The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry [Paperback]

Kenda Creasy Dean (Author), Ron Foster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2005

In The Godbearing Life, the authors offer a lively spiritual primer and practical guide for those who pastor young people. Dean and Foster rechart a course for youth ministry through the classical spiritual disciplines of the church. The book identifies families, congregations, and mentor relationships as the "holy ground" where young people are most likely to say "Yes!" to God.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kenda Creasy Dean is Associate Professor of Youth, Church, and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Ron Foster is a United Methodist pastor in Maryland.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Upper Room (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0835808580
• ISBN-13: 978-0835808583
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Ministry & Church Leadership > Church Institutions & Organizations
  • #64 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Ministry & Church Leadership > Youth Ministry

More About the Author

Kenda Creasy Dean is an ordained United Methodist minister and Professor of Youth, Church and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary, where she works closely with the Institute for Youth Ministry. A graduate of Miami University (Ohio), Kenda and her husband Kevin taught at Ball State University before attending Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. Before receiving her PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary, she was a pastor and campus minister in Maryland. She has two almost-launched children, and lives with her family in Princeton, New Jersey.

http://kendadean.com, http://ptsem.edu

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Youth Ministry for a Postmodern Culture, March 9, 2000

By 

James Hampton (Lexington, KY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry (Paperback)

Without seeming overdramatic, this is the book we who have been in youth ministry for awhile have been waiting for. Dean and Foster move right to the heart of the matter: youth workers are called first and foremost to be PASTORS to their students, not simply recreation directors. Skillfully blending scripture, theology, the social sciences, and personal experience, these practitioners offer both rich theory and application to assist youth workers in rethinking why we do youth ministry. In my opinion, this is the book that will most shape youth ministry in this postmodern era.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You've gotta read this book, October 22, 2001

By 

Melody Irish (Spokane, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry (Paperback)

If you are interested in ministering to others, this book is a great place to start laying or to strengthen your foundation. Although the authors wrote with youth ministry in mind, anyone can apply the principles. The book is easy to read and hard to put down. The ideas and concepts the authors share are easy to put into practice. Godbearing does not give a formula for a ministry rather the book challenges the reader to think and reflect. The ideas will impact the youth and/or your ministry because you are the one that affects them. Of all the books I have read Godbearing has been one of the most challenging and impacting to me and how I minister. This also makes a great study book for a youth staff, a class, or a few people; read a chapter and then discuss it. There is too much information in Godbearing to take it all in with just one reading. I highly recommend this book.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read for Youth Ministers!, July 15, 2003

By 

David R. Bess (Charleston, WV) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry (Paperback)

This book, more than any other I have read to date, describes the changes that must take place as youth ministry enters the 21st century. The authors focus upon the necessity of having spiritual, youth relationships rather than just social, youth recreation. The crying need today is for churches to minister as only they can do to the emptiness young people face in their lives. Rather than competing with secular programming, Christian youth ministries are called to offer something entirely different from the secular world.

The authors describe in detail various measures to be taken that will energize youth in their Christian faith. This title is far from a book of programming ideas, but rather a very readable volume of philosophy and theology on youth ministry. I recommend it highly to all youth pastors, and other Christian professionals who will interact with teenagers on a regular basis.