In this special episode of YMU, Danny hosts the 7th annual Rooted Book Awards. These Book Awards serve our listeners who might not have the time or budget to read every book out there. It includes categories of books for Youth Ministers, Parents, Bible Teaching, and Teenagers. Happy reading!

Accessible Church: A Gospel-Centered Vision for Including People with Disabilities and Their Families by Sarah Peoples (Crossway)

Don’t Despise Our Youth: Renewing Hope for Urban Youth by David Washington (InterVarsity Press)

Managing Your Households Well by Chap Bettis (P&R Publishing)

Mothering Against Futility Balancing Meaning and Mundanity in the Fear of the Lord By Simona Gorton (Christian Focus)

Beyond the Back Row: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Local Church for Your Family by Katie Polski (Christian Focus)

Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age Edited by Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa (Crossway)

The Gospel After Christendom: An Introduction to Cultural Apologetics eds. Collin Hansen, Skyler R. Flowers, and Ivan Mesa (Zondervan)

From Eden to Egypt: A Guided Tour of Genesis (9Marks) by Alex Duke (Zondervan)

Gospel Stories: How The Greatest Story Is Richer, Deeper, and More Wonderful Than We Think by Andrew Wilson (10 Publishing)

Understanding Biblical Law: Thinking With And Through Torah by Dru Johnson (Baker Academic)

12 Truths Every Teen Can Trust: Core Beliefs of the Christian That Will Change Your Life by Paul David Tripp (Crossway)

Make It Your Ambition by Jeremy Writebol (The Gospel Coalition)

Iconic: Being God’s Image in Your World by Mike McGarry (New Growth Press)

Worth It: Following Jesus When Life Feels Complicated by Chris Morphew (The Good Book Company)

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In this episode of Youth Ministry Unscripted, Isaiah, Josh, and Danny address youth ministry culture, especially as it interacts with the influence of social media. They discuss how social media impacts our students and how we as youth pastors can navigate it well for greater gospel influence. 

Resources:
Unplugged: Encouraging Students Toward Offline Living - Rooted Ministry 
Why Teens Compulsively Use Social Media - Rooted Ministry
Social Media: Four Considerations From a Youth Pastor to Parents - Rooted Ministry 


Social Media Pressure by John Perritt
Social Sanity in an Insta World by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra

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Follow and subscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts.

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In this workshop discussion from the 2024 Rooted Conference in Dallas, four experienced ministry leaders—Connie Nelson, Isaiah Marshall, Liz Edrington, and Anna Meade Harris—tackle the important and complex topic of ministering to students who come from difficult home environments. They share why this issue is close to their hearts, explore what constitutes a challenging home life, offer practical strategies for building trust with students, and much more.

About the Panelists

• Connie Nelson has over a decade of youth ministry experience in Edmonton, Alberta, where she also leads in her church’s college ministry and serves with a Guatemalan missions organization.
• Isaiah Marshall is a husband, father, and spoken word artist. He serves as Director of Ministry Development at Rooted Ministry and is a Chaplain in the Air Force Reserve.
• Liz Edrington is the Associate Director of Care at McLean Presbyterian Church. A counselor, professor, and award-winning author, she is passionate about gospel-centered care for youth and families.
• Anna Meade Harris is Rooted’s Contributing Editor and co-host of the Rooted Parent Podcast. She is also the author of God’s Grace for Every Family and a leading voice on ministering to single-parent families.

Rooted Resources:

Ministering to Teenagers with Challenging Home Lives by Connie Nelson, Isaiah Marshall, Miz Edrington, and Anna Meade Harris

Ministering to Students in Crisis

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In this episode of Youth Ministry Unscripted, Isaiah, Josh, and Danny address politics and the divide it has created in our nation and how it has impacted our youth groups. They tackle some hot-button issues and give tips on how to navigate political discussion. Finally, they discuss developing a Christ-centered identity that transcends politics.

Resources: 
Rooted Youth Ministry and Family Ministry Mentorship Programs
When the Conversation at Youth Group Turns to Politics - Rooted Ministry
Five Truths We Must Tell Our Kids in a World of Political Chaos and Madness - Rooted Ministry 

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Follow and subscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts

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Subscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts

In this workshop from the 2024 Rooted Conference in Dallas, Syler Thomas reflects on the complex but beautiful intersection of family and ministry. Drawing from years of personal experience, Syler shares four key insights: 1) God will use your family to bless your ministry, 2) God will use your ministry to bless your family, 3) You must intentionally define healthy boundaries for your family, 4) When sharing about your kids, get their permission—and give them space to just be kids, especially if they’re in your youth group. This practical and heartfelt talk is filled with wisdom for anyone navigating ministry while raising children.

