Product Description

The definitive volume for youth ministry today, detailing nine foundations for purpose driven ministry - from the Youth Pastor of Rick Warren's acclaimed Saddleback Church.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18866 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780310212539
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Publisher
From the youth pastor of Saddleback Church--a revolutionary approach to building a self-sustaining youth ministry. What The Purpose-Driven Church has done for pastoral ministry, this book is about to do for youth ministry. Doug Fields, the youth pastor at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, reveals the foundations for a powerful, Purpose-Driven? Youth Ministry (PDYM). Youth leaders passionate about a ministry that fulfills the five scriptural purposes of evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and worship will discover a proven, team approach that reduces burnout and incorporates the strengths of the church as a whole. What they won't get is another Six Easy Steps book. Says Fields, You will not find the PDYM to be a cookie-cutter approach promoting do it my way because there's only one way. Rather, it's a model that can be adapted to fit the unique needs, personality, and circumstances of any church. Developing a Purpose-Driven? Youth Ministry is a flexible and exhaustive approach to building a healthy, self-sustaining youth ministry based on nine components: Power of God Purpose Potential Audience Programs Process Planned Values Participating Leaders Parents Personnel Here in detail and depth is the theory behind effective youth ministry. And here is the application--the means for translating sound principles into practical action. From developing a purpose statement, to drafting a plan for spiritual growth, to the ins-and-outs of family involvement, to keeping the ministry focused, fresh, and vibrant, this volume meets virtually every concern of student leaders with up-to-date insights and seasoned, frontline advice. For almost twenty years, I've been living with the overwhelming responsibility to develop a youth ministry that equips students rather than a youth ministry that coordinates events, says Fields. I don't want to direct programs; I want to disciple students. This book captures the sweep of Fields' experience and vision. Destined to become a youth ministry classic, Developing a Purpose-Driven? Youth Ministry is an absolute must-have for today's youth minister.

From the Author
Doug Fields, youth pastor at Saddleback Church, has been an instructor for Youth Specialties for ten years. The author of over 20 books, including Creative Dating and The One Minute Bible for Students, he lives in Trabuco Canyon, California

From the Back Cover
If you long to reach kids and see their lives changed by God, this comprehensive guide shows you how. Purpose-Driven® Youth Ministry will do for youth ministry what Rick Warren's Gold Medallion award-winning, The Purpose-Driven® Church is doing for pastoral ministry. It's an indispensable guide to creating and maintaining youth ministry for the long run. It will help you create a solid spiritual team that builds the foundations of the Christian faith into the hearts and lives of young people. Forged around the fundamental purposes of evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and worship, Purpose-Driven® Youth Ministry uses the experiences of Saddleback Church to illustrate what a healthy Youth ministry can be. Nine transferable principles help you - Connect with the power of God for passionate, committed leadership - Define the purpose of your ministry and communicate it effectively - Identify your potential audience - Create programs that reach your audience and fulfill God's purposes - Implement processes that move students to maturity - Enhance your ministry with clearly defined values - Team up with parents to involve the whole family - Find volunteers and develop them into participating leaders - Persevere through tough times and thrive in an ever-changing environment. Balancing both theory and practice, Purpose-Driven® Youth Ministry can be applied to any church setting, regardless of size, denomination, facilities, resources, and existing leadership. Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry will help you develop a ministry that equips students rather than a ministry that coordinates events. Doug Fields says, "My goal for this book is to coach you through a plan to build a healthy youth ministry that isn't dependent on one great youth leader and won't be destroyed when the youth worker leaves the church. It's not a book on how to grow your youth ministry with six easy steps; it's about identifying, establishing, and building health into your church's youth ministry.

Customer Reviews

Wish I had read it sooner
This is an easy-to-read textbook on youth ministry by a proven professional. Drawing from the same principles as Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Church, Fields (who is Warren's youth pastor at Saddleback Community Church) gives the foundational principles for youth ministry, explaining the different stages of faith commitment in adolescents, and providing strategies for a complete youth ministry.
Good: This book is an easy read, and doesn't require theological or professional ministry experience to understand, and yet is thorough. Any person who has basic relational skills and a heart to reach kids will be set to go after reading this book.
Bad: Fields is constantly uses lists and acronyms to teach his points. Examples: the different stages of faith commitment (core, committed, congregation, crowd, and community); spiritual lifestyle H.A.B.I.T.S. (hang time with God, accountability with another believer, Bible memorization, involvement with the church body, tithing commitment, study of the scripture); his method for discovering spiritual gifts called S.H.A.P.E. (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences). A little of this goes a long way, and if you try to take it in too quickly it will fry your brain.
Opinion: This is the best book on youth ministry that I've read. Fields leaves no bases uncovered, from working with parents to handling discipline. I wish I had read this book before my first youth pastorate. It would have saved me many mistakes.
Best Quote: Two come to mind, but they're related to the same thing: "Leadership separates a purpose-driven youth ministry from an event-and-activity-driven youth ministry." The second one is this: "Better to have two high-standard student leaders than fifty students who want to plan activities while they live any lifestyle they please."

Practical yet........
Doug does a great job with this book. It has extremely practical teaching that is easy to apply to any cultural ministry scenario that a youth pastor can face. The problem, however, is that I can design a great program that humms like a machine and sends a message, but that doesn't change a teenager's heart. While I know, first hand, that Doug's ministry has changed thousands of hearts, if not more, I feel that his book understates some important issues: 1) Prayer is the key to any ministry's survival. 2) The issue of shepherding (relationships built with staff, and youth is far more important that simply having an airtight mission statement etc. BOTTOM LINE- This book is a great tool, but not the end-all ministry guide that many have made it in to. I would love to see a sequal by Doug that delves deeper into issues of prayer and shepherding.

Foundational for growth
This book is a clearly written, organized and in-depth look at the foundations to youth ministry. The pillars of ministry are outlined and given in ways that can be applied to any ministry in any setting with proper leadership. Doug Fields is an experienced youth pastor with wisdom and knowledge which has spurred his ministry to dynamic growth. Why we do what we do, who we are trying to reach, how to best accomplish this, what we're trying to do, when to do it and where to do it is the general format of the book. The foundations laid out in this book, when applied to your ministry, will give you a base for growth and development. Keeping in mind that development is more important than growth. Drawing youth into a more personal and deeper relationship with God is the key to this book. A must read for every youth pastor, worker, volunteer and prospective leader.