Youth Pastor Theologian Youth Pastor Theologian

Good and faithful youth ministry can look very different from context to context, and yet we often define “What is youth ministry” by the form it takes rather than the essence. Today we’re going to talk about contextualization with Mike Dicker from YouthWorks College in Sydney, Australia. 
What is contextualization and why is it important? 
What is "divine accomodation" and can you point to any examples of contextualization in the Bible? 
You’ve proposed four steps for faithful contextualization in youth ministry. Could you give us a quick overview of the four steps, and then we can go through them together in a bit more detail? 
What recommendations do you have that are particular to youth ministry? 
As youth workers strive towards contextualization, the temptation is to think first about our preaching… but we need to apply contextualization to the gospel culture of our ministry. What does that mean and how do we establish a gospel culture? 
Learn more about YouthWorks and YouthWorks College
Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
YPT's ebook, Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry, is a free download for subscribers. This book captures the essence of Youth Pastor Theologian in one ten-chapter book, written by six different contributors from across America, Mexico, and the UK. 

We often anchor relational discipleship in Christ’s incarnation, but is that the best biblical and theological foundation? In what ways might “Incarnational Ministry” have shaped the way we think about the Incarnation, rather than it being the other way around? For this reason, it’s important to get clear on the doctrine of the incarnation as we evaluate the biblical heart of relational ministry. 
Discussion
How did this question get on your radar and what motivated you to sink your teeth into it?
When people talk about “Incarnational Ministry,” what do they tend to have in mind, and what’s the typical argument for it sound like? 
Could you walk us through the doctrine of the incarnation and share your hesitations about continuing with “incarnational ministry” language? 
Is this just splitting hairs over nitpicky theology or is there something really at stake? What do you propose instead? 
Tim Gough is the center director for YFC in North Wales, chief editor for the Grove Youth series of books, and adjunct lecturer in youth ministry at various colleges in the UK, and is pursuing his PhD at University of Manchester. 
Order Tim's book, Rebooted: Reclaiming Youth Ministry for the Long Haul (IVP UK, 2019)
Follow Tim on Twitter/X: @timgoughuk
Follow Tim on YouTube: Youth Work Hacks
Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
YPT's ebook, Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry, is a free download for subscribers. This book captures the essence of Youth Pastor Theologian in one ten-chapter book, written by six different contributors from across America, Mexico, and the UK. 

Ministry to students after confirmation (or baptism, depending on tradition) can pose some unique challenges. Bård Norheim shares about "post-confirmation leadership training" in Norway, a nationwide effort by churches to prioritize discipleship and to help youth cultivate enduring faith by finding their belonging in their church community. 
What does youth ministry look like in Norway? What are some particular challenges teenagers in Norway are facing? 
How does the Church of Norway (evangelical lutheran) currently lead youth through the confirmation process? 
Could you share more about this post-confirmation leadership training? 
What do you mean by “ambivalence” in youth, and how do you encourage youth leaders to respond? 
What are some of the main lessons you’ve learned that you want to share with youth workers, not just in Norway but globally, about leading youth into Christian maturity? 
Any good books or resources you’d like to point our listeners to about this topic? 
Bård Norheim is professor of theology, religion and philosophy, NLA Bergen University College in Norway. He is also coauthor (with Jos de Kock) of The Five Questions: An Academic Handbook in Youth Ministry Research.
Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
YPT's ebook, Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry, is a free download for subscribers. This book captures the essence of Youth Pastor Theologian in one ten-chapter book, written by six different contributors from across America, Mexico, and the UK. 

