Customer Reviews

Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Mean parents?
Not everybody will like me?
Kids won't remember all of my message points?

The elder board might not think turning the baptismal into a hot tub is a good idea!? OH MAN!

Maybe you're like me (a new youth leader) and you have a crazy list of "must read" books and you have no idea where to start. I know the feeling folks (I'm there right now). But one book that everyone agreed that I start with was this book.

I was stepping into a ministry where the demographic difference (education, church background, age) was so different I had no idea where to start.

Do I host a huge event? Tell stories? Go through 1 Chronicles!? AHHH!

Doug Fields put together a very helpful,practical and honest book. The entire book is put together in a readable way.With writings from both Doug Fields and other ministers from around the country who are in the battlefield right now. The contributing writers do more than validate, but they relate the topics to their real world experience. Finally a book with more than just concepts and theories!

First you'll probably read it straight through, but afterwards it will turn into a quick reference book. If anything just to re-affirm how you're going to handle a difficult situation.

As a single new minister, I felt absolutely clueless about parents. What do they really want from me? A couseler? A listener? A babysitter?
Doug very clearly lays out what parents need from you and how you can pour your life into their's without telling them how to raise your kids. I loved it when he talked about parents being experts on their children, so don't treat them like an idiot when you don't agree with how they want to raise their own children.

It is because of this book that I have already learned ways of forming relationships with distant parents, learned how to find the needs of my attending kids, and build a foundation for a relationship based ministry.

I would have paid 10 times the price for this book. The wisdom of these pages are truly beyond value for me a new minister to kids.

I'm a senior in high school and I'm working as an intern with my church's director of youth ministry through a program at school. My mentor gave me this book as recommended reading. It was an interesting read from the stand point of both student involved in the youth and as an intern. I felt many of the points made about teenagers - we're watching you (sounds creepy huh?), we want something bigger than ourselves, we want adults to invest and believe in us - were hit right on from a student perspective. I really liked that he breaks down practical ways to approach the challenges of working in ministry; I felt many of these principles could be applied to different types of ministry. Fields does an excellent job of taking Biblical principles and walking you through how to handle them. He provides guidelines to implementing what the Bible asks of us and that's very helpful. I'd also like to say that I really admire his emphasis on relationships over programs and using programs as a tool to build relationships. This is unbelievably true and it works: I am evidence of it. I love my church and my relationship with God has grown dramatically because of relationships through the youth ministry. I can't say enough how important that is!

Stylistically/technically speaking, the book has some typos that really surprised me. I love English so things like that are glaring to me and frankly shocked me in a final publication of a book. His writing style is lighthearted, which is nice, although his jokes become predictably placed; still nice, but not as effective.

Overall I believe this is a great resource for guidance through ministry life.

This book is wonderful for anyone interested or involved in youth ministry. It provides an amazing Biblical foundation, as well as a plethora of advice from seasoned ministers. I would surely recommend this book to anyone in youth ministry.

The beast of youth ministry is burnout, which is sadly a reality for so many youth leaders who start out strong, work tirelessly for the church, and fade into exhaustion-- and unfortunately, sometimes resentment. Youth ministry is difficult, and people who are just beginning their journey need advice from experience, advice that warns of those in the church who may hurt your feelings, advice that provides guidance in the planning of programs and curriculum... Advice that reminds you, "You will inevitably mess up; but you are human and you are learning. Don't give up!" This book is very insightful, and encourages people to take the long-term perspective, that youth ministry is about the marathon, not the short-distance race.

Reading this book really is like sitting down with a mentor who knows the doubts and fears you possess- and those you have not yet embraced- and prepares you for reality, for better or worse. My suggestion: read it before you enter a YM position, and read it again six months into your position, and again 12 months into the position. The wisdom will be new every time you read it as you gain more experience, and you will value the reminder in times of confusion and concern, that Christ is with you always.

