Publishing Christian Books.

Posts Tagged ‘Jubilee Centre’

In their drive to offer a biblical perspective on today’s issues, the Jubilee Centre have released a book tackling the ubiquitous problem of personal debt.

In  Free to Live , Guy Brandon provides a practical guide showing us how to apply our faith to all areas of life – including the no-go area of money. See how the Bible offers both relief from financial burden and a radical …

Following the recent publication of Revelation for Everyone, the last title in the New Testament for Everyone series, and the success of The New Testament for Everyone,  Tom Wright will be giving a talk, partaking in a question and answer session and signing books at the London Centre for Spirituality Bookshop. Do come along and join us for an interesting and thought-provoking talk, with some light refreshments too!

“[The For Everyone series] is probably the most exciting thing to have happened in Christian education in Britain for many years.” Expository Times

When? 30 September
What time? 1pm
Where? London Centre for Spirituality Bookshop, Lombard Street, London EC3V 9EA
RSVP to bookshop@spiritualitycentre.org or call 020 7626 5031

What kind of youth worker are you?

A multi-faceted approach

Youth ministry is multi-faceted – it is not a one dimensional activity.  It is about facilitating and empowering young people to have the better, fuller, more abundant, rich and satisfying life that different translations of John 10.10 talk about.  This involves being concerned about their whole lives not just the faith bit, wanting to see them fulfil their potential and be all who God created them to be.  This has been my aim in youth ministry since as a 17-year-old I went with the Church Army to Germany to work with the children of soldiers.  Over 30 years later I still enjoy working with young people and since 1984 have trained others to work with them too!

A fresh vision for youth work

My vision for the book is to inspire and equip others who may want to begin working with young people or get a fresh vision for their existing work.  I deliberately chose an edited book as I work with some really gifted people and wanted to share some of the great work I have seen and heard about over the years.  Authors range from a sixty year old grandfather to graduates of the Centre for Youth Ministry (CYM)  in their early twenties, who are just starting out on their vocational journey to work with young people.   I learnt things from reading the book and have been able to put them into practice in my work.

How the book can help you

Even if you don’t see yourself as a youth minister the book will help you relate to the young people in your church and inspire you to encourage some of the adults  to take on roles that help young people feel a sense of belonging and being cared for.  The idea that ‘it takes a village’ to raise a child works for young people too!  This book seeks to equip you to undertake a range of roles within whatever sort of youth ministry you are doing, helping you to become more effective in your work. We are describing a multi-faceted youth ministry which encompasses values of being God-focused, inclusive, liberative, restorative, redemptive, empowering, reconciling and incarnational.

The ‘roles’ of a youth minister

There are twelve different roles in the book.  Firstly, a politician of integrity.  This is the title of the first chapter as it is foundational to youth ministry – our character communicates so much to young people and it is important that we are consistent in our lives and ministry.  The politician bit comes from the need to negotiate what is often a complex institution with competing priorities.

Next is the idea of a flawed hero which draws on biblical examples to help us understand what leadership looks like in a youth ministry context.  The importance of authenticity is emphasized as well as using power in the right way.

A visionary architect helps build the youth work and this chapter takes us through a step-by-step process and is rooted within a case study which helps us see how it might work out in practice.  The chapter on being an empowering liberator, an informal educator, tells the story of a relationship and the development of character.  Character determines choices and the beliefs, traditions and values of community shape character.

Boundary markers are vital in youth work.  Young people need to feel secure and in youth ministry we need to know how to facilitate groups and respond to challenging behaviour, a little like Jesus needed to do with the disciples!  A community builder seeks to make youth work  hospitable, honest and humble.   It is often said that we don’t always remember what people say to us but we do remember how they made us feel.

A mediating mirror seeks to help young people see themselves as made in the image of God and the chapter is full of practical approaches to enable us to try and mediate a positive identity to the young people we work with.  The guardian of souls is concerned about our spiritual and faith development and seeks to build strong relationships in a context where young people are free to express who they are and where they are on their journey including  the doubts and struggles as well as joys and blessings.   An odyssey guide tries to get alongside young people and help them in their journeys always remembering that we are on a spiritual journey too.

A compassionate presence is vital in work with young people and drawing on the parable of the Good Samaritan appropriate attitudes are identified within the context of seeing our role in relation to the Kingdom of God.

Finally, the chapter on a well-watered tree explores self-care and the importance of sustaining ourselves in ministry so that we can offer young people the support that they need.

Follow-on resources

Each chapter has reflection questions, recommendations for further reading, biblical and theological reflection and stories from practitioners.    Our hope in writing this book is that people will be re-envisioned in their youth work and will reflect on the many roles and facets that can help us attain our goal of building the Kingdom of God amongst young people.

Youth ministry is a special vocation for some but the responsibility of the whole church.  Hopefully this book will provide you with fresh ideas and help you build a team that will offer young people a vision of what Christian life looks like lived out with commitment, passion, joy and faithfulness.  With young people Christianity is as much caught as taught, who we are is more important than what we do.  In most of my youth work I am an odyssey guide and mediating mirror – what are you?