"A Youth group is not only about your teenager. Youth ministry, done well, includes and impacts the entire family. Practical Wisdom for Parents is not a book about how to make your teens sit down and have a family devotional. Instead, this book will help you and your teen thrive and flourish during these important years. David and Walter give numerous practical suggestions on how you can work alongside and support those leading your youth ministry, including a variety of ways you can support and be involved in your teen's youth ministry experience. Many of their ideas are "behind the scenes" that don't require you to teach a class or lead a devotional. However, your partnership role with your youth ministry leadership will be clearly articulated throughout"--

Understanding Your Young Teen is a book on early adolescent development for parents of young teens and pre-teens. Parents of young teens will 1. Gain an understanding of the unique and not-always-obvious realities of early adolescent development. This new understanding can greatly enhance parents’ patience, parenting approaches, and relationship with their child. 2. Review the developmental uniquenesses of the young teen years. Most parents don’t fully appreciate the changes that are taking place in their teens bodies, minds and relationships. This resource will give them a solid understanding of those areas. 3. Explore new research and cultural changes. Parents will get a better understanding of the changing landscape of teen culture and see how much as changed since they were young teens. The bulk of the book will be based on the first half of: Middle School Ministry. The developmental chapters will be re-written for parents, and will not only include the developmental issues themselves, but the practical implications for parenting and living with young teens. A strong pro-young teen bias will permeate the book, as my affection for young teens and conviction that this age is a great opportunity for faith formation will be woven through all chapters. While the book will be based on research and experience, the tone will be conversational, from one parent of young teens to others. First-person tense will be used throughout, along with examples from my family and extensive involvement with young teens.

You have the passion it takes to serve in youth ministry, but where do you start? All youth ministers have asked this question to themselves at least once in their career: "What do I do now?" Practical Wisdom for Youth Ministry is a practical, concise starting point to help answer that question and many others. This resource is packed with expert advice and personal testimony to support and encourage ministers and volunteers working with youth. Practical Wisdom for Youth Ministry addresses many pressing issues for youth ministers with straightforward steps that are both biblically grounded and easy to apply. It discusses large-scale concerns such as organization, budgeting, and outreach, as well as personal concerns such as marriage, self care, and conflict. For new and veteran youth ministers, David Fraze offers the necessary tools to help build a strong foundation for effective, powerful ministry.

The most powerful force in a young person's life is his or her family. The importance of this is pointed out in the writing of the Torah in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, where believers are mandated to pass their family legacies to the next generations. The newest trend in youth ministry today is a very healthy move toward family-based ministry, a mind-set that helps the church act as a support system, while placing discipleship and training back into the hands of family. Partnering with Parents in Youth Ministry will help youth workers understand their unique role in helping families succeed and will give an overview strategy of family-based youth ministry, as well as practical ideas on implementing this awesome ministry in your church.

Many parents of a teenager or young adult feel as though they're guessing about what to do next--with mixed results. We want to stay connected with our maturing child, but we're not sure how. And deep down, we fear our child doesn't want or need us. Based on brand-new research and interviews with remarkable families, Growing With equips parents to take steps toward their teenagers and young adults in a mutual journey of intentional growth that trusts God to transform them all. By highlighting three groundbreaking family strategies, authors Kara Powell and Steven Argue show parents that it's never too early or too late to - accept the child you have, not the child you wish you had - work toward solutions rather than only identifying problems - develop empathy that nudges rather than judges - fight for your child, not against them - connect your children with a faith and church big enough to handle their doubts and struggles - dive into tough discussions about dating, career, and finances - and unleash your child's passions and talents to change our world For any parent who longs for their kids to keep their roots even as they spread their wings, Growing With offers practical help and hope for the days--and years--ahead.

The Kids in Your Youth Group Are Not Isolated Beingshellip; Ministry to Youth Means Ministry to the Families! Churches are hiring Youth and Family Pastors, finally, in an overdue ministry focus. A critical component of a family-based or family-friendly youth ministry is a conscious strategy for ministry to the parents of adolescents. Expectations and opportunities in the area of parent and family ministry have increased dramatically. Youth Worker's Guide to Parent Ministry develops a model of parent ministry based on the belief that for a youth worker to be truly effective, it is important to lay careful relational groundwork to ensure that the right to be heard has been earned. Dr. Marv Penner, respected adolescent researcher, youth pastor, and family counselor, presents nine evolving levels of parent ministryndash;each one strengthening the credibility of the youth worker and opening doors to deeper and more meaningful parent support. Each of the nine levels is supported with a number of practical ideas and strategies for implementation. Youth Worker's Guide to Parent Ministry provides both a theoretical framework and the tools for implementation in local-church or para-church settings. Marv constructs his effective plan in a "Paradigm Pyramid"-rationale and practical hands-on programming ideas at each of the nine evolving levels of parent ministry: Acknowledgement Affirmation Information Encouragement Connecting Equipping Involvement Educating Co-nurturing Bible-based, time-tested, innovative, experiential, adoptable! Youth Worker's Guide to Parent Ministry is a foundational text in this vital area of youth ministry! Featured are sessions, sidebars, Web links, application points, contests and games, sample newsletter ideas, funky cartoons, and many worksheets (all downloadable and adaptable)!

You have one of the toughest and most important jobs out there: raising teenagers. Their reputation precedes them: cluttered rooms, changing moods, curfew wars and confusing relationships haunt the dreams of parents well before their oldest child hits adolescence. Wayne Rice, founder of Understanding Your Teenager, has compiled more than a hundred of the most common concerns that parents bring to him, questions like How should I respond when my daughter is disrespectful? When is it appropriate for teenagers to start dating? What do I do when my son refuses to go to church? My kids asked me if I ever used drugs. Should I tell the truth or lie about it? In There's a Teenager in My House a team of youth ministry experts including Mark DeVries Duffy Robbins David Olshine Tim Smith Jim Green Marv Penner Kendra Smiley Dave Veerman who offer practical, wise answers based on their years of experience ministering to (and raising) teenagers. The teenage years are tough on parents. They're tough on kids too. But with the helpful insights you'll find in There's a Teenager in My House, you can endure--and even enjoy--this exciting season of your child's life.