WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT
RAISING THE BAR
In short...
"I'm working my way through your book - thank you! - I'm making lots of notes. Thanks for making it so readable and understandable. At the moment, we're searching for new leaders for a growing youth team, and your chapter on building a team is correcting my mistakes and making me a much wiser ministry leader!"
Hannah Cook, Children and Youth Pastor, Crossway Church, Northfield, Birmingham
"'Raising the Bar' comes highly recommended. If you are a paid youth worker or a volunteer this book is invaluable... A handbook that will help you week on week.
A fantastic book that is written for the church - buy a copy and also buy one for your friend in ministry."
Tim Neale
Insight Christian Schools Work Trust, Kingston, UK
"Each time I open it, I come away from it encouraged and equipped to do what I can for the Lord.., thinking 'I'm going to make mistakes... BUT LOOK WHAT GOD CAN DO DESPITE THAT.' It reminds me that there is only one thing we need to get right - Jesus - and He'll take care of the rest."
Eleni Brooks, Intern, Gaines Manor Christian Centre
"My leaders love it because it makes them feel more confident in the ministry we share. Thanks Dave!"
Ross Mungavin, Youth Pastor, St. James, Gerrards Cross & Fulmer
"Hi Dave, I've started reading your book today and I can't stop recommending it to people! It's SO good!"
Alex Stewart, Youth and Community Worker, St Mary's Aston on Mersey
"A really detailed, practical, thoughtfully put together and easy-to-apply super manual! Brilliant for training ourselves and others, it's a real 'go-to' for me in planning and thinking through everyday and long term youth ministry!"
Keturah Adshead, Youth Leader
"Thanks so much for your book. I’ve been using it for training with our gap year team and found it to be really brilliant. You cover some big principles and loads of practical stuff really concisely."
Dave Fielder, Team Manager, Yorkshire Camps
“Comprehensive, practical and soundly theological. My go-to resource for all of my questions... This book is a must-have for any newbies especially and I still dip into it often.”
Becky Hepworth, Youth Worker
"Whether you are new to youth ministry or a seasoned veteran, this book is... something we can all benefit from engaging with."
Jimmy Dale, National Youth Evangelism Officer
"The most helpful book I've ever read on youth ministry. Practical wisdom, simply written for all to benefit. I wish I'd had this book when I started."
Luke Blakeley, Youth Pastor
"Pure, distilled wisdom that comes from years of experience in youth ministry. Definitely on the recommended list for all Christian youth workers!"
Mark Birri, Assistant Pastor-Teacher (Youth)
"Raising the Bar gives a step-by-step explanation of what creating good youth ministry looks like. A manual of best practice, showing us that we can lead both a fun and Bible-centred ministry.
It’s the most complete ‘manual’ that I’ve seen written in the British context."
Ben Horrex, Assistant Minister writing for Premier Youth and Children's Work Magazine
"There is no book like this on the market. Never have I read a book on youth ministry so accessible in nature, weighty in theological reflection and practical in content.
To all youth leaders (paid or voluntary) out there: if Raising The Bar is not currently on your shelf, it needs to be."
Scott Rushby, Youth Pastor
"An invaluable tool for any newly-qualified youth worker's first foray into practice, as well as an excellent reference for the experienced youth leader seeking to sharpen their practice and increase their organisation's impact. Highly recommended."
Jo Baynham, Urban Saints Westbrook Director
"It is interesting, helpful and encouraging. I would recommend it to those in all leadership, not just youth work."
Jane Appleby, Church Elder
"This book is probably the starting point for staff training going forward, as it's straightforward and all in the same place."
Andy Williamson, Gaines Manor Christian Centre Director
"Dave Thornton, a seasoned minister, candidly and vulnerably shares his heart and experience. This Gospel-centred book is both challenging and equipping for the modern minister."
Holly Byles, Youth Pastor
"I know it's written about youth work, but I think loads of it applies to whole church life! I'm certainly going to make sure I keep referring back to this."
Rev. Hannah Madin, 20s-40s Minister
"I’d definitely recommend Dave’s book. It’s full of all sorts of useful things for youth workers at all different stages!"
