Top 5 Books for Parents of Teenagers
The following list of 5 books are books that over the last few months I have found pivotal for parents who have a teenager. I have compiled this list as a Youth Pastor sharing some resources with parents. Any questions or comments you can leave below in the comment section.
The Grown-Up's Guide to Teenage Humans written by Josh Shipp:
Somewhere in late September and early October of 2018, this book crossed my desk as a must read for Youth Pastors and Parents. Yes, it is lengthy, but Josh who is well educated and researched put out a book that talks through challenges of communicating, understanding a teenage mindset, and he works with specific age ranges. I have seen this book help parents have better conversations and relationship with their teen.
You Lost Me written by David Kinnaman:
Students in America seem to drift out of the church after they graduate from High School. Kinnaman has written You Lost Meto help the local church and parents no lose the “next” generation of the church. You Lost Mecame out a few years ago and is not a brand new book, but I have it down as a must-read for parents and pastors. I believe you will be encouraged but challenged not to allow your students get disconnected from the local church.
Can I ask that 2 (Leader Guide) written by Jim Candy, Brad Griffin, Kara Powell
I think that parents should work through this book with their students. Six questions Can I Ask that Two will work through: “Is it wrong to doubt God?, Is hell real? How could God send someone there? Can I do something so bad God won’t forgive me?, Why do bad things happen to good people?, Is sex outside of marriage wrong?, Why is it so awkward to talk about Jesus with my friends?” I think having parents and their children work through this book it will allow for great conversation and allow for teenagers to come to their parents. I think parents will find out that their students have questions they are afraid to ask. I think Can I Ask that Two helps to work through some tough topics, but also equipping parents and teenagers alike for how to answer these questions.
Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the new Post-Christian World written by James Emery White:
Meet Generation Z allows parents to learn more about the teenage population in America right now. I found this book very hard to put down. White leaves nothing out of his explanations of details and information about the current population within our ministries. I read this book and came up with new approaches and ideas for reaching teenagers in our student ministry in North Carolina. Generation Z will challenge the way we have been doing life and church while causing parents to re-evaluate their “why.”
Sticky Faith by Kara Powell, Brad Griffin, and Cheryl Crawford:
Sticky Faith a few years ago challenged me to help raise up students who have faith that sticks post-graduation. Parents can open this book and help nurture their teenager's faith that will have long-term effects. The majority of students and the trend in America right now leans to teenagers drifting out of the local church around the junior year of high school. I think this pattern can be broken by helping establish teenagers with a real faith that sticks after their graduation into adulthood. Never to early to begin to nurture a faith that holds.
Disclaimer: Not everything shared in these books is held by the contributors or the leaders of Ministry Win.
