Friday Review (5/13/22)
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 Importance of Catechizing Students Through Song by Kyle Hoffsmith (Rooted)
Ultimately, we want students to know the good news of the gospel: that God sent his son into the world to save sinners. Songs are a trojan horse of teaching students theology and must be utilized by youth workers to teach and train students how to navigate our culture with a biblical perspective.
Don’t Keep Your Distance! by Anna Meade Harris (The Gospel Coalition)
Keeping our distance through technology allows us to pretend we don’t need the physical presence of other people, but this denies the reality of how God created us to live together in our bodies. Rather than defaulting to social media to catch up, my husband’s friends have followed Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (emphasis added)—knowing that the “with” part matters.
Biblical & Theological Studies
Overcoming Doctrinal Pride by Matt Foreman (Reformation21)
The antidote to doctrinal righteousness is a personal faith and hope in Christ alone, which leads to personal humility and compassionate love. Theology doesn’t save you; Jesus does. And that creates humility and grace in the heart.
We Don’t Need to Rescue Biblical Characters From Themselves by Stephen Kneale (Building Jerusalem)
If we understand that the Bible is not a book of heroes to emulate, but sinners in the need of Jesus, our outlook changes a bit. We don’t need to rescue the biblical characters from themselves so we can emulate them, we can take comfort in the fact that even our very greatest heroes in the Bible were not perfectly faithful. They, as much as us, needed Jesus.
Cultural Reflection & Contextualization
5 Screen Narratives Reckoning with Technology by Brett McCracken (The Gospel Coalition)
You can tell a lot about the anxieties of an age by the common themes that show up in its narratives. Art tends to channel cultural preoccupations. In recent years, one theme has shown up again and again in movies and television: technology.
Pastoral Ministry
The Curse of Being “Decent But Dull” by Stephen McAlpine
Sure I love vision, sure I love excitement, and there’s nothing wrong at all with decent AND visionary/exciting/memorable leadership. But there’s something wrong with preferencing it over decent leadership, and we’ve been slurping at the Kool Aid of that particular problem in Western society for some time.
5 Theological Lessons from a Vending Machine by Will Anderson (The Gospel Coalition)
[G]ood illustrations draw people into Scripture, not away from it. They spotlight the text, not the teacher. To dismiss illustrations as shallow showmanship ignores the strategy of biblical authors—all of whom utilize stories, metaphors, personification, or parables to communicate truth.
Family & Parents
Disciple Your Children in Their Emotions by Christina Fox (Challies)
We were created as emotional beings; we all have feelings—our children included. While we rightly spend time teaching our children the truths of who God is and what he has done, we don’t often teach our children how to navigate their emotions. We might instruct them not to sin in their emotional responses but are less likely to help them learn what to do when they feel big things.
Ministry in the Mundane by Barbara Harper (Stray Thoughts)
“If only I didn’t have to [cook, do dishes, sweep, dust, do laundry, go to the grocery store, etc., etc. etc.], I could get something meaningful done.” Have you ever thought something like that? Or said it out loud?
Kids as Idols... What Does Social Media Say? by Walt Mueller (CPYU)
Yes, we must nurture our kids into doing their best. But that best needs to be pursued in order to bring glory to God, rather than to give dad and mom something to post.
From YPT this week
What God are We Presenting to Students? by Alex Tufano
Marvel’s latest series on Disney+ is Moon Knight, which can launch multiple disciple-making conversations with students. One of the biggest questions, however, is for us as youth workers: What kind of God am I presenting to students?
Who Am I? by Brittanie Wooten
As a dance instructor for students of all ages, I have observed a few recurring struggles among teens: to define who they are, understand their sense of place, cultivate a feeling of belonging. Here are four ways Christ meets these deep needs.