Youth Specialties Blog
Graduation Gifts
By Youth Specialties on May 08 2012 | 0 Comments
Looking for that perfect gift for your graduating student? Check out some of what we have:
The Ultimate Guide To Being A Christian In College
from Jeff Baxter
Are You Ready for the Rest of Your Life? You got the high school diploma, received the college acceptance letter, and have your eye on that dorm fridge. Everything seems new and exciting—-but with those positive feelings come huge questions about what awaits you once you're no longer home but sharing a small room with strangers instead. Don't fear! Here is your essential guide for everything you need to know to survive and thrive.
Retail Price: $9.99
Your YS Price: $8.00
Ruin Your Life
from Chris Folmsbee
Where most teen devotionals teach about God, Ruin Your Life is designed to inspire teens to interact with God in unconventional, creative, honest ways, showing them they are part of an ongoing, artistic narrative between a holy God and his most beloved creation.
Retail Price: $12.99
Your YS Price: $11.00
Lose Your Cool
from Zach Hunter
You don't love a mocha the same way that you love Jesus. As a teen today, you probably have plenty of interests and plenty to plug into. In the midst of the constant stimulus—-activities, media, text messages, and social networking—- activist and fellow teenager Zach Hunter asks: What consumes the bulk of your time? How do you zero in on what really matters?
Retail Price: $9.99
Your YS Price: $8.00
Don't miss our student Bibles; they are a fantastic gift for anytime!
By Youth Specialties on May 08 2012 | 0 Comments
Let’s Go Shopping in the New YS Shop
By Chris Davis on May 04 2012 | 0 Comments
We've been hard at work making a brand new store to make it easier for you to find Youth Ministry resources to help you minister to teenagers.
Broswe through hundreds of books, DVDs, Bibles and other resources selected especially for the Youth Worker.
Some great things about the new store:
-Save at least 15% off of every product
-New Youth Ministry focused Categories
-New Search to make things easier to find
And to celebrate the launch save an additional 10% off our Curriculum and Books for Students Categories.
(Good until May 7th 2012)
By Chris Davis on May 04 2012 | 0 Comments
Free Living With Questions Ebook
By Youth Specialties on April 25 2012 | 12 Comments
Our book Living with Questions is available for FREE for a short time. You can grab it for your Kindle, iPad, or Nook. Written by Dale Fincher for students who are wrestling with some of life's biggest questions.
Download it:
Amazon Kindle Apple iBooks Nook
Here's what it's about:
A practical and personal approach to apologetics for students. How many times has your teacher asked you a question, and you stare blankly at the ceiling, hoping to discover the answer lingering there? It's frustrating when we don't know the answers to the questions we're asked by others, but it can be even more frustrating when we don't know the answers to the questions we are asking ourselves.
Have you ever asked one of these questions?
- Does what I think really matter?
- What is truth?
- Is God there?
- Has God spoken?
- Am I important enough?
- Am I good enough?
- What's so great about heaven?
If you've ever wondered about any of these questions, you've come to the right place. In Living with Questions, Dale Fincher will help you look at each of these questions in such a way that you'll discover clues, helpful tools, and answers—-and what they all mean for your life and your faith. The answers you find will put you on a path to dig deeper and gain confidence in your faith. As Dale addresses the big questions that he's been asked by students across the country, you'll find that you're not alone in your doubt, confusion, or questioning. As you learn to live with questions, even the answers are only steps in the right direction. You'll find how they whet the appetite to go deeper into your purpose on this planet and to discover something big—-yet very personal—-that's worth living for.
This offer won't last long so download it today.
Amazon Kindle Apple iBooks Nook
By Youth Specialties on April 25 2012 | 12 Comments
“Evangelism Gone Bad” Contest
By Chris Davis on March 26 2012 | 0 Comments
To celebrate the release of Jonathan McKee's new Real Conversations DVD curriculum, we are have a contest to find stories of evangelism gone bad. Watch the video to learn how to enter.
