Ministry Journey Blog

Published at Youthworker Online (A part of Youthworker Journal)

Read the online article here

There are very few things as powerful as story, especially in the context of youth ministry. In youth ministry, we utilize the power of story all the time, recognizing that our youth (and others) connect with story — not to mention Jesus was a storyteller. God has, is and will continue to write a story in our world and in our lives. We must connect our youth to God and God’s story so they can begin to see the story God has for them. Max Lucado is a great storyteller. While the stories in the book are great and it’s an enjoyable book, its value in a youth ministry setting is limited to the possible use of some of the author’s stories. It’s neither a book that can be used as a curriculum or teaching series, nor is it a book I would recommend having youth read. This book contains some great stories that youth workers may find helpful in communicating God’s story to their youth, but I would not recommend using it for any other purpose in a youth ministry setting.

–Rev. Marcus J. Carlson