Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide (Edited by Cameron Cole and Jon Nielson). With individual chapters written by a unique mixture of youth ministry practitioners, Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry is a helpful primer for a variety of student ministry-related topics. These include topics such as the role of musical worship in student ministry, advice on partnering with parents for the work of youth ministry, the best practices for student ministry service projects and mission trips, and much more. Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry is immensely practical and common-sense as well as theologically rich.
Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary by J.D.Greear. A seminal work on the bottomless riches of the Gospel, with emphasis on what this means for practical, everyday living.
Youth Culture 101 by Walt Mueller. Originally titled “Understanding Today’s Youth Culture,” this book looks at contemporary youth culture with all of its complex and challenging issues, but addresses these issues through a Christian lens. A valuable resource from a wise and experienced youth pastor and parent.
Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel- Centered Ministry in Your City by Tim Keller. This resource is basically a textbook on church, ministry, and mission, and all forms of church. A great handbook on the church from both a theological and a practical standpoint.
The End of Youth Ministry? Why Parents Don’t Really Care about Youth Groups and What Youth Workers Should Do about It by Andrew Root. Root’s book will go a long way towards helping youth ministers understand the choices parents face, and how they are making decisions for their families.
Lead by Paul David Tripp.
A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry by Mike McGarry.
Remodeling Youth Ministry by Christopher Talbot
Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry by Paul David Tripp
Changing the World Through Effective Youth Ministry by Ken Moser