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“Every time you walk out of your senior pastor’s office, you leave with a sense of bewilderment and confusion. “”Did I just waste the last hour? Did he really hear what’s going on with our students? Is youth ministry really a priority for this guy?”" Unfortunately, you aren’t alone. When it works, the relationship between a youth pastor and senior pastor opens the door to dynamic ministry in the local church. But when that relationship is weak, damaged, or broken, it can create an environment that breeds frustration, dissension, and burnout. And in far too many churches, that relationship is weak, damaged, or broken. Trust, respect, and sacrifice don’t happen when we aren’t on the same page. Doug writes directly to you as a youth pastor, offering his encouragement and wisdom. Doug Franklin and the team at LeaderTreks tackle the challenge of restoring that relationship in The Disconnect , a unique resource that brings together youth pastors and senior pastors for honest dialogue on the tough task of working together. In this book, you’ll discover: How to more effectively communicate with your senior pastor How core values can lead to greater respect Why ministry and money can’t be separated How to align your expectations Why a shared mission is essential If you’re on the verge of a breakdown or ready to quit because you just can’t take it anymore, you’ll want to read this book. Your working relationship might still be restorable. And if it isn’t, you can absorb and apply these truths in future ministry settings. If you and your senior pastor already communicate and work together well, this book will help you solidify that relationship. You can take something good and make it great. Doug Franklin is the president of LeaderTreks, an innovative leadership development organization focusing on students and youth workers. He and his wife, Angie, live in West Chicago. Doug grew up in Illinois and is a graduate of Wheaton College. His passion is using experiential learning to help students and adults grow as leaders. Doug writes about leadership on his blog at dougfranklinonline.com.”

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You are not an accident, and the path you’re traveling isn’t random. God has an intricately designed plan for you, that includes the hopes, dreams, and deepest longings given to you before you were even born. But you don?t have to aimlessly wander as you search for God?s plan; you can embark on a miraculous adventure toward purpose. Drawing on her own experience as a ministry leader, Bible teacher, and life coach, Dr. Katie Brazelton has written The Way I’m Wired to help you put together the puzzle of God’s plan for your life and teach you that God never intended for your life purpose to be a big mystery. This book is packed with scriptural truths that will fuel your hunger for pursuing God?s distinct plan for your life. You?ll explore God?s purpose for men and women throughout the Bible, discovering how God uniquely used them to impact families, communities, and entire nations. Each devotion also features questions for reflection and Life Purpose Applications to help you connect the biblical accounts and truths to your own life in the 21st century. Discover who God made you to be as you explore the Bible. Examine thelife experiences of people who?ve already traveled this journey ahead ofyou. Pursue God?s unique path for you that leads to a life of significance. Katie Brazelton is an author, teacher, and founder of Life Purpose Coaching Centers International. As a proud mom and grandmother, Katie experiences incredible joy when she sees people discover God?s remarkable purpose for their lives.

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Teenagers face numerous challenges as they make the transition from high school into adulthood, including the challenge of maintaining a vibrant faith. The spiritual topics of childhood and adolescence morph into new questions that often require deeper belief and understanding. Ben Hardman, lead pastor of The Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky, offers insights and inspiration in the 30-day devotional book Thrive: Do More Than Survive Your Faith. As a veteran of both youth ministry and young adult/college ministry, Hardman has worked alongside teenagers as they make this transition to adulthood and grapple with big issues and a new awareness of what it means to follow Christ. Thrive will help teenagers explore some essential big-picture themes: Decisions made now affect their future What idolatry is and how it still exists in our world Developing spiritual disciplines Journeying with God Understanding and living out the gospel Students will be challenged to embark on the adventure of exploring Scripture with fresh eyes, wrestling with the impact of their choices and their tremendous need for wisdom, and putting their faith into action. They?ll learn more about the origins of Scripture, how mature Christians incorporate biblical truth into every area of their lives, and how students can maintain a fresh faith even as they assume greater responsibilities as young adults. Help the teenagers in your life discover the excitement and joy of a deeper relationship with Jesus. They don?t have to just survive?they can thrive! Ben has over 15 years ministry experience and is a graduate of Anderson University in Indiana. He started as the youth minister at Madison Park Church of God in Anderson, Indiana where he served for 7 years before moving to Louisville, Kentucky and Southeast Christian Church. Ben spent 4 years leading Southeast?s student ministry department before taking over their college and young adult ministry, The Post. Ben just recently became the lead pastor at a new church plant adjacent to the University of Louisville called The Avenue (avechurch.com) Ben is married to his best friend Sarah and they have two boys, Cole and Caden, and a little girl, Claire!

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Let?s face it?a lot of kids think the Bible is boring. It was written by old people (like your age, they think), it isn?t relevant, and it?s hard to read. And many students believe the ONLY way to read it each morning using the same little booklet their mom uses. So not true! With Creative Times With God , Doug Fields breaks the mold on how students can dig into God?s Word. Part devotional, part Q&A, part journal, part critical thinking exercises, and part woolly mammoth, it helps students who don?t fit the mold discover the Bible as the relevant, life-changing book it really is. Some people can read the Bible the same way at the same time each day. Most of us can?t. That?s the beauty of this book. It will tap into teenagers? creative juices and help them discover the joy?yes, the JOY?of picking up the Bible every day. Each chapter offers a creative, engaging approach to exploring a verse or passage of Scripture and discovering powerful truths from God?s Word. And once teenagers experience flexibility, creativity, freedom, and joy in daily devotions and Bible reading, they?re on their way to a lifelong habit that will help them mature and grow in their spiritual journey.

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We?ve never met a youth worker who wanted to be ineffective. Why would anybody enter the turbulent world of youth ministry unless they wanted to make a difference! But where to start, what to do, and how do you know if your efforts really are effective? In The 9: Best Practices for Youth Ministry, Kurt Johnston and Tim Levert unwrap nine characteristics of effective youth ministry. They specifically tackle this vital question: ?What can churches and youth groups do to keep students from walking away from faith after high school?? This book takes an up-close look at some ?best practices? discovered in an extensive study led by leaders from seven different denominations. Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 lead pastors, youth pastors, paid and volunteer youth workers, parents, and teenagers who have found success in creating ministry settings that foster long-term Christ-followers, not just youth group attendees?and they found some solid, real-world answers. So, what are these nine practices? We?re glad you asked! Nurture Your Own Soul Build an Awareness of God?s Active Presence Encourage Personal Spiritual Growth Foster a Sense of Evangelistic Urgency Increase the Congregation?s Appreciation of Students Provide Opportunities for Relationships Develop Confident, Competent, and Committed Adult Leaders Consistently Value Families Create Contextualized Programs & Events This isn?t a textbook?it?s a practical guide for anyone who works with teenagers in a local church setting. If you?re committed to effective, real-world youth ministry, this book will help you build, lead, and support the cause of helping teenagers own their faith and maintain that faith once they graduate from high school. Kurt Johnston has been in junior high ministry since 1988 and is currently the junior high pastor at Saddleback Church in Southern California. Kurt is also an author of youth resources, the founder of simplyjuniorhigh.com, and a contributing editor for GROUP magazine. Tim Levert has been working with students since 1992. He earned a PhD in youth ministry and pastored a missional church in the Baltimore- Washington corridor. Tim is currently the youth pastor at Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church in metro Columbus, OH.

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When you started out as a parent, chances are you felt completely unprepared to deal with the challenges of a child. But at some point in your journey, you’ve probably found yourself feeling confident in your parenting role and abilities. The routine and predictability of your child’s life became manageable and fairly easy to navigate. Now that your child is a teenager (or soon-to-be teen), you may be feeling overwhelmed at times with fear, confusion, frustration, and a lack of understanding. It almost feels like you’re starting all over with a screaming, needy, and sometimes whiny child (only much taller and with more attitude!). The changes of adolescence, while normal for every teen, feel completely abnormal to parents and teenagers, often leaving you feeling like a helpless bystander. But you’re not alone, and there is hope to help you (and your teen) get through these challenging, changing years. For more than 30 years, Dr. Walt Mueller has studied adolescents and the culture they’re surrounded by. His expertise was put to the test when his own children became teenagers. Now he’s bringing wisdom from research and his own experience to help other parents through the tumultuous years of adolescence. With empathy and practical tools, this book will help you understand the changes your teen is experiencing, and help you effectively parent them as you explore how to: create a smoother adolescent period for your teen begin to break through the walls of confusion, fear, frustration, and misunderstanding be a positive and proactive bridge-builder into the life and world of your teenager Dr. Walt Mueller is the founder and president of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding, a nonprofit ministry organization that has served churches, schools, and community organizations worldwide for more than 30 years. He’s a sought-after authority on youth culture and family issues and has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and the BBC.