Resources for Expository Preaching & Teaching
One of the core convictions of Youth Pastor Theologian is expository preaching and teaching. This approach to teaching is based on the practice of making the main point of the Bible text the main point of our message - and teaching it in a way that students can see how we arrived at our conclusion and application from the passage. Since this isn’t always the prevailing method of teaching in youth ministry, here are a few resources to equip you for the task.
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Books
Biblical Preaching, by Haddon Robinson. This is a classic preaching textbook in seminaries around the world. It’s a classic for a reason. Robinson gives a solid argument for expository preaching and equips you to be able to do it.
Preaching, by Tim Keller. In my opinion, Keller is the best gospel-centered preacher of his generation. And although he’s older in age, his preaching connects really well with postChristian listeners. I wouldn’t re-preach any of his sermons to students, but we can learn a lot from him about the underlying presuppositions of our listeners and how to proclaim the gospel to their hearts through the text of Scripture.
Speaking to Teenagers, by Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins. The easy reading style is evidence that Fields and Robbins know how to boil down potentially-complicated topics into a clear and understandable message. If you have hesitations about the seeker-sensitive movement or attractional ministry, put those aside and just read the book. You might find a few things here-and-there to disagree with, but your preaching and teaching will be sharper if you come with a teachable spirit.
Training Seminars
The Word in Youth Ministry Podcast. This is a fairly new podcast by CPYU by some veteran youth workers that discuss the role of Scripture and preaching/teaching in Youth Ministry. Obviously, this isn’t a “seminar” but it’s a solid and accessible way to start evaluating the way you teach students.
Simeon Trust Workshops. These workshops are offered in various locations around the USA, and in various locations internationally. These three day workshops are intense and will give you a healthy dose of humble-pie - but they’re worth the investment. Simeon Trust also provides their courses as online modules, and they’re quite affordable - so round up a few other youth workers in your area and work through a course together!
National Preaching Conference. This annual conference is hosted by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Honestly, I’m biased since I attended GCTS, but they have a top-notch preaching department that prepared me as well as possible for a preaching/teaching ministry. The 2020/21 conference has been cancelled due to COVID, but this is a good training event to keep in mind for future years.
