Rowdy, restless, silly, out of control, moody, vulgar, disrespectful, unpredictable -- this may be the junior high stereotype, writes youth ministry expert Wayne Rice. But early adolescents' enthusiasm, loyalty, energy, candidness, and willingness to learn -- these more than compensate for the well-publicized hazards of working with middle schoolers. In

Kurt Johnston, junior high ministry pastor at Saddleback Church, helps to show that middle school ministry—one of the most overlooked, misunderstood, and important ministries—can be made simple. This is a biblical, practical, and culturally relevant approach from a guy who's been making a difference in the lives of junior highers

Youth ministry fundamentals at your fingertips! Or call it a light-hearted primer to a serious subject. A Youth Ministry Crash Course is 150 to-the-point entries on issues you face every week -- topics that are described, simplified, illustrated, and occasionally tweaked by a couple of veteran youth workers who've acquired

A first-of-its-kind study of Protestant youth ministers reveals the hopes, frustrations, and effectiveness of today’s youth workers.Of the 7,000 youth workers assembled in 1996 under Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, a sample of 2,130 full-time youth ministers from dozens of Protestant denominations and parachurch organizations answered a battery of exhaustive, deliberate questions

Features 50 two-page journaling devotionals sends students straight into the words of Jesus to discover the truth--then it dares them to live that truth today.