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Testimonials
“lots of flexibility & creative”
About SPICE RACK Curriculum: “Just wanted to let you know that my team loves what you have been sending. Good stuff, lots of flexibility and creative.” – Kirk Anderson, Director of Student Ministry at Grace Presbyterian Church of Wichita, … Continue reading
“career re-awakening”
“The service [phone coaching] has been a career re-awakening for me.” Mike Chipman, Assistant Pastor to Families Cornerstone Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Maryland
“absolutely right”
“Mark DeVries is absolutely right in his assessment of the direction youth ministry needs to go in the future.” -Wayne Rice, President, Understanding Your Teenager Co-Founder, Youth Specialties
“must read”
“Family-Based Youth Ministry will be one of those books that youth workers find they must read.” -Duffy Robbins, Eastern College
“the catalyst”
“We are experiencing a wonderful level of enthusiasm and commitment for at El Montecito Presbyterian Church. [YMA] was the catalyst that I hoped he would be.” -John McManigal, El Montecito Presbyterian Church
“a pioneer and pacesetter for [the family ministry] movement.”
Mark DeVries’ work demonstrates that he has been and will continue to be a pioneer and pacesetter for [the family ministry] movement.” -Richard Dunn
“an excellent field guide”
“The Indispensable Youth Pastor tackles the right issues with honesty and clarity that everyone who starting in youth ministry needs to wrestle with. Like white water rafting, youth ministry can be exciting or a disaster. It is an excellent field … Continue reading
“a valuable tool for any youth worker, whether you have been in ministry for five minutes or fifty years.”
The Indispensible Youth Pastor leads both rookie and veteran youth workers through how to find a paid youth ministry position, how to land the job, and how to keep it once you are hired. Through many real life examples, Jeff … Continue reading
“candid, practical counsel”
Mark DeVries and Jeff Dunn-Rankin have a written a book that we’ve been needing for a long time – a book easy to read but thoughtful in content, light-hearted enough to be fun but serious enough to remind us that … Continue reading
“Their counsel in these pages is gold.”
I could not think of two wiser youth ministry professionals to have mentor a youth pastor/director in the search for the next call of ministry. If I were starting over again, my first meeting would be with these guys. Their … Continue reading
“a much needed resource in the youth ministry world”
Mark and Jeff have done a great job of covering all the bases for those who are looking for a youth ministry position. These two do such a good job that this book is the only go-to resource you will … Continue reading
“encourages youth ministry grads to ask the right questions”
“Many recent youth ministry graduates struggle in their first few years of ministry and in part it is the result of a lack of discipline, discernment & direction. I believe DeVries’ The Indispensable Youth Pastor addresses all three of these concerns … Continue reading
“ought to be required reading”
I wish this resource had been available 35 years ago; it would have helped protect me from several “mistakes” and myself throughout the years. Indispensable Youth Pastor ought to be required reading for all those with a passion for youth … Continue reading
“much-needed measure of wisdom”
“Youth ministry is hard work, and youth ministers need wisdom to know how to persist in their calling even when their ministry doesn’t feel fun or fruitful. This book helps to provide this much-needed measure of wisdom.” Timothy Paul Jones, … Continue reading
“a lighted path to both survive and succeed in ministry”
Mark DeVries is one of the wisest persons in youth ministry, and Indispensable Youth Pastor shows this in Technicolor. Mark and Jeff’s wisdom spills from every page; you will find here a lighted path to both survive and succeed in ministry. … Continue reading
“So practical and essential, really good stuff”
So practical and essential, really good stuff. I wish I had had these resources when I worked for the diocese. Also, I would add the insights really apply to all programmatic ministry. The wisdom here is applicable beyond youth ministry … Continue reading
“these people know what they are doing!”
