Friday Review (5/19/23)
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
Discipling Teenagers in the Meaning of the Law, by Chelsea Kingston Erickson (Rooted)
As we lead teenagers, our goal must be to follow him in this radical blend of grace and truth (John 1:14). This means we will boldly teach Jesus’ perspective on obedience to the law, while seeking to minimize anything unnecessarily off-putting in our speech or tone, especially that which doesn’t come directly from God’s Word. Any offense needs to come from the gospel itself, not from us!
Biblical & Theological Studies
The Hypostatic Union, by Joseph Lanier (For the Church)
Throughout history, the Church has referred to this reality as the hypostatic union. But why is this doctrine so important? Where is it in the Bible? Is this a new idea? What exactly is the hypostatic union? In 500 words or less (not including historical sources), here’s how I would explain the doctrine of the hypostatic union.
With the Wild Animals, by Mitch Chase (Biblical Theology)
When Mark’s Gospel opens, Mark highlights the ministry of John the Baptist (1:2–8). But then Mark zeros in on the baptism (1:9–11) and temptation of Jesus (1:12–13), since those things preceded Jesus’s public ministry (1:14–15). The language of Jesus’s temptations fascinates me because Mark mentions the presence of wild animals, and Mark is the only Gospel writer who does this.
How to Read the Prophets, by Bryan Estelle (Ligonier)
The Prophets are difficult to understand. In part, that is because God revealed Himself to them in dreams and visions... Here are several tips that will help you read and understand the Prophetic Books.
Cultural Reflection & Contextualization
Jean Twenge's New Book Takes Readers on a Data-Driven Tour of Six Living Generations, by Robert VerBruggen (Institute for Family Studies)
Jean M. Twenge is the scholar who introduced us to Millennials in Generation Me (2006) and Gen Z in iGen (2017). The defining feature of her work is that she doesn’t rely on mere generational stereotypes—she mines long-running surveys to sort out how each new crop of young people truly differs from the last. And yet, as often as not, her findings tend to align with the patterns we all notice in everyday life.
As a Christian, I Went Down the AI Rabbit Hole. Here Are 12 Things I Discovered, by Akos Balogh (The Gospel Coalition Australia)
While Skynet-level Artificial Intelligence is not imminent, many are sounding the alarm about the dangers of unregulated AI with the advent of ChatGPT. And the spread of AI into everyday life raises the question of what it means for us as individuals, families, schools, workplaces, and society at large. How will AI impact us? Will we one day face a ‘Skynet’ moment, like in the Terminator movies?
Pastoral Ministry
Spotlight on Preaching, by Ken Davis (Thoughts From an Are Not)
The best training method for young men who think that maybe God has called them to preach is not first to place them in the pulpit’s spotlight on a Sunday morning. It is not a seminar on how to exegete a text. It is to take them into the homes of your people and listen to the stories that come out of there.
Fantasy Football and the Death of the Book, by Joe Holland (Sola Ecclesia)
Christians aren’t just a people of the Book, but they are people of books. Reading is a requisite practice for effective pastoral ministry. Books have been undermined by this societal atomization of everything.
Family & Parents
What Moms Need in a Social Media World, by Brianna Lambert (Gospel-Centered Discipleship)
It’s safe to say my experience as a mom differs greatly from my grandmother’s or even my mother’s. As my first child grew in my belly, a world of information and advice rested securely in the back of my pocket. If it used to take a village to raise a family, these days moms need only an internet connection and a social media account.
Parents, When Jesus Says, “I’ve Been There,” He Means It, by Steve Eatmon (Rooted)
While children may or may not believe that their parents understand their suffering and difficulties, many struggle to believe the same could be said about God. Teenagers often believe that God (if they even believe he exists at all) is cold, distant, out of touch with their reality and emotions, or too indifferent to care. When we portray God as a judge and stress compliance to his commands, we often miss the personal and relational aspect of God.
From YPT this week
Why the Ascension Matters for Christians Today, by Mike McGarry
What is the ascension and why does it matter can also be asked this way: What is Jesus doing in Heaven today? This is a surprisingly applicable message for teenagers.
YPT Podcast Episode 38: Can Calvinists and Arminians be Friends? with Chris Talbot
Why does the Calvinism and Arminianism debate continue to carry importance today, and how can youth workers learn to partner with each other for the sake of the Great Commission?