It seems as if the youth ministry world has been talking about the epidemic of high school students walking away from their faith after graduation forever. There have been countless books citing research and observations about the changing trends of how students approach faith and where things could be heading.
Brock Morgan’s Youth Ministry in a Post-Christian World is an amazing addition to this topic that is refreshingly different. Rather than a feeling of negativity about where the world has gone or a call to reclaim things of the past, Morgan takes a much more positive, as a highly practical approach. Taking from his years of experience in youth ministry, as well as a recent move to New England, the most unchurched region in the country, Morgan does a fantastic job of describing the changing landscape and providing easy to apply ideas of what we can do differently.
The style of the book is very relatable as Morgan provides a number of stories of very real interactions with teens in his own ministry. His passion and desire to see youth embrace a relationship with Jesus seeps off the pages of the book and is very contagious. By the time you are finished, you are left with a feeling of hope about this up and coming generation and with a renewed sense of purpose and value as a youth worker. Further, at only 160 pages, it’s a pretty quick and easy read yet impressively deep and impactful.
For this reviewer, this book easily jumped to the top of my list of the best youth ministry books of all time. It is a very relevant and prophetic voice in the discussion about where youth ministry is heading that should be a must-read for every youth worker, parent, church leader, volunteer or student studying youth ministry.
