Rooted Youth Ministry

Danny sits down with veteran youth pastor Justin Wong. 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 24 years. He received his Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  They discuss how social media impacts teenagers and families from a youth pastor’s perspective. Justin talks about how social media can be harmful in different ways, how it impacts the mental health of a teenager, but also how it can be redeemed by a youth ministry that expresses the hope of the gospel in the lives of teenagers.  Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

Danny sits down with longtime friend of Rooted Alice Churnock. Alice is a licensed professional counselor specializing in adolescents and college students. She enjoys leading seminars for groups both nationally and internationally, and is married and has two young boys in Birmingham, AL.They sit down to talk about the topic of eating disorders in teenagers.  She offers deep insights into eating disorders of teenagers as a licensed professional counselor.  Moreover, for churches and youth ministries, her insights offer help for churches and youth ministries, as they serve teenagers and their families, battling these issues.Resources:Purchase Anxiety: Finding the Better Story by Liz Edrington today. Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

Danny sits down with longtime veteran Youth Pastor Brock Morgan.  Brock is a popular speaker for retreats, conferences, and camps and has written twenty books including, Youth Ministry in a Post-Christian World and Beautiful Rebellion. Brock is the associate pastor at The Bridge Chino and lives in southern California with his wife Kelsey, their daughter Dancin and their puppy, C.S. Lewis.They talk about teenage anxiety from a Youth Pastor’s perspective, including discussing Brock’s most recent book, The Anxious Teen.  From the Youth Pastor’s perspective, they discuss the struggle of anxiety that is in the hearts and minds of today’s teenagers and how we might respond and be a part of bringing health and wholeness through the gospel and youth ministry.  Brock also shares very intimately about his own struggles with anxiety. Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Danny sits down with Liz Edrington. Danny and Liz talk about teenage anxiety from a counseling perspective for the church and youth ministry. As Liz has wide experience with youth and adult ministry, she offers a unique perspective on how the church and youth ministries can serve teenagers and families who struggle with anxiety. Liz is the author of a 31-day devotional for teenagers called Anxiety: Finding the Better Story (P&R Publishing, 2023). Liz Edrington serves as the Fellowship Groups and Young Adults Director at North Shore Fellowship in Chattanooga, TN. She received her M.A. in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL, and she has worked with students in one form or another since 2002. She is an emeritus member of the Rooted steering committee. Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

