New To Youth Ministry - Rooted Ministry

“We long to see God heal, redeem, and free young people as they trust Jesus personally, and we long to see God birth something beautiful and redemptive in this broken world through their lives as they bear witness to their Savior.”- Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry, pg. 24

Articles
- Who Do You Work For? Playing the Long Game in Youth Ministry by Steve Eatmon
- How and Why to Develop a Mission Statement for Your Youth Ministry by Syler Thomas
- Starting A Brand-New Youth Ministry by Connor Coskery
- Dear Brand New Youth Minister by Rebecca Heck
- What I’d Say to Someone Considering Youth Ministry by Mike McGarry
- Recalibrating Your Ministry Ambition by Greg Meyer
- Grace For the First Years of Youth Ministry by Rachel Cain
- Six Books for Your First Year in Student Ministry by Davis Lacey
- Working in Youth Ministry is Not Just a Stepping Stone by Clark Fobes
- How to Survive and Thrive In Your First Youth Ministry Job by Dave Wright
Books

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.

Lead Them to Jesus: A Handbook for Youth Workers by Mike McGarry. “Veteran youth pastor Mike McGarry offers a practical, comprehensive tool to jumpstart your youth ministry and help youth workers with biblical answers to the tough questions students ask. In a two-part approach, he tackles both the practical skills and biblical depth needed for effective gospel-centered ministry to today’s youth.”

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.

A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry by Mike McGarry. Read Rooted’s review here.

Remodeling Youth Ministry by Christopher Talbot. “In Remodeling Youth Ministry: A Biblical Blueprint for Ministering to Students, Christopher Talbot aims to integrate a range of youth ministry models. His book offers important foundations on which you can build your youth ministry as well as helpful corrections for the future.”

Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry by Paul David Tripp. “Here is a book that both diagnoses and offers cures for issues that impact every member and church leader, and gives solid strategies for fighting the all-important war that rages in our churches today.”

Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church by Kara Powell, Jake Mudler, and Brad Griffin. “Based on groundbreaking research with over 250 of the nation’s leading congregations, Growing Young provides a strategy any church can use to involve and retain teenagers and young adults.”

Start Well by Scot Douglass. “In Start Well, Scott Douglas lays out seven practical steps for both those starting out in ministry and those needing to hit reset and get a fresh beginning.”
Podcasts and Videos
Youth Culture Matters by CPYU

The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding podcast addresses cultural issues in a Christian context. Podcasts address almost every issue that youth face today. A wealth of information and Christian thinking on contemporary culture.

The Local Youth Worker Podcast by RYM

A daily podcast produced by Reformed Youth Ministries (RYM), a ministry of the Presbyterian Church of America, for those working in youth ministry. Each week, one guest is brought on and asked a series of five questions in an easy to digest, approximate ten-minute episode.

You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Young Pastors- Navigating the tough, common issues young pastors might face—from spiritual burnout to resenting ministry altogether—Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry tie each episode together with gospel hope and practical encouragement.

New To Youth Ministry Playlist on Rooted’s Youtube Channel.
Websites

CPYU Their tagline says it all: ‘Helping parents, youth workers, educators, pastors and others understand and reach today’s youth culture.” The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding helps all leaders of teens respond to the culture of today’s teenages in a Christian context.

Youth Pastor Theologian This excellent resource, by Rooted friend Mike McGarry (one of the co-hosts of our Thanos to Theos podcast) is a treasure trove of theological guidance and practical advice for youth ministers. You’ll find everything from book reviews to guidance on teaching specific texts, all borne out of Mike’s fourteen-plus years in vocational youth ministry. He’s a “lifer” in the work, and the church is all the better for it.