Andy Cook, Youth and Families Worker
"Wonderful book! The countless examples and anecdotes make it really easy to understand how each detail you talk about can be applied in a real situation."
Reuben, 17-year-old small group leader
In full...
"To have a resource like this to put into the hands of my leaders is invaluable. It's so helpful to be able to say them 'the chapter on X will help you with this'. My leaders love it too because it makes them feel more confident in the ministry we share. Thanks Dave!"
Ross Mungavin
Youth Pastor
St. James, Gerrards Cross & Fulmer
“Raising the Bar is a MUST READ for every youth minister. Dave Thornton leans on his nearly three decades of experience in youth ministry to give a practical and organized look at how to take your group to the next level. Built on a balanced and thoughtful approach for reaching teens, Dave also delivers a treasure trove of practical tips that even the most seasoned youth workers could benefit from. I highly recommend you take the time for this easy, organized, and valuable read.”
Matt Wendal
US Youth Pastor with 14 years of experience
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"'Raising the Bar' comes highly recommended. If you are a paid youth worker or a volunteer this book is invaluable. The book is a handbook that will help you week on week as you serve your young people. It has chapters on the 'why' of youth work but also the 'how to'. So for instance, if you want to run a residential this book will help with both the planning and the delivery of a safe week or weekend away. Likewise, the book will give you tips and frameworks on how to run a quality evening session from the games right through to the talk.
A fantastic book that is written for the church - buy a copy and also buy one for your friend in ministry."
Tim Neale
Insight Christian Schools Work Trust, Kingston, UK
"A really detailed, practical, thoughtfully put together and easy-to-apply super manual! Brilliant for training ourselves and others, it's a real 'go-to' for me in planning and thinking through everyday and long term youth ministry!"
Keturah Adshead
Youth Leader
Christ Church, Haywards Heath
“As someone who came into youth work in a very small church context (and three months into the pandemic), this book has been my go-to resource for all of my questions. Having known very little, with no one to teach me the ropes before starting, it has covered pretty much all of my questions and more.
There’s so much practical stuff you might not have thought about before in terms of how to run your sessions and your ministries well. And it’s been great to share pages with my groups leaders, so they can be equipped too, especially when I didn’t know how to equip them.
This book is a must-have for any newbies especially and I still dip into it often, to challenge my perceptions, think outside the box and ultimately ‘raise the bar’ of my youth ministry.”
Becky Hepworth
Youth Worker
Park Church, Stoke-on-Trent
"Raising the Bar is the culmination of decades of experience, wisdom and insight in youth and children's ministry. Dave walks through some of the critical foundations for reaching and discipling young people in a practical and applicable way. Whether you are new to youth ministry or a seasoned veteran, this book is a source of profound wisdom and knowledge and something we can all benefit from engaging with."
Jimmy Dale
National Youth Evangelism Officer
Church of England
"I’d definitely recommend Dave’s book. It’s full of all sorts of useful things for youth workers at all different stages!"
Andy Cook
Youth and Families Worker
Christ Church, Fulwood
Sheffield
“This is pure, distilled wisdom that comes from years of experience in youth ministry. It will definitely help someone just starting out but also stretch those with more experience. Definitely on the recommended list for all Christian youth workers!"
Mark Birri
UK Assistant Pastor-Teacher (Youth)
"This book has been an indispensable tool during my first year in full-time youth ministry, not only with its helpful guides on how to do the job and grow in your ministry but exploring the reasons and theology behind what we do. This is a must-have for all youth ministers and volunteers who want to improve how they reach and disciple young people."
Ewen Greenlees
UK Associate Youth Minister
From Premier Youth & Children's Work (December 2020)
Reprinted in its entirety with permission from Premier YCW magazine.
Check out the magazine here.
In a world where youth practitioners are frequently thrown into the deep end when starting a new job, Raising the Bar gives a step-by-step explanation of what creating good youth ministry looks like. And for those who are well established in their roles, it’s a helpful reminder of both how and why we do our jobs.
