For rookies

As a new youth worker, you probably sometimes feel overwhelmed. You're not sure the job you signed up for is the one you got. You love students, but you may not know the best way to reach them, or how to best let them know they matter to you. The church board has an expectation that your youth group will grow, but you wonder if that is really what youth ministry is all about. And the forms--even college didn't prepare you for the surprising amount of paperwork and organization that comes with youth ministry.

YS Products:

• Messy Spirituality and Dangerous Wonder
  by Mike Yaconelli
  
  
• Contemplative Youth Ministry and Growing Souls
  by Mark Yaconelli
  
  
• Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry by Doug Fields
  
  
• Youth Ministry Management Tools
  by Elliot, Olson, and Work
  
  
• Ideas Library CD-ROM
  
  
• ArtSource 4.0 - CD-ROM
  
  
• Creative Bible Lessons on CD-ROM
  by Jeanne Stevens
  
  
• Youth Culture 101
  by Walt Mueller
  
  
• Getting Students to Show Up
  by Jonathan McKee
  
  
• The Rookies category on the YS online store
  
  
• Invert Starter Kit
  Sample the latest and greatest student products from YS. A great introduction to the invert line for students!

YS Events:

• The National Youth Workers Convention
  the longest running youth worker conference—filled with training, networking, resources, inspiration, and more. Make an appointment with a conference pastor or spiritual director, experience the soul shaper retreat, or attend a Critical Concerns Course.
  
  
• The YS Middle School Ministry Summit
  An intimate, peer-to-peer experience for paid middle school-only church staff.
  
  
• the CORE: the premiere one-day training event, perfect for your entire team, including volunteers, small group leaders, even parents.

The YS Underground:

Featuring digital videos, curriculum scripts, and more, the YS Underground is a download-only online store—providing resources, ideas, lesson plans, and more.

YS articles:

• 100 Youth Ministry Tips, Timesavers & Tricks
  
  
• Do Games Still Work? The 7 Deadly Sins of Game Leading by Jonathan McKee
  
  
• (More articles on programming)
  
  
• On Starting Well by Mike Woodruff
  
  
• (More articles on advice)
  
  
• Managing it the Next Time: When your First Time Stinks by Syler Thomas
  
  
• (more articles on management)
  
  
• What Attracts and Keeps Students at Your Church? by Kara Powell
  
  
• (More articles on Getting Results)
  
  
• See the list of all YS article topics

YS Job Bank:

• Find a Job
  
  
• post a resume
  
  
• find some additional staff

YS Email resources:

Sign up for one of our many helpful, informative email lists, including the YM Women Newsletter for women in youth ministry, the YS Update, with articles, research, news and other resources, or the Great Deals email list, featuring exclusive subscriber-only coupons and opportunities

Have questions? Need help?

Call us at 888.346.4179 or email us

• Youth ministry tips, timesavers & tricks
• Subscribe to free email lists
• YS' training events for youth workers—perfect for new youth workers!
• Check out the extensive article section (especially the Advice section)
• Job Bank, in case you're looking for a job
• YS resources for rookies
• Find a network of youth workers near you [this takes you to the National Network of Youth Ministries site]