Welcome to Rooted’s Top Ten, a curated reading list for youth ministers. Each month we find ten articles, and sometimes videos or podcasts, from various sources that we believe will encourage you in your ministry to teenagers and their families. Some give explicit instruction on gospel-centered ministry, while others contain a message of common grace that is helpful to youth workers. (The opinions presented in these articles do not necessarily reflect the position of Rooted.) For more articles to share with the parents in your ministry, make sure to check out our Parent Top Ten, which runs every-other month.
If you find an article that could educate, equip, or encourage the Rooted community, please email the editor at chelsea@rootedministry.com.
Gospel-Centered
Is Youth Ministry in the Bible? by Mike McGarry (Youth Pastor Theologian)
Instead of categorizing Youth Ministry as “permitted but not mentioned” (like men’s or women’s ministry), I believe it’s more accurate to categorize it as “described but not defined” (like church membership and expository preaching). God’s people consistently display their communal calling to raise up the next generation in the knowledge and love of God. It’s not merely “permitted,” as if it’s optional.
It’s Better to Die Than Hinder the Gospel by Justin Huffman (justinhuffman.org)
So, our goal, Paul says, is to remove every obstacle to the good news. He would rather suffer anything than hinder the gospel of Christ.
Don’t Silo the Saints by Chris Poblete (Christianity Today)
We don’t need to scrap programs. But we may need to rethink what they’re for. Programs are best when they scaffold shared life, not replace it.
Partnering with Parents
When Pleasing Our Kids Becomes Idolatry by Adam Griffin (Crossway)
I’ve seen families operate as if the wishes of the child are the most important consideration for a parent. This is a form of idolatry. It’s rooted in something good, a blessing from God: children. But that love has grown out of control when pleasing children is more important than leading children. It’s a problem when gaining the affection of your kids is more important than glorifying God in how you lead your kids.
I Tried to Protect My Kids from the Internet. Here’s What Happened by Jean Twenge (Generation Tech)
Now imagine what it’s like for parents who are working two jobs, can’t locate the device controls or can’t afford to spend another $100 on parental control software after buying their kid a laptop. Many parents don’t know that these parental control tools exist to begin with: Only about half of parents use any type of parental controls, and fewer than 10 percent use the controls available in social media apps.
To Share with Anxious Teenagers
Dear Anxious Teen: You Are Not Alone by Eliza Huie (New Growth Press)
God’s not annoyed by your anxiety. He’s not telling you to tough it out. He’s saying, “Bring it to me. I can handle it. I understand.”
Youth Culture
Shame as the Vicious Trap of Sexual Sin by Brad Hambrick (New Growth Press)
Sin doesn’t just result in death. Sin creates an ever more tortuous life on the way to that sure demise.
Social Media Pushes Pornography On Children Within Minutes, Report Finds by Jonathon Van Maren (The Bridgehead)
If they so much as pause for a fraction of a second as they scroll past a sexually explicit image, the pause is detected by the algorithm, and more sexual content is pushed into their feed. That content escalates in explicitness, and the algorithm almost literally reels them in with a conveyor belt of sexual imagery.
Ministry Skills
The Lord Is My Shepherd: Why God Made Sheep by Greg Morse (Desiring God)
The shepherd had work in many ways like your work, yet he worked with sheep. But like David, you can look all around and see your world, even your small corner, as full of God.
Friendship Isn’t a Luxury Item for Youth Workers by Valerie O’Brien (Youth Pastor Theologian)
Genuine and deep friendship…is not a luxury item that you give up to be in ministry. But how do we nurture healthy and life-giving friendships in our complex roles? I believe we need to first identify four lies that we’ve come to believe about friendship in ministry. Like any good lie, they have a hint of truth, but if we don’t see them clearly…we will end up hurt, confused, and lonely.
Bonus Resource
Teenagers and Mental Health: An Interview with Danny Kwon and Monica Kim by Aaron Lee (SOLA Network)
In this podcast conversation, Danny Kwan and Monica Kim discuss their book ‘Teenagers and Mental Health.’ We at Rooted are so excited about this work, where they focus on the mental health challenges faced by teenagers and the role of parents, pastors, and youth leaders in addressing these issues.
Rooted’s Two Most-Read of October
Body Image and God’s Word: Offering Hope, Comfort, and Truth to Teenagers by Andrea Lee
God’s Word can equip you to be the voice of hope, comfort, and truth when you speak with a teenager you love about body image issues.
Equipping the Saints: Serving Your Volunteers In Children’s Ministry by Melanie Beasley
If we want our children to be discipled through the vehicle of relational ministry, our serving teammates must be recipients of that same relational ministry.
In Case You Missed It (Rooted’s October Honorable Mention)
Helping Teenagers Process Graphic Violence: An Interview with Counselors Rahab Marshall and Gordon Bals
We have a helper in the Holy Spirit. Most of all, God is always present as he is reconciling us unto himself. By caring for hurting teenagers well, we can help them choose to place their hope in him.
