Youth Pastor Theologian

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...

We often anchor relational discipleship in Christ’s incarnation, but is that the best biblical and theological foundation? In what ways might “Incarnational Ministry” have shaped the way we think about the Incarnation, rather than it being the other way around? For this reason, it’s important to get clear on the doctrine of the incarnation as we evaluate the biblical heart of relational ministry. ...

Ministry to students after confirmation (or baptism, depending on tradition) can pose some unique challenges. Bård Norheim shares about "post-confirmation leadership training" in Norway, a nationwide effort by churches to prioritize discipleship and to help youth cultivate enduring faith by finding their belonging in their church community.  What does youth ministry look like in Norway? What are s...

Christian Universalism is a subtle heresy that's frighteningly common among GenZ today. It's a way that teenagers can affirm that "Christ is the only savior" and make other gospel-sounding affirmations while fully embracing the hyper-tolerant worldview of today's culture. In today's conversation, we discuss what Christian Universalism is and how youth workers can help students build their faith on...

The Image of God (or Imago Dei) is one of the most important doctrines for youth pastors to teach teenagers, because almost every cultural landmine today finds its resolution in what it means to bear the image of God. That’s why I’m excited to be talking with Dr. Imes today about her new book, Being God’s Image .  What is the doctrine of the Image of God and what prompted you to write this book no...

The youth pastor’s authority comes from the Word of God. When we stray from teaching the Bible then we lose the capacity to say “Thus says the Lord.” Teenagers don’t need more opinions, they need God’s Word. But how can normal youth leaders teach with biblical depth and pastoral warmth?    Discussion Questions What is expository preaching and what distinguishes it from other types of preaching?  W...

Partnering with parents is an essential part of biblical youth ministry. But "family ministry" can sometimes assume a certain type of family - namely, mom and dad with kids living independently. But 1/3 of kids in America today are living in a single-parent household. In this episode, we'll hear from Anna Meade Harris about her new book, " God’s Grace for Every Family: Biblical Encouragement for S...

Researchers have conducted a study on the religious lives of Australian youth, and there's much to be learned that translates across cultural boundaries. In this episode, Mike talks with Dr. Graham Stanton about this research and what it can mean for fruitful youth discipleship.  How would you describe the spiritual landscape of Australia, in general… and how is that shaping teenagers and youth mi...

It’s good to talk about theologically rich youth ministry, but if youth leaders don’t know how to have normal conversations and build relationships with youth then they’re never going to get to the theological gold. This conversation with Joey Molloy will help youth workers with some of the nuts and bolts of youth ministry we sometimes take for granted.  What are some ministry skills theologically...

Leadership matters. That should be a pretty obvious statement, but sometimes theologically-minded pastors can struggle to discern how much overlap really exists between pastoral leadership and leadership in other spheres. Today we’ll be talking about leadership, spiritual gifts, and the “Six Types of Working Genius” in order to help you lead your volunteers, parents, and students more effectively....

Sex has become central to people’s identity, lifestyle, and even community. But what if sex points to something even greater? Something eternally glorious, determined by God before the world was created? This episode focuses on So Much More Than Sex , a new video-based series for young adults.  Scott Stein is the founder of Prepared to Answer , an apologetics ministry in Ontario Canada. PTA is als...

It’s easy to continue leading our youth ministries the way we’ve seen them run for the last few decades. But it’s more important to build our ministries on a biblical foundation. Instead of making our ministry less relevant to secular youth, maybe this is exactly the type of student ministry they need. Today we’ll hear from Tim Beilharz in Australia about biblical youth ministry in hard places.  D...

On one hand, it seems like everyone is talking about sexuality and gender so it’s easy to feel numb to people saying it’s a big deal. But on the other hand… isn’t that the point. Everyone’s talking about it, but are they talking about it helpfully and in a way that offers counsel that’s both biblical and practical for teenagers? Today’s conversation will point your attention to a new resource that...

Every youth pastor knows they should prioritize partnering with parents, but it’s really hard to do for a variety of reasons. This is especially true for younger youth pastors. Let’s talk about what partnering with parents looks like and how you can get started.  What are some biblical reasons partnering with parents is more than important… it is absolutely necessary.  What are some reasons you’ve...

Theological depth is important in every ministry context. In this episode, Jordan Francis shares about urban youth ministry and how theological depth applies to inner-city youth. This is a valuable conversation for all youth workers to hear and benefit from.    Jordan Francis is the founder of Reframe Youth and is a Christian Therapist in Phoenix.  Discussion Questions: Could you describe what mak...

Discipling new believers is a blessed challenge. Youth pastor theologians need to be thoughtful and have a plan for how to help students in the weeks and months after they make a profession of faith. But how?!  Conversation Includes:  How is the religious climate in Canada different from the Bible Belt and hows that affect the way we minister to youth? Why is a book like “ I’m a Christian – Now Wh...

Video games are big business, but most Christian leaders either don’t take them seriously or only criticize them as a waste of time. How can youth workers begin to think theologically about the allure and world building of video games, while also thinking critically about addiction in order to engage gamers more effectively?  Discussion Includes: What put video games on your radar to start tweetin...

Youth Ministry has a long legacy of commitment to missions, but where can that go wrong and how can we think more strategically about giving students a vision for the Great Commission?  Could you share a little about European Mission Fellowship ?  What are some similarities and differences between youth missions in the USA, UK and Europe?  What have you seen and learned about casting a vision for...

Should teenagers become members of the local church? If so, what does that involve - can they vote, join boards and hold positions of leadership? This is a question an increasing number of youth workers are asking, and Justin Wong joins the podcast to chew on it with you.  Discussion includes: What are some of the questions we should be asking about church membership and youth ministry? What happe...

In this special 50th episode, Mike is joined by three of YPT's regular writers to discuss what it means to be a youth pastor theologian and to celebrate what the Lord is doing through this ministry.  This is a special season for YPT and there are exciting days ahead as we trust the Lord to revive a commitment to theological depth in student ministry. Would you continue to pray for YPT: for Mike to...

Youth workers and children's ministry leaders need to work together. This should be obvious and common, but these ministries often fail to have intentional collaboration and transitions. What can youth workers learn from children’s ministry leaders and how can they learn to meaningfully partner with families?   Discussion Includes: Why have you committed to remain serving in children’s ministry? ...

We’re releasing this episode a few weeks before Advent in order to help youth workers prepare well for Advent and Christmas… I think it goes without saying that it’s absolutely essential for us to teach rightly about both the Person and the Work of Jesus Christ.  Who is Jesus? Christians confess that Jesus is the Son of God. But what does that mean about his humanity? It’s important for youth work...