As a youth minister myself, I know the challenges of bringing the gospel and discipling teenagers. All of our contexts are so different, with young people needing a unique approach to relationships and programmes. And yet, Thornton’s book acts as a manual of best practice, showing us that we can lead both a fun and Bible-centred ministry. His key values for youth groups remind us of why we do what we do, and particularly, why it is important that the methods we use reflect that foundation.
Raising the Bar is a manual from an experienced youth professional. As a self-published work, it feels a little longer than perhaps it needed to be, meandering a little at times, but it’s a book I don’t intend to read thoroughly every time I open the cover. Instead, it’ll sit on my bookshelf, with Post-it notes in the chapters I want to go to in specific situations. From those big moments thinking strategically about the vision of the ministry to the times when I need to consider the financial planning of a weekend away. It’s the most complete ‘manual’ that I’ve seen written in the British context.
The book’s premise, that we need to raise the bar, shines through. We should be expectant that God will use our ministries to transform the lives of many. Shaping our ministries to be authentic spaces where we share the joy and community that comes from an outworking of the gospel will lead to lives saved for eternity.
Ben Horrex is assistant minister for Lutterworth, Bitteswell and Cotesbach Churches in Leicestershire.
“Youth ministry is hard work. Even after 25 years of being a youth leader, it takes time to prepare a Bible study well, to write a talk, to draw up a programme, to plan a social event or to take care of an individual.”
Raising The Bar, p.16
"There is no book like this on the market. Never have I read a book on youth ministry so accessible in nature, weighty in theological reflection and practical in content.
Dave has compiled 25 years’ worth of knowledge, wisdom and reflection into a single volume. Raising The Bar touches on everything from a Biblical mandate for youth ministry to practically launching a vision and strategy, as well as preparing Bible studies, talks, socials, residentials and sustaining longevity in youth ministry.
Raising The Bar is an essential part of any youth leader's toolkit. I read the whole thing cover to cover in just a few days but will spend the rest of my career flicking through specific chapters as and when I need them. Dave’s heart and passion for youth ministry is so evident in his writing; it is clear that his desire for young people to know the Lord Jesus as Saviour is at the centre of all his work.
Dave has been there. He has spent two and a half decades working face to face with young people, through thick and thin, experiencing all kinds of practical issues and pastoral emergencies. Raising The Bar shares anecdotes and testimonies of the many highs and lows of Dave’s career so far. As someone who has been in youth ministry for less than one decade, Dave’s insights, wisdom and practical advice make Raising The Bar an easy-to-read, theologically sound, complete handbook for those just starting out in youth ministry or those who have been in youth ministry for years.
To all youth leaders (paid or voluntary) out there: if Raising The Bar is not currently on your shelf, it needs to be.
It is an invaluable resource."
Scott Rushby
UK Youth Pastor with 7 years of experience
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"Raising the bar is an essential text for those seeking to establish a modern impact-driven practice of Christian youth work from scratch. Dave Thornton bridges the gap between theory and practice effortlessly, offering clear examples, strategies, pitfalls and anecdotes regarding effective, reflective youth work practice in clear and accessible language. This book would be an invaluable tool for any newly-qualified youth worker's first foray into practice, as well as an excellent reference for the experienced youth leader seeking to sharpen their practice and increase their organisation's impact. Highly recommended."
Jo Baynham
Urban Saints Westbrook Director
"I've just finished your book - amazing job! Such a great read. I know it's written about youth work, but I think loads of it applies to whole church life! I spent the whole book thinking I want to raise the bar for everyone! I'm certainly going to make sure I keep referring back to this. Actually lots of your vision/strategy/starting from scratch stuff was really helpful as we continue to discern what God wants us to start in our context."
Rev. Hannah Madin
UK 20-40s Minister
"A little while ago now you blessed me with your wonderful book! I just wanted to thank you, as the chapter you recommended to me on leading small groups is packed full of incredibly useful information! The countless examples and anecdotes that are intertwined in each section make it really easy to understand how each detail you talk about can be applied in a real situation, and it is clear to see why it took you so long to finish the book!"
Reuben
17-year-old UK small group leader
