Youth ministry in the church today needs to change.

Family Ministry Field Guide offers as good of an alternative as I have seen! Timothy Paul Jones takes a Gospel-centered, family-focused approach to discipling children and youth. He does an admirable job of arguing from the biblical narrative, rather than from the standpoint of "retention rates" that are oft-cited and, in his estimation, over-blown and poorly researched.

The one qualm one might have with Family Ministry Field Guide is that it is not ultimately a field guide. When I think of a field guide, I think of a practical how-to book, with steps and procedures to help one implement the topic at hand. Jones stops short of this. Admittedly, he does so from a sense of allowing the reader to contextualize his principles and come up with their own plan. He also gives testimonials about how some others have implemented a Family-Equipping Model of ministry. Still, I was looking for more specific suggestions on how to transition our student ministry from a family-friendly model to a family-equipping model.

Still, I rate this book with the highest rating. Perhaps the greatest compliment I can give it is that it has helped shape how I invest in my family. I see myself as the primary discipler of my children and I am thankful to have my local church partner in that process with me! ( )