How To Thrive In Youth Ministry

Youth ministry is one of the most emotionally charged and rewarding ministries one can be called to. It may also be the most difficult and frustrating ministry you find yourself in. Dealing with pastors, parents, and parishioners, youth ministry is filled with challenges that many youth pastors are not equipped to handle—questions they can’t answer, situations they are not prepared for, expectations they are unaware they must meet. As it is common in the modern church to appoint first and train later, this resource offers a bridge between the two. It is a book that deals with many of the challenges of youth ministry, providing insight and direction where none might be offered. It is a collection of lessons learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

It’s more common in youth ministry than we want to admit—burnout and failure. Exhaustion, frustration, disappointment, and conflict bring many youth workers to a point where they either choose a new church, a new career, or someone makes that choice for them. After thirty years of youth ministry experience, Len Kageler wants to help youth workers avoid the pitfalls that are common to their calling, and give them the tools to not only survive, but also to thrive in youth ministry. Along with his own wisdom, Len offers insights gained from his 2006 survey of more than 300 burned out or fired youth workers who come from a variety of ministry contexts and denominations. If you’re new to youth ministry, or you’ve been at it for a while and feel like you may be on the verge of burnout, The Youth Ministry Survival Guide will help you: • deal with conflict and compromise • determine the causes of burnout (and how to avoid them!) • discover how your personality, and the personality of those you work with, affects the dynamics of your ministry experience • develop the best plan for working with senior pastors, church leadership, parents, and students, so you can… • do youth ministry in your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond! Don’t let burnout force you out! Inside this book you’ll find steps you can take to help build fences against failure, and you’ll learn what it takes to survive and thrive in youth ministry.

What this book is not: You won’t find Bible verses and theological statements. It isn’t filled with game ideas or club topics. What this book will offer you: 40 years of timeless lessons learned by real live youth leaders. You’ll read topics like these: 1. How to figure out if youth ministry is actually your calling 2. Insights for your spouse 3. How to turn what you thought were weaknesses into strengths 4. How to motivate teens in your group 5. How to make sure you are getting your value from the right things 6. Good ways to recruit and maintain quality volunteer leaders 7. How to avoid burn out in ministry 8. The importance of holding your ground on issues 9. Understanding the human nature of teenagers 10. The importance of knowing your own limits 11. How to know if or when you’re too old for ministry 12. Keeping true to ministry as culture changes 13. “I don’t know” can be a ministry opportunity 14. How to connect with that trouble maker student 15. Why little old ladies can break the stereotypical youth volunteer mold......and MORE!

Packed full of practical advice on everything from starting a youth group to recruiting volunteers, setting boundaries, and reducing stress, this book is a unique collection of many voices and viewpoints all speaking to encourage, challenge, and equip youth leaders to succeed.

If you long to reach kids and see their lives changed by God, this comprehensive guide shows you how. Purpose Driven® Youth Ministry will do for youth ministry what Rick Warren's Gold Medallion award-winning, The Purpose Driven® Church is doing for pastoral ministry. It's an indispensable guide to creating and maintaining youth ministry for the long run. It will help you create a solid spiritual team that builds the foundations of the Christian faith into the hearts and lives of young people. Forged around the fundamental purposes of evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and worship, Purpose Driven® Youth Ministry uses the experiences of Saddleback Church to illustrate what a healthy Youth ministry can be. Nine transferable principles help you - Connect with the power of God for passionate, committed leadership - Define the purpose of your ministry and communicate it effectively - Identify your potential audience - Create programs that reach your audience and fulfill God's purposes - Implement processes that move students to maturity - Enhance your ministry with clearly defined values - Team up with parents to involve the whole family - Find volunteers and develop them into participating leaders - Persevere through tough times and thrive in an ever-changing environment. Balancing both theory and practice, Purpose Driven® Youth Ministry can be applied to any church setting, regardless of size, denomination, facilities, resources, and existing leadership. Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry will help you develop a ministry that equips students rather than a ministry that coordinates events. Doug Fields says, "My goal for this book is to coach you through a plan to build a healthy youth ministry that isn't dependent on one great youth leader and won't be destroyed when the youth worker leaves the church. It's not a book on how to grow your youth ministry with six easy steps; it's about identifying, establishing, and building health into your church's youth ministry.

A small youth ministry has the flexibility and qualities to be nimble and relational, two qualities that will serve teenagers better than a big budget. This resource demonstrates how to create a ministry teens will love to be a part of. (Ministry & Pastoral Resources)

Youth pastors often burn out, bail out, and are pushed out of ministry. In this book, you'll be given practical insights and action steps to help you build fences against failure.

Youth are not just the church's future-they're also the church's now. As a leader, volunteer, or church worker, your job is to remind youth that they're loved by Jesus and their congregation. At its core, youth ministry is about connecting childhood to adulthood and laying a strong foundation that encourages members to stay connected to the church throughout their lives. To do that you need to be encouraged too. That's where this book comes in. In it, you'll read chapters written by people who know what it's like to serve teens and their Savior, and you'll find guidance, encouragement, and advice on leading a youth ministry that supports young adults in their faith for life. Book jacket.