Asian American Youth Ministry Roundtable

Camp and retreat season is here, and behind every powerful student experience are faithful counselors who show up, serve, pray, listen, and point students to Christ. In this episode, Huey, Dorothy, and Justin share a word to youth counselors preparing to serve at camps and retreats. Drawing from years of ministry experience, they offer practical encouragement, honest warnings, and spiritual reflec...

Dorothy, Terrence, and Justin continue their dialogue with Justin Yau (JYau) by asking him questions related to youth ministry from the perspectives of a mentor, parent, and colleague. JYau answers candidly with wisdom and insight that encourages the panelists of God’s work in preparing the next generation to lead and make disciples. Justin Yau was raised in the community of Chinese Christian Unio...

Intergenerational integration is particularly valuable within the ranks of youth pastors and practitioners in the trenches. In this episode, Terrence, Dorothy, and Justin meet a younger minister Justin Yau (JYau) and respond candidly to his inquiries about the nuts and bolts of ministry in the context of the Chinese Heritage Church. Justin Yau was raised in the community of Chinese Christian Union...

Transitions are hard, especially for young people whose lives have been shaped by stability. Dorothy, Huey, and Terrence talk about transitions, with part 2 pertaining to getting ready for our graduating students. The three of them unpack this well-known season of youth ministry with more practical approaches, which lead up to celebrating and commissioning their high school seniors into the next s...

Transitions can be tough, as is navigating all sorts of changes. Dorothy, Huey, and Terrence chat about transitions, with part one being about leadership. The trio discusses what catalyzes leadership transitions; how they navigated departures from their former posts at Asian American churches; as well as what helps, hurts, and offers hopeful insights to those who may be amidst leadership shifts to...

Clearly articulated core values have a powerful way of shaping the trajectory of any youth ministry. In this two-part series, we explore Rooted’s Five Pillars for gospel-centered youth ministry in the Asian American context—what they are, why they are important, and how we can live them out with students. In this episode, we will discuss the last three pillars: relational discipleship, partnering...

Clearly articulated core values have a powerful way of shaping the trajectory of any youth ministry. In this two-part series, we explore Rooted’s Five Pillars for gospel-centered youth ministry in the Asian American context—what they are, why they are important, and how we can live them out with students.  In this episode, we will discuss the first two pillars: gospel centrality and theological de...

The world in which our students are growing up is changing faster than ever, and youth ministry must thoughtfully prepare to meet the moment. This episode features highlights from the Youth Symposium 2026 in Houston, Texas—a one-day gathering designed to equip pastors, youth leaders, and parents with gospel-centered wisdom for discipling the next generation. Engaging workshops on mental health, Ge...

Leadership in youth ministry often looks exciting from the outside—but many leaders quietly carry exhaustion, discouragement, and spiritual weight. In this episode, we explore the hidden hardships of leadership: unmet expectations, loneliness, criticism, burnout, and the temptation to quit when faithfulness feels costly. This conversation helps youth ministers name their struggles honestly, unders...

In this episode of the Rooted Asian American Youth Ministry Roundtable, Terrence continues a lively dialogue with Dorothy and Huey to share their resources for cross-cultural missions, which reveal their diverse backgrounds. The episode continues with robust back-and-forth on the priorities and pitfalls of leading youth teams, accompanied by pearls of wisdom to be applied before, during, and/or af...

In this episode of the Rooted Asian American Youth Ministry Roundtable, Terrence is joined by Dorothy and Huey (the Birthday Boy) to talk about their personal experiences with cross-cultural missions, which reveal their diverse backgrounds. They then delve into the details to unpack the usefulness, purpose, and pet peeves embedded in planning and execution from the POV of youth ministry. Grab a se...

In this episode of the Rooted Asian American Youth Ministry Roundtable, the team reflects on the momentum of their first episode and looks ahead to shaping meaningful spring content. Welcoming new voices—including Huey (Christ Central Presbyterian Church) and Dorothy (Chinese Bible Church of Maryland) & Special Guest, Esther —the conversation blends personal stories, regional experiences, and prac...

In this episode of Rooted, Justin sits down with Dorothy, Huey, and special guest Esther to talk about milestones, celebrations, appreciation, and annual events in youth ministry. Together, they explore what’s worth marking, how to celebrate students and leaders well, and how simple rhythms can build meaningful, Gospel-centered community—without overcomplicating things. RESOURCES Teenagers and Men...

