Dr. Anthony Bradley teaches theology at Kings' College, and in this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry podcast he speaks with Cameron Cole about what he hears from the college freshmen he teaches. Tune in to hear what Bradley's students have to say about Biblical literacy and intergenerational integration. You'll also want to listen for what teenagers really think about hanging out with adults (hint: you might learn something unexpected). 

Anthony Bradley is Professor of Religious Studies, The King’s College. 

Talk to Your Kids about Failure – and Share Stories from Your Life by Kari Kampakis

Don’t Banish Your Students to the Kids’ Table by Dan Montgomery

Rooted Resources for Integrating Students Into the Life of Your Church

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Join us for our 2023 conference in Nashville, TN! 

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In this episode of The Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, Dr. Michelle Reyes, co-author of The Race-Wise Family: Ten Postures to Becoming Households of Healing and Hope, shares what it means to be "race-wise" (and why it matters to God). Helpfully differentiating between gospel-centered multi-ethnicity and unhelpful, un-scriptural ideologies, Dr. Reyes then shares about how youth workers can partner with parents to equip and encourage families in the work of raising race-wise teenagers. As you discuss race and ethnicity with the teenagers you serve, you won't want to miss this invaluable resource. 

Resources:

Rooted Recommends: The Race-Wise Family 

Fear Factor: Fear of Talking with Our Children About Race with Dr. Michelle Reyes

Cultivating Spaces That Are Safe From Racism in Youth Ministry

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As parents who both serve on the staff of a local church, Chris and Katie Polski are aware of the unique challenges which press upon the children of vocational ministry leaders. In this episode of The Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, the Polskis help youth workers understand these challenges, as well as the opportunities to provide meaningful shepherding and care to ministry kids. Full of both grace and truth, this episode will help youth workers become advocates and allies to the ministry kids they serve!

Links:

Chris & Katie Polski

Rooted Reservoir

Rooted Conference

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In this episode, Isaiah Marshall joins the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast to share about his passion for creative communication. Drawing from his experiences as a youth minister, Isaiah shares how creative gospel communication empowers all sorts of students to recognize their gifts and utilize their abilities to minister to the body of Christ. Far from being "gimmicky," Isaiah gives listeners a vision for how creative communication techniques can develop leaders and proclaim the gospel message far and wide!

Links:

Strong Tower Bible Church

Isaiah on Instagram

Rooted Conference

Rooted Reservoir

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This episode of The Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast features the reviewers of each category of Rooted’s 2022 Book Awards: Chelsea Erickson (Best New Books to Talk About with Teenagers), Tucker Fleming (Best New Books for Teenagers), Davis Lacey (Best New Books for Youth Workers), and Tracy Yi (Best New Books for Parents). Listen to hear the honorable mentions, as well as the award recipients, of the 2022 Rooted Book Awards! 

The Awards!

Follow these links to learn more about the 2022 Book Award Winners

Recommendations from Anna Meade Harris, Rooted’s Senior Director of Content

You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News by Kelly Kapic

Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

BEST NEW BOOKS FOR PARENTS:

• Honorable Mention: Humble Moms: How the Work of Christ Sustains the Work of Motherhood by Kristen Wetherell.
• Winners:
  • Special Grace, Prayers and Reflections for Families with Special Needs by Elrena Evans
  • Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build on for Life by David Thomas

BEST NEW BOOKS FOR TEENAGERS:

• Honorable Mentions:
  • Who Am I and Why Do I Matter? by Chris Morphew
  • Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers by Drew Hill
• Winner: Read This First:  A Simple Guide to Getting the Most from the Bible by Gary Millar

BEST NEW BOOKS TO TALK ABOUT WITH TEENAGERS:

• Honorable Mentions:
  • Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain
  • Terms of Service: The Real Cost of Social Media by Chris Martin
  • Cultural Counterfeits: Confronting 5 Empty Promises of Our Age and How We Were Made for So Much More by Jen Oshman
• Winner: Jesus Through the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us Know and Love the Lord by Rebecca McLaughlin

BEST NEW BOOKS FOR YOUTH WORKERS:

• Honorable Mention:
  • Spurgeon the Pastor: Recovering a Biblical and Theological Vision for Ministry by Geoffrey Chang
  • Understanding Family Worship: Its History, Theology and Practiceby Terry L. Johnson
• Winner: Authentic Ministry: Serving from the Heartby Michael Reeves

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Rev. Chris Polski has decades of experience as both a youth minister and as a senior pastor. On this episode of The Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, Chris joins Davis and draws on this extensive experience to coach youth ministers on how to handle conflict-situations with members of their churches' senior leadership teams. What are helpful ways to deal with conflict? What approaches are detrimental? And how is the good news of the gospel pervasive, even in tough situations such as these? These questions and others are addressed with frankness and hope on this episode of The Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast!

