Review

    There are so many creative, excellent and incredible resources available for youth leaders to choose from as they develop effective ministry to the youth in their church and community.  I truly appreciate the opportunity I have to review so many quality resources and hope you will find resources to assist you in developing effective ministry to your teens.

The Prayer Path - a Christ centered Labyrinth Authors - Jonny Baker, Steve Collins & Kevin Draper Publisher - Group Publishing

Favorite Features:

• unique opportunity to provide setting and experience for people of all ages in your church and community to better understand prayer and to begin or come closer in their relationship with God
• individuals participate and each individual has the opportunity to grow because of it
• with the focus on prayer and the individual and God the potential for this experience to make an tremendous impact is significant
• complete and clear directions
• individuals listen, read and are actively involved in each station


    This resource provides a truly powerful opportunity unlike any other for your youth ministry to grow and serve the church and community as they participate and prepare, provide and present this prayer experience to the people in your church and community.  Extremely well done Jonny, Steve, Kevin and Group Publishing!

Doing Life with God Doing Life with God - Vol. 2 Authors - Bo Boshers & Kim Anderson Publishers - Willow Creek Resources & Group Publishing

Favorite Features:

• each book includes 30 devotions written by teens about life
• devotions address four areas of life:
• private life
• spiritual life
• home life
• social life
• each devotion includes:
• a real teen's true story
• what God taught me
• a verse to read
• space to journal your own story
• talk to God - ideas to guide your prayer
• talk with friends - questions for small group discussion
• information to share your story - for the next book
• each devotion is a real story about real teens, problems, challenges they face and how they learned more about God and grew in their relationship with Him

    These powerful real stories are sure to impact teens and help them identify how God can be real in their lives.  Extremely well done Bo, Kim, Willow Creek and Group Publishing!

All-Star Bloopers from All-Star Youth Leaders 5-Star Stories from All-Star Youth Leaders Compiled by - Mikal Keefer Publisher - Group Publishing

Favorite Features:

• between the two books there are 91 short stories to capture the attention of teens and help them think as well as, "real-life, amazing-but-true-but-aren't-you-glad-this-wasn't-you accounts"!
• each story in the 5-Star book includes questions to generate conversation and help kids understand the point
• the stories in the All-Star book cover ministry areas such as - responsibility and taking it, delegating and time management, safety issues - excellent!, balance and priorities
• All-Star Advice - great tips to be better story tellers in the 5-Star book and covers topics in the All-Star book, like -
• the top 10 things to never say after making a mistake
• how to learn from a mistake
• how to survive a board meeting
• how to last in Youth Ministry
• ministry and marriage - excellent
• avoiding ministry-ending mistakes
• how to team up with your Sr. Pastor
• each account in the All-Star book ends with questions focused to help you think through and learn from other's mistakes - excellent!
• stories from top-notch youth workers, such as:
• Jim Burns
• Bo Boshers
• Mike Nappa
• Tony Campolo
• Thom Schultz
• Joani Schultz


    These two books are an excellent addition to a youth resource library as the tell the true stories of real youth leaders and the unforgettable lessons they learned from real life!  Extremely well done Mikal and Group Publishing!

Produced by - Mars Hill Productions

One in a Million	Future Tense	Without Reservation
Moment of Truth	The Question	The Call

Favorite Features:

• each video is designed to generate conversation on hot topics like:
• abortion
• the value of life
• the rapture
• salvation
• witnessing
• knowing Christ
• divorce
• prayer
• spiritual warfare
• the purpose of life
• suicide
• serving Christ with your life
• encouraging youth workers
• discussion guide with information on how to effectively utilize the video and questions to guide discussion as well as the Christian and opposing views on the topic presented
• info on how to present the Gospel, how to lead someone to Christ and help them grow in their walk


    These videos are extremely well made from a technical standpoint and are tremendously effective in generating conversation making them excellent, effective resources well worth utilizing in your youth ministry.  We live in a very technically driven age where teens are used to seeing well made presentations - these videos will get teens talking, thinking and making decisions based on what they experience and learn from these videos and discussion.  Extremely well done Mars Hill Productions!

Generation Produced by - Mars Hill Productions

Favorite Features:

• video curriculum designed to get teens talking and thinking about topics like:
• prayer
• student-led Bible studies
• purity
• missions
• shows how teens are being used to reach the world for Christ
• five 10 - 20 minute video clips
• study guide includes:
• focus
• time of video clip
• overview with a study
• group discussion questions
• challenge
• action for application - excellent!
• personal reflection


    This video resource will not only get teens thinking and talking, but will also challenge them to put into practice what they learn about living their lives for Christ's glory and making a real difference in their generation!  Extremely well done Mars Hill Productions!

