Gospel-Centrality

• Get Off the Roller Coaster: Fighting Against the Ministry Identity Crisis with the Gospel by Ryan Wood
• Spiritual Foundations for Supervising Family Ministry Staff by Andy Cornett
• Feed Them Jesus: Why Gospel Centrality Matters in Youth Ministry by Kristen Hatton
• The SOLA Network: A Resource for Parents and Youth Pastors
• What Is Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry? by Chelsea Kingston Erickson
• Why Gospel Centrality Must Be the Heart of Your Youth Ministry by Josh Hussung
• The “Quick Fix” and the Storm: The Gospel is of First Importance by Kendal Conner
• Youth Ministries Need a Gospel Anchor by Chris Li
• The Gospel and Inconvenient Youth by Stephen Yates
• Is Yours a “Come and Dodge Ball” or “Come and Die” Ministry? by Jonathan Barney
• In Case You Missed It: Cameron Cole’s Gospel Benefits Chart by Rooted
• What Gospel Centered Youth Ministry Means (and what it doesn’t): Part 2 by Mike McGarry
• What Gospel Centered Youth Ministry Means (and what it doesn’t): Part 1 by Mike McGarry
• We Must Never Forget Moralistic Therapeutic Deism by Cameron Cole
• Making Sure Kids Know the Gospel: A Gospel Catechism for Teenagers by Cameron Cole
• The Only Foundation for Youth Ministry by Josh Cousineau

• Foundations of Youth Ministry: Practical Elements of Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry with Skyler Flowers
• What Does Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry Actually Look Like? (A Conversation with Arek O’Connell)
• Rooted Podcast: Rebecca Heck on Building a Gospel-Centered Culture for Your Students

Gospel-Centered Student Ministry: Seth Stewart on the Bridgeway Podcast

Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide, edited by Cameron Cole and John Neilson. Theologically rooted yet eminently practical, this handbook will equip youth leaders to effectively shepherd the young people under their care―training them to live faithfully in their homes, churches, and schools.

The Gospel As Center: Renewing Our Faith and Reforming Our Ministry Practices edited by D.A.Carson and Tim Keller. In response to our self-focused culture, several pastors united to re-establish the centrality Scripture and the gospel in their churches. This volume details how ministry is impacted when Jesus is the most important person at church.

Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers by Christian Smith. This eagerly-awaited volume not only provides an unprecedented understanding of adolescent religion and spirituality but, because teenagers serve as bellwethers for possible future trends, it affords an important and distinctive window through which to observe and assess the current state and future direction of American religion as a whole.

What Is the Gospel? Greg Gilbert. Gilbert focuses first one what God has done through Christ, and then examines man’s response to this good news. All the church-y things we do mean nothing if the gospel is not at the heart of our ministry.

Sticky Faith: Everyday ideas to Build Lasting Faith Into Your Kids by Kara Powell and Chap Clark. Written by authors known for the integrity of their research and the intensity of their passion for young people, Sticky Faith is geared to spark a movement that empowers adults to develop robust and long-term faith in kids of all ages.

A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry by Michael McGarry. See our review here. This contemplative and well-researched book provides a careful critique of youth ministry along with practical guidance for those serving in ministry, all while directing the reader toward a new era of youth ministry where parents and intergenerational ministry play a more significant role.

Alongside: Loving Students with the Gospel by Drew Hill. See our review here. Through Scripture and captivating personal stories from years of experience working in youth ministry, Hill pulls back the curtain and invites readers to step into the unfiltered world of teenagers.

Lead by Paul David Tripp. A follow-up to Tripp’s book Dangerous Calling, which explores the trials and temptations pastors frequently face, Lead addresses the church leadership that supports pastors. With this in mind, Tripp outlines twelve principles for a leadership community that is driven solely by the gospel.

Gospel-Centered Student Ministry by Seth Stewart

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.