Jonathan Dodson,  Fight Clubs: Gospel-Centered Discipleship

“How Missional is Your Church”

Tim Keller, “The Centrality of the Gospel”

“The Gospel: Key to Change”

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

D.A. Carson, “The Biblical Gospel”

Jerry Bridges, “Gospel-Driven Sanctification”

Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible

C.J. Mahaney, Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing

Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice

The Gospel-Driven Life: Being Good News People in a Bad News World

Mark Dever and Paul Alexander, The Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the Gospel

Bob Thune, The Gospel Centered Life

Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community

Tim Chester, You Can Change: God’s Transforming Power for Our Sinful Behaviour and Negative Emotions

Tim Chester, The Ordinary Hero: Living the Cross and the Resurrection

Christopher J.H. Wright, The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative

John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions

Blogs and Ministries

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/ The Gospel Coalition

http://www.t4g.org/ Together for the Gospel

http://www.9marks.org/ The 9 Marks

http://www.togetherforadoption.org/ Together for Adoption

http://www.desiringgod.org/ Desiring God

http://sovereigngraceministries.com/ Sovereign Grace Ministries

http://www.acts29network.org/ Acts 29

http://theresurgence.com/ The Resurgence

http://www.thecrowdedhouse.org/ The Crowded House

http://timchester.wordpress.com/ Tim Chester

http://creationproject.wordpress.com/ Jonathan Dodson

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/ Justin Taylor

http://www.worshipmatters.com/ Bob Kauflin

http://www.challies.com/ Tim Challies

This week we talked about success, discouragement and other things you’ll face in ministry. We also hit key questions again, so it was more interactive.

Here’s the powerpoint with my notes.

Here’s the audio:

I distributed a few good resources:

• David Powlison’s articles on Breaking Pornography Addiction part 1 and part 2.
• “Mapping your Private World” by Gordon MacDonald on Journaling.
• Jonathan Dodson’s Fight Club booklet, and here’s a blog to expand the concepts.

Here’s the audio: part1 and part2

Here’s the handout of Counsel Questions from David Powlison and Paul David Tripp.

Here are the lecture notes: Pain and trials, Time and Frog eating.

Here are the lectures: part 1, part 2, part 3

Here’s a handout on time management adapted from Mark Driscoll

Questions that should have been in your syllabus:

• What is the goal of youth ministry, and what are the means you will employ to attain that goal?
• When it comes to youth ministry what are the foundational /relevant Biblical passages and principles?  How should your ministry be impacted by these?
• What is your plan to detect, develop and deploy leaders?  What is their role?
• How do you relate to those in authority over you (pastors, parents, other)?  How and when should you implement change when it may not align with their philosophy of ministry?

Other questions that you should consider:

• Can a teen be changed? How?
• What are the consequences of a student failing to treasure Christ?
  • Can a real believer fail in that calling?
  • How does this motivate us?
• Relationship with parents?  How do you minister to parents?
• What are the “pipes” through which grace flows into the life of teens? (ie., spiritual disciplines, community, etc. How can a student have the grace of God flow into their soul?)
• How do you know when you’ve reached your goal (seeing and savoring) – what are some indicators?
• How do you help your teens and staff to treasure Christ?
• Can a believer will themselves to love God and can He hold us responsible for the consequences if we do not?
• How do you balance the comfort and call of the gospel?
• What is the role of the community in spiritual development?  What responsibility does the individual have? Parents? Other Adults?
• How do you make disciples?  Are you called to? How do you know (key passages)?
• Who do you disciple? 
• What is the call to discipleship (the way of the cross)? 
  • What are the implications of this?
  • How will you objectively measure this?
• Does God command us to worship Him / treasure Him?  Where?
• What is the role of programs in your ministry?

Re-read your statement and ask yourself, is this distinctively Christian? In other words, could some other faith group (Islam, Mormon, etc) use your statement?  Is your philosophy of youth ministry theologically accurate and Christ centered?

Here’s my powerpoint and notes

Here’s the audio from the session: part1 and part2

We did spend some time working on “How the gospel makes us family” and the implications for youth ministry.

• Here are my notes.
• Here is the audio of the lecture.

Hey, don’t grow weary, even with all of the test taking and papers that keep rolling in.

• What are you doing to keep your soul healthy?
• What affects your soul negatively?
• What practices do you need to implement to keep it healthy?

So Midterm, eh? As I said – open note and open book.  As you know – that’s a lot of pages to cover.  You’ll need to look over this info, and organize it in such a way that you can find it.  Don’t forget to bring: Oestericher’s book, Keller’s book, copies of the notes I’ve handed out, your notes, your bible, and something to write with.

And bummer of all bummers – we are planning to accomplish more than a midterm this week, so plan on staying after the test and working hard.  I just want to give you your money’s worth!

Here are the notes from this last week:

Here’s the audio files:

• Part 1
• Part 2

Here are links to the handouts:

• Keller’s Sermon Prep worksheet
• Our Youth Ministry’s Goal Setting/tracking tool – Report Card.
• An example of our leadership team’s agenda.
• Chapter 5 of Tim Chester’s book, You Can Change, entitled “What Truth’s Do You Need To Turn To.”

PS. If you’ve read this far, don’t forget the extra credit for the exam – “A Prayer for Exams”