‘TOGETHER – Life changing perspectives to inspire youth ministry’
(2015, published by the White Signature)
‘TOGETHER – Life changing perspectives to inspire youth ministry’ is the title of this fantastic little book just published (2015) with contributions by 20 youth ministry practitioners, and all of them from Ireland (North and South). It brings together the combined wisdom and experience of youth leaders from churches and ministries large and small – names such as Jim Brown (Director of Exodus Europe), Helen Warnock (General Director of Scripture Union, NI), Alain Emerson (leader of 24-7 Prayer Ireland), Gillian Gilmore (of the Methodist Church’s Youth and Children’s Department), Neil Young (Associate Pastor at Causeway Coast Vineyard, Coleraine), and Mitch (Christian communicator and co-founder of Crown Jesus Ministries) have all contributed insights from their own life’s journey that will help you navigate your own course. While this book is by youth leaders for youth leaders it is highly recommended to any disciple of Jesus Christ wanting to learn how to respond more effectively to Jesus’ commission to go and make disciples.
The result is a book steeped in a deep passion for youth ministry and anchored in Biblical truths and practical advice. The content is split into two sections: Landmarks and Signposts. The 6 Landmark chapters, written by experienced youth leaders who together represent over 100 years of combined experience, deal with foundational aspects of youth ministry: Disciple Making, Bible, Prayer, Church, Evangelism and Action. The Signposts offer 14 succinct, practical examples of contextual issues faced when engaging with young people.
Where better to start for our first taster, than with an extract from the opening Landmark written by Jim Brown (Director of Exodus Europe) and entitled “Landmark 1 – Disciple Making – the call of every youth leader”?
Taster 1: “The gospels record the story of a mobile discipleship training school and the journeys of its 12 unlikely participants … As we drop in on the open-air classrooms, dinner table discussions and ministry challenges, we can see that Jesus deliberately engaged His young apprentices in all sorts of environments that would anchor truth, mould their hearts and create opportunities for service. For Jesus a boat trip became faith expansion, a barbecue became an opportunity for renewal, a long walk became a time for revelation, a bottle of perfume became an opening for worship, while extending hospitality became a moment for mission. These environments were full of ‘everydayness’, unpredictability and sometimes the seemingly outrageous…”*
But, as Jim makes it abundantly clear, it is not just youth leaders that are called to be disciple makers – we all are, if we a part of Jesus’ Kingdom: “disciple making is the mission of the Church not just an added extra for the committed.”*
Over the coming weeks the Church Page will be featuring short extracts on our blog and reaction to this fantastic book called TOGETHER – Life changing perspectives to inspire youth ministry.
For more information on the TOGETHER project check out any of the following links – to go to their website click here or to follow on social media click here for their Facebook page and here to follow them on Twitter.
[*Extracts used with permission]