New book aims to guide youth leaders into deeper walk with Jesus

Richard Ross, professor of student ministry at Southwestern Seminary, has written a new book titled 31 Truths to Shape Your Youth Ministry. Published by Seminary Hill Press, the book comprises 31 devotionals for all adults who love and value teenagers. The book is available at SeminaryHillPress.com here.  

Below is a Q&A with the author on the purpose and usefulness of this work. 

Q: In just a few sentences, what is the purpose of 31 Truths to Shape Your Youth Ministry?

A: The primary purpose of this book is to guide adults who value teenagers into a deeper walk with King Jesus. Spiritually speaking, adults cannot take teenagers places they have not been. The book is devotional in nature because shaping the hearts of adults precedes shaping the hearts of teenagers.

The second purpose of the book is to equip adults to minister to and with teenagers so they become true disciples of Jesus. The 31 truths that make up the book cover most of the major elements of life-changing ministry with teenagers. Adults who serve in youth ministry are not just volunteers who perform some random role. They each have God-called ministries with teenagers, and they deserve to be broadly equipped and thoroughly prepared.

Q: What motivated you to write this book?

A: I have spent most of my life writing books for youth pastors. Others have done the same. At present, scores of books are all targeted to the paid youth pastor. But the content of those books is not getting to the multitude of adults who invest in teenagers but are not on staff. Just in my denomination, we might have 14,000 youth pastors but 100,000 adults who work weekly with teenagers in unpaid positions. Those adults have great potential to shape young lives, but they need the very best equipping we can provide. That is what primarily motivated me to write the book.

Q: Who is the audience for this book?

A: This is the first book I have ever written designed for all adults who love and value teenagers. That includes adults prayerfully considering a leadership role with teenagers, adults early in their ministries with teenagers, and seasoned youth leaders looking for fresh wind in their sails. The book also is for parents who want God’s best for their teenage children, adults who impact teenagers through informal relationships, pastors who help shape the church’s ministry with teenagers, and youth pastors who have plenty of technical books but want one for the heart.

Q: How should adults read the book?

A:I like to challenge adults to consider reading a short chapter a day for 31 days. Then set the book aside for a season. And then consider reading a chapter a day for another 31 days.

Why such a plan? A bottle of vitamins might contain lots of things a body needs. But if someone consumes the entire bottle at one time, their body will only have time to absorb a fraction of those good things. The book 31 Truths is that bottle of vitamins. Reading in small doses provides the best opportunity for heart transformation and thorough equipping.