Youth Pastor Theologian

Youth Group isn’t always a place where artsy youth feel a sense of belonging. And yet, the Church, historically, has been a haven for the arts. How can youth workers develop a biblical appreciation for art and serve our students who are artistically-minded?  Discussion Includes: Historically, there’s been a rich relationship between the church and the arts. But what have you observed about the chu...

What's happening in the youth ministry world today and how did we get here? This is an important question that we need to ask from time to time, and who's better to ask than Dr. Walt Mueller?  Walt Mueller has been ministering to young people for over 45 years and is the founder/director of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding . He’s also the author of many books for youth and youth leaders,...

Talking about the church and youth sports is a sure way to spur strong opinions. Many pastors feel like parents are choosing sports over faith, while parents and kids feel like the church doesn't respect sports or team culture. How can faithful Christian parents and church leaders navigate this tense issue in a way that is distinctively Christian, without drawing battle lines? Today we’ll talk wit...

At some point, every youth pastor faces the question, "Should I stay or should I go?" Sometimes God's wisdom leads us to stay and endure through seasons of tension and conflict, but sometimes the Lord provides freedom to move into a new ministry (or an entirely new vocation!).  Discussion Includes: You’re still in your first year as a senior pastor… what are some of the bigger differences that’ve...

Food and “the table” show up throughout Scripture in significant ways. And yet, it’s easily overlooked. How does “theology of meals and eating together” shape Christian fellowship and ministry to youth?  Could you explain what you mean by “theology of meals and eating together”?  When I hear this, I immediately think about the Lord’s Supper. That’s a major component of it, but could you walk us th...

There’s so much that can be said about how to teach the Bible with depth and clarity, it’s almost as if we could build an entire podcast around it! That’s why we’ve invited Kyle Hoffsmith from “The Word in Youth Ministry” to share some of the best preaching and teaching advice that he’s heard.  When you were new to youth ministry, could you tell us about a crash-and-burn situation that stands out...

Everyone has expectations: you do, and so do your students, parents, volunteers, and church leaders. How can you identify people's expectations and respond with humility and confidence when you don't quite "meet expectations"?  Of all the topics we could be discussing today, why do you think it’s important for us to talk about managing expectations in youth ministry?  What are some common mixed ex...

It can be difficult to find a healthy rhythm when serving in full-time youth ministry while also in seminary. This can lead some people to never pursue formal training, and it can lead others to burn out. Today’s conversation highlights the benefit of seminary training while providing some practical counsel about navigating it well.  What’s the benefit of a seminary education for men and women who...

As teenagers move from middle school through their high school graduation, they begin to ask increasingly difficult questions about life and faith and God. If we are only telling them answers without creating space for meaningful conversations about the questions they have, then they’ll find answer to their questions somewhere else. Today’s conversation will help youth workers lean into these some...

Sooner or later, every youth pastor learns that their youth ministry is only as strong as their volunteers. If that’s true then how do we identify, recruit, train, and support faithful volunteer leaders to serve our students?  Discussion  Why are volunteers so important?  What should we look for in volunteers, and what are some flags that should give us pause in potential volunteers?  What’s your...

Youth culture can feel like a foreign language, especially with how rapidly it changes. How can youth workers understand the culture of our students… and why is that important anyways?  Why is it important for youth workers to understand youth culture?  How would you describe the default approach most adults take toward interpreting and translating youth culture?  Could you walk us through a bibli...

How do we respond with love and grace when teenagers in our ministry get pregnant? This is a huge surprise for everyone and often turns entire families upside-down. The gospel shapes the way you support and care for the expectant mom, dad, and their families.  What are some of the initial feelings that our teen girls likely experience after finding out they’re pregnant, and what factors into the n...

How can youth ministries encourage teenagers to worship God? Obviously, worship is more than singing and music, but that’s often where we begin how to worship. So what kinds of songs should we sing, and what should we avoid in our worship music?  Discussion Questions What are some of the benefits of incorporating worship in your youth ministry?  Can you talk us through a brief theology of music an...

