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.