A buddy of mine just asked me for a list of reading materials for youth ministry. Here is what I gave him (in order of my perceived importance):
- Shaping the Spiritual Life of Students – Best overview of discipling teenagers I’ve read. Great for youth pastors, teachers, parents, volunteers, evertyong.
- Your First Two Years – Doug gives a powerful framework for starting out in youth ministry.
- Contemplative Youth Ministry – Read this book twice. I wish my ministry looked more like this.
- How People Grow – Cloud and Townsend are golden. They write great stuff that is SO applicable if your ministry is about helping people grow. Every minister and small group leader ought to read this gem.
- Youth Ministry 3.0 – Marko writes a manifesto for the future of youth ministry. Sign me up.
- Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry – If you work for Young Life or Youth for Christ, don’t read it. You’ll either quit your job or hate the entire book.
- Tribes – There were SO many times throughout this book that I though, “Yeah, that’s SO true.” A leadership book for today’s super-connected world.
your thoughts? any suggestions?
Most recet books I loved:
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (10 thumbs up)
Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton
Prodigal God
The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible
The Holiness of God
Brokenness: The Heart God Revives (Revive Our Hearts)