Youth Religion

What if we stopped trying to ‘fix’ kids whose behavior doesn’t meet expectations—and started digging beneath their behavior to see what they really need? Some children have big emotions, loud voices, or reactions that catch adults off guard. Whether they’re neurodivergent, have a disability, or have experienced trauma, their behavior often reflects a deeper story—not defiance.

Alongside offers practical application and biblical truths to highlight the complexities of relational youth ministry, address the needs real teenagers encounter in their daily lives, and engage their hearts rather than just their behavior. Hill explores what it looks like to not only share the love of Jesus with our teenage friends but to share our very lives with them, as well.

Lead Them to Jesus provides insight into the religious worldview of Gen Z and explains how to connect the gospel to their questions and core desires. Today’s young people are ready to engage with hard issues like suicide, suffering, and challenging relationships. More than ever, they are seeking authentic leaders who are committed to truth and deeply invested in their lives.

Whether you’re a Christian parent, youth leader, or educator who works with Generation Z, this book was written for you. As powerful ideas in our increasingly secular culture shape more of this generation, trusted leaders must share what they know about Jesus in ways that will reach them. But how? Backed by the latest research and first hand experience, this powerful book shows how to share biblical truth with a generation that desperately needs to hear it in a way that draws them in instead of pushing them away.

The pressure of being a teenager can be overwhelming. School, sports, jobs, and relationships all press in at the same time. But the hardest thing can be feeling alone, that you have no one to share your most difficult problems with. In The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School, thirty authors from many different backgrounds come together to say, “We get it―and Jesus gets it too. Here’s who Jesus is and how he wants to meet you in this intense time.”

An expert on youth and youth culture, McKee shares his own heart-rending story and offers a sobering glimpse into the rapidly changing world of bullies, bystanders, and the bullied while providing helpful ways to connect with these kids, open doors of dialogue, and give them the encouragement they need and the validation they're searching for...too often in all the wrong places.

Too many teens drift away from the Faith after youth group ends. This honest guide shows how to change that by forming real disciples through personal relationships and small groups, not just programs. Learn how to build trust, involve parents and the parish, and create an environment where young people grow in faith for life. A clear, practical plan for helping the next generation stay rooted in Christ.

The loss or disaffiliation of young adults is a much-discussed topic in churches today. Many faith-formation programs focus on keeping the young, believing the youthful spirit will save the church. But do these programs have more to do with an obsession with youthfulness than with helping young people encounter the living God?

It's ok for you to have questions about your faith. You aren't the only one that has those questions, and you shouldn't be embarrassed by them. In Discover: Questioning Your Way to Faith, Mike McGarry explores the twenty most common questions teenagers ask.

Are you worried that your teen sees the Bible as outdated or boring?In today’s screen-focused world, how can we ensure teens stay rooted in God’s wisdom?Imagine your teen finding strength in 10-minute, digestible Bible stories packed with meaningful lessons. This book bridges the gap between ancient wisdom and modern-day challenges, making biblical teachings accessible and engaging for today’s teens.

In Helping Teens with Stress, Anxiety, and Depression, Roy Petitfils gives parents, pastors, and youth leaders the knowledge, courage, and tools they need to step in, make a difference, and be the presence of Christ for teens in crisis. Roy Petitfils knows what it's like to be an addicted, depressed teenager, filled with self-loathing and desperate for help. He describes himself at high school graduation as by far the largest person in his hometown and yet feeling as though he were "stuck in Harry Potter's invisibility cloak".

You may have noticed them—the kids who are hiding their pain under long sleeves or wristbands. Or you might never notice them—the ones who seem to have life together except for the deep secret that they keep hidden beneath their clothes. This is no longer a fringe issue that occurs only in...

Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is a Christian missions movement like no other. Since 1960, it has launched wave after wave of young missionaries now into the millions who have impacted every nation on earth by simply listening to and obeying the voice of God. In Values Matter, YWAM Co-founder Darlene Cunningham shares inspiring stories of how God shaped YWAM into what it is today—a large and effective wave-maker for missions through the spiritual DNA carried within its Core Beliefs and 18 Foundational Values.

Sonja Stewart and Jerome Berryman have taken the needs of children into account and devised an exciting method for introducing three- to seven-year-olds to the wonder of worship. Their approach, which integrates religious education and worship, has been presented at numerous workshops and training sessions. Based on the authors' experiences, the methods described here will be invaluable to teachers helping children understand and appreciate worship.

Intentional Children’s Ministry will help you to establish the goal of children’s ministry, then practically walk you through how to lead with intentionality in every area: choosing the right curriculum, building a child’s worldview, recruiting and training volunteers, partnering with parents, effective teaching, sharing the gospel, growing as a leader, balancing hats in ministry, strategic programming, discipling children for life, and more. Serving in children’s ministry is one of the best jobs ever! You get to share the life-changing love of Jesus with boys and girls at church.

If you're tired of youth ministry that fails to change lives, it's time to change youth ministry. Building on two decades of the Fuller Youth Institute's work and incorporating extensive new research and interviews, Faith Beyond Youth Group identifies the reasons youth ministry often flops both short-term and long-term, and offers five ways adult youth leaders can cultivate character for a lifetime of growing closer to Jesus rather than drifting away.

Why do youth ministries crumble? And what is the cost to students, parents, volunteers and church staff? Is a sustainable youth ministry possible, even after a youth pastor leaves? Youth ministry expert Mark DeVries knows the answer is yes, because he helps build sustainable youth ministries through his coaching service called Youth Ministry Architects. So take heart: No matter what state the youth ministry at your church is in—in need of a leader and volunteers, full of battles and stress, large or small in number—it can be built to survive and to last for the long haul.

Will Christ's mediation ever end? This question is often misunderstood. In Without a Mediator?, Michael Richards explores the idea that there will be a time when believers must stand without Christ as their mediator. He clarifies that while Christ is our only mediator and essential for reconciling us with God due to the separation caused by sin, His mediatorial role will eventually conclude. However, Richards emphasises that Christ’s presence and love will always remain with us.

There are literally thousands of books available on how to live various aspects of the Christian life. Of these, at least a couple of dozen pertaining to family life and child training are well worth reading. This is not one of those books. This book is designed to help you take those other books, as well as all the sermons, teachings, and exhortations you have received on child training and leadership in the home, and make sense of it all. Pastor Tad Thompson has assembled a biblical approach to effective family discipleship.

In this book, which is based on new landmark research from the Fuller Youth Institute and combines in-depth interviews with data from 1,200 diverse teenagers, Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin offer pastors, youth leaders, mentors, and parents practical and proven conversations and connections that help teenagers answer their three biggest questions and reach their full potential.