Friday Review (10/4/24)

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 Gen Z Men like Me Are Staying in Church, by Luke Simon (The Gospel Coalition)

In the church, Gen Z men like me are rejecting the false masculinities offered by the culture and finding an alternative—a cruciform masculinity. In his death, Jesus subverts the ego, dominance, and self-centeredness of toxic masculinity in a divine display of humility, sacrifice, and love. But the cross also challenges the soft, aimless version of manhood that avoids responsibility and purpose.

How To Raise Godly Teenagers, by Anne Kenneday (Devotions With Anne)

I do have some thoughts—nonexpert thoughts, mind you—about getting along with children and giving them the room they need to become people who don’t hate their parents, don’t hate the world, and don’t hate God.

Biblical & Theological Studies

We Need to Talk about “The Jesus Film”, by Drew Reynolds (Missionary)

Much more could be picked apart in the statements, assumptions, and methodologies that surround the JESUS film. In what follows, I hope to highlight a few concerns I have with the theological view of effective evangelism and church planting that undergirds the Jesus Film Project.

A Concise Theology of Failure, by Samuel D. James (Digital Liturgies)

A lot of Christians ascribe to the right doctrines but approach life decisions like dating and marriage with the same skewered risk/reward math. This is a problem, because the Christian gospel actually propels people toward greater risk.

Cultural Reflection & Contextualization

When Internet Culture Becomes the Culture, by Austin Gravely (Endeavor)

We can take a similar approach to “internet culture”, and the nearly limitless internet sub-cultures. Though far from exhaustive, we can better understand “internet culture(s)” by examining three categories: fraternity, fandom, and fantasy.

Pastoral Ministry

Dear Pastor, Sermon Prep Is Worth the Effort, by David Jackman (Crossway)

Plenty of people to set your agenda, innumerable demands pastorally, increasing amounts of administration, personal family concerns—they all have the potential to send stress levels rocketing. But perhaps the greatest danger is their ability to divert us from our main priority, memorably encapsulated in Paul’s parting charge to Timothy:

Don’t Go to Church; Submit to One, by Casey McCall (Remembrance of Former Days)

Many times, I’ve seen people show up week after week for years without any discernable maturation. I’ve even seen people become members only to leave after years of faithful attendance without any change whatsoever in their beliefs, attitudes, or habits. Maybe it’s time we stop encouraging people to merely “go to” church.

Family & Parents

Let’s Stop the Kid Jokes, by Moriah Lovett (The Gospel Coalition)

While joking about kids may seem inconsequential in the moment, this sort of talk points to a larger cultural trend toward devaluing children by depicting them as burdensome and annoying. As Christians, we need to pause and reflect on how we speak about our children.

Emptying the Nest in Hope, Not Fear, by Gretchen Ronnevik (Christianity Today)

To do this, we must first address our own fears and lack of hope. After launching two of our six kids into adulthood, I’ve been astounded at the things other adult Christians have said to my children as they left our house to pursue the vocations God had prepared for them.  There’s a consistent theme of fear and discouragement: If you go to that college or move to this place or aren’t super careful, you’ll lose your faith.

From YPT this week

YPT Podcast ep.76: Calling Youth to a God-Centered Faith with Richard Ross

What does it mean for youth workers to call teenagers into lives that are marked by faithful worship and a vital union with Christ?

How to Teach Biblical Narratives in Youth Ministry by John Gardner

Narratives include a specific pace, plot, and memorable lines from broadly sketched characters. Here are some principles to help you understand and teach biblical narrative.

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YPT Podcast ep.77: Disciplemaking With Teen Boys (Jonathan Denton)

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How to Teach Biblical Narratives in Youth Ministry