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Josh GriffinMore Posts New Sermon Series: Roots

Doug Fields and I did a quick 2-week sermon series last year called Roots: Essentials for Living a Deeper Life – it was released today at Simply Youth Ministry. Here’s a little bit more about it:

Are your students ready for life’s storms? Are they prepared for the challenges and struggles that will come with young adulthood? Are they building a root system that will help them grow–even in the middle of all the messy, disappointing, chaotic, stressful moments?

Students will be challenged to pursue solid connections with other Christians. God can do something big when we go small and develop close friendships and authentic community. This is an opportunity to promote involvement in small groups and development of stronger relationships within your youth ministry.

JG

Add Comment June 1, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts New Book! Live Large. Shine Bright. Be Different.

Doug Fields and I co-authored a new book for students, Live Large Be Different Shine Bright. And … it came out today! You can grab a sample chapter and more over on Simply Youth Ministry or in a couple days from Amazon. So excited!

Somewhere along the line, an expectation has crept into church youth groups that once you begin to follow Jesus, you just magically turn into a completely mature Christian. Well, that’s just not true!

In Live Large. Be Different. Shine Bright., Doug Fields and Josh Griffin share about some important character qualities that will help teenagers live large, be different, and shine bright. A lot of what Doug and Josh write about doesn’t seem to get much sermon time, but these topics are definitely worthy of consideration and experimentation–topics like competition, laughter, cliques, encouragement and several others will help teenagers in the process of being a more vibrant follower of Jesus.

These two youth ministry veterans definitely have a deep love for teenagers and a passion to help them become more attractive as they discover what it means to follow Jesus.

JG

Add Comment May 13, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Book Review: What the Dog Saw

I will read everything a select group of writers put out there.

Usually that works for me, because the people on there deserve it after crafting several life-changing, personal and impactful books. Malcom Gladwell tops that list (which also includes Doug Fields and Seth Godin), so I’ve read every single book of his so far. He’s the mastermind/author behind Blink, Outliers and The Tipping Point. His latest book, What the Dog Saw, is simply a collection of his columns in the New Yorker. My expectation bar was set super high – and while it isn’t as epic as his typical book, I loved reading some of his older stuff in smaller doses. Highly recommend, it’ll make you think.

JG

1 View Comments April 15, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Finished! Live Large. Be Different. Shine Bright.

Click image for full size

Just finished the last handful of edits on a new book with my friend Doug Fields. Super excited to show you the cover of Live Large. Be Different. Shine Bright. The book is written to students, focusing on 12 character qualities from God’s Word that will set them apart from the rest. It comes out in a month or two – look for it then! Wooohoo – done!

JG

Add Comment April 2, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts CONTEST: Best $5 Youth Ministry Ideas

Just got a couple copies of The $5 Youth Ministry to giveaway from the author, Todd Outcalt. I loved the book and reviewed it here – now you can get your hands on a copy, too. Just leave a comment on this post with your best $5 or less idea for youth ministry, and you’re entered to win! I’ll pull the best one out and pull another at random from all the entries.

JG

18 View Comments March 23, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts BOOK REVIEW: The 3 Big Questions for the Frantic Family

I’ve read every one of Patrick Lenconi’s books – this one is the first of his business fables to hit on the topic of the home. I love the book – it challenges you to take a long look at your family and determine what exactly are the values you will build your home around. While not a Christian book, it does give ample space to faith and volunteering, and most of it is easily adaptable to a Christian home. The book asks you to look at your family’s unique makeup, and regularly meet to grade yourself on how you are doing acomplishing your family-specific mission. Some good stuff in there, as a father of 4 in a frantic young family, it was totally a good read.

JG

1 View Comments March 21, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Happy Series from SYM

Simply Youth Ministry just released HAPPY, a 6-week sermon series we did this fall in HSM. Doug Fields and I taught the series from The Beatitudes in Matthew. I blogged a ton about it during the series, you can read those posts here. Check it out!

JG

4 View Comments March 19, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Book Review: Simple Student Ministry

I read the book Simple Student Ministry a few months back and never got around to posting a review of it so here goes:

I love a clear discipleship process in youth ministry – the parent book, Simple Church, was one of my favorite books of 2007 and I was hoping their team would bring out a student version of the title. It seems the longer churches are around the more “pile on” programs you have, each intending to help but eventually crowding the discipleship pathway. Simply put, we like to add stuff without taking anything away. Churches have the tendency to program creep, to the point where the core mission is diluted or even disappears altogether. I’m all for simple, clear and effective – to some degree, this is part of the journey we’re on right now with our High School Ministry (HSM). This book strongly urges that direction (large parts of it remind me of a Purpose Driven Youth Ministry combined with What Matters Most) and is a good read if you’re thinking you’re getting over-programmed.

JG

2 View Comments January 12, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Book Review: The Greenhouse Project

This Christmas break I finished up a review copy of the Mike Calhoun book The Greenhouse Project: Cultivating Students of Influence – a good read for anyone looking to overhaul or reemphasize discipleship in their student ministry. The book actually covers more than discipleship, but the theme is very primary and central to his thesis that of all the purposes for student ministry – discipleship is the one that matters the most. Each chapter is guided by a contributing writer like Greg Stier, Mel Walker or Jay Strack, so while the writing feels a bit random, the multiple voices lends credibility and varied perspective. My wife actually graduated from Word of Life Bible Institute and I have enjoyed the camps and speakers in the past – I think the book is good for many settings though if you’re a “Word of Life church” it’ll really hit you where you’re at. Great title, too, our student ministry should be a greenhouse for helping students grow up in Christ.

JG

2 View Comments December 31, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts Book Review: Primal

Finished up some reading I’m getting pretty far behind on – Multnomah Books sent me a review copy of Mark Batterson’s new book Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity. To me, Mark feels like half amateur scientist and half pastor, dragging his readers back in time to the origins of faith with both Scripture and science. My favorite chapter was The Island of Colorblind, which focuses on the lack of wonder in Christians any more. That we are so familiar with faith we no longer truly see it for the radical nature and God at the very heart of it. Really good stuff to challenge us about what God is calling us to do while we’re here on earth.

JG