Relational youth ministry at its most authentic is not a means of influencing young people. It is a caring presence in their lives. Youth ministry expert and parent, Andrew Root, calls this approach “place sharing” and, in this interview series, he elaborates upon what such an understanding might mean for congregations and youth leaders today. The interviews address topics such as how we talk about sin, boundaries in youth ministry and formative experiences. Also available by way of this link are presentations delivered by Root at Yale Divinity School’s {{Youth Ministry: Now Lectures in 2012 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XHAAqP68jA&index=12&list=PLd8AZSL0LG2MsERevrIFZyZ8M7_DbVCvi}}. These videos provide a readily accessible entry to Root’s work and could be used with youth ministry teams, parents, teachers and congregational leaders. Another video available by Root is {{Youth Ministry Re-Imagined | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xblZX20uuDw}}. For an in-depth discussion, read the book, {{Relationships Unfiltered: Help for Youth Workers, Volunteers, and Parents on Creating Authentic Relationships | https://www.zondervan.com/9780310668756/relationships-unfiltered/}}.

Reviewed by Marie F. Fleming