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This updated and expanded version of an industry classic by one of America's best-known youth pastors unlocks the keys to a healthy, impactful middle school ministry.
While most youth pastors are being regularly evaluated (or even scrutinized) for what they’re doing right now in the youth group, the reality is that the most important thing they are doing won’t actually be evident until much later. That’s because the biggest challenge for any youth ministry is helping teens embrace a whole-hearted devotion to God that lasts far beyond their years in the youth room. Unfortunately, much of youth ministry seems to be designed on the model of setting teenagers up for a “date” with God—a delightful evening that involves music, laughter, food, and light conversation. But what scripture calls us to is not a “one-night stand” with God, but a lifelong love of God that endures.Youth ministry educator and veteran, Duffy Robbins, offers youth workers a blueprint for building that kind of faith in teenagers. In this concise book, ideal for busy youth workers, they’ll be equipped to build a youth ministry that instills that lasting faith in its students.
Simple Student Ministry fine tunes the proven methods of #1 best seller Simple Church for the unique field of youth discipleship.Coauthor Eric Geiger, who contributed to the latter, takes a step forward here, neatly unpacking the key ideas of Clarity, Movement, Alignment, and Focus that will transform any over-stimulated youth program into a simpler, more results-oriented spiritual development process. Fun is still allowed, by all means, but the ultimate emphasis on maturing faith is simply essential. The anecdotal comparisons are current and on-target (Starbucks' well-publicized decision to retrain baristas in coffee making introduces the idea that youth leaders might also be wise to revisit the gospel essence of their ministry). And case study data gleaned from small to mega churches and parachurch ministries will give every youth leader a relatable reference point from which to begin the successful metamorphosis to Simple.
The rules have changed. Everything you believe is suspect. The world is up for grabs. Welcome to the emerging postmodern culture. A "free zone" of rapid change that places high value on community, authenticity, and even God--but has little interest in modern, Western-tinged Christianity. Postmodern Youth Ministry addresses these enormous philosophical shifts and shows how they're affecting teenagers.
Most adults feel uncomfortable in the teen subculture. From this uneasy position, adults like to 'handle' the teens like children because they are threatening. The purpose of Timeless Youth Ministry is to help people in the church and Christian youth organizations minister to teenagers. As former youth pastors and current professors of youth ministry, the authors have 'been there, done that' in this field. They've run programs, camps, and ministry trips in such diverse places as southern California, east Tennessee, northeast Ohio and Alberta, Canada,to name a few. This book is a needed resource to examine afresh what it means to be an adolescent in today's culture and how those who minister to young people can best reach them.
Through the debates about the inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life of the church, one overlooked community is LGBTQ youth. Made, Known, Loved: Developing LGBTQ-Inclusive Youth Ministry builds on experience and wisdom cultivated through The Naming Project, a ministry created at the intersection of youth, faith, and LGBTQ identity.Formed at a time when the overlap of such categories was unthinkable, The Naming Project provides a place where youth of all sexual orientations can be safe and affirmed in their identity and faith. Because of that foundational work, other pastors and youth ministers often reach out to leaders of The Naming Project with their questions about LBGTQ-inclusive youth ministry. Made, Known, Loved provides the guidance these leaders have been asking for.The book first helps congregation leaders and parents examine the values of the congregation and youth group. It focuses on keeping young people, including LGBTQ youth, safe and helping them feel respected and see themselves as beloved children of God. The book also provides a how-to manual for LGBTQ-inclusive youth ministry, sharing the best procedures and practices from the fifteen-plus years of The Naming Project's ministry, including its ongoing summer camp.Made, Known, Loved shows congregations how to create a program that affirms LGBTQ youth in their faith and their identity, accepts and welcomes diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, and equips future leaders for the church and the LGBTQ community.
Many people run scared from the middle school youth room. But (thankfully!) there are people out there who are actually drawn to those young teens. Although often times they’re not equipped to deal with the unique challenges that middle school ministry presents, or they’re just not sure what to do when a room full of young teens (who are “part child, but not quite adult”) are running around the youth room. Finally, there’s a comprehensive guide to middle school ministry, from two veterans of this unchartered territory. Mark Oestreicher and Scott Rubin help youth workers understand the importance of middle school ministry, the development process for young teens and their implications for ministry, and how to best minister to these sometimes misunderstood students. They share their experiences (as middle school pastors and parents of middle schoolers), giving youth workers he encouragement, hope, and training they need to succeed in middle school ministry.
If you're working with middle schoolers, you know ministry to early teens can be a little nuts sometimes! In this comprehensive guide from two middle school minister veterans, you'll find everything you need to understand and effectively minister to middle school students---to meet young teens where they are and lead them toward a life with Jesus.
Middle school is like a roller coaster, filled with ups and downs, twists and turns; it’s exhilarating and scary all at the same time! From piles of homework, to understanding the variety of “interesting” people working at your school, and dealing with the new challenges of changing for gym class in front of everyone, it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed. That’s why in My School, from the Middle School Survival Series, we will tackle the things that weigh heavily on middle school students just like you. This book will address important middle school issues like:dealing with bullies, jocks, nerds, and every other category of student you encounter revealing the truth behind the urban legends of middle school pop quizzes, tardiness, and other survival tips This book is filled with short and easy-to-read tips, along with funny stories from the authors (who, believe it or not, used to be middle school morons!), and quotes and questions from students just like you. After reading My School, you’ll be able to walk the halls like the confident student you want to be.
The field of youth ministry is often driven by fads and trends as leaders attempt to reach students by chasing the ever-changing tides of teenage culture. This short-sighted, though often sincere, approach not only produces superficial and misguided disciples, it leaves youth leaders and parents drained and disappointed by the lack of authentic spiritual transformation despite their heartfelt and painstaking efforts. Student Ministry by the Book addresses these and other common missteps by providing a concise, yet thorough, Biblical philosophy and practical guide for youth ministry. By establishing a spiritual perspective of a student’s identity and exploring the Scriptural precedent for student ministry, the authors refute the culture’s view of teenagers that often sabotages the church’s approach to discipling them. In addition, this book provides youth leaders and parents with an accessible resource full of useful insights to reach the families of teens, build relationships with students, integrate them within the church, and recruit workers as effective partners in ministry. It also offers helpful direction in leading youth in the process of spiritual formation and grounding them in the foundational truths of the faith. Student pastors, youth leaders, and parents of teens will all benefit from this thoroughly biblical and practical approach designed as a handbook for starting, strengthening, and sustaining a youth ministry in the local church.
