Youth Pastor Theologian

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. 

105: 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. 

104: 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. 

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. 

102: 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. 

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. 

100: 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. 

99: Equipping Youth to Live with Wisdom (Rich Griffith)

In this conversation, Mike talks with Rich Griffith about the importance of guiding our youth to live with wisdom and discernment, and encouraging them to live with godly courage. 
Conversation includes:
How can we help our youth grow in biblical wisdom and to live with courage to live accordingly. Why is that so important to you as you raise your own boys and minister to youth? 
When you talk about the “voices” students are prone to listen to, where are those voices coming from? 
What do you think teenagers wish they could say to the adults in their lives? 
Why do you believe leadership development is an important aspect of discipleship? 
Where do we see “discipleship as leadership” in Scripture? Can you point to a few examples? 
Rich Griffith is an Associate Professor of Youth Ministries at Toccoa Falls College in Georgia and the author of Voices: Helping Our Children and Youth Listen to Wise Counsel and most recently, Discipleship is Leadership. We’ll be talking about helping youth grow in wisdom. 
Follow Rich 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. 

98: Building a Culture of Question-Asking in Youth Ministry (Valerie O'Brien)

Teenagers are full of questions. The big question, is who are they discussing those questions with?! It can be a challenge to cultivate a ministry culture where students feel the freedom to ask their questions without being afraid of getting belittled or receiving cheap answers. In this conversation, Valerie O'Brien discusses her approach to inviting youth to ask their questions, and how she equips youth leaders to respond. 
Could you share a little about Aspen, and especially about your 10,000 question project?
What are some of the most common questions you’ve received? 
What can we learn about our students by listening carefully to the questions they’re asking? 
What’s the anatomy of a good question? How can youth leaders start to ask better questions in order to open up meaningful conversations? 
What do we risk by being so answer-driven that students don’t ask their questions? 
How do we help students ask their questions and lead them to find answers without either spoon-feeding them or leading them into an endless cycle of question upon question?
Valerie O’Brien has over 12 years of experience in youth ministry, has trained youth workers through Sonlife Ministries, and now leads Aspen, a ministry that helps youth leaders engage the heart of the next generation. 
Follow Aspen on Social Media: Facebook, 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. 

97: Jesus is Worth It (Chris Morphew)

Can Jesus really make a positive difference in your life? What about when being a Christian puts you at odds with the values of your friends and with society in general? Is following Jesus worth it?
This episode is a conversation with Chris Morphew about his new book, "Worth It: Following Jesus When Life Feels Complicated", which highlights the truth that however good you think the good news of Jesus is, it’s better. 
Conversation Includes:
What are some challenges Christian youth face that motivated you to write your book? 
In the book you say that discovering they are loved is the most important discovery of all. What do you mean by that? 
One of the most common objections I’ve come across is suffering and God’s judgment. But you say that God’s judgment actually gives hope in the midst of a world of brokenness and suffering. Could you elaborate on that? 
Bonhoeffer famously talks about “the cost of discipleship.” What would you say is the cost of discipleship for Aussie youth in a very post-Christian culture? 
In general, why do you think it’s important that we establish a ministry culture that makes space for doubt? When students are doubting, how do we support them with wisdom and patience and mercy without enabling them to remain in doubt? 
Any final encouragements for youth workers about ministering to youth who are living with uncertainty and doubt? 
Chris Morphew is an author, teacher, and school chaplain living in Sydney, Australia. He’s the author of the Big Questions series, as well as over 20 novels for children and youth. 
View (and buy!) Worth It! and Chris's other books
Follow Chris on Social Media: Instagram, X/Twitter, Facebook
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.