Brian, a former youth pastor himself, talks with Sarah Zylstra of The Gospel Coalition about her article investigating why so many church youth pastor positions sit unfilled. Sarah traces youth ministry's evolution from the evangelistic, games-and-pizza model of the 80s and 90s through the seeker-sensitive movement, and explains why today's culture — phones, AI-mediated friendships, isolation, kids not driving, and packed extracurricular schedules — has made the job significantly harder, even as many youth pastors say the last five years have been the most rewarding of their careers. They discuss the shifting perception of youth ministry as "unserious," why some churches are restructuring the role into broader family-discipleship positions, and practical encouragement for pastors and churches trying to keep student ministry moving forward, including smaller group settings and empowering parent volunteers.

Brian, a former youth pastor himself, talks with Sarah Zylstra of The Gospel Coalition about her article investigating why so many church youth pastor positions sit unfilled. Sarah traces youth ministry's evolution from the evangelistic, games-and-pizza model of the 80s and 90s through the seeker-sensitive movement, and explains why today's culture &mdash; phones, AI-mediated friendships, isolation, kids not driving, and packed extracurricular schedules &mdash; has made the job significantly harder, even as many youth pastors say the last five years have been the most rewarding of their careers. They discuss the shifting perception of youth ministry as "unserious," why some churches are restructuring the role into broader family-discipleship positions, and practical encouragement for pastors and churches trying to keep student ministry moving forward, including smaller group settings and empowering parent volunteers.

The idea of “the common good” has a rich history within the Christian church. It’s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God’s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God’s design for all of us fulfilled.

The idea of &ldquo;the common good&rdquo; has a rich history within the Christian church. It&rsquo;s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God&rsquo;s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God&rsquo;s design for all of us fulfilled.

The Common Good Podcast

The Common Good

The Case of the Missing Youth Pastors with Sarah Zylstra

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Brian reflects on a season of family transitions, then moves through a series of short devotional and cultural topics: Wendell Berry’s legacy, a take on old fashioned baby names, a critique of Anne Hathaway’s abortion comments, and a look at JD Vance’s candid comments about doubt.

The episode also includes a sermon style reading of the Samaritan woman at the well and a meditation on Philippians 2 and the biblical view of the body.

Brian reflects on a season of family transitions, then moves through a series of short devotional and cultural topics: Wendell Berry&rsquo;s legacy, a take on old fashioned baby names, a critique of Anne Hathaway&rsquo;s abortion comments, and a look at JD Vance&rsquo;s candid comments about doubt.
The episode also includes a sermon style reading of the Samaritan woman at the well and a meditation on Philippians 2 and the biblical view of the body.

 When You Realize Parenting Is One Long Goodbye

Brian talks with Steve Van Noort and Scott Wyatt, lead and assistant pastors of Sojourn Church, a new PCA church plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan started through the Detroit Project. Steve explains their mission to specifically reach the unchurched and lost rather than draw people from other congregations, and describes the church's DNA of gospel-centered worship, community, and mission — including weekly communion, expository preaching, and members going out to community colleges and local parks to have spiritual conversations. Scott, who came from two decades in campus ministry with Cru, shares an encouraging observation: young adults and teenagers today are showing surprising openness to the gospel after growing up largely without church exposure. Steve explains the church's name, drawn from 1 Peter's language of believers as "sojourners and strangers" journeying together toward their true home in Christ, and the two cast a vision for changed lives five years down the road.

Brian talks with Steve Van Noort and Scott Wyatt, lead and assistant pastors of Sojourn Church, a new PCA church plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan started through the Detroit Project. Steve explains their mission to specifically reach the unchurched and lost rather than draw people from other congregations, and describes the church's DNA of gospel-centered worship, community, and mission &mdash; including weekly communion, expository preaching, and members going out to community colleges and local parks to have spiritual conversations. Scott, who came from two decades in campus ministry with Cru, shares an encouraging observation: young adults and teenagers today are showing surprising openness to the gospel after growing up largely without church exposure. Steve explains the church's name, drawn from 1 Peter's language of believers as "sojourners and strangers" journeying together toward their true home in Christ, and the two cast a vision for changed lives five years down the road.

Sojourn Church: Reaching Metro Detroit's Unchurched, One Conversation at a Time

Brian discusses the disturbing new Netflix docuseries on the death of pastor's wife Mika Miller and the alleged abuse she suffered, pushing back hard against the narrative that her husband's horrific actions represent normative evangelical teaching on marriage. He shares a Nine Marks article on how pastors and church families can protect their kids from growing bitter toward the church even after painful experiences, drawing on his own story of being let go from the church he planted. Brian highlights a viral moment of poor sportsmanship backfiring when a Texas high school football team refused to shake hands before a game and lost 38-0 at halftime, and digs into a Detroit Public Schools program paying students up to $1,000 a year just for attendance amid a chronic absenteeism crisis. He shares a moving Christianity Today profile of former MLB star Daryl Strawberry, whose journey from addiction and prison to prison ministry now brings hope to society's most forgotten, plus a Gospel Coalition reflection on the surprising peace found in intentionally not knowing answers by blocking search engines, and closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on the practice of listening for God's voice.

Brian discusses the disturbing new Netflix docuseries on the death of pastor's wife Mika Miller and the alleged abuse she suffered, pushing back hard against the narrative that her husband's horrific actions represent normative evangelical teaching on marriage. He shares a Nine Marks article on how pastors and church families can protect their kids from growing bitter toward the church even after painful experiences, drawing on his own story of being let go from the church he planted. Brian highlights a viral moment of poor sportsmanship backfiring when a Texas high school football team refused to shake hands before a game and lost 38-0 at halftime, and digs into a Detroit Public Schools program paying students up to $1,000 a year just for attendance amid a chronic absenteeism crisis. He shares a moving Christianity Today profile of former MLB star Daryl Strawberry, whose journey from addiction and prison to prison ministry now brings hope to society's most forgotten, plus a Gospel Coalition reflection on the surprising peace found in intentionally not knowing answers by blocking search engines, and closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on the practice of listening for God's voice.

The Case of the Missing Youth Pastors with Sarah Zylstra

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