10 Books to Get Yourself for Christmas

At Youth Specialties we want to see teenagers and their leaders flourish. One of the ways we come alongside youth workers is by providing a full bookstore of quality youth ministry resources. Whether you’ve got a few extra dollars in your budget to burn before the new year or know you’ll have some quality time coming up in your easy chair, here are a few of our best sellers to strengthen your youth ministry in 2016.

And because we really want you to own these great books, here’s our gift to you: Use code deckthehalls to save 25% off * our already amazing prices at the YS Store.

1. Best-Ever Games for Youth Ministry, by Les Christie:

   The Game Guy is geared up and ready to give you over 200 great games that are easy to pull off and field-tested with teens in many settings. You will find: “Gaming Tips” on: getting kids to participate, lead games for special needs, change competitive games into cooperative games,save games gone bad, and more! Symbols showing: energy levels (Energy Saver to Zoomer), space needed,games played in pairs, and crowd-pleasers that work well for 50 or more players.
   

    

    

2. Bonhoeffer as a Youth Worker: A Theological Vision for Discipleship and Life Together, by Andrew Root

   The youth ministry focus of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life is often forgotten or overlooked, even though he did much work with young people and wrote a number of papers, sermons, and addresses about or for the youth of the church. However, youth ministry expert Andrew Root explains that this focus is central to Bonhoeffer’s story and thought. Root presents Bonhoeffer as the forefather and model of the growing theological turn in youth ministry. By linking contemporary youth workers with this epic theologian, the author shows the depth of youth ministry work and underscores its importance in the church. He also shows how Bonhoeffer’s life and thought impact present-day youth ministry practice.

    

    

3. Shaped by the Story, by Michael Novelli

   After ten years in youth ministry, Michael Novelli felt like he had tried everything to help his students connect with the Bible. Then a missionary taught him the art of Bible “storying,” an imaginative way to engage in the scriptures through storytelling, creative reflection, and dialogue. When Michael tried storying, he saw his students discover meaning and identity in the biblical narrative. This approach proved to be both deeply theological and experiential. Michael has invested almost a decade in refining the Bible storying approach, and has found it effective with groups of all ages. Shaped by the Story helps you engage your group with the Bible in a new way.
   

    

    

4. Speaking to Teenagers, by Duffy Robbins & Doug Fields

   Get ready for a crash course in effective communication. More than just a book on how to do talks, Speaking to Teenagers combines the experience and wisdom of two veteran youth ministry speakers, along with insightful research and practical tools, to help you develop messages that engage students with the love of Christ and the power of his Word. Whether youre crafting a five-minute devotional or a 30-minute sermon, Speaking to Teenagers is essential to understanding and preparing great messages. Together, Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins show you how they craft their own messages and give you the tools to do it yourself. Theyll guide you, step-by-step, through the process of preparing and delivering meaningful messages that effectively communicate to your students. Fields and Robbins walk you through three dimensions of a message the speaker, the listener, and the message itself and introduce you to the concept and principles of inductive communication. Youll also get helpful tips on finding illustrations for your talk and using them for maximum impact, as well as insights on reading your audience and effective body language. As Speaking to Teenagers guides you toward becoming a more effective communicator, you’ll find that this books practical principles will positively impact the way you view, treat, and communicate to teenagers.

    

    

5. As for Me and My Crazy House, by Brian Berry

   Serving in Christian ministry should be a life-building, life-giving, life-inspiring experience for leaders, spouses, and families. So why isn’t that always the case? In this book, youth pastor Brian Berry pours out his thoughts on why it’s so tough to build a healthy life, a healthy marriage, and a healthy family in the midst of ministry craziness. He focuses on the three best gifts you as a youth worker can bestow: *The best gift you can give your marriage is a healthy self *The best gift you can give your family is a healthy marriage *The best gift you can give your community and ministry is a healthy family Just reading this book won’t transform you into a youth worker with a healthy self, marriage, and family. But reading this book will guide you, challenge you, and inspire you as you ponder the stuff that we all wrestle with as followers of Jesus, the stuff we strive for as spouses, and the stuff we yearn for as parents.

