Reaching a Generation for Christ


Book Description

Things have changed. The Truth has not. The 1950's are gone forever. The days of the Sunday school attendance award and the much-loved Sunday school picnic have faded into oblivion. Yet some youth ministries still operate as if today's kids are living in a vacuum, unaffected by the changing morals of today's society. How can we reach these kids with the truth of the gospel? More than fifty of America's youth experts give advice and encouragement to those who long to see this generation know the love of Christ. They help readers think through their philosophies of youth ministry, break down barriers that impede progress, and maximize their own gifts and the gifts of those who work with them. They answer tough questions such as: How can leaders build a relational youth ministry? How can we find and support volunteers? What are the issues women face in youth ministry? How do we minister in ethnic communities? How should we respond to popular culture? How can we help hurting adolescents? You can have a vibrant youth ministry even in these uncertain times. You can reach this generation for Christ.




Meet Generation Z


Book Description

Move over Boomers, Xers, and Millennials; there's a new generation--making up more than 25 percent of the US population--that represents a seismic cultural shift. Born approximately between 1993 and 2012, Generation Z is the first truly post-Christian generation, and they are poised to challenge every church to rethink its role in light of a rapidly changing culture. From the award-winning author of The Rise of the Nones comes this enlightening introduction to the youngest generation. James Emery White explains who this generation is, how it came to be, and the impact it is likely to have on the nation and the faith. Then he reintroduces us to the ancient countercultural model of the early church, arguing that this is the model Christian leaders must adopt and adapt if we are to reach members of Generation Z with the gospel. He helps readers rethink evangelistic and apologetic methods, cultivate a culture of invitation, and communicate with this connected generation where they are. Pastors, ministry leaders, youth workers, and parents will find this an essential and hopeful resource.




The Passion Generation


Book Description

Millennials have disrupted almost every major industry. Whether you’re a parent trying to raise them, a pastor trying to reach them, or an employer trying to retain them, they’re disruptive. As the largest living generation, millennials are one of the most studied but misunderstood groups of our day. And the chasm between the generations is only getting wider. Speaker and founder of the Initiative Network Grant Skeldon pulls back the confusing statistics about millennials to reveal the root issue: it’s not a millennial problem, it’s a discipleship problem. Millennials are known for their struggle to hold jobs, reluctance to live on their own, and alarming migration away from the church. And now our culture is feeling the results of a mentor-less, fatherless generation. But how do you start discipling young people when you struggle to connect with them? Written by a millennial, The Passion Generation will guide you beyond the stats of what millennials are doing to the why they’re doing it and how we can all move toward healthy community. With wit, compassion, and startling insights, this book shares stories and studies drawn from Skeldon’s years of working to bridge generational gaps. In his signature conversational style, Skeldon offers researched strategies that will spark healthy connections, and practical methods that will help you disciple the millennials you love. This book is your guide to understanding the millennials in your life who are seemingly reckless but far from hopeless, for the future of the church that depends on them.




In this Generation


Book Description

Todd Ahrend takes you on a journey into the greatest missions movement in history. For anyone today who longs for the evangelization of the world, this is the place to begin. The lessons learned from the historic Student Volunteer Movement provide a priceless well of wisdom and practical methods that God's church can drink from once again. To reach the world for Christ in THIS generation, look to those who almost accomplished it in their own.




Reach a Generation


Book Description

Reach a Generation is a compelling and powerful story of a poor kid from the streets that God visited throughout his childhood and made Himself real to him which changed his life.




Marketing to Millennials


Book Description

Marketing to Millennials is both an enlightening look at this generation of spend-happy consumers and a practical plan for earning their trust and loyalty. The jokes at the Millennials’ expense are plenty, but not nearly as much as the $200 billion in buying power they now wield as they enter their peak earning and spending years. Love it or loathe it, you are doing business in their domain now, and your future depends on your ability to successfully connect with them. Based on original market research, this book reveals the eight attitudes shared by most Millennials, including how they: Value social networking and aren't shy about sharing opinions Refuse to remain passive consumers but expect to participate in product development and marketing Demand authenticity and transparency Are highly influential, swaying parents and peers Are not all alike; therefore, understanding key segments is invaluable Complete with expert interviews of those doing Millennial marketing right, as well as the new rules for engaging this increasingly vital generation successfully, Marketing to Millennials is the key to persuading the customers who will determine the bottom line for decades to come.