In part 2 of 2, we’re exploring the theme of “dark night of the soul” in Asian American youth ministry, sharing personal stories of spiritual dryness, ministry discouragement, and the hidden pressures that shape these seasons. We unpack how youth workers can recognize spiritual desolation in themselves and in their students, respond with patience and presence rather than quick fixes, and build hea...

In this first of two episodes, we’re exploring the theme of “dark night of the soul” in Asian American youth ministry, sharing personal stories of spiritual dryness, ministry discouragement, and the hidden pressures that shape these seasons. We unpack how youth workers can recognize spiritual desolation in themselves and in their students, respond with patience and presence rather than quick fixes...

In today’s episode, we unpack on-the-ground insights from Rooted’s 15th Annual conference in Lake Forest, Illinois. Join Dorothy, Justin, and Terrence for this reflection from the 2025 Rooted Conference.    Recent Release: Teenagers and Mental Health: A Handbook for Parents, Pastors, and Youth Leaders (Monica Kim & Danny Kwon) Rooted Reservoir - Luke/Acts Curriculum (Free download for Lesson 1 gui...

In today’s episode, we’re tackling a crucial but often overlooked part of ministry: onboarding and offboarding youth leaders. Bringing leaders onto the team well—and walking with them when it’s time to step away—can make all the difference for the health and sustainability of a ministry. We’ll share how we discern readiness, train and mentor new leaders, and care for them along the way. We’ll also...

Effective youth ministry leadership is not about building the “perfect” team—it’s about cultivating a culture of trust, gospel-centered relationships, and shared mission. In this episode, join Dorothy, Justin, and Huey as these veteran youth pastors think and talk through organizational leadership teams in youth ministry. In Asian American church contexts, this means paying attention not only to o...

Join us in Chicago, October 23-25, 2025, for our annual gospel-centered youth ministry conference! Sign-up and scope out the workshops. Sign-up for the Asian American Pre-Conference lunch gathering ($35). The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School: Asian American Edition, edited by Kevin Yi Rooted Mentoring Programs Follow on Instagram @therootedministry. Subscribe to the Rooted podcast wherever you g...

In this episode, as we ramp up for this year’s Rooted Conference, Huey, Terrence, and Dorothy share their past experiences with Rooted Conferences. We’ll hear what they’ve most enjoyed, appreciated, and gleaned. They’ll share what makes this conference distinct from other ministry conferences. Finally, we’ll share more details about our upcoming conference as we study The Church in Acts and explor...

The Back to School grind is real! In this episode of the AAYM Roundtable, Terrence talks with Dorothy and Justin about their preparation and priorities to maximize disciple-making. Along the way, the three share many practical nuggets of wisdom, as well as their pastoral burdens for local churches from an Asian-American context. A Back to School Checklist for Youth Ministers You Can’t Do This Alon...

So much happens in youth ministry during the summer months that it can become a busy blur. Terrence hosts this conversation with Justin and Dorothy, focusing on the specifics of retreat planning and the how-tos of establishing healthy personal rhythms. The three practitioners conclude with encouragements for youth ministers to take care of themselves so they can persevere joyfully for the long-run...

Part two of the "Seasons of Discernment" series delves into the expectations surrounding youth ministry searches, particularly within Asian American congregations. The roundtable discussion explores both the spoken and the unspoken expectations that churches have for prospective youth pastors, including program development, cultural sensitivities, and familial integration. The team also emphasizes...

This month's AAYM Roundtable delves into the crucial process of discerning and navigating the application journey when seeking a new role as a youth minister, director, or pastor. Our discussion centers on the lessons learned during this significant period of vocational transition, particularly the critical steps involved before accepting a position. This episode, the first in a series, specifical...

Mentorship matters, especially for youth ministers and leaders in their first 3 years of ministry. In this episode of the Asian-American Youth Ministry Roundtable, Terrence interviews 3 mentees who serve in diverse contexts in the US and Canada. They share candidly about their call to ministry and the joys and hardships of pursuing the next generation with the Gospel. SCRIPTURE Proverbs 13:20 Matt...