11 Essential Youth Ministry Books

So I love books. Love em! I like to hold them, smell them, lick them. I love how they look on my shelves. I even like reading them occasionally.

Speaking of my epic-book-shelf-of-awesomeness, I have exactly 113 youth and children’s work books. Which is a nice ego stroking humble brag to add in. I’ve even read a few of them.

In all seriousness, I intend to add a book review section to this blog soon and give you more insight into the wide tomes of youth ministry literature, but today I’ll just give you my top eleven.

I’ve written a post before on the best books for youth ministry that aren’t about youth ministry, and I’ve also written an essential list of theology books for youth workers who are serious about learning.

Today, however, is back to basics. These are my top eleven youth work books that I think every youth worker should have on their shelves and read.

Yes, my book is on here! (Sorry). But I wrote it exactly because I thought it was needed and that it didn’t already exist, so I’m only going to apologise so much. (Sorry). … (Sorry).

1. Christian Youth Work by Mark Ashton and Phil Moon

My very favorite youth work book, not least because it is exactly the same age as me! It’s a great overview of God’s plan for young people and the church with a double edge approach; understand the Bible and understand culture.

2. Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries

The only author to get two books on here. This is DeVries at his best, looking into the long-term plan for youth ministry, and how that fits in a context of local church ministry.

3. Family-Based Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries

Back to Mark, this takes a good long look at where youth work has been, and how to dove-tail it back into the local church. It’s hands down the best advocate for the inter-generational model.

4. When God Shows Up by Mark Senter III

This covers the history of modern youth ministry as it unfolded in America. Although it needs to be read alongside something like Pete Ward’s Growing Up Evangelical for a UK perspective, it still gives helpful context for why we do what we do – and how we can change it.

5. Giving Up Gimmicks by Brian Cosby

Cosby loves grace, he loves the Bible, and he loves the church. This is an easy-to-read book on bringing the three of them together.

6. Growing Up by Dave Fenton

Another great example of an easy-to-read book that spells out why the Bible and the wider church are so important to youth ministry. Well worth it.

7. Models for Youth Ministry by Steve Griffiths

This is a great theological reflection on the life of Jesus and how it looks in youth ministry against the classically adopted ‘incarnational model.’ A very important critique on modern youth ministry complete with a hope and a promise, while firmly placed on Scripture.

8. Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry by Doug Fields

A simple set of practical principles mixed with self-care advice for the new youth worker. It’s probably more helpful for an American context, or for bigger churches, but still full of wise tidbits nonetheless.

9. Gospel Centered Youth Ministry, edited by Cameron Cole and Jon Nielson

A fab set of evangelically-driven essays looking at youth ministry practice from a theologically sound basis.

10. Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli

The first youth ministry book I read all the way through and still one of the most important. Yaconelli helps us develop the prayer and worship language of our ministries, thus mining greater depths in our young people.

11. Rebooted, Reclaiming Youth Ministry for the Long Haul – a Biblical Framework, by me (sorry).

Rebooted goes through every section of the Bible, in order, and draws out eight essential practices for youth ministry in any context. I think it’s important, I hope it proves helpful!

What will this whole book-package cost?

I hope this is a useful list! And – even better – if you buy used, you can pick all of these up on Amazon marketplace right now for about £75 including mainland UK delivery. Ask for that as a reading budget for the next few months and get them ordered. You won’t regret it.

Honorable Mentions:

Fruit That Will Last by Tim Hawkins; Youthwork From Scratch by Martin Saunders; Young People and the Bible by Phil Moon; Youth Ministry Handbook by Josh McDowell (ed.); One Generation from Extinction by Mark Griffiths; No Guts No Glory by Alan Stewart (ed.); and anything by Ken Moser.

Elephants in the Room:

Some books I’ve missed out not because they’re unsound or unhelpful, but because they really only work for an American context, and prove less useful over here in the UK. They include Purpose Driven Youth Work by Doug Fields and This Way to Youth Ministry by Duffy Robbins. Great books in their place, but that place is probably not post-Christendom 21st Century UK.

I’ve also missed out Starting Right, edited by Kendra Creasy Dean, Chap Clark, and Dave Rahn, and anything by Andrew Root. Although these are important books to be grappled with, they do represent specific and narrowly defined bands of theology which may be less than helpful if not reading more critically. Linked to this I’ve not added the also popular Youthwork and the Mission of God by Pete Ward. Ward is a great thinker, and his more recent books are simply superb. This older book, however, advocates for an unguarded incarnational approach which I just think it best left in the 90s.

Finally, I haven’t listed specifically children’s or family’s ministry books. Check out anything by Rachel Turner, or the classic Family Ministry by Diana Garland. These are great books – just outside my wheelhouse and the wheelhouse of this post.