Churches today face unique challenges as they seek to help young people engage with the Christian faith and youth workers, whether employed or volunteer, play a key role in supporting this process. This book provides a comprehensive overview of Christian youth work, drawing together practice, theory and theology in a format which is both engaging and informative. Serving as both a text and workbook, it brings together key youth ministry thinkers and grass-roots practitioners to explore significant themes and issues. It will be invaluable to those thinking about youth work at a strategic level as well as youth work practitioners. Each of the sixteen chapters is followed by a response written from a different perspective, modelling reflective practice and theological reflection. Topics covered include mission, church, adolescent identity, appropriate relationships, spiritual practices, youth culture, pastoral care, work with families, education, leadership and management, inclusive youth work, theology, lifelong learning, ethical dilemmas and the Kingdom of God.
About the AuthorSally Nash is the Director of the Midlands Institute for Children Youth and Mission (MCYM) at St John's College Nottingham and a Curate in Hodge Hill in Birmingham. Jo Whitehead is the Assistant Director of MCYM and is an experienced youth worker, church leader, facilitator and writer.
ReviewsA highly theoretical & yet deeply practical book. I cannot recommend this highly enough to anyone engaged in, or caring about, youth work in the UK. Get hold of your copy today. -- Gavin Calver
One of the biggest challenges facing the church today is how to connect with a generation of young people who have no prior experience of any sort of faith. The particular strength of this book is its combination of theological reflection with insights from the social sciences, and all of it grounded in the experience of practitioners working in diverse cultural contexts. -- John Drane
Book InformationISBN 9780334046431
Author Sally NashFormat Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint SCM PressPublisher SCM Press