Announcing the release of Faith Beyond Youth Group: Five Ways to Form Character and Cultivate Lifelong Discipleship

The Fuller Youth Institute is excited to announce the upcoming release of Faith Beyond Youth Group: Five Ways to Form Character and Cultivate Lifelong Discipleship a groundbreaking book authored by Kara Powell, Jen Bradbury, and Brad M. Griffin. Published by Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, this transformative work is now available for pre-order and set to hit bookshelves on November 7, 2023.

As the statistics show that approximately half of students drift from their faith after graduation, the pressing question emerges: How can we keep students engaged in their faith beyond their youth group experience? Faith Beyond Youth Group addresses this challenge head-on, offering the latest research from the Fuller Youth Institute on how to encourage lasting faith in the next generation.

Dr. David Emmanuel Goatley, President of Fuller Theological Seminary, shared his perspective on the book release: "We believe we can rediscover how Scripture keeps character and faith integrated rather than either obsessing over rules or separating spirituality from the rest of life. If faith is what is believed, then character is faith lived out in real time."

The authors, Kara Powell, Jen Bradbury, and Brad M. Griffin, offer a practical compass that moves leaders beyond burnout, increases their impact, and bridges the "character gap" that causes students to abandon their faith. The Faith Beyond Youth Group Compass includes five essential points:

• Cultivate Trust: Leveraging relational strengths to develop identity, belonging, and purpose.

• Model Growth: Demonstrating consistency and integrity while living out faith authentically.

• Teach for Transformation: Applying the strategies of Jesus to transform teenagers' identities.

• Practice Together: Moving faith from students' heads and into their hands and feet.

• Make Meaning: Helping students understand who they are and who they can be in Jesus.

In the words of Kara Powell, Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute and Chief of Leadership Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary, "Let's disciple teens today so they won't have to deconstruct their faith tomorrow."

Powell, along with Brad M. Griffin, Senior Director of Content and Research for the Fuller Youth Institute, and Jen Bradbury, Content Director for the Fuller Youth Institute, each bring decades of youth ministry experience to this transformative book.

Praise for Faith Beyond Youth Group has been pouring in from influential voices within the faith community:

"I hope that every youth ministry leader reads Faith Beyond Youth Group. This book not only locates where young people are at but provides insightful, practical, and doable ways to truly cultivate lifelong discipleship." — Christine Caine, founder of A21 and Propel Women.

"Rooted in research and data, Faith Beyond Youth Group reimagines what youth ministry can look like if our goal isn't behavior management but rather character formation." — Skye Jethani, author of "What If Jesus Was Serious?" and cohost of The Holy Post podcast.

"This book had me at the title: Faith Beyond Youth Group. It's what we all want, hope, and pray for—faith that matters long after our games, teaching, camps, and programs are over." — Doug Fields, youth pastor and president of DownloadYouthMinistry.com.

Don't miss this compelling resource for youth ministry leaders seeking to make a lasting impact on the spiritual development of young people.

MEDIA CONTACT: Holly Scheevel (952) 829-2555

Connect teens’ faith with their character—not just for 90 minutes, but all week long

Building on two decades of the Fuller Youth Institute's work and incorporating extensive new research and interviews, Faith Beyond Youth Group identifies the reasons it feels like you’re working so hard but having so little impact, and offers five ways adult youth leaders can cultivate character for a lifetime of growing closer to Jesus rather than drifting away. With practical insight and tips, you’ll find out how to cultivate trust, model growth, teach for transformation, practice together, and make meaning so that teenagers can become adults who hold fast to Jesus and boldly live out a robust faith in the world around them.

Order Now