So the Next Generation Will Know


Book Description

Whether you’re a Christian parent, youth leader, or educator who works with Generation Z, this book was written for you. As powerful ideas in our increasingly secular culture shape more of this generation, trusted leaders must share what they know about Jesus in ways that will reach them. But how? Backed by the latest research and first hand experience, this powerful book shows how to share biblical truth with a generation that desperately needs to hear it in a way that draws them in instead of pushing them away. Written by two youth influencers and experts on Generation Z, Sean McDowell, Ph.D., and J. Warner Wallace, So the Next Generation Will Know is an extraordinarily practical and relatable guide for anyone concerned with ensuring the next generation understands and embraces a biblical worldview.




The Entitled Generation


Book Description

The Entitled Generation: Helping Teachers Teach and Reach the Minds and Hearts of Generation Zbrings teachers into the twenty-first century world of 24-7 technologically-wired up and social media-driven students. This book asks teachers to consider pragmatic and sensible ways to teach Gen Z and to understand the differences between today’s students and those of the past. Teachers are offered keen insights by colleagues, in terms of how Gen Z thinks, the various ways that males and females learn, and the distractions and struggles each faces by device addiction affecting today’s classrooms. American culture is perpetuating the notion that today’s students are entitled to economic and social outcomes on equal bases. Gen Z “feels” everyone should be treated as equals, receiving the same rewards for unequal efforts, thus promoting a feeling of entitlement. Teachers will understand the reality of today's American classrooms. Even with the assumed addiction to smart technology and social media, teachers can use this to their advantage and reach the minds and hearts of Gen Z to prepare them for their futures.




Engaging a New Generation


Book Description

Engaging a New Generation critically examines our commonly held assumptions as well as our often-used models and methodologies initially developed to reach late Baby Boomer and Generation X teens. It then introduces you to the core characteristics of the Millennial Generation teens and the pastoral implications, where the operational and ministerial borders are expanding far beyond traditional youth ministry. "This text fills a great need." -- Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas, Bishop of Tucson "If you want to help young people develop a vibrant, life-transforming faith, read this book!" -- John Roberto, LifelongFaith Associates "Engaging a New Generation is as much about vibrant parish faith as it is about our young people." -- Bishop Timothy Doherty, Lafayette, Indiana "A modern manifesto for reaching young people today." -- Jim Beckman, Director of Youth Evangelization and Leadership, Augustine Institute "Frank Mercadante's passion for the young Church and his commitment to a comprehensive approach to pastoral ministry is evident on every page." -- Bob McCarty, D.Min., Executive Director, National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry "This book comes from deep inside the field of youth ministry. It is theological, sociological, practical, pastoral, and scriptural." -- Dr. Mike Carotta, author, national consultant "This book is the most significant resource I have read, not only for youth ministry but for parish ministry, in the last ten years." --Peter Denio, Standards for Excellence Coordinator, The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management "Frank Mercadante is in it to win it for today's teens." -- Randy Raus, Life Teen President/CEO "Masterfully and succinctly outlines some of the big shifts that have taken place within culture and the Church." -- Mike Patin, International Catholic Speaker and "Faith Horticulturist" "Whoever wants the next generation of Catholic youth the most will get them. Let Frank Mercadante show you how!" -- Matthew Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Rediscover Catholicism and founder of Dynamiccatholic.com "We as a Church often hope to reach today's young people with yesterday's approach - and then wonder why they don't respond. This book is a must read." -- Bob Rice, Speaker, Author, Musician, and Professor of Catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville "Clearly identifies these cultural shifts and shares important current research on youth and families." -- Jeffrey Kaster, Ed.D, Saint John's University School of Theology and Seminary, Collegeville




Searching for Enough


Book Description

A unique and validating look at the tension you feel between disillusionment and a desire for truth, Searching for Enough helps you see your doubt not as an emotion to fear but as an invitation to be followed. Do you ever find yourself thinking, "I'm not enough, and I'm never going to be. And I know I'm not supposed to say this, but God's not enough for me either." Whether or not we attend church, deep down we wonder if the biblical story of faith is really enough for the complexity of the world in which we live. We fill our lives with other things, hoping that maybe the next experience or accomplishment will complete us. Yet with every goal we reach, we still feel discouraged and anxious. In Searching for Enough, Pastor Tyler Staton draws on ancient and modern insights to introduce us, as if for the first time, to Jesus' disciple Thomas: history's most notorious skeptic. Like Thomas, we are caught between two unsatisfying stories: We want to believe in God but can't reconcile his presence with our circumstances and internal struggles. But what if there's a better story than shame? What if there's redemption so complete that there's nothing left to hide? What if there is a God who can heal your resentments, fears, and loneliness in such a profound way that you feel whole? From a place of spiritual companionship and deep authenticity, Tyler shows us that it is not an empty tomb that will change our lives, but the presence of the living God. Whether you are a distant skeptic, an involved doubter, or a busy but bored Christian, Searching for Enough invites you to find enough in a God who offers the only promises that never disappoint.