Resources for Youth Ministry

Here is a compilation of books, articles, web sites and missions opportunities:

Books
On Youth Ministry:
The Godbearing Life, The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Minstry, by Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster, 1998.
Black and White Styles of Youth Ministry, Two Congregations in America, by William R. Myers, 1991.
Starting Right, Thinking Theologically About Youth Ministry, Kenda Creasy Dean, Chap Clark, and Dave Rahn, editors, 2001.
Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church, by Kenda Creasy Dean, 2004.
Soul Shaper,Exploring Spirituality and Contemplative Practices in Youth Ministry, by Tony Jones, 2003.
The Core, Nine Bilblical Prinicples That Mark Healthy Youth Ministries, Mike Yaconelli, 2004.
Teaming Up, Shared Leadership in Youth Ministry, Ginny Holdernes, 1997.
City Lights, Ministry Essentials for Reaching Urban Youth, Scott Larson and Karen Free, editors, 2002.

On Adolescents:
A Tribe Apart, a Journey into the Heart of American Adolescence, by Patricia Hersch
Revivinig Ophelia, Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, by Mary Pipher, 1995.

On Spiritual Practices:
Practicing Our Faith, A Way of Life for a Searching People, edited by Dorothy C. Bass, 1998.
Way To Live, Christian Practices for Teens, Edited by Dorothy C. Bass and Don C. Richter, 2002.

On Vocation:
Let Your Life Speak, Listening for the Voice of Vocation, by Parker Palmer, 1999.
Forgetting Ourselves on Purpose: Vocation and the Ethics of Ambition, Brian J. Mahan and Robert Coles, 2002.

On Christian Community:
A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life, Parker Palmer, 2004.
Cultivating Christian Community, Thomas R. Hawkins, 2001.


Articles
On Youth Ministry:
“Passing it on: reflections on youth ministry,” The Christian Century, October 4, 2003, interview with Kenda Creasy Dean, Roger Nishioka, and Evelyn L. Parker.
“Youth Ministry: Beyond Bowling and Pizza Parties: Looking for a BIG God to Answer BIG Questions” by Kenda Creasy Dean - 2001 Partners Convocation at Wesley Theological Seminary.
“Youth ministry: A contemplative approach - spiritual education and educators,” by Mark Yaconelli, The Christian Century, April 21, 1999.
“Believing and belonging - Catholic youth ministry,” by Richard A. Kauffman, The Christian Century, October 4, 2003.


On Adolescents:
“Youth Leadership: A Guide to Understanding Leadership Development in Adolescents. - Review - book reviews,” by Charles R. Foster, The Christian Century, December 9, 1998.
“Something to live for: what adolescents want,” by Kenda Creasy Dean, The Christian Century, March 9, 2004.

On Spiritual Practices:
“Body language - Clothing ourselves and others,” The Christian Century, January 16, 2002, by Stephanie Paulsell.

Curriculum
Soul Tending, Life Forming Practices for Older Youth and Young Adults, Abingdon Press, 2002.

Links
http://www.practicingourfaith.org/---Living out Christian Practices
http://www.waytolive.org/---Christian Practices for Teens
http://www.ptsem.edu/iym/---The Princeton Theological Seminary Institute on Youth and Theology
http://www.ymsp.org/welcome.html---The Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project
http://www.idreamachurch.com/grants.asp---Grants for creative youth ministry projects
http://www.citymissions.org/network.htm---Inner city missions focusing upon outreach and reflection
http://www.gbod.org/youth/newsletter/fall2004/default.html---newsletter on youth ministry from the UMC


Missions
Home repair/new home building:
http://www.impactflorida.org/---UM home repair ministry in central Florida
http://www.asphome.org/---UM home repair ministry in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Viginia
http://www.hendersonsettlement.com/---multi-faceted UM ministry with persons who are poor living in southeastern Kentucky
http://www.rbmission.org/---another multi-faceted UM ministry with persons who are poor and living in southeastern Kentucky
http://www.sosmemphis.org/---a home repair ministry in Memphis, Tennessee
http://www.inoutreach.org/---Outreach Incorporated---a home repair and new home building ministry in Birmingham, AL, located in Woodlawn United Methodist Church
http://www.sierraserviceproject.org/---UM home repair in the western U.S.
http://www.habitat.org/---habitat for humanity

Experience ministry with the urban poor:
http://www.opendoorcommunity.org/---the Open Door Community is a residential Christian community in the Catholic Worker tradition that seeks to create the Beloved Community on Earth through a loving relationship with some of the most neglected and outcast of God’s children: the homeless and our sisters and brothers who are in prison.

Outside the U.S.:
http://www.strongmissions.infrahomepage.com/index.html---Costa Rica and Nicaragua
http://www.methodisthabitat.org/index.html---the Bahamas

A Wide Variety of Mission Opportunities:
http://www.umvim.org/home.htm---United Methodist Volunteers in Missions, providing excellent help in organizing a mission trip, as well as insurance for the trip