Each month we compile a Top Ten list for youth workers. This list represents ten articles from various sources that we believe will encourage you in your ministry to students 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.) If you find an article that could speak to the Rooted community, please share it in the comment section below.
Gospel-Centered Ministry
How the Golden Rule Can Help Us in Controversy by Ryan Johnson (Radical)
The Golden Rule should not be followed merely when someone deserves it. Thankfully, Jesus didn’t treat us how we deserve to be treated. Instead, he showed us how to love the unlovable.
Why Do We Say ‘Gospel-Centered’? by Thomas Kidd (The Gospel Coalition)
‘Gospel-centered’ is an almost brand-new term in the history of English-speaking Christianity.
The Beautiful Community: Unity, Diversity, and the Church at its Best (A Review) by Gabby Bass (Anchored Passion)
If we are to be unified within the Church, we must realize that this is not something that happens overnight or something that only we can do alone. Unity is not something we can simply make. We need the power of God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit to work in us and our churches.
How to Stop Making Gospel into Law by Todd Brewer (Mockingbird)
Christ alone fulfills the law, and so is the point, the “thing” that law wants, needs, and demands — and which sinners cannot give.
Partnering with Parents
Teaching Children a Biblical View of Racism … and More by Jill Nelson (Truth78)
Digging into these important questions actually broadens the scope and severity of the underlying problem. Racism is one expression of a more pervasive inclination of the sinful heart.
Honor the Parents God Gave You by Marshall Segal (Desiring God)
“God has children look up to parents, for a time, so that we might see far beyond them to him.”
Fisherman or Fishermen? Considering the Church’s Corporate Mission by Matt Sliger (9Marks)
The mission of the church is in fact the mission of the church. Rather than merely being one person casting from a pier, it’s a host of men and women holding their part of the net.
Ministry Skills
4 Ways Youth Leaders Should Respond When Students Leave the Faith by Mike McGarry
Salvation is a gift of God, and youth pastors learn pretty quickly how unreliably teenagers’ spiritual passions predict their long-term trajectory. This doesn’t undermine the validity or significance of our ministry, but it’s a reminder to play the long game while refusing to keep score based on short-term fruitfulness.
Pastoral Advice Worth Repeating – Part 3: Learn Patience by Jordan Wilbanks (For The Church)
Gospel-informed patience is one of the most common exhortations I have heard experienced pastors emphasize with new pastors or pastors-in-training.
How to Mortify Sin by Sinclair Ferguson (Ligonier)
We need to be taught from “the mouth of God” so that the principles we are learning to apply carry with them both the authority of God and the promise of God to make them work.
In Case You Missed It (Rooted’s April Honorable Mention)
Caring For Your Soul As a Youth Minister by Mark Upton
Jesus moves from solitude to community to ministry. He teaches his disciples to do likewise.
Helping Teenagers Address the Hurdle of Religious Pluralism by Stephen Yates
Addressing students’ personal concerns communicates that we want them to experience a beautiful, deep, and true faith in every corner of their lives.
