Top Ten youth ministry resources

These are in no particular order.  Although the first few I personally like and recommend strongly.

I have found each one to be very helpful.  Some focus on youth ministry training, while others provide helpful resources such as curriculum and books.  Taken as a whole, this list is aimed to provide a youth worker with a holistic and balanced resource for their personal, professional, theological, and spiritual development.

Additionally, there are great resources for your students and your youth ministry program.  This list is intended to be diverse in nature.  I suppose that sub categories could arise from this list including: books, programming, blogs, journals, education, missions, training, etc…

These resources have blessed me personally in my own development in youth ministry over the past decade. Some of these are new, while others have a long (and good) track record in youth ministry.  I hope all of these will be around in the next decade as I sincerely believe they make a signficant contribution to the youth ministry realm.

Again, my list is not complete and I would love for you to comment with other helpful resources and websites (even if its your own)  Self promotion is fine with me!

I look for new and upcoming resources and also have an eye on ideas and ministries that are progressive and emerging.  I also try to include good academic/theological resources for those of you interested in pursuing more of that stream of youth ministry.  I left out youth missions/service resources as that can be a completely separate category.

I will attempt to provide a very concise overview of each resources (and by concise I mean really really short)

1)  Youth Specialties (the mecca of all things youth ministry)

Youth Specialties

2) Barefoot Ministries (training, youth worker development, theology, spiritual formation for students)

Barefoot Ministries

3) The “Group” network (an assortment of everything from events, missions trips, curriculum, books, coaching, training)

Group-youth ministry

Youthministry.com

4) National Network of Youth Ministries (regional and national networking)

Youthworkers.net

5)  Youth Worker (lessons, magazine, articles, programming)

Youth Worker

6) YMtoday (articles, books, resources)

YMtoday

7 ) Student Ministry ( a youth pastor friendly site by and for youth pastors)

Studentministry.org

8 ) Fuller Youth Institute (theology, research, leadership, academics)

Fuller Youth Institute

9) PTS- Institute of Youth Ministry (theology, research, forums, degrees & certificates, academics,)

Princeton Theological Seminary Institute of Youth Ministry

Princeton Institute on Facebook

10) Sparkhouse– publishing & curriculum w/ innovation, creativity, and imagination for church and youth ministry)

Sparkhouse

Moving on up……

Youth Ministry 360 (* a new site for training, networking, bible studies, and resources)

Youth Ministry 360

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networking in Nashville…NYWC 2010

Later this week, I will be traveling to the land of BBQ and country music…Nashville, TN for the National Youth Workers Convention. NYWC 2010

NYWC_Brochure_2010

I will be blogging and tweeting on a regular basis during my time there so stay tuned.

If you will be attending this year, I would love to try to connect up with you.

This will be my 10th year attending (hard to believe!), and each year I look forward to it more and more.

While the training, content, music, and speakers are all great and inspirational, what I appreciate and need more than ever is the time and space to pause, reflect, and re-connect with God and others.

NYWC does a fantastic job of allowing for and creating sacred space for these moments. Around this time of year (every year) I often get bogged down and stressed.  These few days offer an escape and chance to recharge my batteries.  Some years I attend every seminar and session offered.  Other times, I take the opportunity to find solace and peace and rediscover my passion for students.

Over the past few years, the connections, conversations, and friendships made have probably been the most important to me.  During these conventions I have had the opportunity to meet so many youth workers, writers, theologians, volunteers, etc.. and maintain regular relationships with them to this day.  These connections have lead to times of support and encouragement, not to mention opportunities to partner and collaborate on projects and ministry.

For me, youth ministry is all about relationships with 1)  our students 2) other youth workers

It’s these relationships that keep me motivated, inspired, and challenged to continue in the journey.

Please do shoot a message or send a tweet if you will be around for NYWC 2010.

Here are a few of the places you might find me meandering around at in the big room (the one with all the tables and booths set up for ministries that like to give stuff away and then get to you sign up for stuff….)

Here are a few that I have affiliation with and support their cause and vision.  There are other great organizations and ministries represented that I hope to check out and connect with as well and have provided a link at the end.

Barefoot Ministries with Chris Folmsbee

Barefoot Ministries

We Are Sparkhouse (Re:form Confirmation) with Andy Root and Tony Jones

We are Sparkhouse

XP3 Students with Jeremy Zach

XP3 students

My Broken Palace with CJ Casciotta

My broken palace

YWJ (Youth Worker Journal)

Youth Worker

YMtoday

Youth Ministry Today

NNYM (National Network of Youth Ministries)

YouthWorkers

Click here for a complete list of all the exhibitors

NYWC 2010 exhibitors

Updates from Nashville to be typed with BBQ sauce-dripped hands in a few days…..