Welcome! The resources in this collection were all chosen with Reformed congregations in mind. Feel free to pick and choose and to alter these resources for your own unique context.

We evaluated these resources before posting them, but organizations do frequently change the content of their materials. So if you find a resource that doesn’t seem to fit the CRC context, please let us know.

Questions? Ideas? We’d love to connect with you! Email [email protected]

You can also visit the Youth Ministry Resources section of the Network to view the latest youth ministry resources and articles posted by other youth ministry leaders.

Missions

ThereforeGo (formerly Youth Unlimited) has an almost 100-year connection to the CRC through a variety of youth ministry-related faith-forming events. SERVE provides week-long youth mission experiences in locations throughout North America.

Leadership

Looking for someone to head up your youth ministry? Check out Hiring a Youth Pastor or Director: What Churches and New Hires Should Know by Ron deVries.

Youth Specialties offers resources and training for churches through events like the National Youth Workers Convention.

Youth Pastor is a very simple page containing links to resources. There are also job postings outside of the CRC.

Simply Youth Ministry is under Group Ministries umbrella offering resources for purchase. Many are downloadable and many are not just youth ministry focus.

Ministry Architects is a ministry consultation tool for churches looking to cast vision and develop structure for church ministries.

Spiritual/Personal Renewal

Fairhaven Ministries, located in Vernon, BC, Canada, is a retreat center offering a place for quiet reflection or professional Christian counselling. Many youth pastors have been blessed by this ministry.

Ten Ways Tools

These one-page resources are great conversation-starters

• Ten Ways to Cultivate Youth Leadership
• Ten Ways to Connect with Children and Teens in Your Church
• Ten Ways to Build a Stronger Youth Ministry
• Ten Ways to Reduce the Profession of Faith Fear Factor
• Ten Ways to Talk with Someone About Their Faith
• Ten Ways My Reformed Identity Shapes My Life
• Ten Ways to Be a More Intergenerational Church
• Ten Ways to Strengthen Intergenerational Worship

Find a CRC Ministry

This Find a Ministry tool is filled with information on other Christian Reformed agencies or ministries.

For Parents

The Center for Parent and Youth Understanding helps parents to better understand the culture teens are living in. Culturally relevant and up to date. An important website to have at your fingertips. 

Can’t Miss Books

Growing Young (Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, Brad Griffen)

A must-read for all youth leaders (volunteer or paid), senior pastors, and church councils. FFM has copies available for you at $10.00 per book.

Meet Generation Z (James Emery White)

A resource book to help leaders understand and reach the new post-Christian world. Very insightful and current.

Sustainable Youth Ministry (Mark deVries)

This book is a “go to” for anyone looking to develop or even strengthen youth ministry structure. Simple to read with lots of examples.

Bonhoeffer as Youth Worker (Andrew Root)

Look at the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and how his ministry relates to what we do in youth ministry. A fascinating read.

Toolkits

Each of these online resource collections includes helpful resources for youth ministry.

• Building Blocks of Faith Toolkit
• Faith Storytelling Toolkit
• Intergenerational Church Toolkit
• Professing Our Faith Toolkit

Other Helpful resources

Spiritual Characteristics of Children and Teens describes development patterns from preschool through high school. Helpful for youth workers, pastors, teachers, and parents.

Come and See . . . Our World Belongs to God is a discipleship manual based on the Contemporary Testimony Our World Belongs to God written and designed by CRC Pastor Sid Couperus for high school students, new believers, small groups, and followers of Jesus.