Purpose Driven Youth Ministry

If you long to reach kids and see their lives changed by God, this comprehensive guide shows you how. Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry will do for youth ministry what Rick Warren's Gold Medallion award-winning The Purpose-Driven Church is doing for pastoral ministry. It's an indispensable guide to creating and maintaining youth ministry for the long run. It will help you create a solid spiritual team that builds the foundations of the Christian faith into the hearts and lives of young people. Forged around the fundamental purposes of evangelism, discipleship, ministry, and worship, Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry uses the experiences of Saddleback Church to illustrate what a healthy youth ministry can be.

 Balancing both theory and practice, Purpose Driven Youth Ministry can be applied to any church setting, regardless of size, denomination, facilities, resources, and existing leadership.

"Doug Fields has not just written a book about youth ministry philosophy, he has provided a thorough and workable handbook for any youth ministry program, big or small. I believe Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry will be the standard by which all youth ministry programs are judged for years to come."

 Chap Clark, Ph.D., Director, Youth and Family Ministries Program, Fuller Theological Seminary

"This is the book every youth worker should read before doing anything else. Doug Fields provides a refreshingly practical framework for youth ministry that is not only effective, but thoroughly biblical."

 Wayne Rice, Director, Understand Your Teenager Seminars

"Doug Field's book, Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry, should be in every serious youth leader's and pastor's library."

 Bill Muir, Senior Vice President, Youth For Christ, USA

Author: Doug Fields has been in youth ministry for almost 20 years. He has written over 20 books. He earned his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is youth pastor at Saddleback Church , and for ten years has been an instructor for Youth Specialties.

Contents

Foreword   11

Acknowledgements   13

Introduction   15

Component One:  The Power of God

1.    Healthy Youth Ministries Have Healthy Leaders   27

Component Two: Purpose

2. Discovering the Five Purposes for Your Youth Ministry   43

3. Why a Purpose Statement Is Important and How to Create One   55

4. Conveying Your Purpose and Leading by Example   70

Component Three:  Potential Audience

5. Identifying Students' Commitments   83

Component Four: Programs

6. Reaching Community Students   103

  Fulfilling God's Purpose of Evangelism

7. Keeping Crowd Students   115

  Fulfilling God's Purpose of Worship

8. Nurturing Congregation Students   137

  Fulfilling God's Purpose of Fellowship

9. Preparing Committed Students   156

  Fulfilling God's Purpose of Discipleship

10. Challenging Core Students   173

  Fulfilling God's Purpose of Ministry

11. Five Characteristics of Healthy Youth Programs   194

Component Five:  Process

12. Using a Visual Process to Communicate Your Spiritual Growth Plan   209

Component Six:  Planned Values  

13. Defining and Communicating Important Values   233

Component Seven: Parents

14. Teaming Up with Parents for a Family-Friendly Youth Ministry   251

Component Eight:  Participating Leaders

15. Finding the Leaders Your Students Deserve   271

16. Helping Potential Leaders Become Ministers   290

Component Nine:  Perseverance

17. Handling Pressure, Projects, and Time Demands   313

18. Disciplining Positively   327

19. Initiating Purpose-Driven Change   344

Appendix A: Your First Two Years   359

Appendix B:  Differences Between Junior High and High School Ministries at Saddleback Church   361

Appendix C:  Getting Students Into the Bible   363

Appendix D:  Guide to Programs   365

Appendix E:  Finding your S.H.A.P.E. in Student Ministries

Appendix F:  Volunteer Application Packet   372

Appendix G:  Youth Ministry Staff Commitments 385

Appendix H:  Calendars   386

Appendix I:   Further Resources   390

Index   391