Youth Ministry Resources - Serving Teens
Youth ministry needs to get beyond fun and games to discipleship of today's teens into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Here are some ministry resources to help you reach that objective.
Click on a tab below to view a list of resources to help you better understand teenagers or to glean ideas for activities and programming, for training of youth workers and teachers, or for tools to manage the ministry.
While seeking to choose doctrinally sound resources, we make no claim to total endorsement of any listing. Where possible, links go to merchants with whom we have an affiliate relationship, such as being an Amazon Associate from whom we earn from qualifying purchases. These sites may use cookies to track activity to ensure that Ministry Tools Resource Center gets commissions from any sales. Links open in new pages to keep the list available.
About Teens
Teens & Their Walk with God
Articles:
- Bible Memory Verses for Teenagers
- Motivating Teens to Learn
- Teens Study the Bible on Their Own?
- Teens Need the Foundation for Studying the Bible
- Teens Need the Right Motivation to Study the Bible
- Teens Need the Benefits for Studying the Bible
- Youth Need to Know the Lord
- Youth Need to Wait on the Lord
Help Identifying their Spiritual Gifts:
- Spiritual Gifts DVD Curriculum
- The Word on Finding and Using Your Spiritual Gifts Curriculum
- Your Gifts for Teens: The Easy to Use, Self-Guided Spiritual Gifts Survey by Church Growth Team Ministry
Resources for Spiritual Growth Discipleship:
- Bibles for Teenagers
- Bible Studies for Teens
- Devotional Bibles for Teenagers
- Devotionals for Teens
- Study Bibles for Teens
- The Essential Guide to My New Life with Jesus by Scott Rubin
Understanding Teenagers - the Youth Culture, Characteristics
Articles:
- A Place Youth Want to Be
- A Place Youth Don't Want to Be
- Young People Need Realness
- Young People Need Reasons
- Young People Need Relationship
- Young People Need Relevance
- Young People Need Renewal
Books:
- Blur: A New Paradigm for Understanding Youth Culture by Jeffrey Keuss
- Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture by Walt Mueller
- The Five Love Languages of Teenagers by Gary Chapman
- Youth Culture 101 by Walt Mueller
Training Resource:
Ideas
General Youth Activities & Games Ideas
Books:
- Best-Ever Games for Youth Ministry
- Ideas Library Books by Youth Specialties
Community Building Activities for Youth Groups
Books:
- Building Community in Youth Groups by Denny Rydberg
- Groupbuilder Games and Activities for Youth Ministry by Group Publishing
- Have You Ever...? 450 Intriguing Questions by Les Christie
- Would You Rather . . . ? 465 Questions to Get Teens Talking by Doug Fields
- More Would You Rather...?: 465 Additional Questions by Doug Fields
- Youth Group Trust Builders by Denny Rydberg
Drama Ideas for Youth
Books:
- Skits That Teach by Eddie James, Tommy Woodard
- Spontaneous Melodramas by Doug Fields, Laurie Polich, Duffy Robbins
- Top 20 Skits for Youth Ministry by Chris & Sue Chapman
Illustrations for Youth
Articles:
Books:
- Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice
- Blockbuster Movie Illustrations by Bryan Belknap
Media Ideas for Youth
Resources:
Outreach Ideas for Teenagers
Books:
- Fresh Ideas: Missions and Service Projects by Jim Burns
Resources:
Issues
Parents of Teens
Books:
- A Youth Worker's Field Guide to Parents: Understanding Parents of Teenagers by Danny Kwon
- Engaging Parents As Allies by Wayne Rice
- Partnering With Parents in Youth Ministry by Jim Burns, Mike DeVries
- The Skinny on Parents: A Big Youth Ministry Topic in a Single Little Book by Mark Oestreicher, Kami Gilmour
- Youth Worker's Guide to Parent Ministry by Marv Penner
More Resources:
Safety Issues in Youth Ministry
Articles:
Books:
- Better Safe Than Sued: Keeping Your Students and Ministry Alive--Book and CD-ROM by Jack Crabtree
- The Missing Ministry: Safety, Risk Management, and Protecting Your Church - deals with total church safety issues including youth
Resources:
Teens in Crisis (Divorce, Loss, Tragedies, Suicide, Other Hurts)
