Friday Review (11/29/24)

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

Spiritual Foundations for Supervising Family Ministry Staff, by Andy Cornett (Rooted)

You probably know the feeling of serving on a team in which people meshed well, felt excited about their roles, and worked hard—all pulling together toward a common end. Meanwhile, few things are more dispiriting than a divided, disorganized, or dysfunctional ministry team.

Show Some Love to Your Volunteers!, by Ronald Long (Download Youth Ministry)

Volunteers are the backbone of every youth ministry. They invest their time, energy, and hearts into making a difference in the lives of students, and we often couldn’t do it without them. But how often do we let them know just how much we appreciate their efforts?

Biblical & Theological Studies

Sexual Ethics Stand or Fall Upon Our Doctrine of God, by Wyatt Graham

Many moral or ethical issues in Christianity today stand or fall upon our doctrine of God and Christ. Nowhere is that truer than in sexual ethics.

You Must Be Baptized to Receive the Lord's Supper, by Cameron Shaffer (Mere Orthodoxy)

Why do the vast majority of Christian churches, including Reformed churches, require those coming to the Lord’s Table to first be baptized? Nowhere in the Bible does it specifically say that “Those who receive the Lord’s Supper must be baptized first,” nor do any of the great Reformed confessions of faith say something similar.

Cultural Reflection & Contextualization

The Vinyl and the Eternal: What Analogue Nostalgia Tells Us About Gen Z's Hearts (Growing Young Disciples)

Analogue nostalgia isn’t just about the objects themselves; it’s about the experiences they facilitate. Writing in a journal, playing a record, or developing a roll of film invites a deeper engagement with the moment. These practices resist the speed of the digital age, allowing for intentionality, creativity, and reflection. For many, this is not a rejection of technology but a way to connect in a way that feels more rooted, real, and human.

The Post-Christian Morality of ‘Wicked’, by Brett McCracken (The Gospel Coalition)

We can praise elements of Wicked as a well-told story and creatively rendered world. The songs and costumes are fun. The vibes are pleasant. But the moral ideas—however well intentioned—are ultimately incoherent and unhelpful.

Pastoral Ministry

Gifting is Not Godliness, by David Prince (Prince on Preaching)

Years ago, an older pastor warned me that giftedness is not godliness. It stuck with me. It is true but easily ignored when someone’s oratory skill sweeps us away. Learning how to communicate and deliver a powerful sermon is not holiness.

The Land of Many Meetings, by Joshua Budimlic (Sola Network)

Life is filled with empty chairs, is it not? Grief feels most fresh when the milestones of life begin to pass us by. Holidays, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries – these are all necessary and beautiful threads that make up the mosaic of our lives. However, it is within these that the echo of our loved one’s life begins to ring again; when all the chairs around us are filled, save only a few.

Family & Parents

Adult Children: Navigating Biblical Submission to Parents, by Michael Teddy (Equip Indian Churches)

When it comes to submission, particularly for adult children, we often find ourselves in the middle of a tightrope act. On one side, there’s the unyielding command to honour our parents, and on the other, the undeniable reality that grown children are no longer under the same roof or under the same set of rules.

The Coddling of the American Funeral, by Megan Starr and Noah Senthil (The Gospel Coalition)

So take your children to funerals, and teach them how to mourn. You might be surprised by what they teach you in return.

Managing Holiday Expectations, by Jeanine Sanchez (New Growth Press)

My husband and I knew this day was coming; like a hurricane that gives a few days warning, we had prepared for this. But are you ever really prepared for that day? My family of 19, with daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren, will not be with us this Thanksgiving. It sounds a little depressing admitting it out loud. But this will be our new normal for a season, what we call our “little” family: my husband, our youngest daughter, and myself. 

From YPT this week

YPT Podcast ep.84: Leading and Equipping Volunteers with Alex Tufano

Sooner or later, every youth pastor learns that their youth ministry is only as strong as their volunteers. If that’s true then how do we lead and equip them for fruitful ministry?

5 Tips to Help You Teach Difficult Passages in Youth Group by Mike McGarry

Here are some lessons I’ve learned over the last two decades about teaching difficult passages and doctrines to teenagers.