My local cluster of UU religious educators read this book as a group and discussed it this month, and we were all singing its praises. If you are a religious educator or youth ministry professional, this is a must read. If you are a youth ministry volunteer, you should also read this. If you are a minister or in a leadership position in your congregation, you should read this. If you are on a search committee for a DRE or youth minister, READ THIS.
The author, Mark DeVries, has a consultant business and has worked with churches in various stages of transition with their youth and children ministries. The book outlines why youth ministry so often fails (and we all agreed it's just as applicable to children and family ministry) and what systems and organizational strategies can help it not fail.
Reading the book, I kept saying "yes", "yes" - "that's right!", and then we got to the strategies and things to do, and I immediately had to start taking notes. I created a plan as I read, my "plan for a plan", and I'm now using that to build new underlying structures and control documents for our RE program. Stuff that should be obvious (but might not be), like Job Descriptions and Annual Calendars and Directories, and stuff that is less obvious, like Emotionally Healthy Weekly Routines, "Balcony Time", and Climate Control.
A great read. :)
Looks very interesting. I will have to check that out!
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