Youth Pastor Theologian

Teenagers are full of questions. The big question, is who are they discussing those questions with?! It can be a challenge to cultivate a ministry culture where students feel the freedom to ask their questions without being afraid of getting belittled or receiving cheap answers. In this conversation, Valerie O'Brien discusses her approach to inviting youth to ask their questions, and how she equips youth leaders to respond. 

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Can Jesus really make a positive difference in your life? What about when being a Christian puts you at odds with the values of your friends and with society in general? Is following Jesus worth it?

This episode is a conversation with Chris Morphew about his new book, "Worth It: Following Jesus When Life Feels Complicated", which highlights the truth that however good you think the good news of Jesus is, it’s better. 

Conversation ...

It can be tempting to stick to the New Testament when teaching the Bible to youth. But doing so will only short-change teenagers and limit their understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ. Some parts of the Old Testament can feel foreign or intimidating, and therefore easy to avoid. Today's conversation with Chelsea Erickson will highlight the importance of teachign the Old Testament and will equip you with some good tools to h...

• What is it about youth ministry that keeps you invested ...

The Asbury Outpouring gripped religious news and social media two years ago. People had a wide range of opinions about it then, but it's been long enough that we can look with greater clarity about what was and was not happening. In this episode, Mike talks with Zach Meerkreebs, the preacher whose sermon God used to spark the outpouring. Listen in to hear about what's happening at Asbury now and what lessons we can learn. 

Discussi...

Youth Group isn’t always a place where artsy youth feel a sense of belonging. And yet, the Church, historically, has been a haven for the arts. How can youth workers develop a biblical appreciation for art and serve our students who are artistically-minded? 

Discussion Includes:

• Historically, there’s been a rich relationship between the church and the arts. But what have you observed about the chur...

What's happening in the youth ministry world today and how did we get here? This is an important question that we need to ask from time to time, and who's better to ask than Dr. Walt Mueller? 

Walt Mueller has been ministering to young people for over 45 years and is the founder/director of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. He’s also the author of many books for youth and youth leaders, and he’s one of the professors for t...

Talking about the church and youth sports is a sure way to spur strong opinions. Many pastors feel like parents are choosing sports over faith, while parents and kids feel like the church doesn't respect sports or team culture. How can faithful Christian parents and church leaders navigate this tense issue in a way that is distinctively Christian, without drawing battle lines? Today we’ll talk with Dr. Paul Putz, the director of Ba...

At some point, every youth pastor faces the question, "Should I stay or should I go?" Sometimes God's wisdom leads us to stay and endure through seasons of tension and conflict, but sometimes the Lord provides freedom to move into a new ministry (or an entirely new vocation!). 

Discussion Includes:

• You’re still in your first year as a senior pastor… what are some of the bigger differences that’ve s...

Food and “the table” show up throughout Scripture in significant ways. And yet, it’s easily overlooked. How does “theology of meals and eating together” shape Christian fellowship and ministry to youth? 

• Could you explain what you mean by “theology of meals and eating together”? 
• When I hear this, I immediately think about the Lord’s Supper. That’s a major component of ...

There’s so much that can be said about how to teach the Bible with depth and clarity, it’s almost as if we could build an entire podcast around it! That’s why we’ve invited Kyle Hoffsmith from “The Word in Youth Ministry” to share some of the best preaching and teaching advice that he’s heard. 

• When you were new to youth ministry, could you tell us about a crash-and-burn situation that stands out t...

Everyone has expectations: you do, and so do your students, parents, volunteers, and church leaders. How can you identify people's expectations and respond with humility and confidence when you don't quite "meet expectations"? 

• Of all the topics we could be discussing today, why do you think it’s important for us to talk about managing expectations in youth ministry? 
• W...