Letters to a Youth Worker


by Mark DeVries


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Letters to a Youth Worker allows you to have some of the best youth ministers in the country ride shotgun on your journey.  This collection includes letters from Walt Mueller, Kara Powell, Andy Root, and many others who provide wisdom and insight into effective youth ministry. Contributors based their letters on one or more of the 44 assets identified in the Exemplary Youth Ministry Study.

Youth Ministry Wisdom for YOU

“You need to be clear on the purpose of youth ministry; you need to be able to finish this sentence: Youth ministry is for …” – Andy Root

What we want you to know is that Jesus has been there for us, every step of the way. You need to know that, but even more than that, you need to practice that, and a lot of us don’t.”  – Duffy Robbins

“I am having an affair. My mistress was my youth ministry.” – Jim Burns

“Wouldn’t it be great to find the youth ministry ‘silver bullet’?” – Kara Powell

“Your talent and personality will only connect with so many in your group.  The sooner we realize this limitation, the sooner we’ll get passionate about finding a diverse group of leaders who can share in the ministry.” – Mark Matlock

“Exemplary youth ministry is not about what you do.  It’s about who you are.” – Walt Muller

Mark DeVries

Mark DeVries is the founder of Youth Ministry Architects and oversees the youth ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee.  His books include Sustainable Youth Ministry and Family-Based Youth Ministry.

Contributors

  1. Lane Alderman
  2. Julie Richardson Brown
  3. Jim Burns
  4. Stephanie Caro
  5. Ben Conner
  6. Jen DeJong
  7. Calenthia Dowdy
  8. Travis Garner
  9. Stephen Ingram
  10. Jake Kircher
  11. Dietrich Kirk
  12. Angela Martin
  13. Rollie Martinson
  14. Mark Matlock
  15. Walt Mueller
  16. Marv Penner
  17. Kara Powell
  18. Duffy Robbins
  19. Christian Robertson
  20. Andrew Root
  21. Chan Sheppard
  22. Mark Yaconelli
  23. Betsy Zarzour
  24. Andrew Zirschky

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Sample Letters
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Get Trained

Editor's Note: This letter is an excerpt from CYMT's book Letters to a Youth Worker, edited by Mark DeVries. Dear Theologian, Yes. You are a theologian. Anytime you open the Bible and read the scriptures, anytime you talk about God or your Christian faith, you do theology. It may not be intentional, but it’s inescapable: You are chief theologian and biblical interpreter for the young people who gather around you. It’s a high and holy calling. My question is: Why insist on doing Read More→

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Surviving the Groaning, the Sighing, the Smirking

Editor's Note: This letter is excerpted from CYMT's book Letters to a Youth Worker, edited by Mark DeVries. Dear Youthworker, Sometimes I’ve wondered, “Which am I? Youth Leader? Mother? Hmmm…Youth Leader? Mother? I’m both. And when I really dig deep, I begin to realize that the only difference between the two is the fact that the baby didn’t actually emerge from the body of the youth pastor (which may, in fact, be why the youth pastors I know look so young, so fit, and so Read More→

Shortening the Learning Curve

Dear Youthworker, For those of you just starting out in youth ministry, I am so excited for you and for the journey you are beginning. Your call to work with young people means there’s a good chance you have a love for duct tape, mud pits, or dodge balls. But it also says something about your love for Jesus. It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that the main goal in youth ministry is to see kids move closer to their Savior and strengthen their faith in Him. But as I Read More→