Foreword by Harry Reeder

The lights dim . . . the smoke rises . . . the band starts playing. It’s a familiar scene, as youth ministries everywhere use entertaining and trendy approaches to draw in teens. But when the lights come on and the fog clears, what do we find?

Over eighty percent of teenagers raised in Christian homes drift away from the church after high school. Why such poor numbers? Could it be because youth groups, in seeking to entertain and dazzle teens and striving to elevate experience over truth, have left teens dissatisfied and hungry for that truth?

Brian Cosby demonstrates a ministry approach that truly nurtures teens and brings them back for more—one solidly grounded in Christ and patterned after the means of grace: the Word, sacraments, prayer, service, and community. Learn how much teenagers not only need a deeper ministry, but want one too.