When I started leading confirmation classes I inherited the practice of meeting with each student one-on-one before presenting them to our elders for membership. At first, I didn’t really know what I was doing and basically just asked them about their experience in the confirmation program. Eventually, I realized that this was a sacred opportunity to invite them to talk about important matters of faith in their own words. Years later the importance of this practice was validated by the National... Read more

I think we can all agree that Donald Trump is a bully. I even think that his staunchest supporters like him because he is a bully—he says and does things they would like to do themselves. “Speaking his mind” and “not being politically correct” are euphemisms for behavior that in most contexts would be considered bullying. While there have been some signs in the last week or so that Trump has finally crossed too many lines, pundits have been saying this... Read more

In the weeks since we announced that PYM17 would take place at Montreat Conference Center (March 8-10, 2017), North Carolina passed the controversial law HB2. Many PYMers are distressed by this law and others like it. Montreat has released a statement in response to HB2: “All are welcome here.” In this post, Lara Crutsinger-Perry outlines why laws like this are so dangerous and calls progressive Christians to action. Lara is a Member in Discernment in the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ... Read more

Brandy Walker presented a seminar at PYM16 called “Holy Sexuality: Teaching Our Kids While We Figure It Out Ourselves.” Brandy is a writer and a coach who believes vulnerability is a superpower. She and her husband, Jermaine, lead the high schoolers at Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, MD, attempting to impart some semblance of wisdom. They mostly just play games. She tries to make light of the dark stuff at her site, brandyglows.com, and as a blogger for The Huffington... Read more

After fourteen years of youth ministry I took something of a ministry detour. My “new” day job—which I will have been doing for a year in June—is teaching evangelism at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA. It’s a unique appointment in which I teach half-time at the seminary and spend the rest of my time working with congregations. I must admit that I never thought I would have the “e-word” in my job title. I grew up in an evangelical... Read more

Finding music for progressive youth ministry is a daunting task. Many traditional hymns and “contemporary” praise songs are filled with images that simply don’t fit theologically progressive contexts. While some churches and even youth ministries are blessed with resident musicians who can create new music that is both theologically compatible and of good quality, most progressive youth ministries must somehow piece together a canon of music from traditional, contemporary, and even pop sources—perhaps changing lyrics now and then—that will work in their setting.... Read more

I’ve been a comic book enthusiast since I was a kid. And while I still like to turn the pages of a monthly serial or graphic novel when I have time, these days I most often engage in these contemporary American myths via movies. As a fan, as a father, as a youth worker, and as a theologian, I’m thrilled that we are in the midst of a golden era of superhero films. My sermons and youth talks are often peppered with... Read more

Wes Ellis presented a seminar on this topic at PYM16. Wes is a Member In Discernment in the United Church of Christ and student at Princeton Theological Seminary, studying Practical Theology. He’s been in youth ministry for over 10 years and he’s passionate about theological reflection. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Amanda and their son, Henry. We’ve all met that kid… You know, the one who doesn’t need much convincing. The one who shows up to youth group... Read more

Tony Jones is a co-founder of Progressive Youth Ministry conference and is the author of Did God Kill Jesus? He encourages us to live into a better theology of the atonement than the commonly held penal substitution model. My problem with the atonement started in youth ministry. Not when I was a youth, mind you. No, back then I was gobbling up Josh McDowell books as fast as he could say the same thing and give it a different cover... Read more

From the very beginning of Progressive Youth Ministry we have been dedicated to talking about gender nonconformity, a topic even liberal and progressive communities sometimes don’t know how to address. At PYM16 Yadi Martinez led a very practical seminar called “What makes Youth Ministry a Safe Space for LGB and Transgender Youth?” Yadi is a Latina LGBTQIA Youth Advocate and Unconscious Bias Awareness Facilitator. After 10 years of ministry in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metropolitan area, most recently as the Youth, Young Adults and Mission... Read more