefs are innate or inherited, and anything that is determined to be inherited is then submitted to a ruthless sifting. As teens process their beliefs, each one is systematically put through a thorough threshing and I’m afraid that most of what was imparted to them by a parent will likely be considered chaff.

The Definition of Parenting, by Paul Tripp

God has called us to be an essential part of his rescue mission in the lives of the children he has given us. But he does not ask us to do what only he can do. So he blesses us with his presence, power, wisdom, and grace. He parents us faithfully so that by his faithful grace we can parent our children faithfully.

From YPT this week

Why Systematic Theology Matters & Ministering to Kids of Church Hoppers

What is Systematic Theology and why is it a blessing to youth workers, and a listener question about ministry to a kid whose family has switched churches.

Evaluating the Bible Project’s Theology of Sin and Atonement, by Mike McGarry

What does the Bible Project teach about sin and atonement? It’s good to practice theological discernment, especially with doctrines so close to the heart of the gospel.

How to Select a Missions Trip, by Andrew Slay

Instead of feeling like you are playing darts with a world map, here’s sound counsel about how to plan an impactful mission trip for your students.