It is hard to believe that a year has gone by since I wrote about the top ten things that new youth ministry leaders need to know to get started in their ministry. In that article I included some of my favorite ‘must have’ resources to get started. Here are some more tangible media sources to help you in your ministry. They range from free to minimal cost, and all contain great stuff.

IT (Innovative Tools)

A wonderful resource that addresses topics from A-Z about the Christian Faith, IT by Group Publishing (http://www.group.com) comes with three volumes of ideas and a CD for your computer. All you have to do is search for a topic or activity using a keyword and the group activity will appear on your screen. The topics are not necessarily written from a Catholic perspective, so you may have to make adjustments to reflect our Catholic beliefs. ($90.00)

OmegaRock.com

OmegaRock.com (http://www.omegarock.com) is an online Catholic radio station. The station plays contemporary Christian music from Catholic artists and other mainstream Christian musicians.

The Journal of Student Ministries

This journal, published by Youth Specialties (http://www.youthspecialties.com), comes out six times per year and includes articles related to youth and campus ministry as well as articles about surviving and thriving in youth ministry. It is a great, practical resource. ($40.00 subscription fee.)

Youth Specialties.com

Youth Specialties (http://www.youthspecialties.com) website contains articles and ideas for youth ministry. It includes pod casts by experts in the field who offer insight on many topics such as issues with middle school teens and the changing face of youth ministry. Visit the website for their free resources.

The Source for Youth Ministry.com

The Source for Youth Ministry.com (http://www.thesource4ym.com) offers group games and icebreaker ideas. You will find indoor and outdoor activities and for large and small groups. I use many of these games because they keep young people involved and we all love the element of surprise. I actually have kids asking at the beginning of every group, “What are we doing today?” I always respond the same way, “I guess you will have to wait and see.” (Free)

Jesus Said It and Jesus Did It

Group Publishing (http://www.group.com) provides two separate six-week, experiential, multimedia, small group Bible Studies. Each explores what Jesus said or did in his years here on earth and challenges us to live what Jesus said or did. These kits include cool tangible exercises to drive the point home. Again, you may have to make some adjustments in order to fully reflect our Catholic beliefs but the exercises can spark some great conversation. ($59.99 each)

Throw and Tell Balls

These are inflatable balls that have questions written all over them. The ball is thrown and the question that is under the left thumb of the person who catches it is the one that is answered. One ball is strictly used to break the ice. The other contains questions that encourage young people to go a little deeper. Available through Group Publishing (http://www.group.com). ($9.99 each or both for $14.99)

Center for Parent/Youth Understanding

Center for Parent/Youth Understanding website (http://www.cpyu.org/default.aspx) contains articles and pod casts about youth trends and culture, and strengthening the bonds between young people and their parents. It also reviews the latest media releases that impact our young people. (Free)

There you have it! There are a lot more resources out there and I know that I have only scratched the surface. I just wanted to share some that have proven to be helpful for me in ministry and that I use quite regularly. I hope they prove to be helpful for you as well.