“How do I know what God’s will is for my life?” As a former student pastor, I saw the special weight this question carries for teenagers and young adults. Members of these age groups are making decisions that…
“It isn’t about me, it isn’t about me, it isn’t about me,” I repeated to myself in the middle of Starbucks. I was trying desperately to keep my eyes on the high schooler in front of me who…
Thousands of years ago God addressed King Josiah’s son, Shallum, through the prophet Jeremiah. “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and…
One of the most amusing and frustrating stereotypes in parenting circles is the “helicopter parent.” Most of us have experienced the phenomenon, and if we’re honest, we’ve probably been guilty of it ourselves. Who among us hasn’t watched…
In light of Kendal Conner’s article on The Reckoning a few weeks ago (and then yesterday’s more practical follow-up article geared towards female students), I want to continue the conversation today by navigating some of the more intricate…
One day as an undergraduate student, my phone rang and on the other end of the line was one of my dearest friends. She asked to stop by my dorm room. I agreed, and thought nothing more of…
Each month we compile a Top 10 list for the Rooted community. This list represents ten articles we believe will encourage and equip you to continue in your ministry to students and their families. If you have…
What does it mean to be a gospel-centered parent? As a youth minister who is also a parent, I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I may have a bit of insight. At our church, we often…
Over a decade ago, Christian Smith published a groundbreaking study about the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. The researchers coined the terminology, moralistic therapeutic deism (MTD), which became a buzzword in youth ministry circles for several…