Recap the details:
1. Create a 1 minute video showing awful evangelism among teenagers
2. Upload it to YouTube and tag it “EVGoneBad”
3. Email the link to the video to Contest@youthspecialties.com by 4/13 to be entered.
4. Voting for the finalists will be between 4/17 – 4/23
5. Winner will get lots of great stuff!
More about Real Conversations new DVD curriculum on evangelism:
Don't overlook your best evangelism tool—your students! Most of us would love to equip our students to reach their friends. In four video-based sessions, youth ministry expert Jonathan McKee trains students how to reach out to their friends… without scaring them away.
For many teenagers, sharing their faith in Jesus to their friends is an overwhelming and scary prospect. Outreach is inviting their friends to a fun event once a year.
In this entertaining DVD training, Jonathan McKee ignites the passion of Christian teenagers to live authentic lives and gives them tools to reach out to their friends in ways that won't give them cold sweats! The message is simple: an authentic faith creates opportunities to talk about Jesus. In this dynamic DVD training, students will discover the secret to sharing the reason for the hope that's within them.
Click here to learn more and watch a sample.
By Chris Davis on March 26 2012 | 0 Comments
“This One Goes Till 11” Sale for 11-11-11
By Chris Davis on November 10 2011 | 0 Comments
In honor of 11-11-11 you can get the highly rated book, 101 Ideas for Making Disciples in Your Youth Group by Kent Julian, for only $11. That's almost 50% the retail price.
About the book:
As youth workers, we all have our vision – the plan we hope to make real in our ministries – to change the lives of teenagers as we introduce them to Jesus. But how often have you found yourself wondering if your picture is just wrong? or thinking you just don't know how to make your ministry match what you envision?
In 101 Ideas for Making Disciples in Your Youth Group you'll explore the idea of ACTS to create a disciple-making ministry with the elements needed to create an environment necessary to cultivate this mission. ACTS represents everything a missional youth ministry needs to be about:
- Adoration – More than an act, this is a lifestyle that is fleshed out in expressions of prayerful dependence, deep gratitude, and expectancy in what God can do.
- Community – This is an atmosphere of genuine caring, authentic relationships, and unity based on Christ's love for his Church and the Church's love for one another.
- Truth-and-Grace – The basis of everything that is taught and valued, this is a setting where God's Word is the standard and central to belief and behavior.
- Serving-and-Sharing – As a way of life, serving involves helping the whole person by ministering to both believers and the lost by meeting their needs, as well as verbally sharing God's message of grace.
As you dig into each aspect of ACTS, you'll discover Jesus' style and see how he cultivated each element in his own ministry. Then you'll explore the youth ministry style of each aspect, where you'll find 25 hands-on, easy-to-implement ideas on how to cultivate the same element in your context in order to create an environment of disciple-making that finally fits your ministry.
Enjoy 11-11-11!
(And the just so the party doesn't end too soon you can get this special price until 11-13-11.)
By Chris Davis on November 10 2011 | 0 Comments
Interview with Kara Powell
By Adam McLane on January 13 2010 | 0 Comments
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit down with Kara Powell of the Fuller Youth Institute. (I know, suffering for Jesus by going to Pasadena in January!) In the interview we talked about her newest resource, Essential Leadership, as well as all sorts of issues related to leadership training and development in youth ministry.
If you are interested in purchasing Essential Leadership, both the leaders guide and participants guide are available in our online store. (25% off this week)
By Adam McLane on January 13 2010 | 0 Comments
Best Sellers in Atlanta
By Adam McLane on December 03 2009 | 1 Comments
Top 10 YS titles purchased at NYWC in Atlanta a couple weeks ago.
- The Complete New Testament Resource for Youth Workers, Volume 1 by Livingstone Corporation
- Wonder, Fear and Longing by Mark Yaconelli
- College Ministry 101 by Chuck Bomar
- Sacred Space by Dan Kimball and Lilly Lewin
- Shaped by the Story by Michael Novelli
- Awaken Your Creativity by Les Christie
- Good Sex 2.0 by Jim Hancock and Kara Powell
- Skit Training 101 by The Skit Guys
- Middle School Ministry by Mark Oestreicher and Scott Rubin
- 10 Minute Talks by Jonathan McKee
By Adam McLane on December 03 2009 | 1 Comments