Additional Resources

• Chris Polski's Rooted Author Page
• "Intergenerational Integration Begins with Ministry Staff"
• "Five Questions for Conflict Resolution in Student Ministry"
• Learn more about Chris' ministry by visiting https://trinitychurchkirkwood.org

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One of Rooted's five pillars is theological depth through biblical exposition. Anyone who has taught teenagers understands that this aspiration is easier to affirm than it is to apply! How can a youth minister teach the tough truths of Scripture in a sensitive and engaging way to teenagers? Seth Stewart, Editor in Chief of Spoken Gospel, joins the podcast to discuss these very topics!

Additional Resources:

• Be sure to check out Rooted's grace-filled, gospel-centered, Bible-saturated discipleship curricula at rootedreservoir.com!
• Spoken Gospel: https://www.spokengospel.com
• "7 Ways to See Jesus in the Royal and Wisdom Psalms" - https://rootedministry.com/7-ways-to-see-jesus-in-the-royal-and-wisdom-psalms/

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In this episode, Davis is joined by Mac Harris, a current seminary student, and the youth and family ministries coordinator for Hope Community Church in Charlotte, NC. Mac shares some of the most impactful things he is learning in seminary, and how those insights have directly benefited his ministry to young people. He also provides fresh insights on how youth workers can determine whether or not seminary is a wise investment (of time and of money) and encourages churches to partner with youth workers as they pursue ministry development. 

Additional Resources

• Jump-start your ministry development using the resources available at https://www.rootedreservoir.com
• Chelsea Erickson, "Youth Ministers - Yes, You Should Consider an M.Div. (and Here's Why)"
• Melanie Lacy, "Youth Ministry in Spite of Formal Training"

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Rooted Reservoir launched a new Romans curriculum over the summer, and on today's episode, the author (Mac Harris) joins us for a conversation about teaching the Book of Romans to teenagers. Mac provides a summary of the theme(s) of Romans, as well as a list of resources he found helpful in writing the curriculum. Moreover, he provides youth workers with the encouragement that the real power in teaching the Bible isn't in the youth worker's skill or eloquence - but rather in the power of God!

Additional Resources

• Rooted Reservoir (rootedreservoir.com)
• Romans for You by Tim Keller (chs. 1-7, and chs. 8-16)
• Douglas Moo's commentary on Romans - https://www.christianbook.com/romans-second-edition-international-commentary-testament/douglas-moo/9780802871213/pd/871216
• The Message of Romans by John Stott (https://www.christianbook.com/the-message-romans-bible-speaks-today/john-stott/9780830812462/pd/12460)

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Charlotte Getz has tirelessly served youth ministers through her faithful ministry at Rooted - both as our editor in chief and as our director of publishing projects. As Charlotte transitions out of her formal involvement with Rooted, we at The Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast wanted to honor Charlotte for her service. We also wanted to learn from her personal experience as a youth minister. Tune-in to this episode to hear Charlotte discuss the importance of "showing up," the value of meaningful female-male ministry partnerships, the significance trips can play in a teenager's spiritual development, and more! 

Additional Resources

• "Youth Minister, Show Up for That Soccer Game" - https://rootedministry.com/blog/youth-minister-show-up-for-that-soccer-game/
• "Planning Retreats with a Goal in Mind: Four Gospel-Fruits of Getting Away" - https://rootedministry.com/blog/planning-retreats-goal-mind-four-gospel-fruits-getting-away/
• Charlotte's 2021 Conference Plenary, "Can These Bones Live?" - https://rootedministry.com/podcast/rooted-conference-charlotte-getz-can-these-bones-live/

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Subscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts