Friday Review (5/23/25)
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
Student Ministers, Parents Disagree Over Churches’ Expectations, by Aaron Earls (Lifeway Research)
Ministry leaders should make their expectations for both students and their parents clear from the beginning when children move into the student ministry. But leaders should reaffirm and restate those expectations repeatedly. If something is important to the church and the student ministry, leaders should not be afraid to repeat the expectation.
Practical Advice for Planning Your Next Youth Retreat, by Josh Hussung (Rooted)
The games you play and the traditions that you establish will be remembered well into your students’ adulthood. The friendships that begin in these weekends and the gospel seeds planted are of eternal significance. Plan well, prayerfully think it through, and have a great time resting in God’s grace.
Biblical & Theological Studies
Gender Differences: Generalisations Are not Stereotypes, by Harriet Connor (The Gospel Coalition Australia)
We find ourselves in a fraught environment, where it is taboo to name any specific differences between the sexes, particularly those which are perceived to disadvantage women. And yet Christians have every reason to proclaim that gender differences are real—in fact, they are a good gift from God to help us fulfil our human vocation and show the world a picture of the gospel.
Arabian Fights: The Rise of Islam and the Resilience of the Church, by Donald Fairbairn (Desiring God)
The world’s political and religious map was radically redrawn in the seventh century AD. Islam’s birth, growth, and rapid conquest of much of the world was due to factors that range broadly, from the traditional activities of Arabian tribes to the oppressive tax policies of the Roman/Byzantium empire. Despite the Muslim conquests, Christianity was never fully stamped out, not because of stout military resistance but because of the spiritual nature of new birth.
Dangers of Theological Controversy, by Nicholas Batzgi (Feeding on Christ)
But, there are also wisdom principles that must accompany a desire to defend the truth. In every battle there is fallout. There are dangers that we need to seek to avoid when entering into theological debate.
Cultural Reflection & Contextualization
Spiritual Formation and Artificial Intelligence, by David M. Shaw (The Gospel Coalition Australia)
All of that said, Christian educators must prepare students to live wisely in a world where AI will be a permanent fixture. While one should not allow students to use ChatGPT to produce assignments, banning ChatGPT from the classroom entirely may be akin to banning encyclopedias in 1988 or Google in 2005.
Pastoral Ministry
Mental Illness in the Church: Four Common Mistakes to Avoid, by Stephen Howard (Center for Faith & Culture)
It forced me to ask: Are mental health struggles purely spiritual? How can the Church do better in talking about mental illness? As I wrestled with these questions, I noticed some pitfalls that ministry leaders often fall into. Here are four pitfalls and how we can avoid them—and care for one another with greater wisdom and grace.
Expository Preaching—The New Golden Calf, by Ryan Denton (Reformation21)
For while the Reformed response has been correct in principle, it has sometimes fallen short in practice. We have corrected the sentimentalism of evangelical preaching by replacing it with exegesis—but in doing so, we have too often stopped there. We have taught our men to expound the Word but not necessarily to preach it.
Family & Parents
Lies Parents Believe, by Casey McCall (Remembrance of Former Days)
Milestones typically put me in a reflective mood, and since I’ve now got some new street cred from raising at least one adult, I want to share a little bit of wisdom that I hope readers in the parenting trenches will find encouraging. Throughout the years, we’ve battled several lies about parenting, some deriving from cultural propaganda and some from our own sinful hearts.
Parents of Teenagers, Don’t Forget to Maintain The Connection, by Connie Leung Nelson (Rooted)
Our teens can be kind and thoughtful to us, but they can also be careless and moody. We are left guessing where they are at if they shut us out, which happens especially if we come head to head in disagreement (anyone else been given a days-long silent treatment over Snapchat?). The teenage years are indeed a precarious time for connection between parents and their kids.
From YPT this week
YPT Podcast ep.103: Student Leadership, Book Recommendations, & Time Wasters
ep.103 of the YPT Podcast, featuring a conversation about Student leadership, Mike and John’s book recommendations, and a listener question about time wasters.
How to Understand and Teach the Gospel of Mark by Joseph Bradley
Mark’s emphasis isn’t to provide every detail of the life and teachings of Jesus, but to proclaim his power and authority to save sinners. This is a message our students desperately need today.