    

    

6. 99 Thoughts for Youth Workers, by Josh Griffin

   Youth workers always need three things: prayer, ideas, and inspiration. And maybe a case of Red Bull. In this easy-to-read book, author and high school pastor Josh Griffin sifts through years of little sleep working in the trenches of youth ministry to share his personal reflections. The result is a resource packed with practical advice and useable ideas on every page that will help make your work simpler and your ministry more successful. Get a caffeine fix and step into Josh’s world. Sections cover: Vision & Leadership, Programs & People, Small Groups & Events, Everyday Ministry

    

    

7. Can I Ask That 1 / Can I Ask That 2, by Kara Powell, Brad Griffin and Jim Candy

   Ever had a question about God that you were scared to ask? Ever felt like your hard questions get squashed, silenced, or brushed aside? We get that. We wrote this guide for people like you. And we have good news. First, other teenagers and adults ask these kinds of questions all the time. Second, it’s not only okay to ask hard questions, but it’s actually important-some say essential-for your faith journey. And finally, God can handle it. God isn’t anxious about your questions, struggles, or doubts. We don’t think you should be either.
   Designed for use in small groups alongside the Can I Ask That Leader Guide, these eight sessions tackle the following tough questions: What is the Bible, anyway? Why does the Bible contradict itself? Can I be a Christian and believe in evolution? Does God discriminate against women? Is Jesus really the only way to God? What does the Bible say about being gay? Does God endorse violence? And, How can I follow a God who would let Christians do such bad things? Whether you’ve never asked these questions before or you’ve been aching for the chance, this guide is meant to be a starting point for each conversation. Ready? Go ahead. You can ask that.

    

    

8. Understanding Sexual Identity, By Mark Yarhouse

   Today’s youth struggle with difficult questions of sexual identity. How can a youth worker offer wise care and counsel on such a controversial and confusing subject? Mark Yarhouse, director of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity, equips youth ministers so they can faithfully navigate the topic of sexual identity in a way that is honest, compassionate, and accessible. Reframing the focus away from the culture wars, Yarhouse introduces readers to the developmental considerations in the formation of sexual identity—all of which occurs in the teen years. He offers practical and helpful ways to think about homosexuality along with suggestions for talking with people who experience same-sex attraction. He also helps parents and youth volunteers learn to graciously respond to children and teens who struggle with questions of sexual identity, and discusses how youth ministry can become more relevant in the lives of youth who are navigating these issues.

    

    

9. Youth Ministry in the 21st Century, by Chap Clark and Greg Stier

   There are many philosophies and strategies that drive today’s youth ministry. To most people, they are variations on a single goal: to make faithful disciples of young people. However, digging deeper into various programs, books, and concepts reveals substantive differences among the approaches. In this multiview work, Chap Clark, one of the leading voices in youth ministry today, brings together a diverse group of leaders to present major views on youth ministry extant.

    

    

10. Sticky Faith – Youth Worker Edition, by Kara Powell and Brad Griffin

    Many of the statistics you read about teenagers and faith can be alarming. Recent studies show that 40-50 percent of kids who are connected to a youth group throughout their senior year will fail to stick with their faith in college. As youth workers are pouring their time and energy into the students in their ministries, they are often left wondering if they’ve done enough to equip their students to carry their faith into adulthood. Fuller Youth Institute has done extensive research in the area of youth ministry and teenage development. In Sticky Faith, the team at FYI presents youth workers with both a theological/philosophical framework and practical programming ideas that develop long-term faith in teenagers. Each chapter presents a summary of FYI’s quantitative and qualitative research, along with the implications of this research, including program ideas suggested and tested by youth ministries nationwide. This resource will give youth pastors what they need to help foster a faith that sticks with all the teenagers in their group long after they’ve left the youth room.

*Offer expires December 31, 2015.

Youth Specialties has been helping Christian churches of every denomination lead students to find and follow Jesus for more than 40 years. Each year we serve more than 100,000 youth workers worldwide through our training seminars, conventions, resources, and online communities. Whether you’re new to youth ministry or a veteran, we’re here to help you.