This is the fun I found in reading Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide, edited by Cameron Cole and Jon Nielson. Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry was written for youth workers, pastors, and parents (not for youth themselves), though as a teen writing a book on theology and Christian living for other teens, I still benefited from this book.
Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry is both richly theological and enormously methodological in its structure. Three main sections define the book: 1) Foundations for a Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry, 2) Practical Applications for a Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry, and 3) The Fruit of a Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry.
It was intriguing to me to read this book as a teenager who has never been a part of youth ministry. Yep, I survived my teen years without youth group. I attend a very small church, and we don't have the people or the power to run a targeted ministry for youth -- not that we have more than half a dozen teens at our church anyway.
For this reason, I have never dealt with a lot of the experiences the authors of Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry write about. Still, I found it interesting and applicable and a great resource to recommend to parents and pastors.
If I had to critique anything, it would be that I disagreed with some of the pragmatics or particulars of how to run a youth ministry, but a lot of that comes from my own small church context.
There are some fantastic nuggets of wisdom in this book. Here's just one:
"When teenagers grasp that God loves them perfectly and permanently in spite of their sins, there is great hope of transformation. When a kid adopts a gospel rhythm of life, whereby he or she sees the need for God and depends on his grace, God can bring immeasurable healing, freedom, and fruit. The gospel of grace must appear over and over again in our teaching and discipleship of young people" (p. 36).
In my mind, the strength of Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry is its first section, on the foundations of youth ministry. If churches could embrace this, it really would transform how teens are discipled. Chapter 3, "The Impact of Expounding God’s Word: Expositional Teaching in Youth Ministry," by Eric McKiddie was probably my favorite chapter. There was so much good theology and fantastic application on a frequently misunderstood or ignored subject.
I would most definitely recommend this book to ministers to youth. Also, parents. Parents of teens, in particular. This is a book first and foremost on how the gospel informs discipleship and I believe parents would benefit a great deal from the authors' biblical insight.
I'll close this review with another excellent quote on what gospel-centered youth ministry actually is:
"Youth ministry with a complete view of the gospel places the cross at the foundation of its missional endeavors. Students do not simply do mission trips and service to the poor because they represent good deeds to which Scripture calls us. A response to the gospel drives them. Youth workers constantly should remind kids that their lives and service are a part of God’s total work to redeem fully the whole world for the sake of Christ" (p. 38).
Buy Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry here.
*I received this book from Crossway as part of their Beyond the Page review system. I was not required to give a positive review.
Buy Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry here.
*I received this book from Crossway as part of their Beyond the Page review system. I was not required to give a positive review.