do you want transformation in your youth ministry?
did you know you can access 30 years of ministry experience in about a day and a half and it will only cost you £10, that's $13.38?
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That's by reading my book Raising the Bar: Nearly Everything You Need to Know about Christian Youth Ministry.
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One volunteer youth leader read it and said, 'I am no longer floundering', another called it, "one of the most useful books I've ever read." One review in a youth ministry magazine said: "Raising the Bar gives a step-by-step explanation of what creating good youth ministry looks like. A manual of best practice, showing us that we can lead both a fun and Bible-centred ministry." Another experienced leader explained the difference it had made to his team: "My leaders love it because it makes them feel more confident in the ministry we share."
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​It's readable (there are lots of compelling stories). It's split into chapters that say what they are (guess what Preparing a Talk explains?) which makes it easier to use it to train a team. And it's at a price that allows you to buy one for each member of your team. ​
DAVE'S RECENT BLOGS
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
CHECK OUT our HOLY WEEK AND EASTER ESCAPE ROOMS
There's also a Psalm 139 Escape Room. Our first escape room has been played by over 4000 people! Or try one of our other escape rooms.
WANT A NEW CHAT STARTER?
Try: "What's exciting you at the moment?" or "What do you do for fun?" They're likely to provoke a more positive reaction than "How's the revision going?"
PAID WORKER SURVEY
I often have conversations with paid youth workers who speak of their felt lack of support in their churches - definitely not the whole story, but a common theme. At the same time, I receive emails from senior church leaders saying they're struggling to fill YCF positions. I think those two things might be linked.
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So, I've just finished a survey on supporting paid YCF workers. I asked nearly 100 paid youth, children and families' workers about the support they have already experienced and what they would like to see to enable them to stay and to thrive.
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If you're a paid worker, is what I've written fair? Do get in touch to tell your story. I spoke to one experienced youth leader who has recently changed post. He sent a link to the survey to the church he was leaving, suggesting they supported their next youth worker in these ways. He also sent a link to his new church suggesting they support him in these ways. Why not point your senior leader towards the survey and ask to meet up afterwards to discuss it?
Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay
ABOUT THIS WEBSITE
Why does this website exist? Because over 30 years of youth ministry, I'd realised that, by God's grace, despite all my awful mistakes, I'd managed to learn some things that were worth passing on to other youth leaders. I want youth leaders to stay in youth ministry. I also want youth leaders to get really good as quickly as possible. Our young people need that. So, my book Raising the Bar is the most important thing that any youth leader can read on this website.
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The other resources help you put into practice the things in the book and so, get really good as quickly as possible. I once called Raising the Bar a manual for youth ministry. My friend and colleague looked at me as if I'd said something outrageous and said it was way more than that. It's not just a how-to guide for pretty much everything you'll need to do in youth ministry, though it is that, it also tells massively encouraging stories of God's neverending grace and kindness, worked out in the lives of real young people and their leaders.
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"For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen."
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Romans 11.36
ABOUT RAISING THE BAR
"'Raising the Bar' comes highly recommended. If you are a paid youth worker or a volunteer this book is invaluable. The book is a handbook that will help you week on week as you serve your young people. It has chapters on the 'why' of youth work but also the 'how to'. So for instance, if you want to run a residential this book will help with both the planning and the delivery of a safe week or weekend away. Likewise, the book will give you tips and frameworks on how to run a quality evening session from the games right through to the talk.
A fantastic book that is written for the church - buy a copy and also buy one for your friend in ministry."
Tim Neale
Insight Christian Schools Work Trust
ABOUT RAISING THE BAR
Aimed at both paid and voluntary leaders, Raising the Bar has been called a 'youth ministry handbook' and 'youth work bible'.
The book gives enough help to start a group, and gives you the skills, ideas and encouragement to keep going. Learn to deal with conflict. Grow values in the ministry. Build a strong team of leaders. Plan a residential. Respond to a disaster. Leave a legacy.
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It's full of stories to inspire you.
"Each time I open it, I come away from it encouraged and equipped to do what I can for the Lord.., thinking 'I'm going to make mistakes... BUT LOOK WHAT GOD CAN DO DESPITE THAT.'
It reminds me that there is only one thing we need to get right - Jesus - and He'll take care of the rest."
Eleni Brooks
Youth Intern
"To have a resource like this to put into the hands of my leaders is invaluable. It's so helpful to be able to say to them 'the chapter on X will help you with this'. My leaders love it too because it makes them feel more confident in the ministry we share. Thanks Dave!"
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Ross Mungavin
Youth Pastor
MORE RESOURCES FOR MINISTRY
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"Comprehensive, practical and soundly theological"
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Becky Hepworth
Youth Worker
Park Church, Stoke-on-Trent
I've written this practical manual to help you grow effective Christian youth ministry from start to finish. Reading this £10, nearly 400-page book gives you over 27 years of experience. It's packed with loads of how-tos, from writing a Bible talk to leading a small group, dealing with conflict, to working with parents and the wider church. It also has key values for church youth work to remind us what's important - all shared with lots of STORIES involving God's power to transform lives.
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"An invaluable resource"
Scott Rushby
Youth Pastor
Testwood Baptist Church
Southampton
What’s new with churchyouthministry.com?
I didn't know www.churchyouthministry.com would get this big. I only set it up to sell my book. If you haven't bought it yet, have a look here. There's now a page for Teaching Sessions, one for The Law, Health and Safety and for Question Panels. I've put loads of new games and activities on the Christmas Games page here.
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I've published a two-minute training video on Leading a Small Group. Check out my survey on supporting paid youth, children and families' workers here. We're still losing too many good youth workers. I think you'll find it suprising, challenging and a helpful discussion starter. There's also a blog on avoiding burnout. I'm always adding new games I hear about.
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Let me know what you think here or get in touch if you need any more help. If you've been on the site a few times and I've never said 'Hi!' in the Chat, it's probably because you've turned off cookies. Turn them back on and I'll try and say, 'Hi' some time!
