Video Review

Price: [see Amazon]

Topics Discussed

The book features over 100 different youth workers all collaborating and discussing various topics related to youth ministry. Some of them include:

• Determining your call to youth ministry
• Qualities every youth worker most have
• Why teens come to youth group
• How to grow a youth group from one teenager
• Lies we believe in youth ministry
• Helping teens take ownership of the group
• Making visitors feel welcomed
• How to make God’s Word “stick”
• Working with teens and parents who won’t commit
• Handling teens who don’t want to participate
• Communicating youth group announcements
• Evaluating your communication methods
• Working with a youth ministry budget
• What to look for in an adult volunteer
• Addressing common volunteer excuses
• How to train leaders to be relational
• Keeping leaders on board long-term
• Mistakes that can kill your ministry’s growth
• Dealing with pressures of church leadership
• Working with the difficult and disruptive teen
• How to avoid burnout in ministry
• How to leave a ministry position well
• …and much, much more!

Price: [see Amazon]

Endorsements

Here’s a quick summary of what some of our nation’s leading youth workers are saying about this book. To read the full version of these endorsements, plus many others, visit the book’s endorsement page!

“Good, proven, practical ideas to real life youth ministry issues. Whether you are brand new just-out-of-the-box to youth ministry or a well weathered veteran there is something here for you.” — Matt McAlack, Director of YM, Philadelphia Biblical Univ.

“If you are in your first few years as a youth pastor, this book is a must read for you. It is not only jam packed with practical direction and ideas but also a lot of wisdom that will guide you.” — Tic Long, Former Executive Director, Youth Specialties

“This book relays practical conversations designed to help you build a solid youth ministry vision and gives you tactical insights for getting it done. Tim Schmoyer hits the bull’s eye.” — Greg Stier, Founder and President, Dare 2 Share Ministries

“I have watched Tim over the years and believe he has become one of the top leaders in youth ministry. Regardless if you are in youth ministry full-time, part-time or volunteer, this book is a must-read.” — Bill Scott, President, Free Our Family

“A youth worker has to be a theologian, sociologist, game leader, bus driver, counselor, pastor and friend. Tim navigates those worlds in a book that is practical, theological, missiological, whimsical, and future focused.” — Lars Rood, Youth Pastor

Price: [see Amazon]

Packed full of practical youth ministry advice from 100s of youth workers!

Practical Conversations on Thriving in Youth Ministry (172 pages)

If you’re in the front lines of youth ministry — as a leader, volunteer, pastor, parent — you know that youth leadership can be tough. Teens are moving targets, congregations have high expectations, and sometimes even the most experienced youth leader can’t shake the feeling that they really don’t have a clue about what to do next. Life in Student Ministry offers more than a clue. Jammed packed with practical ‘how-to’ advice, this book is a must-read for any youth leader committed to building a thriving, long-lived ministry that impacts the spiritual lives of teenagers and their families. Based on a decade of youth leadership experience, author Tim Schmoyer provides on-target advice on everything from getting started, to recruiting and utilizing volunteers, to welcoming visitors, to dealing with lack of commitment from teens and parents. He also includes input, advice, suggestions, even disagreements from a host of experienced youth workers who discussed the book’s overall content and weighed in with their own feedback. The result is a collection of many voices on the hurdles and frustrations common to many youth ministries. Life in Student Ministry encourages, challenges, and equips youth leaders to move through the barriers and thrive in their ministries.

Price: [see Amazon]