recently, someone in one of my coaching groups asked me to give a list of 10 or so youth ministry books that everyone should read. there are SO many great youth ministry books that it’s tough to make a good list without knowing the reader’s context and what would be most helpful to her. but, i do find that there’s a certain list of books that i end up recommending the most.
what any individual youth worker should read might be a variation on this; but here’s my books i recommend most often:
Almost Christian, Kenda Dean. difficult and long read, but definitely one of the most important YM books in the last 5 years.
Revisiting Relational Ministry, Andrew Root. calls into question how we’ve “used” relationships as a manipulative tool, and suggests a new way based from a theological framework.
As for Me and My (Crazy) House, Brian Berry. fantastic help for thinking about how to balance family with the demands of youth ministry.
Leading Up, Joel Mayward. about having influence in your church when you’re not in a position of power. allegory from the perspective of a new JH pastor.
Masterpiece: the art of discipling youth, Paul Martin. frames discipleship as a process of helping to uncover teenagers’ unique selves, rather than a program of content.
Woo: Awakening Teenagers’ Desire to Follow in the Way of Jesus, Morgan Schmidt. you could call this “desire-based youth ministry.”
Youth Ministry in a Post-Christian World, Brock Morgan. what YM look like when teenagers are truly postmodern. EXCELLENT and provocative.
Redefining the Role of the Youth Worker: a manifesto of integration, April Diaz. the subtitle says it all. short and to the point.
Sticky Faith, youth leader edition, Kara Powell and Brad Griffin. research-based implications of faith that lasts beyond youth group (and teenage years).
A Tale of Two Youth Workers, Eric Venable. a short allegory about processing teenage doubt.
Hurt 2.0 (the revised edition), Chap Clark. understanding the hurt and pain of today’s teenagers, with a look at their isolation.
Is Sustainable Youth Ministry by DeVries close? I know it is deeply practical and less theory, context and philosophy. Yet i recommend it all the time alongside many above.
Good list my friend
4 Chair Discipling, Dann Spader, 2014
From the girl who this list is for, I thank you! You have provided some wonderful tools to help me get my feet wet and open my mind. A thousand thank yous!
Brittany
I always recommend Taking the Cross to Youth Ministry by Andrew Root. Or the other three books in that series, but that one was my favourite.
These are some great recommends, Marko. I’m fortunate to be personal friends with some of these authors — they are awesome.
–@terracecrawford