The Youth Ministry movement has become a monument. Youth leaders are doing so much work, and it all seems worthy. It s big, important stuff. But leaders across the nation quietly suspect that the more we do, the less effective we seem to be in reaching young people. All those retreats and camps, books and seminars, conferences and leadership symposiums what difference do they make in young lives today? As technology accelerates, spiritual apathy increases. Young people are biblically illiterate, bored, and find the church to be irrelevant. Parents are frustrated. Youth leaders are burned out. And high school and college students if they ever attended are leaving the church by the droves. What on earth has gone wrong? Youth Ministry shines a revealing light on standard youth ministry practices, and helps the reader to see what needs to change. The book is full of practical ideas that work in real churches, and includes voices from the trenches perspectives from current youth ministry leaders. Deep down inside, young people want life to matter. The church has something important to offer, but we have to start getting it right."

What do small group leaders need? Good Bible studies that engage their kids. The purpose of this book in the Studies On the Go series is to provide small group leaders with creative and engaging Bible study questions they won t have to rewrite. Students will be pushed, encouraged, and challenged, but the real goal is that they would be changed. David Olshine has designed James, 1-2 Peter, and 1-3 John for the busy youth worker who either lacks the time or the information to lead a quality Bible study. Without skimping on depth and substance, Olshine has constructed down to earth questions that get kids into the text and so they can hear God s Word on a practical level. Each consecutive passage of Scripture sets a topic to help students think deeply, talk openly, and apply what they are learning to their lives."

Even though nearly 2,000 years have passed since Paul wrote his letters, students today are facing many of the same issues as the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. They may be experiencing angst or hurt, or they may be hearing messages that are contrary to what they know to be true about the Gospel. They re probably even dealing with questions about sexuality and morality. By studying these practical letters of Paul, students will learn ways to faithfully cope with the trials of the their day-to-day lives. Through engaging activities and thought-provoking questions that get right to the heart of Philippians, Colossians, and First and Second Thessalonians, students will learn how to find joy in their journey, discover practical instructions of faith, and get encouragement for times of trial. * In Philippians students will learn how to tell the difference between joy and happiness, and they will learn that true joy comes from serving Christ. * In the letter of Paul to the Colossians, students will be encouraged in their faith, and they will learn how to make a difference in the lives of believers and non-believers alike---whether they can see the impact they make or not. They will also discover how to avoid false teachings. * In the two letters to the Thessalonians, students will learn that as believers they should be living in ways that make others excited to get to know God. They will also learn how to reach out for a Christian community for support when they encounter trials. Written with the busy youth worker in mind, Studies on the Go: Philippians, Colossians, and First and Second Thessalonians provides Scriptural depth and substance to be tackled in a manageable time frame. The questions are real, down-to-earth, and straight to the point to get students quickly into the text so they can hear God s word on a practical level. Designed for classes, youth groups, and small groups, this curriculum is guaranteed to get students engaged in the Bible."

Knowledge may get your students pretty far in life, but it won t be enough to get them through some of the daily challenges they will face as Christians. And it won t help them grow in their faith. What students really need is God's wisdom, and for that there s no better place to start than the book of Proverbs. Through engaging activities and thought-provoking questions that get right to the heart of Proverbs, your students will see that even though this book was written thousands of years ago, the instructions still apply to them. By the end of this study, your students will know how to answer questions that include: * How do I know what path to take? * What does God have to say about premarital sex? * How should I respond to money? * How should I treat other people? * How should I handle criticism? Written with the busy youth worker in mind, Studies on the Go: Proverbs provides Scriptural depth and substance to be tackled in a manageable time frame. The questions are real, down-to-earth, and straight to the point to get students quickly into Proverbs so they can hear God s word on a practical level. Designed for Sunday school classes, youth groups, and small groups, this curriculum is guaranteed to get your students excited about and engaged with the Bible."