Youth Ministry Unscripted: The Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast

Husband and wife Danny and Monica Kwon talk about the role of the church and the youth minister in helping struggling teenagers and their families as they navigate mental health issues.  As a seasoned youth minister and a Christian counselor, respectively, they offer helpful insights and practical suggestions on serving teens and families who are dealing with mental health struggles.  Before joini...

In this second episode of the new mini-season of the RYMP, husband and wife Danny and Monica Kwon talk about gospel centrality as the foundation for dealing with the mental health issues of teenagers and their families. They speak from their experience dealing with the mental health issues of one of their own teenagers. Additionally, Danny spent 29 years serving as the youth pastor at one church,...

In this first episode of the new mini-season of the RYMP, husband and wife Danny and Monica Kwon talk about various aspects of youth ministry and the issue of mental health in the lives of teenagers. This was recorded at their Rooted 2023 Conference workshop. Before joining Rooted, Danny was the youth and family pastor at his church for 29 years. Monica is both a Christian counselor and licensed p...

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Huey Lee, the longtime Youth Pastor at Christ Central Presbyterian Church in Northern Virginia and a member of Rooted’s Asian American Steering Committee. Together they reflect on hopes he has in youth ministry generally, as well as practical ways he strives to make the gospel central in youth ministry to his teenagers, parents, and ministry volunteers...

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Stephen Yates, who serves as an Assistant Pastor to Families and Students at Intown Community Church in Atlanta, GA, and is a visiting instructor at his alma mater, Covenant Theological Seminary, and the PCA’s NEXT Institute. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Educational Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Stephen talks about hopes in you...

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Travis Palmer, Dallas Knight, Emily Seibert, and Jamie Negus to discuss mentoring and their participation in the Rooted Youth Pastor Mentoring cohort. They discuss the valuable lessons and importance of mentoring, as well as the particular benefits and joys of the Rooted Youth Ministry Mentoring Cohorts were for them.  Quotes: “A mentor to me has reall...

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Tracy Yi, Chelsea Erickson, Rebecca Lankford, and Tim Franks to discuss their selections for the 2023 Rooted Book Awards. The categories include best new books for youth ministers, parents, teenagers, and for Bible teaching. Here are your 2023 Book Awards Panelists: Chelsea Kingston Erickson   Chelsea is Editor of Youth Ministry Content and the Directo...

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Matt Luchenbill, the Students & Family Ministries Pastor at New City Presbyterian Church outside Detroit, MI, and the Director of the NextGen (Youth Ministry) Ministries of the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) denomination. Matt talks about some whys and hows in partnering with parents. While these relationships can be both hopeful and difficult, p...

 In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Emmie Thompson, co-director of Middle School Ministry at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church on Lookout Mountain, TN and Adjunct Professor of Youth Ministry at Covenant College. Emmie reflects on different and distinct ways to promote intergenerational integration in youth ministry, not only adults to students, but older students to young students. E...

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Syler Thomas, who has been overseeing and leading the student ministries (along with other roles) at Christ Church in Lake Forest, Illinois since 1998. Syler been a frequent speaker at Rooted Conferences and serves on the Rooted Steering Committee and Parent Steering Committee. He talks about hope and perseverance in youth ministry in general and in te...

In this joint episode with Anna Meade Harris, host of the Rooted Parent podcast, Danny Kwon welcomes Mike McGarry, author of a newly released book for teenagers, Discover: Questioning Your Way to Faith . As a veteran youth worker, father and husband, Mike is no stranger to the difficult questions kids ask. In his book, Mike answers twenty tough questions with insight, compassion, and theological i...

In this episode, Tucker sits down with Andrew King, the Youth and Family Pastor of Hope Community Church in Charlotte, NC, to talk about the importance of building relationships with students in youth ministry. Andrew has a wealth of practical insight to offer on one of Rooted's five pillars; press play to hear it! "I am building trust, I am building a relationship, so that when things are difficu...

In this episode, Tucker sits down to talk about Intergenerational Integration with Isaiah Marshall, the Director of Student Ministry at Strong Tower Bible Church in Nashville, TN. Isaiah talks about how to integrate students into the life of the local church, and how to integrate the local church into the lives of students. Press play to hear more! "Young people co-laboring with older adults commu...

