Friday Review (6/20/25)
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
The Young and the Sexless: Why Gen Z’s Sexual Apathy Is a Crisis of Formation, and a Call to the Church to Recover Discipleship of the Body (Growing Young Disciples)
But scratch the surface, and what you’ll find isn’t moral clarity, but rather a muddled, anxious disengagement from real relationship. What looks like virtue may, in fact, be vulnerability avoidance in disguise.
Creating a Summer Internship Program for Your Youth Ministry, by Josh Hussung (Rooted)
Many people who wind up in vocational ministry get their start in something like an internship in their local church. Whether formal or informal, internships are a great way to give young people some hands-on, practical experience in ministry. It is through these kinds of experiences that young people are able to discover giftings and potential callings into ministry work.
Biblical & Theological Studies
David and Jonathan: Not Just About Friendship, by Stephen Steele (Gentle Reformation)
In this context, David’s declaration that Jonathan’s love for him surpassed the love of women is a fitting description of a love which was prepared to “surrender a claim to the throne for the one recognized as more fitted to the role”. As Jonathan grew up, he would have been picturing the day when he sat on the throne and had the crown put on his head. But for David’s sake, he will joyfully give up those aspirations.
The Whole Church and the Human Body, by Mason Ballard (Center for Faith & Culture)
The worldwide witness of the church is a testimony to the Scripture’s clarity. There are core truths that all Christians everywhere have confessed. But how might this apply to human sexuality? Glad you asked.
Cultural Reflection & Contextualization
AI Promises a Kind of Ministry We Shouldn't Want, by Chris Martin (FYI with Chris Martin)
I just think that when these tools are presented for use in a ministry context and in the realm of spiritual formation they promise a kind of ministry we shouldn’t want—one that too easily trades slow, spirit-filled humanity for efficiency and optimization, as if we’re in some kind of race to do Great Commission work and we run the risk of losing.
The Living Manifestation of Destiny: The Meaning in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ Movies, by Phil Tallon (Christian Research Institute)
If Saint Paul were speaking outside a movie theater, much like he did on Mars Hill, the lesson he might draw from our own poets is our deep longing for a hero who is both good and powerful (cf. Acts 17:28). In this, Mission: Impossible sits safely on a shelf with other tales of noble heroes who never compromise their ethics but still manage to right the wrongs of the world.
Pastoral Ministry
Pastors: Don’t Tolerate Secret Sin, by Darryl Dash (The Gospel Coalition Canada)
While confession is difficult for everyone, it presents even greater challenges for pastors. Beyond the embarrassment, it can feel like a threat to our identity as spiritual leaders. Our very livelihood may hang in the balance.
The Importance of Competence, by Matt Rogers (Reaching & Teaching)
Pastors and church leaders alike are often thrilled by missionary zeal, but is it wise for everyone who wants to be a missionary to be sent as a missionary? The question itself seems foolish to many. Of course, they say, we want to have as many people on the field as possible. Why would we not send any who are willing to go?
Family & Parents
How Do I Talk to My Kids about Gender?, by Jen Oshman
We know the God who made us and every single boy and girl in the whole world. We know his goodness, and his character will not change, even as cultural change swirls around us. We have solid and good news to offer our children. Here are five truths that can give us courage as we talk to our children about gender:
Advice to a Young Father, by Jon Beeson (The Bee Hive)
A parent’s role never ends; it just changes. Every time I hold a child in my arms on a dedication Sunday, I reflect on the holy and weighty call of a parent. If I had the opportunity to sit with myself over coffee on the day we dedicated our children, here is what I would say.
From YPT this week
ep.107: Using Curriculum Well & Managing "Other Duties as Assigned"
How can we use curriculum well, and how to prioritize youth ministry while navigating other church responsibilities.
Cultivating Mission in Youth Ministry by Jason Engle
With a little intentionality, we can help our ministries gain clarity together by narrowing our focus on a well-articulated mission statement.