Teens have a reputation for being self-absorbed and “all-about-me,” but most of them care deeply about God and others and just wish they knew how to show it. With Sharing Your Faith and Serving Others Uncommon High School Group Study, you can equip the students in your group to make a difference in the world by seeing others as Jesus sees them. Teens will learn how to use their gifts in service to others, how to lead their peers with gentleness and compassion, and how to share their faith by being an encouraging, generous friend. These 12 sessions of youth-friendly Bible study are the newest edition to the Uncommon curriculum series created by veteran youth minister Jim Burns. Action-packed, fun activities and insightful discussion outlines will get your teens thinking about the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, and talking about how they can follow Jesus in love and obedience. Inside the book you'll find a special download link for additional reproducible student handouts and options for every session to tailor each study to your group's unique needs.

Effectively encourage your insecure junior high students to know who they are and where they fit—to grow from bashful to bold! Sharing Your Faith and Serving Others Uncommon Junior High Group Study has everything leaders need to inspire reluctant younger teens and give them the tools they need to feel armed, dangerous and overflowing with love for God and neighbor! Students will learn about the Great Commission, the Great Commandment, about missions at home, world missions and their place in God’s work of redemption and reconciliation. Through 12 flexible sessions of Bible study, adaptable for groups of any size, junior-highers will discover that sharing Jesus and serving others are two sides of the same coin. And the hands-on, kid-friendly activities and service projects will help youth leaders create unforgettable group experiences that shape hearts and minds!

Sticky Faith delivers positive and practical ideas to nurture within your kids a living, loving faith that lasts a lifetime. Research indicates that almost half of high school seniors drift from their faith after graduation. Struck by this staggering statistic, and recognizing its ramifications, the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) conducted the "College Transition Project" in an effort to identify the relationships and best practices that can set young people on a trajectory of lifelong faith and service. This easy-to-read guide presents both a compelling rationale and a powerful strategy to show parents how to actively encourage their children’s spiritual growth so that it will stick with them into adulthood and empower them to develop a living, lasting faith. Written by Fuller Youth Institute Executive Director Dr. Kara E. Powell and youth expert Chap Clark--authors known for the integrity of their research and the intensity of their passion for young people--Sticky Faith is geared to spark a movement that empowers adults to develop robust and long-term faith in kids of all ages. Further engage your family and church with the Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, Sticky Faith curriculum, and Sticky Faith youth worker edition. Sticky Faith is also available in Spanish, Cómo criar jóvenes de fe sólida.

Many parents of a teenager or young adult feel as though they're guessing about what to do next--with mixed results. We want to stay connected with our maturing child, but we're not sure how. And deep down, we fear our child doesn't want or need us. Based on brand-new research and interviews with remarkable families, Growing With equips parents to take steps toward their teenagers and young adults in a mutual journey of intentional growth that trusts God to transform them all. By highlighting three groundbreaking family strategies, authors Kara Powell and Steven Argue show parents that it's never too early or too late to - accept the child you have, not the child you wish you had - work toward solutions rather than only identifying problems - develop empathy that nudges rather than judges - fight for your child, not against them - connect your children with a faith and church big enough to handle their doubts and struggles - dive into tough discussions about dating, career, and finances - and unleash your child's passions and talents to change our world For any parent who longs for their kids to keep their roots even as they spread their wings, Growing With offers practical help and hope for the days--and years--ahead.

Teens love to reach out and help others in need. Some just do not know it yet! Uncommon Missions & Service Projects, part of a series of resources and group studies developed by youth ministry veteran Jim Burns, will help youth leaders prepare their group to discover the joy of serving God while serving others. This comprehensive resource has everything leaders need to prepare, organize and execute successful service projects and mission trips, giving teens life changing opportunities to put their faith into action. Included are more than 25 practical projects for groups of any size; Bible study suggestions on the topics of mission and service; sample letters, forms, checklists, itineraries and job descriptions; a short-term missions handbook with step-by-step directions for planning trips and much more. Now leaders can inspire in their teens a hunger for God and an appetite for loving their neighbors, at home and around the world! Includes CD-ROM with reproducible resources.

Not a book of theory or speculation, here is a proven action plan to impacting the spiritual lives of friends, family members, co-workers, and others. Powerful stories and teachings help readers to gain hope that their friends' lives can change, get free from the misconceptions of evangelism, discover a natural approach to communicating their faith, and more.

When Jesus wrapped Himself in a towel and washed His disciples' feet, He demonstrated one of the most powerful ways to share the Good News: by serving others. Now youth leaders can help teens in their group understand this powerful principle and put it into practice, using Sharing Your Faith and Serving Others, the newest in the Uncommon series of group studies from veteran youth minister Jim Burns. Through 12 sessions of study, teens will move from accepting the gospel to living it, by serving their friends, families, youth group and church!

We all know it’s important to study God’s Word. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. What’s more, a lack of time, emotionally driven approaches, and past frustrations can erode our resolve to keep growing in our knowledge of Scripture. How can we, as Christian women, keep our focus and sustain our passion when reading the Bible? Offering a clear and concise plan to help women go deeper in their study of Scripture, this book will equip you to engage God’s Word in a way that trains your mind and transforms your heart.

“Contemplative Youth Ministry is refreshing rain for dry youth workers and barren youth ministries. More than the same old youth ministry tips and tricks, it gives principles and practices to soak in God’s grace, love, and power. I wish I had read it 15 years ago.” - Kara Powell, Ph.D., executive director, Center for Youth Ministry and Family Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary “Mark invites readers to be encountered by the presence of Jesus who is always near. This book is transparent about the challenges that churches and families face as they desire to be effective in youth ministry. The book is filled with the honest stories of different kinds of youth ministries representing the breadth of Christianity in the United States. I heartily endorse Contemplative Youth Ministry as a rich encounter with the souls of youth and adults whose lives have been transformed by our very present God.” - Bill Kees, director of youth ministries, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) “Mark Yaconelli not only reminds us of some of the long-forgotten pathways of faith, he shares with us how it actually looks when men and women who love God practice it with young people. I especially appreciate Mark’s optimism in his perspective of today’s kids, for his insights are grounded in God’s view of them.” - Chap Clark, Ph.D., associate professor of youth, family, and culture, Fuller Theological Seminary “Mark Yaconelli was experimenting with contemplative youth ministry practices before contemplative youth ministry practices became cool. This book has about it the unique air of authenticity. He shares with us in these pages his own journey as a youth worker who actually believes that God’s still small voice speaks louder than the roaring windstorm of our busy youth ministry calendars. It’s a book about creating for our students places of silence and opening up spaces for God to speak.” - Duffy Robbins, professor of youth ministry, Eastern University; author of Enjoy the Silence and This Way to Youth Ministry “Mark Yaconelli has emerged as one of youth ministry’s most provocative ‘voices in the wilderness,’ calling us back to our theological taproots: The contemplative practices that bind our lives to the life of Christ. If Mark’s research has taught us anything, it’s that these practices do not cause youth ministry to take fl ight into a spiritual never-never land; rather they anchor young people—and their churches—in the fertile soil of Christian tradition, in the nitty-gritty of daily life, and in the explosive transformation that awaits us when we wait upon God.” - Kenda Creasy Dean, parent, pastor, and professor of youth, Princeton Theological Seminary; author of Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church