Mark DeVries

Mark DeVries offers an approach that brings teens into one-to-one relationship with older Christians; involves the whole church family from singles to seniors; and frees pastors and leaders from worrying about attendance, budget and competition with other programs.

Family-Based Youth Ministry

Annette Safstrom

Are you a children's ministry leader on the edge of burnout? Sustainable Children’s Ministry shows you how to recruit volunteers, partner with parents, navigate politics, and care for your own soul instead of frantically scrambling to do it all yourself. This practical resource will help you build a ministry foundation that will still be standing long after you are gone.

From Last-Minute Scrambling to Long-Term Solutions

Sustainable Children's Ministry

Scott Pontier

Reimagining Young Adult ministry takes the guesswork out of reaching the next generation by first opening the roadmap and firmly clarifying "you are here" with the state of the relationship between Millennials and the church. From there it goes on to uncover 6 of the most common mistakes that almost every church makes when they try and connect with young adults (hint: you've probably done them too!). Finally, the book walks you through 6 new ways of thinking that will totally reshape your approach with young adults to one that will succeed followed by a step by step process that you can take and begin implementing right now.

A Guidebook for the Ordinary Church

Reimagining Young Adult Ministry

Kirk Freeman

A volume comparable in style to Cliff's Notes, here highlighting the key points from Augustine's Confessions.

Augustine's Confessions

You're looking for a youth pastor. Again. What goes wrong? Why do youth ministries crumble? And what is the cost to students, parents, volunteers and church staff? Is a sustainable youth ministry possible, even after a youth pastor leaves? Youth ministry expert Mark DeVries knows the answer is yes, because he helps build sustainable youth ministries through his coaching service called Youth Ministry Architects. So take heart: No matter what state the youth ministry at your church is in--in need of a leader and volunteers, full of battles and stress, large or small in number--it can be built to survive and to last for the long haul. Based on his own experience and on his many conversations and interviews with churches in crisis, DeVries pinpoints problems that cause division and burnout and dispels strongly held myths. He then provides the practical tools and structures pastors and church leaders need to lay a strong foundation for your ministry so that it isn't built on a person or the latest, greatest student ministry trend. His accessible guidance helps senior pastors and search committees create a realistic job description for a youth pastor provides tips for making wise hiring decisions equips youth pastors to build a strong volunteer team offers creative solutions to help youth pastors set and keep boundaries gives a road map for navigating church politics and more Building a sustainable youth ministry is not easy, and it's not quick. But with commitment to the process, hard work and DeVries's guidance, you can put together a healthy youth ministry--one that fits your church and lasts for the long haul. Youth ministry can last. Here's how.

Why Most Youth Ministry Doesn't Last and What Your Church Can Do About It

Sustainable Youth Ministry

One of the big problems in youth ministry is the constant turnover of youth ministers. Mark DeVries addresses the problem with a systematic answer: churches need to take corporate responsibility for establishing a vision and structure for effective ministry, rather than leaving it all up to the youth minister. Especially helpful for senior pastors and church leaders.

Robert Wolgemuth

Bobbie Wolgemuth

Susan DeVries

A "flip-over" handbook for brides and grooms presents a twelve-month plan for facing the challenges of a new marriage, from fighting fair and dealing with money matters to developing sexual intimacy and managing in-laws, in a guide complemented by encouraging and humorous anecdotes.

What Every Bride Needs to Know

The Most Important Year in a Woman's Life

Young adult ministry can scare us, but what if it's not as enigmatic as we've been led to believe? Full of practical advice from their own experience (and a wealth of additional resources), this book from Scott Pontier and Mark DeVries explores six common mistakes churches make in their efforts to reach young adults, offering six paradoxes that return us to a simpler, more biblical ministry model.

Making It Work, Making It Last

Sustainable Young Adult Ministry

Presents excerpts from the "True Love Waits Bible"--Scripture verses, quotations, survey results, and more--offering guidance on setting limits on sexual behavior.

Mark DeVries

Books

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