As a college student, jumping into the vocation of youth ministry is frightening to say the least. This book puts many fears to rest and provides great instruction on how to build a strong healthy youth group while working through the inevitable problems of being new to the field. An excellent book that will be even better to read the second time around. Highly recommended for everyone in the youth ministry battlefield!

I know... there are a lot of great reviews for this book, but it really was not helpful for me. I thought that Doug spent more time talking about himself than he did about what the people (you and me) are looking for. The insight at times was interesting, but as I would get back into the book... he was just talking about himself again.

I have found the book, Sustainable Youth Ministry, by Mark DeVries to be very engaging, and helpful for me and my youth ministry team. I think it is much more worth your time. Hope you find this helpful... I am a music and youth director in Naples, FL. [...]

I would encourage anyone who is new or old, working in youth ministry (as a volunteer worker or youth director) to at least take a look at this book. Doug Fields really hits home on the basics of youth ministry and can really relate to the struggles/joys any youth worker goes through. I used this book as a group study with parents and young adults who help in the youth ministry I lead and it has proven to be a useful tool. I encourage you to take the time and read this book.

-Jameel (20 yrs old)

This book seems to cover everything! New and even veteran youth leaders when from reading this book.

If the material itself was not powerful enough, Doug includes additional insights from Jim Burns, Steve Gerali, Mike Yaconelli, Helen Musick, Chap Clark, Marv Penner, Rick Warren, Jana L. Sundene, Bo Boshers, Duffy Robbins, Tony Campolo, and Richard Ross. Each is an expert in the field, and together make this one of my top ten youth ministry books ever.

If you have already read Doug's Purpose Driven Youth Ministry, you'll be surprised that this book is even better. More personal, more outside help, more stories, just plain better. Don't borrow this one. Buy it!

This book was awesome and has definitely served as a valuable aid in working with youth. I agree with most that there are some lingering spelling errors. If you can look past that, I'd say buy!

I picked up this book several years ago on a whim thinking that it might be useful someday. I was in the mood to buy books and this one was on sale, so I bought it. I read a couple of the chapters and skimmed a couple others the first few months I owned the book and didn't really feel that it was speaking to me. So, it has remained on my shelf moving from office to office until the last few weeks.

My close friend, both in age and desire for ministry, also owned this book. We at times would discuss back and forth about the book. While I went to graduate school for ministry and my friend went right into youth ministry he would always bring the book up and I would be like "yeah, yeah, been there skimmed it, didn't get much out of it."

But, after my first year in a preaching and campus ministry job I picked this book up and DEVOURED it! (Emphasis on the devouring) Other than the Bible, I have had no other book with this type of relationship with. I mean, I at times would read things, go home at night and think about them, and then come back and re-read that portion of the book just to make sure it was getting through my thick cranium.

If you are going into ministry, you NEED to own this book (e-mail me and I will buy it for you, seriously). This book is very practical and delivers on every single level. No one can write this way unless they have truly been through the trials and successes of a ministry. Doug is not just blowing smoke with this book. This book is as real as them come. This book is NOT a money making ploy from some big shot youth guru. Doug is a humble servant who truly wants to help youth workers in the struggle to grow God's kingdom. His sense of humor keeps you on your toes and I often laughed out loud at his many quips on serious situations.

Doug is extremely wise and expierienced (Emphasis on the extremely) on relationships and personality differences. Which, as it turns out, is where many of the conflicts come in ministry. If you are going into ministry this book can really help you understand the dynamics of the situation you are stepping into, which are far more complicated than showing up for work five days a week and picking up a pay check. Also, if you are in ministry, and are struggling severely and are thinking of throwing in the towel, like me, don't. Buy this book and read it with the intent of repairing damaged relationships.

This book is effective because it is written with love, care, and concern for others. Even if you are not in "youth" ministry this book crosses over into all ministries, really. One just has to apply the principals to their unique situation.

You really will be sitting with Doug having coffee. You won't want the meetings to end but eventually you will have to get out there and do something! Five stars all the way for this book, no questions asked.

My only question is: Where is "Your second two years in youth ministry"? I would pre-order that baby in a heartbeat!