Having been in the ministry for 40 years, if there’s one thing I’ve learned it is that nothing changes faster, is more challenging, or more important to the life of a congregation than its youth ministry. Well and good. But, … Continue reading
“the perfect road map to landing the best candidate for your youth ministry position”
Before You Hire a Youth Pastor is the perfect road map to landing the best candidate for your youth ministry position. Mark and Jeff walk the reader through easy to manage steps and lay the ground for successfully hiring the … Continue reading
“When Mark DeVries speaks about youth ministry, wise church leaders listen”
When Mark DeVries speaks about youth ministry, wise church leaders listen. Mark knows what he is talking about. I recommend Mark and his expertise in youth ministry without hesitation. Martin Thielen, Senior Pastor Brentwood United Methodist Church Brentwood, Tennessee
“a wise and workable method”
News Flash: A carefully mapped out, disciplined, and strategic search process is not the opposite of discerning the will of the Spirit! DeVries and Dunn-Rankin offer a wise and workable method to assist congregations with calling their next youth worker. … Continue reading
“methodically and strategically lays out appropriate questions for search committees”
“I often get panicked phone calls from search committees ask me what they should be looking for in a youth pastor? I’ll offer some advice from my own experience but I will now encourage them to read DeVries’ Before You Hire … Continue reading
“the most complete, practical, thoughtful, user-friendly resource for helping churches, pastors and search committees hire a youth pastor”
There are those that say, “The only thing harder than finding a good youth pastor is getting rid of a bad one.” How many teenagers, parents, pastors and youth ministry search committees have been disappointed because “Mr. Right” turned out to be … Continue reading
“treasure”
“I have worked with both these servants and find their wisdom, enthusiasm and passion beyond compare. They “get” youth ministry in the church and we have the treasure in this book to understand what a church needs in a youth … Continue reading
“An essential tool”
An essential tool for equipping youth pastor search teams to purposefully pursue their responsibilities so as to model the integrity they desire in their new youth pastor. Prof. Darwin Glassford Assoc. Professor of Church Education Director of M.A. Programs Calvin … Continue reading
“Practical tools abound!”
Out of 75 years of combined experience, Mark, Doug and Jeff have given the church an indispensable tool for tackling one of the most challenging and crucial tasks facing church leaders: identifying the right staff person guide the church in reaching and … Continue reading
“this book includes everything your church will need”
“When it comes to calling your church’s next youth minister, this book includes everything your church will need–except for the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures, both of which were too big to fit between the covers. I have been … Continue reading
“Reading this book is like having a cup of coffee with your own personal consultant.”
“Reading this book is like having a cup of coffee with your own personal consultant. The authors break down the challenging process of hiring a youth pastor into a series of understandable and doable steps. The real-life stories serve as … Continue reading
SUSTAINABLE YOUTH MINISTRY: “A Top 5 Youth Ministry book of all time!”
As stated by Josh Griffin, the High School Youth Pastor at Saddleback Church, in the Simply Youth Ministry Podcast, episode 148
“exquisite book”
“The church needs more youth workers who can sustain their ministry for the long haul. This exquisite book will help them match their unique voice to the vocation of youth work with practical, down-to-earth steps at the same time it … Continue reading
“no organization…better equipped to guide local churches…than YMA”
“There is no organization or individual better equipped to guide local churches in the challenging but vital work of reaching youth for Christ than Youth Ministry Architects and Mark Devries. Mark’s work with our congregation has resulted in a youth … Continue reading
“Long-needed resource”
“Churches need help like never before! In a church culture that is straining under the constant turnover of youth workers, this long-needed resource will help faithful folks to do the difficult preparatory work to hire a GREAT match for their … Continue reading
“Another grand slam home run for helping the church…”
“I simply wish to say that I heartily endorse them (these books) and think you’ve hit another grand slam home run for helping the church and its leaders at all levels carry out the vows of baptism by ministering more … Continue reading
“filled with wisdom, experience, and insights”
“The ‘Land, Lock and Love’ approach to becoming an Indispensable Youth Pastor is filled with wisdom, experience, and insights for first time youth ministers and those transitioning further down the ministry road. The experience from which DeVries and Dunn-Rankin write … Continue reading
“This is a book I plan to require in my youth ministry classes.”
