{"product_id":"youth-ministry-and-the-vine","title":"Youth Ministry and the Vine","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003eAVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER! \u003cspan\u003ePre-ordered books will be shipped in June 2026. Please don't purchase pre-orders at the same time as other products, as your whole order will be delayed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo you want to build a youth ministry that lasts? Better yet, do you want to build young disciples of Jesus Christ who last—disciples who love the Lord, know the Bible, long to reach their friends, and are equipped to serve? \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e, experienced pastor Kyle Hoffsmith helps you evaluate your ministry in light of the eternal truths of the gospel. Building on the internationally recognized ministry framework of \u003cem\u003eThe Trellis and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e, Hoffsmith shows how and why to stay focused on young people without losing sight of the programs and structures required. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoffsmith’s insights will help refresh your vision for what youth ministry can achieve and renew your passion for this most important work. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 1: Foundations for a vine-centred youth ministry \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e1. Youth ministry 101\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e2. Growing teenage disciples \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e3. Form programs around people \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e4. Eight ministry mind-shifts \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 2: Trellis and vine thinking in your youth ministry\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e1. Teaching the Bible to the whole group \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e2. Small-group discussion \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e3. One-to-one Bible reading \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e4. Reading theology books with students \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e5. Creating a culture of prayer among students \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e6. Evangelism training for students \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e7. School outreach: Reaching local schools with the gospel \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e8. Recruiting leaders to serve in the student ministry \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e9. Connecting with parents \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e10. Counselling students \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e11. Utilizing retreats and summer camps to supplement year-round ministry \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e12. Mission trips \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e13. Games and fun throughout the year \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author  \u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKyle Hoffsmith is Pastor of Family Ministry at Old North Church in Canfield, Ohio. He hosts the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/kylehoffsmith.com\/podcasts-episodes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine podcast\u003c\/a\u003e and is passionate about reminding students that true life is found in Jesus. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eCommendations\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e is the wake-up call youth workers need. Kyle cuts through the hype and reminds us that real growth doesn’t come from bigger programs; it comes from God’s word, intentional training, and time with students. His trellis-and-vine approach is sharp, practical, and dead-on for a generation drowning in ‘happathy’. If you want a ministry that produces mature disciples—not just attendees—this book will help you refocus and stay long enough to see the fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoug Franklin, President, LeaderTreks Youth Ministry\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Trellis and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e has long been an essential model for faithful and effective discipleship ministry. Kyle’s application of the trellis-and-vine model to youth ministry is just what youth pastors need. Minimize time spent on programs; maximize relationships, Bible teaching, discipleship, and prayer. This book provides an excellent vision for discipleship ministry to teenagers in churches large and small.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCameron Cole, Founding Chairman of Rooted Ministry; Director of Adult and Nextgen Discipleship, St Peter’s Anglican Church\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e is a clear call for us to do better with the next generation. Kyle makes it clear that youth are not a problem to be endured, nor are they merely the church of tomorrow; they are an indispensable part of the church today. The short, focused chapters, full of practical observations and followed with discussion questions, make this an ideal resource for youth-leadership teams to read together and so help each other level up their efforts to reach, win and disciple the next generation to maturity in Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCraig Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Youthworks\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a time when youth ministry is often driven by trends, urgency and quick fixes, Kyle calls us back to what truly matters: the patient, prayerful, Christ-centred work of forming mature disciples. The challenge to slow down, reflect deeply, rebuild wisely and remember real names captures the heart of the book, and the calling we as Christian leaders need to hear. Ministry is not about maintaining programs but cultivating people, and this book helps us reorient everything toward that goal. It is worth reading. It is worth wrestling with. And, more importantly, it is worth applying. Thank you, Kyle, for your labour of love—this work matters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTim McAlpine (MA Leadership), Director of Faith Formation, Trinity Christian School, Calgary, AB, Canada\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have been in youth ministry for over 30 years, but I wish \u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e had been available when I started. However, I am both thrilled and sure that a whole new generation of youth workers will greatly benefit from reading this purposely concise and yet rich book full of practical wisdom for next-gen ministry. I know because I have been personally enriched by its author through personal conversations, by sitting under his teaching, and now by reading his book. If you are going to buy one book on youth ministry, get this one. Don’t wait 30 years!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDr David M. Correa, Senior Pastor of ‘Jesus’ Presbyterian Church, Progreso, Yucatán, México; Professor of Youth Ministry at San Pablo Theological Seminary, Mérida, Yucatán, México; Director of the Next Institute Mexico\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’m not sure I’ve ever met Kyle Hoffsmith in person, but I know we’re Facebook friends. And on Facebook, he seems like an incredible youth pastor: joyful, funny, relational, up early and out late with students of all ages. It’s clear that he likes to have fun, and it’s also clear that he takes his job seriously. So, given that Kyle’s virtual self was so impressive, I was eager to read this book. No surprise: it’s excellent! It’s joyful and relational. It’s serious, but not too serious. I wish someone had given me this book ten years ago when I first started in student ministry. I’m sure you’ll feel the same way. I can’t wait to meet this guy!