There are a number of publishing companies known for producing quality, genuinely effective resources for youth ministry - Youth Specialities/Zondervan Publishing is one of them.  Over the years we have reviewed many excellent resources from Youth Specialties and are delighted to be able to include more reviews of  some of their resources as well as a review of the Youth Specialties National Resource Seminar for Youth Workers.

Youth Specialties National Resource Seminar for Youth Workers Presented by Youth Specialties for information on dates and locations where you can attend a conference, check out: www.youthspecialties.com

• We would like to thank Pastor Nate Wagner for attending and reviewing one of the Youth Specialties Seminars for 'Round About the Church

    I thought this seminar was well organized, very informative and a lot of fun.  Mike Yaconelli's enthusiasm for youth ministry poured out as he very pointedly shared his philosophy on how to best minister to youth in today's culture.  Throughout the seminar he offered a number of practical, and genuinely valuable tools for us to utilize in our own ministries.

    Mike began by sharing with us about God's pursuit of the youth worker.  He spoke openly about investing ourselves fully in the ministry and living to the fullest.  I love the quote he offered, "Some people die with half their music left in them."  He stated he wants no music left when he dies.  Mike challenged and encouraged us with how honest and effective ministry will get you into trouble, so we should expect it.

    The second session dealt with "Decoding the Postmodern Teenage World" and we had the opportunity to better understand the differences between Modernism and Postmodernism.  Mike challenged us to follow the example of Paul in Acts 17:23 to walk (hang out), look and observe, find (the connecting points), then proclaim the Gospel of Christ.  Mike demonstrated how to use a variety of technologies to reach teens where they are including, video production, instant messaging, E-mail, E-mail newsletters and other internet and multi-media methods.  He spoke about the tendency of teens to cluster off into tribes with similar dress, interests and relationships and challenged us with the need to understand the difference between clusters and cliques so we could be willing to encourage the clusters while still working toward the goal of unity.

    The third session covered "Nurturing Authentic Adolescent Faith".  Mike spoke about the need to understand teenage spirituality and it's uniqueness and dealt with:

• the Big Picture Principle - sometimes the most important part of the picture is the part you don't see - Philippians 1:6
• the Double Take Principle - you don't always get the real picture at first glance - I Samuel 16:7
• the Dark Room Principle - it takes a dark room to bring out the light in a picture - Isaiah 50:10

    I found this seminar to be a solid, informative opportunity to connect with other youth leaders, learn from people who truly understand what real, genuine effective youth ministry looks like and is all about as well as receive excellent resources in the seminar resource pack that will genuinely come in handy in my own ministry.  I truly enjoyed the opportunity to participate in this seminar and highly recommend it to youth leaders as it is an awesome training opportunity!  Extremely well done Mike and Youth Specialties!
                                                                                                            - Pastor Nate Wagner

• Favorite Features:
• creatively shows five mistakes small group leaders make:
• too talkative - makes the point if you talk more, kids will talk less
• unprepared - makes the point that leaders set the standard for the group
• insecure - makes the point that leaders need to be leaders, not an overgrown teen
• inflexible - makes the point while it is important to have a plan, don't be ruled by the plan
• walked on - makes the point a leader gains respect of the kids by respecting themselves
• presents the six tips to be a successful small group leader:
• be there and ready when the group arrives
• lay out the ground rules
• throw questions back to the group
• addresses important issues
• suggests a time to meet to discuss other topics
• lets the group find answers together

The Youth Worker's Handbook to Family Ministry Author - Chap Clark Publisher - Youth Specialities/Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• takes a look at what family ministry is:
• three perspectives of family ministry
• therapeutic/counseling perspective
• the nuclear family perspective
• the church-as-a-family perspective
• each perspective includes strengths and possible problems
• encourages a mix and match approach:
• counseling/care ministry is necessary
• strengthen the nuclear family
• the church family
• what a family ministry is not
• excellent, much needed challenge to end the fragmentation of church
• four requirements for a church to function as a family
• looks at the family of the future and what it will be like
• seven steps toward a family-based youth ministry
• ten steps to planning for family ministry
• 13 ways to involve parents in youth ministry
• eight ideas to better know your kid's parents
• 13 ways to celebrate parents
• 34 ideas for workshops for parents
• eight rites of passage to celebrate
• 23 things to hurt a family
• family-needs assessment
• parent survey
• 15 creative ways to tell your kids you love them - excellent!
• 15 creative ways to tell your parents, "I love you!" - excellent!