“Do you love the Lord, youth, and the church? Then you have all that is needed to be a winning youth pastor – right? Not according to the authors of this book and they clearly spell out why. If you desire … Continue reading
“the sooner we read this book, the better”
“Mark DeVries and Jeff Dunn-Rankin are the most profoundly sensible people to ever write about youth ministry – profound in exuding effortless wisdom in every chapter, sensible in making you wonder how we ever lived without this book. The Indispensable … Continue reading
“practical youth ministry advice of the highest order”
“This is practical youth ministry advice of the highest order. Indispensable.” -Adam Neder
“worth its weight in gold”
“I admire the work of Mark DeVries and Jeff Dunn-Rankin as much as anyone in youth ministry today. They understand not only what makes up effective student ministry, but they also have a death-grip on what a really effective youth … Continue reading
“slam dunk job”
“In Indispensable Youth Pastor, Mark and Jeff have done a slam dunk job capturing the art of hopeful youth pastors transitioning from job search, to landing a job, to thriving in youth ministry. It’s full of humorous stories that stick … Continue reading
“an extremely useable resource”
“Before You Hire a Youth Pastor – is great! Truly an extremely useable resource for churches planning to hire staff – specifically youth pastors – but for any staff position. The step-by-step instructions, including forms and myriad job descriptions, are fantastic! … Continue reading
“This book is a must read”
“Finding the right match for your church takes work, and search teams need help. The authors of Before You Hire a Youth Pastor believe, “churches (not youth pastors) must own their student ministries and hire youth pastors who can steward those ministries … Continue reading
“put this book in the hands of every congregational decision-maker “
“Before You Hire a Youth Pastor should cause congregations to heave a collective, joyful sigh of relief: finding a youth minister who “fits” is not a mystery after all. Before you search – better yet, before you think about needing a … Continue reading
“I couldn’t recommend it more.”
“Hiring the right personnel is a fundamental responsibility of leadership. If you are in leadership at a church and looking to hire a youth worker, Before You Hire a Youth Pastor can save you a ton of heartache and time. DeVries … Continue reading
“These guys have done a great job”
“You will not truly understand how much you need this book, Before You Hire a Youth Pastor, until you are smack in the middle of the process of searching for a new Youth Pastor. It combines the urgency of finding a … Continue reading
“it was instrumental in helping us succeed”
“We are all set – we offered the position to an outstanding candidate and he accepted! We used a lot of information from Before You Hire a Youth Pastor, which really helped our search committee through the entire process. The … Continue reading
“I feel a weight has been lifted.”
“For the last three years I’ve felt so far behind. I don’t have to do all of this by myself. I feel a weight has been lifted.” -Johnathan Barnes, Youth Director, New Life in Christ (O’Fallon, IL)
“this was by FAR the best!
“The food and care were first rate!! WOW. The way you set things up, communicated before and after was awesome. I have been to so many conferences and workshops over the years and this was by FAR the best! Great … Continue reading
“well organized and facilitated”
“The meeting itself was well organized and facilitated and allowed for alot of networking among participants.” ~ Tammy Jacobi The Presbyterian Church of LaPorte , IN
“very approachable”
“Excellent workshop and well worth the time commitment. I also liked that Mark DeVries was very approachable and interested in helping with follow up.” ~Dori Davenport Thexton Central Midwest District – UUA Milwaukee , WI
“an excellent job”
“Mark did an excellent job of reminding us of all the pieces needed to create something sustainable and helping me see what needs to be gotten up to speed.” ~ Laura Reason First Presbyterian Church Highland, IN
“helpful in suggesting some systematic strategies”
“Mark DeVries’ workshop was helpful in suggesting some systematic strategies to create a strong youth program.” ~ Duane Carlisle Broadway United Methodist Church Indianapolis, IN
