It seems like more often than not when I meet with youth workers around North America, either in person or over the phone, I find myself recommending a book entitled, Practicing Discernment with Youth: A Transformative Youth Ministry Approach by David White. I am always surprised at the number of you who have never heard of it…

I do not know the author and have never met him so this isn’t a “favor” or a “you pimp my book and I’ll pimp yours” deal either. This is just me pushing you towards reading this book because I think it is insightful, practical and inspiring. It is one of those books that I think can really help you more deeply fall in love with your calling and the students and families you are called to serve.

White says this, “Discernment is a way of engaging the dance with God, of bringing all that we are before God to be healed and transformed, of integrating and reconciling the disparate parts of our lives and our world.”

Chapter 1 speaks to the social construction of adolescence. Chapter 2 looks at the cultural forces that ‘marginalize youth and create tensions’ in contemporary youth ministry. Chapter 3 introduces the practice of discernment as an approach to youth ministry. Chapters 4-7 explore five movements of discernment — listening, understanding, remembering and dreaming and acting. Chapter 8 suggests practical ways of organizing youth ministry around the movements of discernment.

Have any of you already read this? What did you think? I would love to know your thoughts on it. You can comment or email me at chrisfol@mac.com.