Christian Universalism is a subtle heresy that's frighteningly common among GenZ today. It's a way that teenagers can affirm that "Christ is the only savior" and make other gospel-sounding affirmations while fully embracing the hyper-tolerant worldview of today's culture. In today's conversation, we discuss what Christian Universalism is and how youth workers can help students build their faith on the biblical message. 
Discussion Questions:
What do we mean by universalism and Christian Universalism in particular?
Can you walk us through some of the logic behind Christian Universalism and some of the key Bible verses?
Why do you think Christian Universalism is so appealing to today's teenagers?
How can youth workers preach the gospel of grace without falling into one of two errors: accidentally implying Christian Universalism, or nuancing the gospel so thoroughly it’s become clunky and confusing?
How do you recommend youth workers to respond when talking with a teenager who considers themselves a Christian but affirms Christian Universalism?
Andrew Slay is an Assistant Pastor at Westwood Baptist Church in Cleveland, TN, where he oversees ministry to high school and middle school students. He’s working on his PhD in Apologetics and Culture from NOBTS. 
Recommended Resources
The following books include Amazon Affiliate links, which provide YPT with a small financial benefit. We use these to continue providing you with the content you so enjoy. Thank you for your support.
Michael McClymond, The Devil’s Redemption: A New History and Interpretation of Christian Universalism (two volumes)
Four Views on Hell (Zondervan Counterpoints series)
John Piper, Are There Two Wills in God? (article)
Greg Gilbert, What is the Gospel?
Scott Stein, Is Christian Universalism True? (Prepared to Answer)

Prepared to Answer Podcast, Jesus Teaches on Hell (or does he?)

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
YPT's ebook, Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry, is a free download for subscribers. This book captures the essence of Youth Pastor Theologian in one ten-chapter book, written by six different contributors from across America, Mexico, and the UK. 
 

The Image of God (or Imago Dei) is one of the most important doctrines for youth pastors to teach teenagers, because almost every cultural landmine today finds its resolution in what it means to bear the image of God. That’s why I’m excited to be talking with Dr. Imes today about her new book, Being God’s Image. 
What is the doctrine of the Image of God and what prompted you to write this book now?
Early in the book, you make the distinction between being created IN God’s image and being created AS God’s image. Could you share a little more about that distinction? 
What are some areas where the Imago Dei finds a lot of resonance in today’s culture, and what are some areas where it’s a powerful corrective? 
What’s the relationship between the Imago Dei and the gospel? 
How can youth workers teach and talk faithfully about the Imago Dei and human dignity in the midst of the effects of sin and the fall? 
Do you have any practical recommendations for youth workers who want to teach about the Image of God? 
Recommendations:
Dr. Imes' book: Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters
Christa McKirland: God’s Provision, Humanity’s Need: The Gift of Our Dependence
Every Woman’s Study Bible (NLT) 
Marc Cortez: Resourcing Theological Anthropology: A Constructive Account of Humanity in the Light of Christ
Follow Dr. Imes' Youtube Channel for Torah Tuesday videos
Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
YPT's ebook, Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry, is a free download for subscribers. It's a great way to discover more about YPT's vision for theologically-grounded ministry to youth. 

The youth pastor’s authority comes from the Word of God. When we stray from teaching the Bible then we lose the capacity to say “Thus says the Lord.” Teenagers don’t need more opinions, they need God’s Word. But how can normal youth leaders teach with biblical depth and pastoral warmth? 
 
Discussion Questions
What is expository preaching and what distinguishes it from other types of preaching? 
What are some unique benefits of expository preaching in youth ministry? 
What are some common reasons youth workers might not practice expository preaching? 
Does this mean we should ONLY teach verse-by-verse through books of the Bible? 
How can youth workers preach and teach for long-term formation? 
Where would you direct listeners who want to learn more, including good examples of expository preaching that’s accessible for teenagers? 
John Gardner is the Youth Pastor at Grace Longmont, just north of Denver Colorado. He has earned his D.Min. in Expository Preaching from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, which is what we’ll be talking about today. 
Resources Mentioned
“How to Develop an Exegetical-Theological Series in Youth Group,” by Jason Engle
Brain Matters, by Patricia Wolfe
Preaching God’s Word, by Carter, Duvall, and Hayes
A Vision for Preaching, by Abraham Kuruvilla 
Simeon Trust Workshops 
Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
YPT's ebook, Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry, is a free download for subscribers. This book captures the essence of Youth Pastor Theologian in one ten-chapter book, written by six different contributors from across America, Mexico, and the UK.