Friday Review (6/16/23)
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
Back to Basics: The Beauty of the Ordinary in Relational Discipleship to Gen Z Students, by Connie Nelson (Rooted)
If the gospel and all its truths, commands, and beauty is like poured concrete, then relational discipleship is like the steel frame upon which that cement is poured. The frame extends and reinforces the concrete, and within its bounds, the concrete sets into a solid foundation. Relational discipleship, helping students grow in Christ Jesus through the framework of our relationships with them, can happen in a variety of ways.
How to “Gospelize” Your Youth Group, by Greg Stier
But even before you read the book, let me give you a brief glimpse into these 7 key principles. None of them is earth-shaking. All of them are biblically obvious. But sadly, most of them are not being relentlessly implemented by the typical youth ministry.
Biblical & Theological Studies
What Makes a Bible Translation Bad?, by Mark Ward (Text and Canon)
In our balkanized Christian world, no English translation will ever be trusted by the whole English-speaking church. But translators (or rather revisers, because we don’t need any more mainstream translations) should still aim for that possibility instead of giving in to the temptations of sectarianism.
Cultural Reflection & Contextualization
We Have Become Disincarnate Beings, by Chris Martin (Terms of Service)
We treat others differently when they aren’t physically in front of us, plain and simple. This has always been the case, even since before social media, but it is just one of the myriad reasons social media conflict is so insidious.
Should My Church Staff Be Hesitant About Using ChatGPT?, by Joe Carter (The Gospel Coalition)
In summary, ChatGPT can be a useful tool for your church, but it should be used as a supplement to, not a replacement for, human roles and responsibilities. As with any technology, it’s important to use it wisely, review its outputs, and carefully consider any ethical and privacy issues.
Pastoral Ministry
Dangers in Exposing Cultural Sins, by John Piper (Desiring God)
So, it’s good for us to think about how to speak of sins in the world and sins in the church and yet sound the dominant note of amazement at the glories of the grace of God in Christ, so that that’s what people walk away with on Sunday morning — namely, we are amazed here at the beauty and the glory of the grace of God in Christ.
What I Learned in My First Seven Years of Ministry, by Justin Honaker (Sola Ecclesia)
As I write this, I am two weeks away from my seven-year anniversary as the lead pastor at my church, and though I have learned many lessons the hard way, I have learned. I often tell young couples in pre-marital counseling that I want to do my best to help them navigate the minefield of the first few months of marriage. In the same way, I want to give some wisdom to help young pastors traverse the first few years of pastoring, whatever they might face.
Francis Schaeffer’s 4 Prescriptions for the Renewal of the Church, by Trevin Wax (The Gospel Coalition)
Schaeffer calls the church to embrace “two orthodoxies,” one of doctrine and one of community. We must be clear on the essentials of the Christian faith and be compassionate as our Savior was, filled with such love that, like the early church, no one could imagine one person being hungry while another was rich.
Family & Parents
To the Mom Who Feels Invisible, There is a God Who Sees, by Cara Ray
Your circumstances might not be as extreme as Hagar’s, but you know what it feels like to have your life spin out of control. Choices others have made, along with their consequences, have landed on you, and it seems unfair and cruel. There are times you want to run and hide or escape reality if only for a moment. But the God who saw the frightened mother-to-be crying by the spring is the same God who sees your heartbreak too.
Becoming a Disciple Maker at Home, by Reid Patton (Lifeway Research)
Becoming a disciple maker in your home doesn’t happen overnight. Not for you, and not for anyone in your ministry. But God loves ordinary faithfulness, and He takes our imperfect offering and uses it for our eternal good.
From YPT this week
Inviting Anxious Students to Find a Better Story, by Liz Edrington
Our anxiety finds a secure home in the story of God, which is not one we have to create, maintain, or feel, even. It is one that anchors us to Jesus, who meets us in every concern, worry, and fear.