Rooted Conference

Rooted introduces a new podcast focused on youth ministry in an Asian American context. It features a rotating panel of youth ministers who will talk about issues affecting Asian American youth and anyone ministering to them, whether in the home or in the church. This episode is a sample of what you will hear. The first full episode is available now at RootedMinistry.com/Podcasts. Or subscribe to the Asian American Youth Ministry Roundtable wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Dorothy is the youth director at the Chinese Bible Church of Maryland (Rockville, MD) in the Washington D.C. metropolitan. She is passionate to serve the Lord through discipleship, musical worship, administration, and multimedia. Dorothy is a massive foodie, enjoys cooking for loved ones, and delights in trips to her home city of Chicago.

Huey Lee has been serving the local church in the youth ministry context for over 15 years, and holds a Masters of Divinity from Biblical Theological Seminary. He currently serves as a Pastor of Youth Ministry at Christ Central Presbyterian Church in Centreville, VA. He is married to his beautiful wife, Alice, and they are parents to 4 sons: Matthew, Ethan, Christian, and Lucas. He loves reading, Korean food, a good cup of coffee, and the growing pains that come with learning to play golf.

Justin serves as the Pastor of Youth at Chinese Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. He has worked with students, parents, and families for the past 23 years. He graduated from Houston Baptist University with a biology degree and later received his Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently finishing his Masters of Theology and Doctorate of Education from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married Tina and they have two girls, Ella and Mia.

Terrence serves as the Family Pastor at First Chinese Baptist Church, Walnut, located in Los Angeles County with the largest Asian population in the US. He has grown up in the immigrant church and believes unashamedly in its role to fulfill Jesus’ call to make disciples across all cultures and generations. He is gladly married to Regina and forever growing as a father of three children from middle school to college. He will go out of his way to cheer on LA sports (Lakers, Dodgers, UCLA Bruins) and to engage in a meaningful conversation.

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

In this panel from Rooted 2023, panelists Terrence Shay, Andrew King, Kerry Trunfio, Connor Coskery, and Cameron Cole talk about making the shift from youth ministry to family ministry. Their conversation includes a frank discussion of the roadblocks and insecurities they have faced, practical advice about how to partner with parents, and ways to get the whole church on board with the concept of family ministry.

Panelist Bios:

• Terrence Shay
• Andrew King
• Kerry Trunfio
• Connor Coskery
• Cameron Cole

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

In this talk from Rooted 2023, licensed professional counselor Monica Kim addresses the impact of trauma on children. With a particular eye towards events like school shootings, Kim examines trauma through the biblical lens of Creation, Fall, Redemption, giving listeners a theological foundation for understanding this particular kind of suffering. Underscoring the importance (and complexity) of linking trauma and hope, Kim offers substantive practical help to adults walking alongside traumatized kids.

"We don't have to read to far in the Bible to see that that God's story of redemption for His people through Christ happens in the context of trauma."

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

In this workshop from Rooted 2023, speaker Sarah Zylstra shares her extensive research on the topic of teenagers and social media. Speaking as an accomplished journalist, a mother, and a Christian, Zylstra offers parents and youth pastors theological tools and practical guidance on how to think about social media with teenagers, especially the young women whose mental health has been so negatively affected by their online interactions. 

"Check their phones, their laptops... giving that to your child is not invasive, that is love."

Resources:

• Check out the Rooted Parent podcast season: Parenting, Technology, and the Truth.
• How to Help Your Child Navigate Video Games with Sarah Zylstra
• Social Media and Technology Parent Resources
• We offer a family discipleship curriculum entitled "Navigating Technology: Girls and Social Media; Boys and Video Games" and one called "Pornography and Parenting." 

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

In this episode of the Rooted Conference podcast, Kendal Conner continues with a "part two" of one of our most popular talks from Rooted 2022 (see below). Kendal explains the why and the how of this particular discipleship tool. She shares why Bible storying works especially well for digital natives, and how it empowers students to think biblically and study God's Word on their own. 

"We must be intentional as ministers in the church... of spiritual hunger and personal intent."

Resources:

• Bible Storying: Teaching the Scriptures to a Post-Christian Generation with Kendal Conner (podcast; the part one workshop). 
• Bible Storying in a Post-Christian Generation (article) 

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

In this talk from Rooted 2023, youth pastor Vince Greenwald encourages youth pastors to make confession a regular part of their youth ministries. Rather than teaching students that youth group is a place to maintain a false image of perfection, Greenwald urges youth ministers to cultivate a culture of honesty. Amid safe and honest confession of sin, the gospel really begins to "get traction" in students' lives.

"It is far more dangerous for our churches to be places where students hide sin than where students confess sin."

Resources:

• Matthew 11: 28-30
• John 4 
• 1 John 1:5-2:1 "the door into Narnia"

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

In this conference workshop from Rooted 2023, Kelly Kapic encourages listeners to embrace the limits that come with being a human being. 

 "If you're ever going to experience the joy of being a human creature, the statement I am about to give has to go deep into your heart. And here it is: Finitude is not sin. Finitude is not sin."

Resources:

• You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News by Kelly Kapic
• 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

In this helpful workshop for Rooted 2023, veteran youth worker Curtis Zachery shares a pastoral perspective for youth pastors who steward complex and ever-changing ministries. From his personal experience, Zachery helps youth pastors see their need for prioritizing their time with Jesus, learning to love him, and accepting the rest he offers us.

"You are more than what you produce. It's hard to believe that. Because the only way that you have learned to measure your consistent presence in your position is based on the outcomes. But God is looking at you and saying 'I'm already proud of you.'"

Referenced:

• Psalm 63:1

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

Here at Rooted we get a lot of questions from youth pastors and parents about how to help kids grow up. How do we learn to release our children to go with God, especially considering they aren't really "ours" to begin with? In this panel talk from Rooted 2023, you'll hear from David Brashler, Dawson Cooper, Terrence Shay, Syler Thomas, and Anna Meade Harris--parents who have kids ranging in age from 9-26 years old--about how to trust God with the children he has so graciously entrusted to us. 

"That time that we have with our kids in our home is short...and [our] kids are not [our own]."

Resources:

• Luke 2:41-52
• Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Raising Teens by Paul David Tripp 

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Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26. 

In this episode of the Rooted Conference podcast, Vanderbilt professor of history and religion Paul Lim speaks about how to engage teenagers in an era dominated by shifting philosophies. He says our kids are growing up in an "achievement society" determined to "discard negativity," and the impact of our devices reinforces these trends. 

"I need to actually worry less about the perception of the other and move and remind myself about the perfection of the Other, namely, God himself in Jesus Christ."

Resources:

• The Burnout Society by Byung-Chul Han 
• Power Failure by Albert Borgmann
• The Social Dilemma documentary (also see our podcast)

Follow us @rootedministry on Instagram.

Join us for Rooted 2024 in Dallas, October 24-26.