Nobody ever said that youth ministry was going to be easy. Teens live in a constantly changing world, where most decisions are made based on feelings, emotions and little thought. Just because these are the marks of today’s culture doesn’t mean they should be the marks of our youth ministry programs. Chap Clark and Kara Powell invite youth pastors to go deeper in Deep Ministry in a Shallow World: Not-So-Secret Findings about Youth Ministry (Zondervan, 2006, ISBN# 0-310-26707-2).

Do you feel like you’re treading water in your ministry? Has all the busyness worn you out? Does the constant pressure to produce results leave you wondering if change is necessary? When all these things are stacked against us, it’s tempting to simply implement the latest and greatest youth ministry program or curriculum guide, hoping for fast results. However, too often we fail to take the time to determine whether or not this programming is right for our ministry. Unfortunately, God hasn’t provided us with a one-size-fits-all guide to youth ministry. Clark and Powell, in their many years of youth ministry experience, have come to realize this.

Not promising a clear-cut solution in Deep Ministry, Clark and Powell present a well-thought out model that can be adapted to each unique ministry situation. They encourage youth workers to be intentional about all their changes, assessing what God is currently doing, then pulling from Scripture, great authors of the past and present, research, other ministries, and more to discern what direction is best for your ministry. This book serves as a challenge to youth pastors who are ready to take their ministry to the next level while giving them the encouragement and resources to do so.

—Chris Wagner

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For more information on resources to help you understand today's rapidly changing youth culture, contact the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding.

                ©2007, The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding