This newest installment of the bestselling Creative Bible Lessons series provides practical faith-sustaining principles for Christian teenagers from every walk of life. These “pastoral epistles,” written by the Apostle Paul at the end of his life, give sound instruction on how to lead the young church in a world of oppression, danger, and difficulty. In twelve chapters this book covers leadership, worship, getting in shape, walking the talk, knowing your enemy, money, overcoming opposition...

Christianity Today Book Award WinnerThe digital revolution has ushered in a series of sexual revolutions, all contributing to a perfect storm for modern relationships. Online dating, social media, internet pornography, and the phenomenon of the smartphone generation have created an avalanche of change with far-reaching consequences for sexuality today. The church has struggled to address this new moral ecology because it has focused on cla...

Was the book of Revelation penned by the crazy uncle in the family of Bible writers?You try to convince yourself that the apostle john is just another New Testament writer–kindly, gentle, loving. You know…normal.But he’s just so weird! Most of the time you have no idea what John is talking about in his revelation. When you must interact with his wild, otherworldly book, you escape as soon as you can to familiar, saner Bible texts. Like Matthew’s Gospel or one of Paul’s letters–after all, t...

Over the past several decades there have been three significant shifts in youth culture; each new shift brought with it different values and priorities in the lives of teens. Youth ministries adapted and responded to the first two shifts, but we’re missing the boat on the third. The result? Youth ministry isn’t addressing the realities and needs of today’s youth culture.After nearly three decades in youth ministry, Mark Oestreicher has lived through a lot of those shifts himself. In recent...

Today’s relentless, consumer culture—dominated by popular media’s emphasis on bigger, better, and more, and catering to teenagers every want and desire—is leaving our youth adrift in a sea of conflicting messages. Messages that every youth worker must be able to decode and redirect away from the material world towards helping young people become who God created them to be: givers instead of receivers, servers instead of consumers. Consuming Youth is for any adult who recognizes that follow...

"When faced with a crisis, the first words most people think are, "What do I do…?" In this important series of books designed for anyone connected to teenagers, Dr. Steven Gerali addresses six daunting and difficult situations that, when they do happen, often leave youth workers and parents feeling unprepared. With a background in adolescent counseling, Dr. Gerali provides valuable resources to help youth workers and parents through some of the most challenging situations they may face. Wh...

In Unlocking Mission and Eschatology in Youth Ministry Root argues that youth ministers should teach teens to recognize that as Jesus’ disciples they are participating in the very action of God to bring forth the future of God.He argues that our service to him on this earth (mission) is a sign of the new reality that Jesus will bring when he returns (eschatology).

Using Improv to Create Memorable Moments in MinistryThe Skit Guys bring you more than 200 skits to use in your youth group. Indexed by topic and Scripture reference, you can illustrate just about any lesson you want. Plus, each skit is ready to go and will allow all your students to participate in the teaching, whether or not they can act. They’ll laugh, they might cry, and in the end, they’ll learn something important.

Meet students where they are.With Small Group Strategies, you can effectively guide students in your small group toward the most important relationship they will ever have—a lifelong relationship with Christ. Respected authors Laurie Polich and Charley Scandlyn offer 30-plus years of collective youth ministry experience to these proven ideas, which offer:•a strategic approach to small group ministry•hundreds of ideas to reach students at every level•practical applications that foster spiri...

Beyond the Broken Church is a collection of heartfelt learnings from Sarah Cunningham, a young adult raised in the faith, about the church she's not always sure she wants to be part of. The book engages concerns of a disillusioned generation head on and offers hope and honest, practical ideas for moving beyond one’s frustrations.In the end Beyond the Broken Church tells a story that will be familiar to many: the journey of overcoming disillusionment and staying th...

"Jelly-filled!" "Bart!" "Meatloaf!" "Jujubes!"These are just some of the answers your students will be calling out when you say to them "NAME YOUR FAVORITE . . ."Name Your Favorite . . . is the newest book in the best-selling "Quick Questions" line (including Would You Rather . . . ?’ What If . . . ?; Have You Ever . . . ?; and Unfinished Sentences)--another collection of discussion-starters guaranteed to get teenagers talking and thinking about their favorites, with questions like:NAME YO...

Today's students long for a rich, meaningful faith. They want something more than a moral code and therapeutic worship that leaves them unsatisfied and uninspired. Speaker, author, and evangelism professor Alvin L. Reid reveals a key to capturing students' hearts for life: a missional youth ministry. Through practical teaching and powerful application tools, discover how giving teens a grander purpose and vision and encouraging them to see all of life as a mission field transforms their fa...