Customer Reviews

The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

While the focus is on youth ministry, the ideas and principles in this book should be read by anybody who is a minister within the church. The "radical" idea of the book is that the church should be focused on changing the heart of people and society in order for all people to reach and strive for a relationship with God.
If you are looking for another gimmick in order to make a youth ministry program grow, this book is not for you. If you are looking for a book in how to minister to youth, thier families and the people who work with them, then this needs to be on your shelf.

For the past 17 years I have been involved in youth ministry. Long ago, I got tired of the cute workshops, the mindless catalogues of programs, and the lack of well reasoned theology. This book is the thinking pastor's book for youth ministry. It is truly cutting edge, well documented, passionate, and hits you right between the eyes. I cannot overstate how much I believe in this work. I was able to get three advanced copies and sent them immediately to peers in ministry to kids. It's that good and that important.

Cutting edge is the best way to describe this book by Dean and Foster. Best to say what it does NOT contain: it does NOT contain fluffy programs, manipulative tricks, sappy sentimentality. It DOES offer insights into the deep yearnings of youth, yearnings for a spiritual rootedness and for the recognition that they are indeed beloved children of God who have spiritual freedom and spiritual responsibility. This is a fantastic book that explores the responsibility of the CHURCH to engage in ministry with youth.

This book reminds those in youth ministry why we are here: to be "God-bearers" to the youth whose lives we are entrusted with. This book is not about methods, how to grow a youth groups, or how to impress the rest of your church. This book is about realizing that at the core, youth ministry exists in order that we can form authentic relationships with young people. This book is a great read for a new youth pastor in order to make sure you have the correct focus in ministry. It would also make an exceptionally good read for the youth pastor who doesn't feel "successful" in youth ministry. Reading this book will encourage you and strip you away from the pragmatic standards of success and remind you that youth ministry only needs to have one authentic relationship with a young person in order for it to be successful.

I didn't give this book five stars because of the way in which it deals with Mary and some of the extra-biblical assumptions it makes. I found this part to be molded to fit the authors' desired point. Neverthless, this was a fairly minor drawback for me and I believe that every youth minister needs to read this book.

This book tells you what Youth Ministry is all about...YOUTH! We are called to be Pastors to Youth not Recreation Directors. I encourage all who are in Youth Ministry or desire to work with youth to read this book. It gives great advise as to what and how we should work with Youth. Godbearing life will bring a NEW LIFE to your ministry and your walk with Christ!

This book was required reading for my youth ministry class in college. It has not only defined my vision of youth ministry, but it has changed my entire outlook on all aspects of Christian ministry. The images that Dean and Foster use are both biblical and ingenius. Who would ever have thought of taking the New Testament passage where Gabriel tells Mary that she has been chosen to bring God into the world and apply it to youth ministry? This book should be in the library of every person who works with youth.

Working with teenagers in a Catholic highschool, I needed this information and all the stories that went with each theme.I not only was encouraged and inspired by this book,but informed so that I can share this information with those who teach in my department. THANK YOU!