On this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, Tucker sits down with Terrence Shay, the Family Ministry Pastor at FCBC Walnut in Southern California, to talk about the administrative responsibilities of Youth Ministry. Click play to hear Terrence speak about the importance of administration and organization in ministry and how it serves the people you work with. Hosted by: Danny Kwon, autho...

On this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, Tucker sits down with Becca Heck, a longtime youth worker from metro-Atlanta, to talk about the necessity of the youth pastor's care for their own soul. Since youth ministry is a profession prone to burnout, Becca talks to us about how we can not only avoid that, but also make sure we stay spiritually healthy for the long haul. Resources: Anxie...

On this week’s episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, Tucker sits down with Skyler Flowers, steering committee member and Assistant Pastor at Grace Bible Church in Oxford, Mississippi, to talk about what Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry looks like in the day-to-day life of a youth group. Click play to hear more! Resources: Gospel-Centered Resources at Rooted Kendal Conner's Bible-Storying Tal...

Danny Kwon is a longtime Youth Pastor, college professor, and Senior Director of Youth Ministry Content and Cross Cultural Initiatives for Rooted, and in this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast he speaks with Tucker Fleming as part of our  Foundations of Youth Ministry  series about the history of youth ministry. If youth pastors struggle to understand the history of their field, it's di...

Kyle Hoffsmith is the Pastor of Family Ministry at Old North Church in Canfield, OH, and in this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast he speaks with Tucker Fleming as part of our Foundations of Youth Ministry series about the benefits of teaching and preaching theologically. A hesitation for many when it comes to teaching theologically in a youth context is the concern that students won't...

Meredith Dixon hails from Savannah, GA, and studied Sociology at the University of North Georgia. Her deep desire to know, love and disciple students was sparked while serving middle schoolers at her home church. She served at East Cobb Presbyterian Church for about 5 years and now serves as the Youth Ministry Coordinator at Atlanta Westside Presbyterian Church. When not hanging out with students...

Arek O'Connell is a California native who currently serves as an ordained high school and young adult youth pastor at Hillside Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI where he lives with his wife Jamie and two daughters. Arek holds an M. Div. from Western Theological Seminary, but he's still just a big kid at heart. Arek loves spending time with family and friends and will talk to you about football,...

Tucker Fleming talks with Tim Franks, the Associate Pastor at Eureka Bible Church, about how to teach students to do inductive Bible study and how inductive Bible study can improve your own teaching and preaching.  Resources:  Rooted Resources on Bible Teaching Follow @therootedministry on Instagram Join us for our 2023 conference in Nashville, TN! SOSMemphis.org Hosted by: Danny Kwon, author of T...

Tucker Fleming talks with Vince Greenwald, the student minister at Immanuel Nashville, about how youth ministers can work with parents to bring students closer to Jesus.  Resources:  Follow @therootedministry on Instagram Join us for our 2023 conference in Nashville, TN! Hosted by: Danny Kwon, author of Teenagers and Mental Health; Becca Heck, M. Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary; Isaiah Mar...

Syler Thomas is a native Texan who has been the student ministries pastor at Christ Church in Lake Forest, Illinois, since 1998. He writes a column for YouthWorker Journal, has had articles published in Leadership Journal and the Chicago Tribune, and is the co-author of two books. Syler and his wife, Heidi, have four kids. Today, he sits down with Tucker Fleming for another installment of our Foun...

Steve Yates is the Pastor of Students and Families at Intown Community Church in Atlanta, GA, and in this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast he speaks with Tucker Fleming as part of our Foundations of Youth Ministry series about the benefits of teaching through whole books of the Bible without losing some of the benefits of topical teaching. Hit play to hear Steve flesh out why he teache...

Dr. Anthony Bradley teaches theology at Kings' College, and in this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry podcast he speaks with Cameron Cole about what he hears from the college freshmen he teaches. Tune in to hear what Bradley's students have to say about Biblical literacy and intergenerational integration. You'll also want to listen for what teenagers really think about hanging out with adults (...