2001-02 The Student Plan-it Devotional Organizer for Middle School & Jr. High  2001/2002 Student Plan-it Devotional Organizer - Devotions by Third Day Publisher - Group Publishing

Favorite Features:

• calendar features to help keep track of homework, practices, life
• weekly devotionals include:
• Scripture verse
• devotional
• My Response - ideas to live what you learn
• wacky holidays
• prayer journal at the end of each month
• space for names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses
• Sr. High organizer also includes:
• 28 ways to appreciate your friends
• 28 stress busters
• 21 study tips
• 27 ways to appreciate your parents
• 25 ways to appreciate your teachers
• devotions by the members of Third Day


    These devotional organizers are excellent tools to encourage teens to keep track of their life while challenging them to grow in their walk with Christ.  Extremely well done Group Publishing!

Unity Builders for Small Groups Publisher - Group Publishing

Favorite Features:

• 40 active devotions to bring teens together
• focused on building unity and bringing teens together
• each study includes
• topic
• Scripture
• supply list
• activity
• for greater challenge activity
• debriefing
• Scripture index
• topical index
• designed to help teens learn to relate, interact and develop friendships


    This resource is an excellent tool for a youth group to work through while they prepare for a mission trip, a service project and just to build unity and bring them closer in the youth group so they will be most effective at reaching their school and community for Christ.  Extremely well done Group Publishing!

Favorite Features:

• survey results from teens across the country on topics such as:
• youth talks/sermons
• group singing/worship
• crowd breakers & games
• Sunday School
• mid-week meetings
• small groups
• camps and retreats
• service and mission projects
• special events
• volunteer leaders
• includes the survey
• results from leaders and teens to the same survey questions - interesting
• survey response broken down by age/grade, sex and region of the country
• chapter summary and observation at the end of each chapter
• for personal reflection at the end of each chapter to help you think through and apply to your own ministry

    Often we operate, plan, implement and carry out ministry based on what we think the teens want & will respond to, but what we think may not be actually where teens are.  This book is an excellent resource to help youth leaders think through and evaluate their ministry to see where they truly are on "mark" with their teens.  For most effectiveness, I would encourage you to give the survey to the teens in your ministry and see how their responses compare with the survey, as well as with what you thought!  Extremely well done Mike and Standard Publishing!

the Top 20 Messages for Youth Ministry Author - Jim Kochenburger Publisher - Group Publishing

Favorite Features:

• weblink Bonus! - free on-line ideas to help parents and teens connect with these Bible truths - excellent!
• 20 topic lessons on subjects such as:
• anger, attitude, sex, purity, respect, serving, hope, doubt, and many other topics
• additional ideas on the net
• lessons include:
• topic and point
• Scripture base
• supplies list
• prep.
• video clips from movies to tie in with the lesson
• stories to get kids thinking
• message has key points
• leadership tips
• keepin' it real - for leaders to share their own experiences
• closing challenge to make it real
• reality bites to apply
• reproducible flyers
• active and interactive lessons

    There are many messages we want to communicate with our teens, but of these there are some basic, must cover topics we truly want our teens to understand, remember and live out in their lives.  This resource is an excellent tool to help youth leaders cover the basics in memorable ways.  Extremely well done Jim and Group Publishing!

Bible Mystery Events for Youth Ministry

The Great Circus Adventure Intrigue on Emerald Pier Authors - Robert & Linda Klimek Publisher - Group Publishing

Favorite Features:

• teaches by activly involving teens in memorable, clearly unforgettable ways
• complete information in the introduction
• three-week planning guide with check boxes and count down
• follow up information
• questions and answers for adapting and customizing mystery event
• rules and regulations
• referee guide
• mystery leaders handbook has all the info to make the event work:
• true identities matches mystery character with Bible character
• info to customize
• menu ideas
• Bible basis
• solution
• "Top Secret" role for each character
• clues for each round
• clip art, invitation, evidence and police report


    These resources are fun, unexpected, unforgettable ways to experience a Bible lesson in a completely different and unusual way - along with having a tremendous time, kids will remember, understand and be able to live the point of each lesson.  These would make excellent additions for lock-ins, retreats and special events.  Extremely well done Robert, Linda and Group Publishing!

Boredom Busters Snore-dom Busters Author - Cindy Hansen Publisher - Group Publishing

Favorite Features:

• 84 low and no cost activities
• 106 no-prep activities to get kids back into the lesson
• excellent info on how to effectively "interrupt" your lesson
• each idea has complete directions to help you in and out of the activity
• if you need props - complete listing of any supplies you will require
• great ideas to pull kids in to help them connect with the lesson and each other


    Sometimes kid's attention may wander and this resource provides excellent ideas to help you get kids back into your lesson.  Very nicely done Cindy and Group Publishing.