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 instructions 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 editors at submissions@rootedministry.com.
Gospel-Centered
Welcoming Incoming 6th Graders by Jarrin Peeples (Youth Pastor Theologian)
I’d like to challenge us all to really press into engaging those “awkward” 6th graders as well as the “rough and tough” juniors and seniors, knowing that God has entrusted us with bringing the gospel to bear on every area (and stage) of life. Ministry to young people and their families truly is a beautiful gift. Let’s embrace it.
The Pastoral Virtue of Avoidance by Daniel Bouchoc, Zach Hollifield (For The Church)
At least seven times in the pastoral epistles, Paul directly charges Timothy and Titus to “avoid” and to “have nothing to do with” ideas and people who pose a threat to their flock. This is jarring since one of the main purposes for these letters is to encourage Timothy and Titus to engage false teaching and teachers. Yet here is where the paradox emerges: Paul teaches a pastoral virtue of avoidance—showing that sometimes the wisest form of engagement is careful restraint.
For Graduating Seniors
Tim Keller’s Advice for Choosing (or Sticking with) a Career by Matt Smethurst (Crossway)
God deploys people into all kinds of jobs for the good of the world. Whether you’re thriving or struggling in a vocation—or trying to choose one—know that God is infinitely sovereign and wise. As the apostle Paul writes, “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches” (1 Cor. 7:17).
Two Resources for Your High School Graduate by Michael Kruger (Cannon Fodder)
High school graduation is almost here. I know what that’s like, because I’ve been through it three times. As parents, we have one simple question on our mind: Have I done a good job preparing my child for college?
Partnering with Parents
The Loudest Voice in Motherhood by Katie Polski (New Growth Press)
The voice of the Lord is not anxious, demanding, or condemning. It is steady, powerful, and full of grace. Throughout Scripture, God speaks with clarity and authority, yet his words are often drowned out by the urgency of the world around us.
Discipling Our Kids with the Krugers Podcast (With The Perrys)
The Kruegers and Perrys discuss navigating discipleship with kids in different stages, helping children move beyond surface-level observation questions, and seeing family devotionals as just one part of a broader culture of discipleship in the home. Melissa and Mike encourage parents – especially those without a model from their own upbringing – to pursue family discipleship imperfectly but diligently.
Youth Culture
Gen Z Can Become the Nonanxious Generation by Jeremy Linneman (The Gospel Coalition)
My experience—as the pastor of a young church in a university town—has been that today’s young adults are some of the brightest, most prayerful, and deepest souls I’ve ever met. While they face unique challenges, they can reverse their own stereotype. By making a few important commitments, they can become the Nonanxious Generation.
The State of Childhood in the U.S. by Lyman Stone, Michael Toscano, and Grant Bailey (After Babel)
A new report from the Institute for Family Studies tackles this question. They surveyed parents across the United States and analyzed how they are approaching technology and independence for their kids. If you want to better understand the reality of childhood in the U.S. right now — how much has changed, and how much hasn’t — this is a good place to start.
Ministry Skills
Gen Z Isn’t Asking Why Bad Things Happen to Good People by Jared Dodson (Christianity Today)
The experience of Gen Z is unique, however, in how digital media exposes young people to suffering, oppression, and violence against others en masse. Zoomers’ interest in imprecation and justice comes not only from their personal experiences but also from their daily witness of the harm done to others around the world.
A Case for Co-Ed Small Groups for Youth Ministry by Nick Hartman (Youth Pastor Theologian)
I’m not arguing that you must do this all the time, but I want to highlight the reality that it can seem counterintuitive to worship as one, learn as one, but feel like we have to discuss and apply separately. So, if your ministry is feeling divided and separated, maybe it is worth considering co-ed small groups, at least for a temporary season. It helped our church move from small groups as a separate entity to a vital extension of the unified gathering.
Rooted’s Two Most-Read of May
Five Reasons to Partner with Parents Before the Teenage Years by Curtis Dunlap
Here’s a word of encouragement for family ministers and parents who feel like they’ve already missed the early years. The gospel reminds us that God’s grace meets us in the present, not just the ideal timeline. Faithful discipleship isn’t about perfection. It’s about our dependence on Jesus.
Discipling and Digital Overload by Andy Cornett
Sometimes I’m discouraged by what people consume and how (un)seriously they take God’s call, but I am not dismayed. I know that my own heart has to constantly recall the gospel and to remember to look to Jesus’ wisdom and grace. I also continue to believe that person-to-person, communal relationships are the most transformative means of walking in the way of Jesus and finding the rest he gives.
In Case You Missed It (Rooted’s May Honorable Mention)
How Summer’s Side by Side Activities Can Open Up Gospel Conversations by Bethany McIlrath
Serving side-by-side with youth and children over the summer, even if you’re just stringing beads together, hiking the woods, or tossing a ball, establishes the foundation you’ll build on when more structured ministry resumes in the fall. Be intentional—but have fun!
