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 are included because there is 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.
Our editors present our Top Ten of 2024, representing some of the best resources on the Top Ten list throughout the past year. These resources are still relevant for the year ahead. Read to the bottom for some of our recommended resources from the Rooted blog!
To Consider for Youth Ministry in 2023
Goodbye Postmodernism, Hello Metamodernism by Benjamin Vincent (Christianity Today)
In response to the moral relativism of postmodern predecessors, the metamodernist generation first seeks to be grounded in certain essential ethical principles and then selects the best ideological framework to match those ethics. It’s a “cart before the horse” generation, in the sense that we often base our religious or philosophical positions on prior ethical assumptions rather than the other way around.
Preaching that Connects with Matt Kim (Youth Pastor Theologian Podcast)
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 connects with the youth in your ministry.
Put Social Media in Its Place, with Andy Crouch (Mere Fidelity Podcast)
To Share with Parents in Your Church
Who’s Afraid of the Teenage Years? By Tim Challies (Challies)
I was often warned of the struggles of parenting teens but rarely told of the blessings. I was often assured that it would be a time of difficulty but rarely encouraged that it would be a time of pleasure. Yet the years have proven that the joys of parenting teens have far exceeded the sorrows and the blessings have far exceeded the troubles.
An Update to The Anxious Generation with Jonathan Haidt on The Russell Moore Show (Christianity Today)
Haidt describes how religious communities are taking the lead in providing some protection from mental health problems. He and Moore discuss the ways that modern life lends itself to overprotecting our children in the real world and under-protecting them online.
5 Prayers for Fighting Perfectionism in Motherhood by Faith Chang (Risen Motherhood)
The good news for the mom struggling with perfectionism is that God knows, and he cares. And in his care, he invites us to bring our burdens to him. Here are five prayers you may find helpful as you come to the Shepherd of your soul.
To Share with Church Leaders
Gen Z’s Biggest Obstacles May Be Their Greatest Gospel Opportunities by Kyle Richter and Emilee McEnery (TGC)
The Jesus movement has always been contagious because of its radical hospitality, countercultural love, and sacrificial service aided by the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. We believe Gen Z will be drawn back to the church by the same.
5 Things You Need to Know About Gen Z in 2024 (Barna)
For the most part, Gen Z strongly agree what is morally right or wrong can change over time based on society. But there has been a significant jump in the number who disagree with this statement, from 20 percent to 27 percent, since 2016. There are some things Gen Z say can and should be “backed up.” Two in three (66%) agree that they need evidence to support their beliefs. Yet, even with this reported emphasis on factual support, there are some areas where Gen Z prioritize an individuals’ beliefs over absolute truths.
To Encourage Your Soul
Persevering in Ministry Difficulty by David Tang (SOLA)
And then he looked me straight in the eyes and said, “What you have to think about is this – are there still sheep in DCBC? If so, do they still need a shepherd? Would you stay to shepherd them? It is okay to stay. You don’t have to leave.”
What I’d Tell My Rookie Self by Mike McGarry (Youth Pastor Theologian)
Youth ministry is pastoral ministry. It is theological work. There is dignity in serving as a youth pastor because God has called his Church to pass the faith from generation to generation. So, even if others don’t “get it,” then get over it and carry on… because you serve the Lord, not your own reputation.
Rooted’s Most-Read Youth Ministry Articles of 2024
What Teenagers Need in a Youth Pastor Might Surprise You by Steve Eatmon
You don’t have to be cool to be an effective youth pastor. Jesus came to serve and not to be served (Matt. 20:28). Cool is overrated. Very often, trying to be cool can cause us to miss out on what teenagers really need: the news that Jesus came into our world and died to save them from sin so they can experience life with him now and forever.
Teaching Teenagers to Teach Themselves from the Bible by Skyler Flowers
As youth ministers, it should be our goal to raise up students to teach themselves, just as we teach our children to walk for themselves. We should always commend students to learn from others and rely on their brothers and sisters in Christ. But beholding wonderful things in God’s Word from their own insight will strengthen their faith, soothe their weariness, loosen their tongue to praise, and quicken their lips to teach others.
A Bad Trade: Helping Teenagers See Sexual Sin Clearly by Jennifer Kvamme
God is not out to spoil our joy or limit our pleasure. The Bible is trying to shout at us, in the kindest and clearest of ways: It’s not a good trade! Don’t fall for it! The writer of Hebrews is trying to help us see clearly what we’re giving up so that we don’t fall for Satan’s tricks. The author doesn’t want us to settle for a far cheaper, inferior kind of happiness and love at the expense of deep, lasting, real joy and intimacy.
When Teenagers Choose Sports or the Arts Over Youth Group by Matt Brown
Youth minister, on those discouraging nights when many of your regular kids are missing, don’t forget to preach the gospel to yourself. Our God is good, gracious, and sovereign. The beauty of the gospel is that we aren’t good enough, but Jesus is. Ultimately, you can leave attendance up to the Lord.
Is the New Testament Historically True? (Tough Questions Teenagers Ask) by Andrew Slay
The New Testament’s trustworthiness has been attacked since its inscription, but its scrutiny has increased over the last hundred years. Yet, as youth ministers, we can teach and encourage our students to trust the New Testament’s teaching based on the manuscript transmission, extra-biblical historical sources, geographical and archaeological evidence, and the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection.
