Friday Review (5/1/26)
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
The Hunger for the Real, by Christine Rosen (Commentary)
For anyone of conservative sensibilities, it is these small acts of rebellion, restoration, and skepticism by those most affected by these technologies—Gen Z and, after them, Gen Alpha—that signal more promising and sustainable cultural change than is possible with legislation or regulation.
Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen? (Tough Questions Teenagers Ask), from Rooted
Thinking through a biblical response to the Problem of Evil will be invaluable for you in your youth ministry. In this article, we’re going to cover a few frameworks that can equip you to speak honestly with your students about this difficult question. This article won’t answer every question; there will still be mysteries. But by God’s grace, you can have these conversations with your students with more tools in hand.
Biblical & Theological Studies
Is Sunday a Sabbath, a Secular Day, or Something Else?, by Paul Sadler (Grace Baptist Church)
Scripture may not bind every Christian to a Sabbatarian framework, but it does call us to recognize that this day uniquely belongs to the risen Lord. How do you honour the Lord on the Lord’s Day? In what sense do you see it uniquely belonging to Him?
The Six Major Views of Baptism, by Robb Brunansky (The Cripplegate)
There are several ways we could divide the different positions various churches and denominations hold for baptism. To keep things brief and simple, we’ll break this exercise up into the six major views of baptism that exist in the church today to discover the recipients, mode, and meaning of baptism for each one.
Cultural Reflection & Contextualization
God in Space, by Jacob A. McMasters (Center for Faith & Culture)
As I write this, there are humans suspended in the heavens, but forevermore, there is a human enthroned in heaven—the God-man, Jesus Christ. He is real for all of us.
AI Is Coming For Your Systematic Theology, by Tim Challies
I want you to know about these books because I want you to be aware that this is happening. I want you to know it’s happening because it’s likely that things will get far worse before they get any better. I’ll first introduce you to this slop theology, then discuss the threat these books represent, and then tell you how you can identify them.
Pastoral Ministry
Ordering the Church for Ordinary Growth, by Jake Wright (For the Church)
From the beginning of the Christian life, believers are called to practice all the ordinary means of grace—imperfectly but persistently—within the life of the local church. Elders best serve the flock when they frame growing in Christ as a sustainable rhythm of faithfulness, not a sequence of milestones.
Why It Might Be Good That Your Church Isn’t Growing, by Caleb Davis (9Marks)
God may be helping a church’s leaders to focus on the flock that is there and equip them to carry out his mission. A season that feels stagnant may be an opportunity for self-reflection, and it should lead to greater dependence on God.
Family & Parents
How Do I Teach My Children the Christian Faith?, by Russell Moore
Russell answers a listener question about how we can pass our Christian faith heritage to our children without making it weird.
Serving as a Family, by Lindsay Funches (Rooted)
When our best laid plans go awry, how do we handle both our own failures and the failures of our children? When we seek to model Philippians 2 in our own homes and communities, confessing our failures along the way, our children learn that a good servant often displays three clear characteristics: seeing the need, showing up to meet the need, and serving silently in the shadows.
From YPT this week
139: What Season of Ministry Are You Experiencing?
In this episode, Mike and John discuss the different seasons of ministry we often experience, and how that effects the way we evaluate the ministry.
Are Small Groups Essential for Discipleship?, by Alex Tufano
Are small groups necessary, optional, or a distraction? I’d like to begin by proposing that without intentional small groups, our discipleship plans are lacking.
