It’s more common in youth ministry than we want to admit—burnout and failure. Exhaustion, frustration, disappointment, and conflict bring many youth workers to a point where they either choose a new church, a new career, or someone makes that choice for them. After thirty years of youth ministry experience, Len Kageler wants to help youth workers avoid the pitfalls that are common to their calling, and give them the tools to not only survive, but also to thrive in youth ministry. Along with his own wisdom, Len offers insights gained from his 2006 survey of more than 300 burned out or fired youth workers who come from a variety of ministry contexts and denominations. If you’re new to youth ministry, or you’ve been at it for a while and feel like you may be on the verge of burnout, The Youth Ministry Survival Guide will help you: • deal with conflict and compromise • determine the causes of burnout (and how to avoid them!) • discover how your personality, and the personality of those you work with, affects the dynamics of your ministry experience • develop the best plan for working with senior pastors, church leadership, parents, and students, so you can… • do youth ministry in your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond! Don’t let burnout force you out! Inside this book you’ll find steps you can take to help build fences against failure, and you’ll learn what it takes to survive and thrive in youth ministry.

This wonderful and easy read helps new and future youth workers set patterns in life and ministry that will keep them whole and healthy, and away from burnout.

A companion guide to This Way to Youth Ministry that offers practical applications, theological foundations, and valuable information for the student beginning a youth ministry.

Drawing on the wisdom of insightful leaders around the country, Josh McDowell's Youth Ministry Handbook equips youth workers to help kids connect with God--and with their parents, their peers, and a world in need of Christ. Featuring articles from Dawson McAllister, Barry St. Clair, Jim Burns, Tony Campolo, Al Menconi, John Maxwell, George Barna, and others, this is an invaluable leadership resource with practical, useful ideas for today's youth workers.

An experienced youth pastor gives practical and workable ways to overcome specific barriers to growth and increase attendance in your youth group. Topics include overcoming "growth anxiety", working with obnoxious and apathetic kids, dealing with space problesm, and maintaining your ministry while you grow. Each chapter includes the quotes of youth workers from across the country.

Bible College and Seminary are not able to cover everything that happens in the real world of ministry. The practical experience in this book will help youth workers maintain focus and to avoid certain pitfalls. If you are involved with youth work, you need this book. It's like having your own mentor working alongside of you.