Youth Pastor Theologian

By Youth Pastor Theologian

Youth Pastor Theologian believes that youth ministry is theological ministry. That’s why each episode features a conversation at the intersection of youth ministry and theological reflection. We want ... more

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FAQs about Youth Pastor Theologian:

How many episodes does Youth Pastor Theologian have?

The podcast currently has 111 episodes available.

Youth Pastor Theologian episodes:

July 01, 2025 109: Cell Phones in Youth Group & Partnering with other Youth Groups
In this episode of the Youth Pastor Theologian podcast, hosts Mike McGarry and John Gardner tackle two significant listener questions. The first question revolves around cell phone usage in youth ministry, particularly during retreats and camps. The second question addresses the benefits and challenges of partnering with other youth ministries in your area.
Learn more about the National Network of Youth Ministry here, to find other youth workers near you.
Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Together, Mike and John co-lead the YPT Teaching Workshop, a one day training session to equip your volunteers and other area youth leaders to teach the Bible to teenagers with depth and clarity. GO HERE to learn more about how to host a workshop at your church.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
52min
June 24, 2025 108: The Image of God and Youth Ministry, a preview of Mike's new book
In this episode of the Youth Pastor Theologian podcast, Mike McGarry and John Gardner explore the concept of being created in the image of God and its implications for youth ministry. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding our identity as image bearers of God and how this shapes the way we disciple youth into Christian maturity.

Pre-order Mike's new book, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World, which invites youth to discover who they are by remembering what they are... image-bearers of the Living God.

Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Together, Mike and John co-lead the YPT Teaching Workshop, a one day training session to equip your volunteers and other area youth leaders to teach the Bible to teenagers with depth and clarity. GO HERE to learn more about how to host a workshop at your church.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
49min
June 17, 2025107: Using Curriculum Well & Managing "Other Duties as Assigned"
In this episode of the Youth Pastor Theologian podcast, Mike McGarry and John Gardner discuss the how and when to use curriculum in youth ministry. They share what to look for, how to support your volunteers who are teaching curriculum, and then move on to answer a listener-question about how to focus on youth ministry while fulfilling "other duties as assigned" in your church.
Keep an eye out for the YPT Curriculum, available in late-July 2025
See our list of recommended curriculum
Send your question to Mike and John for the podcast here, and make sure to tell us you've left a rating/review to get bumped to the top of the list.

Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Together, Mike and John co-lead the YPT Teaching Workshop, a one day training session to equip your volunteers and other area youth leaders to teach the Bible to teenagers with depth and clarity. GO HERE to learn more about how to host a workshop at your church.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
49min
June 10, 2025 106: What NOT to do in your first year
In this episode, Mike McGarry and John Gardner discuss essential advice for first-time youth workers, each focusing on five key things to avoid in youth ministry. The conversation provides practical insights and encouragement for new youth leaders navigating their roles.
Send your question to Mike and John for the podcast here, and make sure to tell us you've left a rating/review to get bumped to the top of the list.

Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Together, Mike and John co-lead the YPT Teaching Workshop, a one day training session to equip your volunteers and other area youth leaders to teach the Bible to teenagers with depth and clarity. GO HERE to learn more about how to host a workshop at your church.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
42min
June 03, 2025105: Youth Ministry as Catechesis & the YPT Curriculum!
In this episode of the Youth Pastor Theologian podcast, Mike McGarry and John Gardner explore the significance of catechesis in youth ministry, emphasizing its relational nature and the importance of intentional discipleship. They discuss the need for a structured approach to teaching that considers the different stages of spiritual maturity among youth. Ultimately, they advocate for a return to historical practices of catechesis as a means to effectively disciple the next generation.
Chapters
1:00 - What do we mean by discipleship?
6:50 - The Role of Catechesis in Youth Ministry
12:30 - Components of Effective Discipleship
17:01 - Challenges and Misconceptions in Discipleship
18:58 - The Nature of Catechesis
21:06 - Understanding Different Stages of Catechesis
23:39 - Cultural Sensitivity in Youth Ministry
25:26 - Intentional Discipleship in Youth Ministry
27:21 - The YPT Curriculum!
36:32 - Learning from Historical Practices
Recommended Books:
A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry, by Mike McGarry
Grounded in the Gospel: Building Believers the Old-Fashioned Way, by JI Packer & Gary Parrett
The New City Catechism
(Note: Amazon Affiliate links are shared above, which provide a small financial benefit to YPT without any additional cost to you, which we use to develop the resources you enjoy. Thank you for your support)
Send your question to Mike and John for the podcast here, and make sure to tell us you've left a rating/review to get bumped to the top of the list.

Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Together, Mike and John co-lead the YPT Teaching Workshop, a one day training session to equip your volunteers and other area youth leaders to teach the Bible to teenagers with depth and clarity. GO HERE to learn more about how to host a workshop at your church.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
40min
May 27, 2025104: Asking Good Questions, Chat GPT, Engaging Students with Scripture
In this episode, Mike McGarry and John Gardner discuss the intersection of youth ministry and theology, focusing on the importance of asking good questions that engage students in meaningful conversations. Discussing good and bad questions leads into a conversation about whether or not youth workers should use ChatGPT. The discussion also highlights the need for youth to engage with scripture outside of church settings.

Chapters
1:00 - The Importance of Asking Good Questions
5:49 - Asking Bad Questions
11:09 - Crafting Effective Questions
16:04 - Building Trust Through Questions
20:45 - Understanding Cognitive Dissonance in Youth Ministry
21:28 - The Role of AI in Asking Good Questions
23:18 - Debating the Use of ChatGPT in Ministry
30:04 - Our Spiritual Responsibility to Teach
33:33 - Engaging Youth with Scripture Outside of Church
Send your question to Mike and John for the podcast here, and make sure to tell us you've left a rating/review to get bumped to the top of the list.

Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Together, Mike and John co-lead the YPT Teaching Workshop, a one day training session to equip your volunteers and other area youth leaders to teach the Bible to teenagers with depth and clarity. GO HERE to learn more about how to host a workshop at your church.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
39min
May 20, 2025 103: Student Leadership, Book Recommendations, & Time Wasters
In this episode of the Youth Pastor Theologian Podcast, hosts Mike McGarry and John Gardner explore the concept of student leadership within youth ministry. They discuss whether all students should be considered leaders, the importance of defining leadership, and how personality traits influence leadership roles. The conversation also touches on empowering students, cultural misunderstandings of leadership, and the significance of recognizing natural leadership qualities. They also share their recommendations for non-youth ministry books that youth pastors would benefit from reading before closing with a listener-question about ways youth pastors are tempted to mis-use their time.

Send your question to Mike and John for the podcast here, and make sure to tell us you've left a rating/review to get bumped to the top of the list.

Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Together, Mike and John co-lead the YPT Teaching Workshop, a one day training session to equip your volunteers and other area youth leaders to teach the Bible to teenagers with depth and clarity. GO HERE to learn more about how to host a workshop at your church.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
38min
May 13, 2025102: Missions Trips & Discouraged Youth Pastors
In this episode, Mike McGarry and John Gardner explore the intersection of youth ministry and theology, focusing on the role of missions trips. They discuss the theological implications of these trips, critiques of short-term missions, and share personal experiences—both positive and negative while emphasizing the importance of gospel-centered missions. They also discuss the reality and challenge of discouragement in youth ministry. Finally, they promote the YPT Teaching Workshop as a great way to equipping youth leaders (paid and volunteers).

Send your question to Mike and John for the podcast here, and make sure to tell us you've left a rating/review to get bumped to the top of the list.

Chapters
3:07 - The Role of Missions Trips in Youth Ministry
5:57 - Critiques of Short-Term Missions
9:00 - Theological Foundations for Missions
11:56 - Positive and Negative Experiences in Missions
18:08 - Effective Missions Practices
23:56 - Encouragement for Discouraged Youth Pastors
30:01 - Conclusion and Teaching Workshop Promotion
Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Together, Mike and John co-lead the YPT Teaching Workshop, a one day training session to equip your volunteers and other area youth leaders to teach the Bible to teenagers with depth and clarity. GO HERE to learn more about how to host a workshop at your church.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
41min
May 06, 2025 101: Podcast revamp, Our Ministry Journeys, D.Mins. and Spouses in Youth Ministry
In this episode of the Youth Pastor Theologian podcast, hosts Mike McGarry and John Gardner introduce the new format of the show, focusing on their journeys into youth ministry. They discuss their unexpected paths into youth ministry, the importance of theological depth, why they each pursues a D.Min., and how they integrate their spouses into their ministry roles.

Send your question to Mike and John for the podcast here, and make sure to tell us you've left a rating/review to get bumped to the top of the list.

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction to the New Podcast Format
3:00 - Journey into Youth Ministry: John Gardner's Story
5:45 - Mike McGarry's Unexpected Path to Youth Ministry
12:00 - The Development of Youth Pastor Theologian
17:00 - The Importance of Theological Depth in Youth Ministry
24:00 - Integrating Spouses into Youth Ministry

Mike McGarry is the Founder and Director of Youth Pastor Theologian and served as a youth pastor for nearly twenty years. He's written four books for youth workers and teenagers, his latest is releasing in August '25, Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World. Follow Mike on Instagram or X/Twitter.

John Gardner is the Pastor of Youth Ministries at Grace Church in Longmont, CO. John and his wife Jackie have been married for 15 years and love spending time trying out new food, exploring the national parks, and playing board games. Follow John on Instagram.

Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
45min
April 15, 2025100: Revisiting "What is a Youth Pastor Theologian" (Engle, Hartman, Tufano)
In this celebratory 100th episode of the Youth Pastor Theologian podcast, host Mike McGarry and guests Nick Hartman, Jason Engle, and Alex Tufano reflect on their experiences in youth ministry, the importance of theological depth, and memorable podcast episodes. They discuss the significance of the Youth Pastor Theologian identity, the need for practical theology, and the positive trends emerging in youth ministry today.
Discussion Includes:
What does being a youth pastor theologian mean to you, practically speaking. How has that vision shaped your own ministry?
What are some of the positive trends you’ve seen happening in youth ministry today?
What are some ongoing concerns and needs that you’ve seen, and how do you think YPT could help?
Jason, Nick, and Alex ask Mike a few questions, too...
Favorite Podcasts Mentioned Include:
Jason Engle: ep.76: Calling Youth to a God-Centered Faith, with Richard Ross
Nick Hartman: ep.77: Disciplemaking with Teen Boys, with Jonathan Denton
Alex Tufano: ep.29: Evangelism and Discipleship, with Greg Stier
Mike McGarry: ep.89: Theology of Eating Together, with Seth Stewart
Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian
Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian
Subscribe to YPT's website to receive our newest articles and updates sent directly to your inbox. We won't spam you, but you will receive a link to download our ebook for free... Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry is a collection of articles from the blog archives to help new YPT readers catch the vision for theological renewal in youth ministry.
...more
1h 5min

FAQs about Youth Pastor Theologian:

How many episodes does Youth Pastor Theologian have?

The podcast currently has 111 episodes available.

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