Category: Book reviews

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Matthew McNutt reviews “4 Views on Pastoring LGBTQ Teenagers”

The Youth Cartel‘s recent release, “4 Views on Pastoring LGBTQ Teenagers,” is critical reading for anyone connected to youth ministry. I’ll be honest; I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. When they first announced it as an upcoming book, I assumed it would be like most contrasting views books; a debate on whether or not youth ministry should minister to LGBTQ teens. I was wrong; this book assumes that as people created in the image of God, every church has a divine calling to minister to LGBTQ teens. This book is not a theological debate, rather, it is a presentation of a range of approaches to practical ministry with young people.

Continue reading Matthew McNutt reviews “4 Views on Pastoring LGBTQ Teenagers”

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Book Review: Grow Down

I met Ken Castor a few years ago on an American youth ministry conference. It was my first time there (I was still living in Germany at the time) and I didn’t really know many people. While worshiping, the band played a song that brought back fresh grief over a student I had lost only a month before and I broke down in tears. Ken didn’t know me at all, but he sat right next to me and asked me if everything was okay, supported me. It was a powerful experience for me and I never forgot this kindness of a complete stranger (at that time, we later connected a few more times at conferences).

The reason I’m sharing this story with you, is that sometimes, knowing an author’s character is important because it helps you determine whether they’re the real thing or not. It’s easy to put theories on paper, especially about Christian living, but it’s a whole different story to live them out in real life yourself. Ken’s book Grow Down shows you what an overflowing life rooted in Christ should look like and knowing Ken personally, he’s living this out himself. This book is not theory, it was born in practice. Continue reading Book Review: Grow Down

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Storify is out on Kindle

It took a little longer than planned, but my book Storify: Speaking to Teenagers in a Post-Christian World is out on Kindle. As of now, it’s available for $9.99 on Amazon US.

My European friends are at a great advantage here, as the book is only EUR 2.99 or GBP 2.99 on all European Amazon stores. That’s a steal! So get it while this lasts, because I’m pretty sure these low prices will go up at some point. Continue reading Storify is out on Kindle

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In Search of Adolescence: An Embarrassingly Good Book

It’s not often that I feel embarrassed after reading a book. Yeah, maybe sometimes when I picked a romance that was a little…steamier than I had imagined. But I can’t recall a book that left me embarrassed because it completely corrected some preconceived notions.

Yet that’s exactly how I felt after reading Crystal Kirgiss’ book In Search of Adolescence. I was a firm and loyal part of the ‘adolescence is a modern cultural construct’ tribe and boy, did this book prove me wrong. Continue reading In Search of Adolescence: An Embarrassingly Good Book

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6 Books to Read if You’re New to Youth Ministry

I spoke at Open Boston last week and met some wonderful youth leaders. One young woman asked me for advice. She is new to youth ministry and had a deep sense of “I don’t know what I’m doing”. Well, that certainly sounds familiar because that’s exactly how I felt when I became a youth ministry volunteer for the first time! Seriously, I felt overwhelmed and I was making stuff up as I went along.

At that time, there wasn’t much available in The Netherlands (where I lived back then) in youth ministry resources and training. And that may be the case for you as well, as I have many readers outside of the US (which I love by the way—it’s such an honor to serve churches in South Africa, Nigeria, Brazil, The Philippines, India, Australia, the UK, you name it). You may not have access to training, a formal education, or even resources. Continue reading 6 Books to Read if You’re New to Youth Ministry

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Are Teens Losing Conversational Skills Due to Phones?

Teenagers are losing their skills in conversations because of the role smart phones play in their lives. That’s, in a nutshell, the premise of the book Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. And boy, it’s a challenging read…

Author Sherry Turkle is a MIT Professor in the Social Studies of Science and Technology. She’s not a nobody, to put it mildly—she’s been researching the psychology of people’s relationships with technology for over thirty years. She kinda knows what she’s talking about, which makes the book so powerful to read. Continue reading Are Teens Losing Conversational Skills Due to Phones?

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Book Review: Masterminds and Wingmen

This is the most detailed, research-based, yet practical book on boys you will ever find. After the bestseller Queen Bees and Killer Bees (which led to the movie Mean Girls), Rosalind Wiseman has now focused on boys and how they interact in groups.

Masterminds and Wingmen explores the roles boys have in a group, for instance the mastermind (the leader), the entertainer, or the conscience. Wiseman described these roles in an article for Family Circle, which gives a good overview.

The book isn’t just about the roles boys have in groups—though that’s an underlying structure that Wiseman keeps referring to. She tackles topics like gaming, girls, sports, communication, lying, bullying, and much more. Continue reading Book Review: Masterminds and Wingmen

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Book Review: Guyland

If you want to understand guys better, Guyland is a solid place to start. Reading it certainly opened my eyes to the reality of being a boy/guy/man in America.

Author Michael Kimmel explores the world of guys, meaning 16-26 year olds, and the picture he paints is a startling one. It especially focuses on college students and the life they lead—tackling topics like binge drinking, hazing, hooking up, and the infamous ‘guy code’. Continue reading Book Review: Guyland

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Intentional Living: 5 Lessons

Living intentionally is the key to a life that matters. That’s the core message of John Maxwell’s newest book, aptly titled Intentional Living. For those struggling to take the steps into a life of making a difference, this book inspires you in how to get there. Here are 5 lessons I took away from this book. Continue reading Intentional Living: 5 Lessons