Youth workers are increasingly realizing the importance of intergenerational ministry. But it remains a challenge to promote a churchwide commitment to these cross-generational relationships. Why is this so important and how do we make progress in this area?  Discussion Includes: Could you tell us a little about Generation Spark's vision for intergenerational mentoring?  Why are intergenerational...

Every youth leader wants to see their teenagers grow into mature and godly adults. At the same time, we often struggle to clearly define what discipleship is and what it looks like. After all, if everything in our youth ministry falls under the category of discipleship then we’ve probably watered down the category of discipleship so much it doesn’t really mean anything at all.  Discussion Question...

Discussing gender and sexuality with teenagers has never been more important... or intimidating. It seems so easy to step on landmines, lose credibility with either students or parents or church leadership, which can make it tempting to avoid the topic altogether. But students are hearing about gender and sexuality, and every ministry has youth who are struggling with these questions personally. ...

It’s no secret that boys and girls mature differently. That doesn’t only happen in terms of emotional maturity but also cognitively and spiritually. So, how does that shape the way we minister to the teen guys in our youth ministries?  Discussion Includes: Tell us a little about your book, Disciplemaking With Guys . Why did you write it and what’s the big idea of the book?  What are some developme...

The Christian faith is not about “me and Jesus,” but about the glory of our Triune God. What does it mean for youth workers to call teenagers into lives that are marked by faithful worship and a vital union with Christ? Instead, many teenagers have a me-centered faith that treats Jesus like their therapist. This conversation with Dr. Richard Ross helps youth workers identify why this is such a ser...

Youth Ministry often brings us into students’ lives during difficult and painful times. Instead of avoiding that because it’s messy or complicated, the gospel calls us to walk beside youth and their families with love and compassion. Today we’re talking with Seth Teegarden about his experience as a house parent for kids in crisis, and about how that’s shaped his current ministry as a youth pastor....

One of the main reasons a youth pastor’s relationship with their senior pastor can suffer is from unmet expectations. In this conversation, we talk with Cody Busby (Mike’s pastor) in order to encourage and support healthy senior/youth pastor relationships.  Discussion Features: Share with us a little about your experience as a youth pastor… what do you miss most about serving in youth ministry and...

Faithful preaching and teaching does more than deliver biblical content, it takes the audience into account and draws the listeners into the text so they can behold the truth and beauty of God’s Word. Most of us have listened to sermons that were biblically and theologically sound, but they weren’t helpful. In today’s conversation, we want to help youth leaders preach and teach in a way that conne...

Nearly twenty years ago, the largest study on youth and religion described the religious worldview of youth and young adults as Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. The teenagers and young adults in that study are now the parents of GenZ, which prompts the question, “Is MTD still a good description of youth spirituality?”  Discussion Questions For our listeners who don’t know about the National Study on...

If youth workers aren't teaching teenagers about God then how can we call what we're doing "ministry"? The doctrine of God is a topic that people tend to either take for granted or they are intimidated by it's grandeur. This conversation highlights some of the core aspects of the doctrine of God and why it's so important to talk about with teenagers.  What is the vision behind the “Theology for Ev...

Although we preach the same gospel, each culture brings distinct questions and challenges for pastoral ministry. What can Western youth workers learn from African youth leaders and pastors? What does youth ministry look like in Kenya? Since Africa is a large continent with many people groups and languages, can you give us a snapshot about what youth ministry looks like across Africa?  You’ve recen...

Good and faithful youth ministry can look very different from context to context, and yet we often define “What is youth ministry” by the form it takes rather than the essence. Today we’re going to talk about contextualization with Mike Dicker from YouthWorks College in Sydney, Australia.  What is contextualization and why is it important?  What is "divine accomodation" and can you point to any ex...