Navigating Student Ministry: Charting Your Course for the Journey

Teenagers are not a lost cause; they need wise leaders to help them along in their faith journeys. In Navigating Student Ministry, veteran student ministers with more than one hundred years of combined experience guide others through the often-challenging aspects of ministering to young people. This multi-contributor introductory textbook helps both those discerning a call to student ministry and those already invested in students. Editor Tim McKnight has crafted a book that can serve as both a topical resource and a comprehensive manual for those in the fun, exhausting, and eternally rewarding realm of student ministry. Visit the Lifeway Brand Store for more inspirational products.   Review “Student ministry is one of the great untapped mission fields in North America, and for that matter, the world. Making disciples of this vast harvest field will be essential for the life and vitality of the church in the twenty first century. Doing it well is what Navigating Student Ministry is all about. This is the book those who want to reach teenagers for Christ have long needed. Now it is here! Dive in and reap its fruit.”-Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary   “My friend, Tim McKnight, has produced another must-have book! Navigating Student Ministry is relevant, practical, and helpful for everyone interested in reaching and mobilizing students with the gospel. These are ministry helps from practitioners with years of experience. I highly recommend this book.”-Shane Pruitt, national next gen director, North American Mission Board   “As I read through Tim McKnight’s new book, I can conclude he is an artist. He turned a blank canvas into a work of art. First, he sketched out objects on the canvas. Those objects are the concepts and content areas of student ministry. The table of contents in the new book reveals the artistic way all those elements are laid out. Then, he picked up the pallet to choose the colors that would fill those objects. Those colors are the authors. The colors are vibrant and beautiful because they represent some of the most valuable thought leaders in student ministry today. The finished art, Navigating Student Ministry, will be required reading in my student ministry courses. That is the strongest recommendation I can give to a book.”-Richard Ross, professor of student ministry, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary   “Student ministry is a key, kingdom-influencing element in life of the local church. Navigating Student Ministry addresses vital areas of this important work. I would encourage anyone in, or pursuing ministry with students to read it and be reminded of the important task that lies before us of reaching the culture for Christ at this critical crossroad of life.”-Todd Sanders, Falls Creek program director, Oklahoma Baptists   “The gospel-knowing it, living it, sharing it, and equipping teens to do the same-is at center stage in this comprehensive and culturally relevant guide to leading students.?Navigating Student Ministry?rightly portrays evangelism and discipleship as vital and intertwined components of any youth program (as I often say: ‘If you want them to grow, you have to get them to go’) and outlines practical steps for implementing both. I highly recommend this book to every up-and-coming student minister and any student-ministry veteran who could use a refresher or a course correction.”-Greg Stier, founder, Dare 2 Share Ministries? “I’m passionate about longevity in youth ministry because I believe youth ministry is healthier when its leaders last. By compiling the thoughts of many lead thinkers in youth ministry, Navigating Student Ministry helps to lay a solid foundation that will lead to healthier and more seasoned youth pastors.”-Chris Trent, next gen catalyst, Georgia Baptist Mission Board           About the Author Tim McKnight (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of Chris