The State of Youth Ministry: How Churches Reach Today's Teens - and What Parents Thinks About It

What's Going on in Youth Group? And Is It Working?

Over the past 50 or so years, a program focused specifically on teens has become a standard part of nearly every church's ministry. But from church to church, these programs are anything but standard.

Every leader has his or her own goals, priorities, skills and strategies, and it's not always clear what works and what doesn't - or even what we mean by ''works.'' Just what, exactly, is youth ministry for, and how do churches measure success? The State of Youth Ministry contains the findings of three nationwide studies among youth pastors, senior pastors and parents of teens. In research commissioned by Youth Specialties and YouthWorks, Barna discovered:

• What parents are looking for in a church youth program
• How youth leaders and senior pastors define the purpose and priorities of youth ministry
• The specific activities, events and learning opportunities that churches offer to teens
• What leaders say are the biggest challenges facing effective youth ministry today
• And much more...

Each leader is an individual serving a unique community of faith in a specific neighborhood. But data on national trends in youth ministry can be a useful tool for wise decision-making and planning for the future. The State of Youth Ministry can help pastors and parents understand each other's hopes and expectations, in order to work better together making young disciples who follow the way of Jesus.