Husband and wife Danny and Monica Kwon talk about the role of the church and the youth minister in helping struggling teenagers and their families as they navigate mental health issues.  As a seasoned youth minister and a Christian counselor, respectively, they offer helpful insights and practical suggestions on serving teens and families who are dealing with mental health struggles. Before joining Rooted, Danny was the youth and family pastor at his church for 29 years. Monica is both a Christian counselor and licensed psychologist (PhD) who has treated mental health issues of teenagers and their families in both a clinical setting, and in serving along Danny in youth ministry. In this new mini-series season on youth ministry and mental health, Danny and Monica hope to help the church, youth workers, and parents as they minister to teenagers in some of their mental health challenges. Various other guests will be appearing in this new mini-season.Resources:www.NAMI.org Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this second episode of the new mini-season of the RYMP, husband and wife Danny and Monica Kwon talk about gospel centrality as the foundation for dealing with the mental health issues of teenagers and their families. They speak from their experience dealing with the mental health issues of one of their own teenagers. Additionally, Danny spent 29 years serving as the youth pastor at one church, while Monica is both a psychologist and a Christian counselor. In speaking from these three distinct but overlapping perspectives, they admit their failures as leaders in the church, but also how they sought to apply the gospel as the foundation for their own family as well as in their service to teenagers and families dealing with mental health issues.  Before joining Rooted, Danny was the youth and family pastor at his church for 29 years. Monica is both a Christian counselor and licensed psychologist (PhD) who has treated mental health issues of teenagers and their families in both a clinical setting, and in serving along Danny in youth ministry. In this new mini-series season on youth ministry and mental health, Danny and Monica hope to help the church, youth workers, and parents as they minister to teenagers in some of their mental health challenges. Various other guests will be appearing in this new mini-season. Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this first episode of the new mini-season of the RYMP, husband and wife Danny and Monica Kwon talk about various aspects of youth ministry and the issue of mental health in the lives of teenagers. This was recorded at their Rooted 2023 Conference workshop. Before joining Rooted, Danny was the youth and family pastor at his church for 29 years. Monica is both a Christian counselor and licensed psychologist (PhD) who has treated mental health issues of teenagers and their families in both a clinical setting, and in serving along Danny in youth ministry. In this new mini-series season on youth ministry and mental health, Danny and Monica hope to help the church, youth workers, and parents as they minister to teenagers in some of their mental health challenges. Various other guests will be appearing in this new mini-season. Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Huey Lee, the longtime Youth Pastor at Christ Central Presbyterian Church in Northern Virginia and a member of Rooted’s Asian American Steering Committee. Together they reflect on hopes he has in youth ministry generally, as well as practical ways he strives to make the gospel central in youth ministry to his teenagers, parents, and ministry volunteers. Huey and Danny discuss aspects of persevering in youth ministry and some of the realities of serving teenagers, as well as how the gospel and its centrality help us continue in hope. Finally, he discusses personal ways he finds hope and perseveres in youth ministry. Follow @therootedministry on Instagram“We want the gospel to not just be at the surface level but go deep into the little parts and areas of our lives and hearts.” Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Stephen Yates, who serves as an Assistant Pastor to Families and Students at Intown Community Church in Atlanta, GA, and is a visiting instructor at his alma mater, Covenant Theological Seminary, and the PCA’s NEXT Institute. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Educational Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Stephen talks about hopes in youth ministry as a practitioner. He shares hopeful and purposeful ways that theological depth is implemented in youth ministry with students and adult small group leaders. Stephen also talks about the difficulties in implementing theological depth for youth ministry and some hopeful solutions and ways to persevere to overcome them, as well as personal ways he perseveres in ministry. “Students are much smarter than we have often given them credit for.”Follow @therootedministry on Instagram Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Travis Palmer, Dallas Knight, Emily Seibert, and Jamie Negus to discuss mentoring and their participation in the Rooted Youth Pastor Mentoring cohort. They discuss the valuable lessons and importance of mentoring, as well as the particular benefits and joys of the Rooted Youth Ministry Mentoring Cohorts were for them. Quotes:“A mentor to me has really critical to me as a human, but also me in youth ministry and as a youth director…. because a mentor outside of my specific context…has been really powerful for me…. because they are able to ask questions that people within the context wouldn’t be able to ask.” - Emily Seibert“The mentorship for me…having someone as a seasoned person who has done it for a long time, to walk alongside you through…really helped with my mental health and support.” - Jamie Negus"The one-on-one times [of the Rooted mentorship program], where you just bring things that have been really hard in ministry, or areas you knew you were just struggling…and have to just spend working through issues and programs…there’s not a number you can put on the value it put on our ministry here.” - Travis Palmer“My biggest thing [about the Rooted mentoring program] is I knew I could go to my cohort or mentor with a problem, whether it was in an official meeting or a text, and just be like…can we talk…I am dealing with something here and I need someone else who is in this role to talk about it. And that’s why I would recommend [the Rooted mentoring program], because it gets you connected in ways that don’t naturally happen all the time.” - Dallas KnightLinks:www.rootedministry.com/mentorship Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Tracy Yi, Chelsea Erickson, Rebecca Lankford, and Tim Franks to discuss their selections for the 2023 Rooted Book Awards. The categories include best new books for youth ministers, parents, teenagers, and for Bible teaching.Here are your 2023 Book Awards Panelists:Chelsea Kingston Erickson  Chelsea is Editor of Youth Ministry Content and the Director of Publishing for Rooted. She previously served as a youth pastor in New England churches for 13 years. She and her husband, Steve, live north of Boston and are parents to Wells and Emmett. Chelsea holds an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where she is currently pursuing a Master of Theology (Th.M.) in Old Testament Studies. She is passionate about teaching teenagers biblical theology and helping them learn to study Scripture for themselves.Rebecca LankfordRebecca serves as the Ministry Development Coordinator/Assistant Editor for Rooted. Previously, she has worked in both youth and young adult ministries. She is a graduate of Furman University and recently completed her master’s in theology at Beeson Divinity School. Rebecca is happiest on a porch swing, in a boat, or on the dance floor.Tim FranksTim hails from the West Coast, California and Colorado. He graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2005 and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2009. He married his wife Alicia in 2010. Tim and Alicia adopted Michael, Marlayna, and Maicee in 2020. He previously served in student ministry in Phoenix, AZ and Wilson, NC. He began serving at Eureka Bible Church as Associate Pastor in July 2017. Pastor Tim is an avid reader, loves watching and playing sports, and traveling to new places (especially historical sites).Tracy YiTracy is a mom of 3 and has served alongside her husband, Kevin, in youth ministry for over 16 years and now serves college and young adults ministry at Church Everyday in Southern California.  Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Matt Luchenbill, the Students & Family Ministries Pastor at New City Presbyterian Church outside Detroit, MI, and the Director of the NextGen (Youth Ministry) Ministries of the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) denomination. Matt talks about some whys and hows in partnering with parents. While these relationships can be both hopeful and difficult, partnering with parents is worth our perseverance.“Ask questions, learn from parents. Take that humble perspective, that teachable perspective to seek understanding.” Follow @therootedministry on Instagram Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

