Friday Review (1/17/25)
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
Wake Up Call: Teens and Sports Gambling, by Walt Mueller (CPYU)
It’s the day after the ending of what was promoted as a “First-Time Ever” five consecutive days of playoff football. And over the two days of NCAA College Football playoffs and three days of NFL playoff action, anyone who watched knows that football wasn’t all we saw. If I had paid attention and counted, I would have never been able to successfully tally just how many online sports gambling commercials and in-game reminders we saw. If your kids were watching, they saw them all too.
Three Reasons Why Kids Need Theology, by Sam Luce (New Growth Press)
Without realizing it, we often teach kids sanitized versions of Bible stories. We edit stories that we feel are a bit too much. We instinctually ask if we should teach this to kids rather than assuming, as Paul did in 2 Timothy 3:16, that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” If that is true, then we don’t have a content issue. We have an application issue.
Biblical & Theological Studies
Is Your Hospitality Christian?, by Tanner Kay Swanson (Desiring God)
As my husband and I look to purchase our first house, we’ve dwelt on the question often. We want God’s character and commands, not our personality and preferences, to ground and shape our hospitality. To that end, consider how faith, love, and wisdom can help Christian homes communicate that they have chosen to serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).
Why Don’t We Read The Bible More? Three Common Misunderstandings, by Ava Ligh (byFaith)
The Scriptures reveal the nature of God, the human condition, and the story of redemption in ways that stretch our understanding and invite us into deeper reflection. Given these challenges, understanding the Bible takes effort and intentionality.
Cultural Reflection & Contextualization
iPhones, Idolatry, and Evil Spirits, by Casey McCall (Remembrance of Former Days)
What’s going on? Why are we so hooked? Why do we often admit that our phones are not good for us and yet continue our voluntary enslavement anyways? The question I’m really asking is: Is there something spiritual going on? In the constant pull toward our screens, could supernatural forces be involved?
3 Reasons Why Joe Rogan’s Interview of Wes Huff Was Memorable, by Stephen McAlpine
The interview on the Joe Rogan show of Canadian Christian apologist and historian, Wes Huff, was a triumph. And I mean that without any sense of hubris. It ticked a lot of boxes. And it did so in a way that has had more cut-through than just about any apologetic moment (in the positive) that I can remember in the recent past.
Is Meta Chasing the Anti-Progressive Vibe Shift?, by Patrick Miller (The Gospel Coalition)
We’re a nation driven by more than ideas and values. Arguably, our cultural engine is feelings, trends, and resonances—or “vibes.” Right now we’re living through a vibe shift. Different trends are catching; new resonances are echoing; strange feelings are emerging. And the vibe shift is now affecting one of America’s most powerful corporations. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is undergoing a conversion of its own.
Pastoral Ministry
2 Things That Matter More Than Your Preferred Style at Church, by Erin Wheeler (Crossway)
I spoke to some friends who recently moved, and they were struggling to find a new church home. Nothing they had visited fit their style, but they didn’t want to be “picky.” What advice should I give to that friend? How should they go about choosing a church family where they can worship the Lord with his people in spirit and truth even when things aren’t according to their style?
Sermon Prep: Not How Long, But Where?, by Mark Jones (Reformation21)
I think in ostensibly Reformed circles, many pastors are in danger of spending too much time in their office surrounded by books when they should be spending more time in the world and among people as part of their sermon preparation.
Family & Parents
Lessons from Caring for a Disabled Child, by Jamie MacGregor (byFaith)
To be fair, new parents do not know what it will be like to raise any child. Every child is unique and has his or her own particular needs. Yet there are extra layers of care that come with raising children with disabilities.
From YPT this week
The Perspicuity (Clarity) of Scripture in Youth Ministry by Will Standridge
Here’s the truth that can change everything for your students: the Bible is clear where it matters most. God didn’t give His Word to confuse us—He gave it to reveal Himself.