Syler Thomas is a native Texan and has served as the student ministries pastor at Christ Church in Lake Forest, Illinois, since 1998. He writes for YouthWorker Journal, with additional work published in Leadership Journal and the Chicago Tribune, and is the co-author of two books. He and his wife, Heidi, are parents to four children.

The Value of Presence in Youth Ministry by Shaun McDonald

What Does Relational Discipleship Actually Look Like? - Rooted Ministry

Creating Space for Teenagers to Play in Youth Ministry  

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Follow and subscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts.

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n this episode of Youth Ministry Unscripted, Isaiah, Josh, and Danny discuss the frustrations and the blessings of partnering with parents in your youth ministry. There is a huge potential for Gospel impact when youth ministry leaders and parents link arms to disciple the next generation. 

Show Them the Gospel: Partnering with Parents in an Asian-American Church - Rooted Ministry

Partnering with Parents of Teenagers in the Black Church - Rooted Ministry

Learning to Partner with Parents of Teenagers, Not Judge Them - Rooted Ministry

Rooted Family Ministry Mentorship

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Join us at the Rooted 2025 Conference!

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In this workshop from the 2024 Rooted Conference in Dallas, Dr. Richard Ross asks a crucial question: What can youth ministers do to invest in the spiritual lives of parents? With wisdom and clarity, Dr. Ross shares practical strategies to equip and empower parents to disciple their teenagers toward a lifelong faith in Jesus.

Richard Ross, PhD, is husband to LaJuana, who has joined him in a lifetime of loving teenagers. Richard served as student pastor for thirty years and now is a volunteer with teenagers and parents in his church. Richard is professor to the next generation of student pastors at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. He has written over 25 books and speaks in over 40 conferences and churches each year.

Rooted Resources:

Resources for Engaging Teenagers Spiritually—at Church and at Home

Engaging Teenagers Spiritually—at Church and at Home

Rooted Parent Podcast

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In this episode of Youth Ministry Unscripted, Isaiah, Josh, and Danny look back over the decades of their time in youth ministry. A lot has changed since the 90s and early 2000s. Listen to this discussion about the huge opportunity we have to impact the lives of students with the gospel today. 

Resources:

Ask Rooted: How Do You Shift to Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry?

Youth Minister, Cool Is Overrated - Rooted Ministry

What Teenagers Need in a Youth Pastor Might Surprise You - Rooted Ministry   

Youth Talk Sheets

Food Planning Chart

Pizza Planning iPhone Shortcut

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Follow and subscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts.

Join us at the Rooted 2025 Conference!

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates and

Subscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts

In this thought-provoking workshop from the 2024 Rooted Conference in Dallas, Mike McGarry explores how a proper understanding of the Imago Dei—the image of God—shapes our identity and discipleship. Arguing that much of today’s cultural confusion stems from forgetting what it means to be human, Mike walks through the biblical storyline of creation, fall, redemption, and glorification to show how the Imago Dei is a unifying thread throughout Scripture. He also offers practical insight into why this matters for youth and family discipleship today.

Mike is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as an ordained youth pastor for nearly twenty years in Massachusetts. He holds a Doctor of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, with an emphasis on Ministry to Emerging Generations, and is the author of multiple books on youth ministry.

Rooted Resources:

Youth Pastor Theologian

Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World (Real World Theology) by Mike McGarry

Calvin, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, and The Image of God for Youth: Part 1 by Dan Wolf

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Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago

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In this insightful workshop from the 2024 Rooted Conference in Dallas, Jason Woodruff explores how Christians can cultivate biblical boundaries around the news and politics they consume. He outlines six practical ways to build a spiritually healthy relationship with media in today’s polarized, fast-paced world.

Jason is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Pour Over, a politically neutral news source read by over 1 million Christians each week. He also leads NewsHealth, an initiative aimed at helping believers navigate the news with wisdom and faith.

Rooted Resources:

The Pour Over

Parents, Just Turn Off the News (Responsibly) by Cameron Cole

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Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago

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Subscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts