Bookstore Upper Room Ministries Young People's Ministries Leadership Ministries GBOD Home
Comments Staff Contact Us
Articles
Events
Newsletters
Mission Opportunities
Mailing List
Resources
Links
Job Listings

10 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Started in Youth Ministry
Christian educators and youth ministry professionals were surveyed about what they wished they’d been told early in their ministries. This book covers the top ten how-to’s, from recruiting volunteers to using technology in your ministry. This book will help youth workers learn tried-and-true methods of dealing with tricky situations as they gain confidence and skill in handling essential youth ministry issues.

Body Image: God's Way vs. The World's Way (pdf)
A Sunday School Curriculum created by the United Methodist Youth of the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference.

The Cheshire Cat Approach to United Methodist Youth Ministry: Getting Where You Want to Go . . . With a Smile
by John O Gooch (Abingdon Press, 2005)
This book compares and contrasts the goal of faith maturity with the fast-paced nature of the culture, providing youth workers with both understanding and tools to create proactive and relevant ministries that speak to youth today. The book examines the characteristics of faith maturity, the nature of culture, and physical and emotional developmental issues.

Claim the Name
Official United Methodist confirmation resources.

Connect: Life and Christian Faith for Young Teens
Help young teens explore life and Christian faith. This topical, activity-based resource is ideal for leaders who work with ages 12-15. Connect has reproducible pages and can be used in most any setting.

Creating an Authentic Youth Ministry
By Edward M. Fashbaugh II (Discipleship Resources, 2005)
Fashbaugh offers a gimmick-free approach to bringing new vitality to your church’s youth ministry. Instead of outlining the latest trends and quick-fixes for getting teens to church, this book examines six principles that will ensure the vitality and stability of a long-term, soul-impacting ministry to and with teenagers. These principles will help you develop a high-impact and lasting ministry with your teens.

Deepening Youth Spirituality: The Youth Worker's Guide
by Sam Halverson (Abingdon Press, 2001).
outh programs with a twist — the teens go to an unknown destination that opens up a new dimension of relating the Bible to life.

Destination Unknown: 50 Quick Mystery Trips for Youth Groups
by Sam Halverson (Abingdon Press, 2001).
Youth programs with a twist — the teens go to an unknown destination that opens up a new dimension of relating the Bible to life.

Devo'Zine
Devotional magazine for youth published by The Upper Room.

Family: The Forming Center, Revised Edition
by Marjorie Thompson (The Upper Room, 1997).
Thompson's book is one of the best books for stating the case for family as a center of faith.

God at the Mall: Youth Ministry That Meets Kids Where They're At
by Pete Ward (Hendrickson Publishers, 1999).
This book combines theology-based theory and practical application that will support Christian youth workers in building relationships with young people in and outside the church.

The Godbearing Life: The The Art of Soul-Tending for Youth Ministry
by Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster. (The Upper Room, 1998)
Dean and Foster rechart a course for youth ministry through the classical spiritual disciplines of the church.

The God-Hungry Imagination: The Art of Storytelling for Postmodern Youth Ministry
By Sarah Arthur
Allow imagination and story to take center stage in your youth ministry! The Bible is full of stories. From the "In the beginning…" narrative to Jesus' parables, stories embody biblical and theological content in ways that sink into the imagination, take root and grow.

ileadyouth.com
Resources for youth ministry from The United Methodist Publishing House and Cokesbury. This website includes a searchable database of more than 500 youth topics and more than 80 tips for youth leaders.

In Search of the YSF: Stories of the Youth Service Fund (DVD)
This 14-minute DVD highlights four ministries funded by the national portion of the Youth Service Fund and explains how youth can contribute and support ministries with, by and for youth around the world. In Search of the YSF is the perfect tool to show at events, in classes or small groups to excite youth about ministry.

Job Descriptions & Leadership Training for Local Church Leaders 2009-2012
By Betsey Heavner (Discipleship Resources, 2009)
In addition to individual positions within congregational life, the book explores biblical roots and dimensions of leader development. It includes new thinking based on field research and training leaders in a variety of settings.

Last Minute Meetings: 101 Ready to Go Games and Lessons for Busy Youth Leaders
by Todd Outcalt (Abingdon Press, 2001). A collection of easy, quick, useable meeting ideas for the over-worked, busy youth leader.

Learning on the Run: Active Christian Learning Experiences for Youth and Adults
By Ted Endacott
Christian educators have known it all along: Learning can be FUN! It's all in the presentation. Learning on the Run is a practical how-to book advocating the praxis style of teaching, meaning action followed by reflection. Learners of all ages discover things for themselves through movement, noise, emotion, and challenging thinking. It's learning through creative engagement.

LinC
An ecumenical youth study that deals with cutting-edge issues. LinC challenges youth to think about their faith and beliefs. With the immediacy of online technology and an exciting interactive approach, LinC will help you provide relevant information about current issues that have an immediate impact on youth.

Mentoring: A Guide for Ministry
By Cheryl Lawrie
Want to make a difference in the life of an adolescent but are intimidated by the idea? Each era brings more temptations that confront young people. Sometimes adults — even parents — just give up and hope for better days ahead when their kids "grow out of it." Lawrie believes that we need to relearn how to support people through the difficult and bewildering days of adolescence.

Orientation Magazine
Published by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, this magazine offers a warm, spiritual welcome for the student entering college for the first time.

Questions Senior Highs Ask
This resource offers a balance of short, lively units on Bible, faith, and life for older teens. The units are developed from questions and issues returned from a survey on specific topics sent to teens in grades 9-12 (ages 15-18).

Review of This Holy Mystery: A Study Guide for Children and Youth
With the publication of This Holy Mystery: A Study Guide for Children and Youth, United Methodist congregations can now offer ways for people of all ages to study and experience our official teaching document on Holy Communion, This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion.

Resources for Dealing with Violence, Conflicts, Tragedies, and Grief

Sacred Bridges
(Abingdon Press, 2002)
Sacred Bridges addresses the loss of senior high youth in the church, provides stories of success in retaining youth and reaching new youth in the high school years, and distills the principles that will enable other churches to be more effective in reaching and keeping senior high youth.

Safe Sanctuaries for Children and Youth DVD and Study Guide
Order the Safe Sanctuaries for Children and Youth DVD and download the free study guide (in pdf format).

Sage Advice: Stories from Seasoned Youth Workers
by Scott Gillenwater (Abingdon Press, 2003)
In this collection, real youth workers share their experiences in order to provide insight to beginning youth workers on the ups and downs of youth ministry. It's not a how-to book, and it's not meant to glorify anyone. It's about real-life experiences. Some of the stories are funny, some sad, and some are purely informational.

Soul Tending
A study from Abingdon Press for older youth and young adults, Soul Tending offers a practical way to study spiritual disciplines while strengthening relationships among participants.

Way to Live: Christian Practices for Teens
by Dorothy Bass and Don Richter (Upper Room Books).
Eighteen teens and 18 adults offer their personal stories about living a Christian life.

What About God: Now That You're Off to College
by Helen R. Neinast and Thomas C. Ettinger (Upper Room Books).
Help new college students discern the presence of God in the changes, challenges, and opportunities of college life.

Young Lions: Christian Rites of Passage for African American Young Men
by Chris McNair. (Abingdon Press, 2001)
This resource introduces and supports a mentoring program for African American young men.