Sustainable Youth Ministry : Why Most Youth Ministry Doesn't Last and What Your Church Can Do about It

by DeVries, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780830833610
• ISBN10: 0830833617
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-12-30
• Publisher: Ivp Books

Summary

You're looking for a youth pastor. Again.What goes wrong? Why do youth ministries crumble? And what is the cost to students, parents, volunteers and church staff?Is a sustainable youth ministry possible, even after a youth pastor leaves?Youth ministry expert Mark DeVries knows the answer is yes, because he helps build sustainable youth ministries through his coaching service called Youth Ministry Architects. So take heart: No matter what state the youth ministry at your church is in--in need of a leader and volunteers, full of battles and stress, large or small in number--it can be built to survive and to last for the long haul.Based on his own experience and on his many conversations and interviews with churches in crisis, DeVries pinpoints problems that cause division and burnout and dispels strongly held myths. He then provides the practical tools and structures pastors and church leaders need to lay a strong foundation for your ministry so that it isn't built on a person or the latest, greatest student ministry trend.His accessible guidancehelps senior pastors and search committees create a realistic job description for a youth pastorprovides tips for making wise hiring decisionsequips youth pastors to build a strong volunteer teamoffers creative solutions to help youth pastors set and keep boundariesgives a road map for navigating church politicsand moreBuilding a sustainable youth ministry is not easy, and it's not quick. But with commitment to the process, hard work and DeVries's guidance, you can put together a healthy youth ministry--one that fits your church and lasts for the long haul. Youth ministrycanlast. Here's how.

Author Biography

Mark DeVries is the founder of Youth Ministry Architects, a coaching service.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Roll of the Dice: Exposing Today's Most Popular Youth Ministry Model	p. 9
Cracking the Code: The Anatomy of Stuckness in Youth Ministry	p. 17
The Easy Button: The Crisis of Chronic Underinvestment	p. 29
Hoping, Wishing and Praying: Beyond the Frantic Search for the Youth Ministry Superstar	p. 40
The Dance Floor: A Systems Approach to Youth Ministry	p. 51
Building Right: The Structures of Sustainability	p. 57
Changing Culture: The Work of the Environmental Architect	p. 74
Searching Right: A Primer for Youth Ministry Search Teams	p. 90
Aligning the Heart: The Emotionally Healthy Youth Worker	p. 107
Monkeys, Frogs and Balconies: Secrets of Third-Pig Youth Workers	p. 124
Architecting the Constellation: From Camp Counselor to Sustainable Leader	p. 140
The Magnet Effect: Making Friendship Contagious	p. 159
Dancing with Alligators: Navigating the Turbulent Waters of Church Politics	p. 175
Rabbit Trails and Brick Walls: When All the Brilliant Plans Don't Work	p. 188
Epilogue: Seizing the Unfair Advantage	p. 197
Discussion Questions	p. 205
Sustainable Youth Ministry Builder's List	p. 211
The Compliance Checklist	p. 214
Acknowledgments	p. 216
Notes	p. 219
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