Healthy youth ministry helps young people to develop a resilient identity in Christ. As a part of our ongoing series on 7 Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry, we break apart the pieces of developing a resiliency and humble confidence in young people as they face everything that life throws at them. Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com.

Mark and Julianna interview Rev. Dr. Chitwood about how we can engage young people in meaningful conversations about events and worldviews that shape the world around them. As we face the complexity of world events together, we cling to God’s Word and encourage each other to thrive in our faith and share the love of Jesus with all people. Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com and find all things by Pastor Chitwood at kenchitwood.com.

Bio: Ken thinks religion is cool. Interesting. Diverse. He also thinks learning about religion is so important that he dedicated his life to it — studying theology, teaching religious studies, and writing on the topic of religion and spirituality in newspapers and magazines across the world. This summer, Ken is traveling through the U.S. with his wife Paula and hanging out at the Gathering with cool kids like you before moving to Germany in August.

Part of designing a healthy youth ministry is focusing on what we want to see in the young people who come through our congregation. As a part of our ongoing series on 7 Practices on healthy youth ministry, we will focus on what it means for young people to deeply understand their Baptismal faith.

Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com.

Mark and Julianna interview Rev. Dr. Peterson about how we can guide young people during key moments of decision making. As they navigate transitions, we can help youth grow in their understanding of their Baptismal faith. Learn about Concordia Ann Arbor at cuaa.edu. Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com.

Rev. Dr. Ryan Peterson

Bio: Rev. Dr. Ryan Peterson serves as Vice President of Administration at Concordia University Ann Arbor. Prior to serving in this role, he was the Campus Pastor at CUAA since 2013. He has degrees from Concordia University Wisconsin, Concordia Seminary St. Louis, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Ryan and his wife Kristy have four energetic kids and love camping, traveling, and experiencing the adventures of life while serving on a college campus.

For more than 35 years, LCMS Servant Events have supported youth and adults in learning that serving others can make a difference because of Jesus Christ. Servant Events are opportunities for young people to learn new skills and grow in confidence. Members of the LCMS Servant Event Committee join Rev. Mark Kiessling and DCE Jim Lohman in the studio to talk about the impact of LCMS Servant Events. These events bring together youth and adults to serve in the name of Jesus.

Guests for this episode are:

Rev. Barry Akers, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Kokomo, IN

Shelly Carlson, Lord of the Lakes Lutheran Church, Forest Lake, MN,

Joe Palinkas, Painesville, OH, Zion Lutheran Church

Randy Ronning, DCE, Trinity Lutheran Church, Richmond, VA

Links mentioned from this episode:

LCMS Servant Events: servantevents.lcms.org/

Heart of a Servant: servantevents.lcms.org/viewFULL.asp?EventID=1375

Riches in Richmond: servantevents.lcms.org/viewFULL.asp?EventID=1394

Mission Possible: servantevents.lcms.org/viewFULL.asp?EventID=1459

Noble Servants: servantevents.lcms.org/viewFULL.asp?EventID=1451

Opportunities to serve and lead give young people ways to live out their faith and use their God given gifts and skills. Mark and Julianna discuss how to develop these key roles and how young people can be given opportunities to make a meaningful impact in their church.

Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com.

Mark and Julianna interview Rev. Michael Salemink who serves as the executive director of Lutherans for Life. They discuss his study “Real. Present. God. in Life Issues” and how young people can be drawn into important discussions around the sanctity of life. Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com. Learn more about Lutherans for Life at lutheransforlife.org.

Bio: Rev. Michael W. Salemink has served as the executive director of Lutherans For Life since 2016. He has degrees from Concordia University Chicago and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has served as a parish pastor in Minnesota and Indiana. He now lives with his wife, Heather, and family in St. Louis, Missouri. Beyond his regular career duties he has also been active as a relationship counselor, fatherhood mentor, and abstinence educator. He also has served on the board of a local pregnancy resource center. He embraces the opportunity to speak truth, especially in the middle of controversy, and show love, especially in crisis.

Congregational environment is a key factor for healthy youth ministry, but it can be hard to describe. Rev. Mark Kiessling and DCE Julianna Shults discuss how Warmth, Challenge and Grace best describe what young people told us helped keep them attached to the church community.

Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com.

Mark and Julianna interview Rev. Dr. Trevor Sutton about his resource “What Does it Mean to Be Lutheran?” and how young people navigate the tensions of Lutheranism in the world. It is a great discussion for how young people can develop a resilient identity in Christ. Find Pastor Sutton’s books from Concordia Publishing House: https://www.cph.org/m-173-a-trevor-sutton.aspx

Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com.

Bio: Trevor Sutton is associate pastor at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Lansing, Michigan. He has published multiple books, sermons, Bible studies, and devotional books with various Christian publishers. Sutton holds an MDiv from Concordia Seminary and an MA in writing and rhetoric from Michigan State University. Sutton is currently a PhD student at Concordia Seminary.

Healthy youth ministry depends on supportive adults who engage young people in long term relationships. Mark and Julianna discuss the reason why supportive adults make such a big impact on engaging and retaining young people.

Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com.