 In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Emmie Thompson, co-director of Middle School Ministry at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church on Lookout Mountain, TN and Adjunct Professor of Youth Ministry at Covenant College. Emmie reflects on different and distinct ways to promote intergenerational integration in youth ministry, not only adults to students, but older students to young students. Emmie also talks about investing in high school and college leaders, as well as adults, so her middle schoolers can benefit from these intergenerational relationships directly and indirectly. Finally, she speaks about the realities and difficulties in youth ministry and how to persevere through them.  “The high school volunteer and college volunteer piece is so important to us because it’s really showing middle schoolers what being a high school Christian looks like, and they see that being embodied.”Follow @therootedministry on Instagram Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Danny sits down to talk with Syler Thomas, who has been overseeing and leading the student ministries (along with other roles) at Christ Church in Lake Forest, Illinois since 1998. Syler been a frequent speaker at Rooted Conferences and serves on the Rooted Steering Committee and Parent Steering Committee. He talks about hope and perseverance in youth ministry in general and in terms of the realities of youth ministry in new seasons. He also talks about hope and perseverance in relational discipleship, along with how youth workers in ministry can nurture practices and rhythms to embrace a healthy, gospel-centered perspective, in order to thrive, survive, and persevere in ministry.   “I do think there is some sprinting that happens in the fall, but you have to keep in mind that it is a marathon. You are always looking at the big picture. And so caring for my soul becomes really important.”Resources:Follow @therootedministry on Instagram  Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this joint episode with Anna Meade Harris, host of the Rooted Parent podcast, Danny Kwon welcomes Mike McGarry, author of a newly released book for teenagers, Discover: Questioning Your Way to Faith. As a veteran youth worker, father and husband, Mike is no stranger to the difficult questions kids ask. In his book, Mike answers twenty tough questions with insight, compassion, and theological integrity. In our podcast, you'll hear him discuss how to make questions welcome in your home and ministry.  "When we shame kids for asking questions, we're making it more difficult for them emotionally to ask their questions."Resources:  Join us at Rooted 2023 to hear Mike's workshop on teaching theology to teenagers.Discover: Questioning Your Way to FaithTeenagers Need a Safe Place to Ask Hard Questions by Anna Meade Harris Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Tucker sits down with Andrew King, the Youth and Family Pastor of Hope Community Church in Charlotte, NC, to talk about the importance of building relationships with students in youth ministry. Andrew has a wealth of practical insight to offer on one of Rooted's five pillars; press play to hear it!"I am building trust, I am building a relationship, so that when things are difficult, I've become a person they can trust and can come to with harder questions."Resources:Follow @therootedministry on InstagramJoin us for our 2023 conference in Nashville, TN for workshops on relational discipleship. Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

In this episode, Tucker sits down to talk about Intergenerational Integration with Isaiah Marshall, the Director of Student Ministry at Strong Tower Bible Church in Nashville, TN. Isaiah talks about how to integrate students into the life of the local church, and how to integrate the local church into the lives of students. Press play to hear more!"Young people co-laboring with older adults communicates that that young person has something of value to contribute."Resources: Follow @therootedministry on InstagramJoin us for our 2023 conference in Nashville, TN! Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

On this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, Tucker sits down with Terrence Shay, the Family Ministry Pastor at FCBC Walnut in Southern California, to talk about the administrative responsibilities of Youth Ministry. Click play to hear Terrence speak about the importance of administration and organization in ministry and how it serves the people you work with. Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

On this episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, Tucker sits down with Becca Heck, a longtime youth worker from metro-Atlanta, to talk about the necessity of the youth pastor's care for their own soul. Since youth ministry is a profession prone to burnout, Becca talks to us about how we can not only avoid that, but also make sure we stay spiritually healthy for the long haul.Resources:Anxiety: Finding the Better Story, by Liz EdringtonFollow @therootedministry on InstagramJoin us for our 2023 conference in Nashville, TN! Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!

On this week’s episode of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, Tucker sits down with Skyler Flowers, steering committee member and Assistant Pastor at Grace Bible Church in Oxford, Mississippi, to talk about what Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry looks like in the day-to-day life of a youth group. Click play to hear more!Resources:Gospel-Centered Resources at RootedKendal Conner's Bible-Storying Talk on the Rooted Conference PodcastFollow @therootedministry on InstagramJoin us for our 2023 conference in Nashville, TN! Listen to more episodes of the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast.Rooted Youth Ministry Archives - Rooted MinistryFollow @therootedministry on Instagram!