It's Personal by Virginia Ward, Reggie Joiner, Kristen Ivy

Maybe you have just been asked to work with the youth in your church. Panic sets in as you realize it has been decades since you have been their age. Maybe you have been working with youth for years and you realize you are not getting through to them the way you had dreamed you would.

The authors come to your rescue with this book. They help you disciple young people in a way that is relational. If you want to see transformation, your work must be personal. The authors explain how that can be done, developing authentic relationships. They do so in the context of the story of Jesus and His encounter with Zacchaeus.

The authors interviewed volunteers to discover the pitfalls and best practices for meaningful ministry with young people. They suggest five major strategies related to identity, worth, empathy, love and belief. Something as basic as knowing their name and learning how to pronounce it properly shows you honor their identity, for example. The authors give lots of practical suggestions for developing all five important relational values.

This is a short book that can be read of an evening. It is full of important material on ministering to young people. They need to know they are loved by God and that they can love others. It can best be understood when they see it demonstrated by adults. I especially appreciated the authors' suggestions for working with a person when their behavior has been sinful.

This is a good book for anyone working with young people and willing to take the time and effort to establish personal and meaningful relationships with them. You'll find good teaching and practical suggestions for making a difference in the lives of those you come to touch.

You can find out more about the book and free resources at https://itspersonalbook.com/ .

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Virginia Ward serves as the Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor of Youth Ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Boston Campus, where she teaches classes in urban youth ministry and leadership. She has experience as an urban pastor, ministry organizer, and youth ministry expert. She has a M.A. in Youth Ministry, and a D.Min. in Emerging Generations from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She is an Associate Pastor at Abundant Life Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where her husband is the Senior Pastor and Bishop. They have two sons.

Reggie Joiner is founder and CEO of Orange/reThink Group, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to influence those who influence the next generation. Before founding Orange in 2006, he was one of the founders of North Point Community Church with Andy Stanley. During his 11 years there, he was the executive director of family ministry. He has authored or co-authored several books. He and his wife live in North Georgia and have four adult children and four grandchildren. You can find out more at ReggieJoiner.com.

Kristen Ivy is executive director of messaging at Orange. Before joining reThink in 2006, she earned her bachelor's of education from Baylor University and a M.Div. from Mercer University. She worked in the public school system as a high school biology and English teacher and is the author of several books. She and her husband have three young children. You can find out more at KristenIvy.com.

Orange Books, 104 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Zilker Media. My comments are an independent and honest review.