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex Duke, Retired youth pastor and Product Director, 9Marks\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e offers timely guidance for youth workers struggling with balancing busy programs and meaningful disciple-making. Kyle Hoffsmith effectively uses the trellis-and-vine framework to refocus student ministry on producing gospel-centred fruit rather than simply maintaining activities. This book is biblically grounded, practical, and accessible enough for volunteer teams to engage with. Hoffsmith values structure and fun, but he rightly prioritizes them as tools to cultivate mature disciples who love and follow Jesus for a lifetime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZach Wyatt, Executive Director, Youth Leader Collective\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYouth-ministry workers face a mountain of challenges, not the least of which is designing and implementing a ministry that is faithful to God, doesn’t cut corners, and provides spiritual nourishment. Kyle Hoffsmith is a thoughtful and studied practitioner who has given us a roadmap to what a healthy and vital student ministry looks like. \u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e is grounded in the Bible, succinct in focus, and balanced in theory and practice. It will be a valuable resource to ministry veterans and newcomers alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreg Anderson, President, Inspiration Point Christian Camp and Retreat Center, Vining, MN, USA\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e is a timely recalibration for youth ministries that want more than attendance and excitement. What I appreciate most is Kyle’s pastoral realism. He understands students, volunteers, parents, and the real pressures leaders face. He doesn’t call us to abandon programs, but to evaluate them honestly. Programs are trellises, not the point. Students are the vine, and gospel growth is the goal. At a moment when many of us are trying to shift from event-driven to disciple-making ministry, this book gives us language, clarity, and hope. I’m already using it—and I’m on my way to the hardware store to install a trellis in my office as a clear reminder of my calling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eP.S. I wish every youth pastor could have a 30-minute conversation with Kyle Hoffsmith to see his joy for the Lord and for students!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsaac Leimeister, Middle School Minister, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY, USA\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe know that just feeding young people hype and entertainment doesn’t keep them in church. Then, when they walk out, we youth leaders are discouraged—what’s the point? We long for them to meet Jesus, live for him, and persevere to eternity, and we know they crave something real, both in relationship and in purpose. So, what do we do? In this concise book, Kyle challenges us to go back to the main things of teaching and training around God’s word in real relationships. He helps us assess our current youth-ministry principles and practice and gives strategies for effectively growing teenage disciples. This would be a great starting place for any youth pastor or youth ministry team seeking to make and mature young followers of Jesus (while still having fun!).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMike Snowdon, Campus worker, AFES (Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students); Author, A New Freedom: How God’s word equips you for life\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e is a book that should be in the hands of every person within the church who is working with young people. This is a refreshing look at gospel-centred ministry done well. Kyle gives high-level ideas and encouragement for a youth worker or volunteer, while also coming alongside the reader to help them apply what is discussed in their own ministry setting. I recommend this book to new and veteran youth workers seeking to walk alongside students.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKerry Trunfio, Director of Children, Youth and Family Life Ministry, Our Savior Lutheran Church\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny youth leader who wants to get off the treadmill of simply planning fun events and get down to the business of making spiritually mature disciples who make spiritually mature disciples should pick up a copy of \u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e. This inspirational but practical book lays out an attainable path to building a youth-ministry program that helps teens know their faith, own their faith, and consistently share their faith. By coaching leaders to form programs around students’ spiritual needs versus cramming teens into existing programs, author Kyle Hoffsmith presents a customizable approach that can help every youth leader raise up disciples who boldly point others to Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreg Stier, Founder and visionary, Dare 2 Share Ministries; Author, Unlikely Fighter, Radical Like Jesus, and Gospelize Your Youth Ministry\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYouth Ministry and the Vine\u003c\/em\u003e is a book every youth pastor and student-ministry leader should read. After more than 20 years in the trenches of youth ministry, I wish I had this book when I first started out! It really resonated with me deeply because it addresses the real issues we all face and offers a better way forward. Kyle Hoffsmith clearly and wisely reframes student ministry around what truly matters: discipling students rather than sustaining programs! He uses a powerful framework of the trellis and the vine to remind us that structures exist to serve people, not the other way around, and that gospel growth must always take priority over activity and attendance. What set this book apart for me is its clarity and practicality. Kyle does not just share stories of success; he shows you how to build ministries intentionally that prioritize teaching, training and time with students in order to equip them for lifelong faith rather than short-term engagement. This is not a book about making disciples of ourselves or our personalities; it’s a compelling call to make disciples of Jesus, to engage students deeply with Scripture, prayer and mission, and to cultivate ministries that bear lasting fruit. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone serious about discipling the next generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEric Miller, Executive Director of Ministry, Momentum Ministry Partners\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere is a resource from Kyle Hoffsmith, an experienced youth pastor whose work is grounded in biblical theology, meaty texts (I love the resource section in the back of the book!), and lengthy in-the-trenches ministry experience. Readers will find enormously helpful the four concepts: Engage, Evangelize, Establish and Equip (The Four E’s). I must say that I appreciate the author’s including all four of these elements (as opposed to some youth-ministry books that seem to exclude one or two), and for including them in this order (which occasionally gets confused by other youth-ministry authors). Then, as readers move through the rest of the book, we find one practical chapter after another, each unfolding basic principles for building a ministry based ‘around the vine’ (growing fruitful disciples) and not ‘around the trellis’ (building nice programs). My favourite quote in the book: “The noun ‘pastor’ is more important than the adjective ‘youth’”!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuffy Robbins, Professor of Christian ministry, Grove City College, Grove City, PA, USA\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Matthias Media","offers":[{"title":"Book","offer_id":42539994087486,"sku":"ymatv","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0117\/6934\/8158\/files\/YMV-2026-cov-v2.png?v=1774283999","url":"https:\/\/matthiasmedia.com\/products\/youth-ministry-and-the-vine","provider":"Matthias Media resources for disciple making","version":"1.0","type":"link"}