CHMN 301 – B01 LUO
Foundations of NextGen Ministry
Reading Report 2: Student Ministry Essentials
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Submitted to Dr. Steve Vandegriff,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
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Introduction
Student ministry is a rewarding and often challenging field. In today’s post-Christian
society, many students have no exposure to Jesus at home. That is why it is so important for
modern student ministry leaders to understand not only what it means to lead, but also how
to reach young people.
With the challenge of non-traditional family units, a lack of parenting at home, and other
distractions, it can be hard to know how to reach students from so many different
backgrounds. Teenagers, in particular, can be difficult to reach. They are in the process of
understanding their place in the world, and can be rebellious and disinterested in the state of
their soul.
Student Ministry Essentials attempts to answer the questions leaders have about how to
do student ministry. It is broken down into what every leader needs to be effective.
Summary
In Student Ministry Essentials, authors Steve Vandegriff and Richard Brown break
student ministry down into three necessary components: leading, nurturing, and reaching.
The introduction reminds potential student ministers of Satan’s plans for the lives of our
teens. Living in a postmodern world, controversial issues like those of gender and
homosexuality are a constant problem. Though the bible teaches homosexuality is a sin, if
young people share their beliefs they may be criticized for being insensitive.
The authors remind us that “Young people are caught in the crossfire of this moral
dilemma.” (Vandegriff and Brown, 18.) It is important to remember that these are real
pressures faced by teens daily and teach them how to speak their minds with love.
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The book is divided into three sections. The first section focuses on leadership, the
second on nurturing students, and the third on reaching students. Each section is well-organized,
combining relevant definitions, statistics, bible verses, and profiles to provide a balanced view.
The first section gives the nitty-gritty of leadership. It dives right into the different kinds
of student leaders and ideal qualities. These beginning chapters provide insights on areas as
varied as post-modernism and being an under-shepherd. A gem from this section is on
modernism: “Pseudo-modernism is posited with banal and narcissist expressions like Likes on
Facebook, tweets, blogs, selfies, and texts.” (Vandegriff and Brown, 39.)
In Part 2, student ministers learn about nurturing their charges. This begins with an
overview of the changes adolescents go through and some of the characteristics that manifest as
a result. This section also explores spiritual formation and the importance of biblically centered
teaching.
The last section goes into some of the more technical aspects of student ministry,
including appropriate programming, equipping students, outreach, and campus ministry.
Personal Response
Student Ministry Essentials was one of the most enjoyable books on student ministry. It was
personal without being overly opinionated, factual without having the sense of information
overload, and well-organized.
The amount of care going into each section was evident. As a ministry volunteer with hardly any
student ministry experience at all, it was very easy to understand the role of student ministry
leaders, how to deal with parents, and what kind of programs are available to help students.
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“Programs give life to your philosophy. They are your direction based on rationale.”
(Vandegriff and Brown, 178.) This quote provides a great encouragement for ministers who may
fear being too structured when it comes to ministering to students.
Conclusion
If a church or ministry is looking for relevant training material for student ministers, this
book provides a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to get started. It is thorough, relevant,
and not overly preachy. The technical information is enough for anyone to understand the role of
leaders in this important ministry.
“As student ministry leaders, we need to be aware of the shape of our culture and be
willing to embrace new means of reaching students. We need to take whatever steps are
necessary to reach students. Because it's not just attendance that's at stake; it's the very
gospel saturation of this culture itself. (Vandegriff and Brown, 33.)
Bibliography
Vandegriff, Steve, and Richard Brown. Student Ministry Essentials: Reaching. Leading.
Nurturing. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2015.
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