A good friend of mine has been offered his first youth ministry position. It will involve him uprooting from home and moving hundreds of miles across the atlantic to serve a church in Texas, USA. That’s no small task for anyone, so I wanted to offer some advice from the online collective and help recommend some resources that will be of benefit to him.
There are a whole load of youth ministry books out there offering a different perspective on various aspects of the craft. So here are the criteria: you’ve got to recommend books that you’ve read yourself, that you’ve found useful in your own work, and that are suitable for those new to the field.
To that end, I’ve excluded a book that I would otherwise highly recommend. Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry by Andrew Root is a great theological argument for ‘being with’ young people, yet it is quite academic in its language and may not be accessible to all.
My first pick has become a bit of a youth ministry classic in the past ten years: Purpose Driven Youth Ministry by Doug Fields.
Whether or not you agree with the “purpose driven” ethos of Saddleback Church where (until recently) Fields have been youth pastor, this book is a great resource for youth ministers. It covers pretty much everything from gaining a vision and communicating with parents, right through to planning a session and supporting a team of volunteers. It’s detailed and well laid out, plus there’s something in here for everyone.
My second pick is Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli. The book explores the ancient practices of contemplative prayer and encourages the reader to learn how to just be ‘present’ with others rather than always running programmes and activities. As a result, it is both refreshing and inspirational as it gives youth workers permission to spend time with young people rather than seeking results.
So… What are your recommendations? Which books would you give to someone starting out in ministry? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!
9 responses to “Recommended Resources for New Youth Ministers”
cheers bro! Looking forward to the recommendations!!
great start! I would also recommend the following:
Relationships Unfiltered (Andrew Root's condensed version)
A New Kind of Youth Ministry- Chris Folmsbee
Presence Centered Youth Ministry- Mike King
Postmodern Youth Ministry- Tony Jones
Youth Ministry 3.0- Mark Oestricer
feeding your forgotten soul by Paul Borthwick rates as one of my top ten
Hi Dan, thanks for the comment and for pointing us in the direction of Relationships Unfiltered. I wasn't aware there was a more condensed version! While I've heard lots of good stuff about all the others you recommend, I haven't actually read them!
Cheers Roy, I've not heard of that one so will have to go and add it to my reading list.
Hi Brothers and Sisters!
I would recommend the book “Faith at home” by Mark Holmen. I think what happens in families has an influence on youth ministry, so this book could be helpful.
GBU
Ralf
Thanks Ralf,
I hope you're well. GBU!
Thanks Ralf,
I hope you're well. GBU!
Thanks Ralf,
I hope you're well. GBU!