Good Sex Authors - Jim Hancock & Kara Eckmann Powell Publisher - Youth Specialities/Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• complete curriculum
• leaders guide, student journal and discussion starter video
• seven lessons covering:
• sex talk - look at cultural messages
• sexual identity
• intimacy
• desire
• boundaries
• responsibilities
• do-overs
• committed to telling kids the truth about sex - sex is a good gift from God . . . worth waiting for
• complete information on how to most effectively utilize resource
• information on what to do if a teen reveals they are experiencing abuse
• three ideas to help parents and communicate with them
• each lesson includes:
• before you teach this lesson - background information on the topic
• reflect a moment - information/questions to help you think through the topic - excellent!
• in our words - activities to get kids thinking and talking
• Word from God - Bible study
• the last word - discussion and activities to add to the study or use another time - excellent!
• reproducible resources
• 11 video clips to generate conversation
• plumbing and wiring FAQ's - 25 Q&A teens ask
• Back-to-basics biology - 16 terms and definitions
• all the sex in the Bible
• student journal for teens to use with the course or on their own
• space to journal their thoughts as they think through the topics
• Scripture to get "God's Eye Vies on each topic
• how to help victims of sexual abuse

Incredible! Questionnaires for Youth Ministry Authors - Rick Bundschuh & E.G. VonTrutzschler Publisher - Youth Specialities/Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• 50 reproducible questionnaires to help provide insight as to how kids are thinking
• "How to Use" information for each questionnaire with - a summary of what the questionnaire tells you about your students
• suggested classroom activities
• thinking through the questions - specifically what each question reveals about the kids to help you understand how to effectively minister to them
• questionnaires cover:
• youth trends
• getting to know the kids
• personal evaluation
• programming ideas
• just for fun
• intro with helpful information to use and get the most out of the questionnaires

Dynamic Communicators Workshop Presented by - Ken Davis Publisher - Youth Specialities/Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• four video sessions with workbook
• SCORRE Method
• Subject, Central Theme
• Objective
• Rationale
• Resources
• Evaluation
• four Guidelines for choosing a subject
• Question and Answer Time at the end of each video
• workbook to walk through the sessions
• four commitments of the messenger
• three principles behind the Dynamic Communicator's Workshop
• the power of communication is proportional to the physical, spiritual and mental excellence of the communicator
• learning takes place most effectively when truth is not only verbalized, but also is demonstrated, experienced, evaluated and applied
• learning is a continuing process
• how to write an objective
• what illustrations are, how to find, remember and utilize them effectively
• use humor
• body talk
• pulling it together

So What Am I Gonna Do With My Life? Author - Diane Lindsey Reeves Publisher - Youth Specialities/Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• four complete sessions  and journaling workbooks for teens
• leaders guide includes helpful information to aid you in being the most effective
• each session includes:
• main theme
• point to remember if you remember nothing else
• Scripture
• Bible characters who faced similar situations
• helpful background information and statistics
• music to reinforce key messages
• fun warm-up activities to encourage mingling
• fun activities to introduce the point
• group discussion/small group activities to get into Scripture
• activities to apply truth
• activities to help teens connect what they are learning with real life
• time to journal and discuss journal entries
• "After Hours & Only the Shadow Knows" activities to help teens explore and experience jobs
• reproducible resources
• career fair with people from the church
• journal begins with helpful encouraging information
• space to think through issues and journal what they are discovering
• Christians at work - interviews with believers about what they do

Youth Ministry Management Tools Authors - Ginny Olson, Diane Elliot & Mike Work Publisher - Youth Specialities/Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• includes CD/Rom with student database and forms from the book - excellent!
• looks at how to be truly organized for the most effective ministry
• information on how to use the CD-Rom
• covers how to manage self and ministry
• "Real Life" information in the margins - gives real examples of issues
• "FasTrack" - 83 important concepts
• organizing self - looks at:
• scheduling
• planning - priorities
• doing it - managing time
• communicating
• organizing your office
• organizing your information
• organizing ministry - looks at:
• calendaring
• finances & budgets
• events
• "Quick Start" at the end of each chapter to give steps to implement
• "Smart Tips" - just as it says
• "Evaluate" - throughout to  help you look at the topic and determine where you are - excellent!
• "Worth the Time" - the best of the best ideas
• "volunteer" - ideas you could find a volunteer to take care of for you
• importance of having a vision
• how to hold effective meetings
• helpful information on building a strong team - recruiting
• excellent information on Risk Management
• complete forms in back or book - and on CD

• Favorite Features:
• Mike explains why people think we need to have youth ministry, what the expectations often are for youth ministry, the reality of youth ministry and where we go from here

a Youth Worker's Guide to Discipling Teenagers - the Ministry of Nurture Author - Duffy Robbins Publisher - Youth Specialities/Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• outlines, clearly, how to develop ministry with teens that is effective at genuinely connecting with and lastingly impacts teens
• focuses on importance of making, developing and maintaining relationships with teens
• gives an excellent, Biblical definition of spiritual growth for teens:
• grow up in all things in Christ - relationships with Jesus
• prepare for works of service - motivated by a sense of call
• no longer be infants - guided by mature and discerning wisdom
• body grows in love - sense of community
• discusses importance of developing adequate leadership for adequate relationships if the youth ministry will grow
• using positive peer influence
• defining real life discipleship
• how to nurture first hand faith
• developing a curriculum plan
• the seven laws of teaching
• ideas to help faith stick
• faith after high school
• illustrate how vital it is to spend time with kids
• nurturing a core group of kids
• helps for equipping teens for ministry