Articles:
Books:
- Comforting Teens in Crisis by Group Publishing
- Emergency Response Handbook for Youth Ministry by Group Publishing
- The Youth Worker's Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis by Rich Van Pelt, Jim Hancock
Training Resources:
Tools
Youth Ministry Management Tools
Books:
- Building Your Volunteer Team: A Targeted Boot Camp for Your Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries, Nate Stratman
- Youth Ministry Management Tools 2.0: Everything You Need to Successfully Manage Your Ministry by Ginny Olson, Mike Work
- Youth Ministry Nuts & Bolts, Revised and Updated: Organizing, Leading, and Managing Your Youth Ministry by Duffy Robbins
Youth Ministry Organizations
Training
Developing Student Leaders
Books:
- Help! I'm a Student Leader: Practical Ideas and Guidance on Leadership by Doug Fields
- Leadership 101: An Interactive Guide to Help Students Develop Their Leadership Skills by Denise Van Eck - Youth Specialties
- Ministry by Teenagers: Developing Leaders from Within by Youth Specialties
- The Student Leadership Training Manual for Youth Workers by Dennis "Tiger" McLuen, Chuck Wysong - Youth Specialties
Teacher Training for Teaching the Bible to Teenagers
Articles:
Books:
- Be-Attitudes for Teachers
- How to Speak to Youth . . . And Keep Them Awake at the Same Time by Ken Davis
- Small Groups From Start to Finish Production Pack by Group Publishing
- Speaking to Teenagers: How to Think About, Create and Deliver Effective Messages by Doug Fields, Duffy Robbins
- The Ministry of Nurture by Duffy Robbins
- The Youth Worker's Guide to Creative Bible Study by Karen Dockrey
Teacher Training Resources:
- Sharpening Your Bible Teaching Methods
- TrainBibleTeachers.com
- A Lesson Worth Teaching Workbook
- Creative Bible Teaching Workbook
- Teaching for Changed Lives Workbook
Youth Ministry Training
Articles:
Books:
- A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry by Michael McGarry
- A New Kind of Youth Ministry by Chris Folmsbee
- Adoptive Church: Creating an Environment Where Emerging Generations Belong by Chap Clark
- Alongside: Loving Teenagers with the Gospel by Andrew Hill
- Building a Youth Ministry that Builds Disciples: A Small Book About a Big Idea by Duffy Robbins
- Building Your Volunteer Team: A 30-Day Change Project for Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries, Nate Stratman
- Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli
- Deep Ministry in a Shallow World: Not So Secret Findings About Youth Ministry by Chap Clark, Kara Eckmann Powell
- Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry by Cameron Cole (Editor), Jon Nielson (Editor)
- Jesus Centered Youth Ministry by Rick Lawrence
- Ministry Mutiny by Greg Stier
- Purpose Driven Youth Ministry by Doug Fields
- Small-Group Leader’s Quick Guide to (Almost) Everything by Steven Tighe and Syler Thomas
- Sticky Faith, Youth Worker Edition: Practical Ideas to Nurture Long-Term Faith in Teenagers by Kara E. Powell, Brad M. Griffin, Cheryl A. Crawford
- Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries
- The Disconnect: Bridging the Youth Pastor and Senior Pastor Gap by Doug Franklin
- Thriving Youth Ministry in Smaller Churches by Rick Chromey, Stephanie Caro
- Thriving Youth Groups: Secrets for Growing Your Ministry by Jeanne Mayo
- What Matters Most: Keys to Protecting Your Life and Your Ministry by Doug Fields
- Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry by Doug Fields
- Youth Leader Training on the Go by Jeff Dunn-Rankin, Mark Devries
- Youth Ministry in the 21st Century: The Encyclopedia of Practical Ideas ed. by Rick Lawrence
- Youth Ministry Nuts & Bolts, Revised and Updated: Organizing, Leading, and Managing Your Youth Ministry by Duffy Robbins
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May God use you to impact the lives of young people. These Youth Ministry Resources can help you understand teenagers and plan strategies to reach them but always remember that a yielded heart filled with God's love will minister far more than any skills you might acquire.