Below you’ll find a list of the books that I’ve found helpful in the past. Your mileage may vary.
Youth Ministry
- Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry by Doug Fields – This is kind of a standard text in the world of youth ministry. Fields gives a toolbox of all that one would need to “do” youth ministry from philosophy and purpose to the the practicals of dealing with adult leaders, parents, and schedules. It’s a great read for anyone wanting to do youth ministry.
- Simple Student Ministry by Eric Geiger and Jeff Borton – Geiger approaches youth ministry from a “less is more” perspective. He proposes that youth ministry programs should be founded on an articulated process of discipleship.
- Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries – This was a great complement to PDYM. DeVries lays out a systematic approach to doing youth ministry that is incremental, independent of the “superstar” youth minister, and foundational for healthy youth ministry. Very helpful.
Preaching
- Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson – This was a helpful overview of the process of preparing an expository sermon.
- Preaching and Preachers by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones – This was an inspiring book on the weightiness of preaching.
- Why Johnny Can’t Preach by T. David Gordon – Gordon lays out several of the shifts in preaching that have occurred as a result of new media (radio, video, internet). While he addresses the deficiencies that the normal seminarian has to work against to become a good preacher, he doesn’t present a very clear solution.
- Speaking to Teenagers by Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins – This was a down to earth book with two sections. The first covered some of the basics of communication theory and the second lays out a simple process of sermon preparation. A great first guide for a youth worker.
Writing
- Wordsmithy by Doug Wilson – A short, helpful set of tips for aspiring writers, written in a style that sings.
Prayer
- Taking Hold of God: Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer edited by Joel Beeke and Brian G. Najapfour – Beeke and other writers provide a glimpse into the prayer lives and thoughts of spiritual giants such as Luther, Calvin, and Knox to name a few.