One year today since the launch of Rebooted!

Exactly one year ago today IVP released my book, Rebooted: Reclaiming youth ministry for the long haul – a biblical framework. I’m so grateful to the publisher, editors, designers, readers, reviewers, prayer team, family, fantastic sidebar authors, and my employer – who all worked hard to make Rebooted a reality. To be honest, I’m utterly blown away to have gotten the chance to do this!

Over the last twelve months, I’ve shared the ideas from the book with people in Oxford, York, Poole, Bournemouth, Manchester, Wales, Sweden, London, Derby, and Kent. I’ve been able to speak in Bible Colleges, Diocesan meetings, conferences, and training centres. It’s been a totally surreal journey – mostly living out of my van.

If you’ve not read it, the basic idea is the Bible should drive everything that we do in our youth ministry, but that unfortunately the Bible is often conspicuously absent from a lot of our projects and training. Unlike a lot of other youth ministry books on the market, Rebooted is not trying to be specifically culturally relevant, but ‘supra-culturally’ relevant. This means the base principles should always apply whatever place or time your find yourself in.

What I’ve learned.

A few things have changed. It’s been nice to hear stories both first and third hand about how the book has been helpful. I’m amazed to find it on reading lists on seminary courses around the UK and America. It’s been weird to discover people I don’t know talking about it on social media. It’s also made me open to anonymous criticism – some fair and some odd; but mostly I’m shocked by how many people are enjoying it.

I’ve found the journey to be hard, but still really formational. It’s been humbling. I’ve learned that it’s really hard to sell a youth work book in the UK (which is why so few are published here).

I’ve also found that there’s no ‘acceptable’ amount of self-promotion – someone is always going to be upset. I’ve found social media can be a drug and can also be very cruel.

I’ve found that I’m a little too reformed for some groups, and a little too charismatic for others – I’ve found that the fence can hurt.

I’ve also found, however, that many people are truly wonderful; and most have responded with immense love and grace!

I’ve found that the heart can be pretty hard to wrestle with, and that I desperately need to grow closer to God each day to grow in a humble direction.

I’ve finally found that there are more questions to ponder and more yet to be done. So, watch this space!

Thank you everybody!

So, thank you! Thank you everybody who bought a copy of the book (I think my mum bought at least half of them). Thank you to everyone who has read it – and those who have recommended it and used it for training in your teams and with your students. Thank you to everyone who has shared and reviewed it.

Thank you – more specifically – to Eleanor and everybody at IVP who worked so hard and took a risk on a youth ministry book in the UK.

Thank you, Glen Scrivener, for writing an epic foreword that set the tempo.

Thank you, Mark Oestreicher, Neil O’Boyle, Dr. Sam Richards, Rachel Turner, and Andy DuFeu for writing immense sidebars that lifted the wisdom and experience of the book.

Thank you to my expert readers, Ali Campbell, John Hawksworth, Andy DuFeu, and Rev. Dr. Rob Beamish for reading the drafts and weighing in.

Thank you Martin Saunders, Ajith Fernando, Phil Moon, Graham Stanton, Mark Russell, Ruth Jackson, Mark Oestreicher, Neil O’Boyle, and Andy DuFeu for writing such kind commendations.

Thank you to Youth for Christ for giving me the time and space to write and tour Rebooted, and for all your love and support.

Thank you for my immense prayer team who have stood by me throughout this whole journey from initial conception until now.

Thank you, Katie, my wonderful wife, for being my rock and my companion – and my reality check.

Thank you, fellow youth workers! Lets keep on going for the long haul.