The Volunteer’s Back Pocket Guide to Events and Retreats: Necessities for Volunteer Leaders
Johnny Scott
Group, 2011, 58 pp., $4.99
Crack open the 2012 budget, here is the first book you need to buy in the New Year for your ministry; it is called The Volunteer’s Back Pocket Guide to Events and Retreats by Johnny Scott. This is a 58-page, easy-to-read guide to your next event or retreat. It is a must-have whether you are paid, under-paid or really are a volunteer. It is a great book for anyone no matter how long he or she has been working with youth. If you are blessed enough to have adults volunteering to help you in your ministry, I strongly suggest blessing them back by buying this book for each of them. After reading this book, I immediately ordered one for each of my volunteers. The book contains 12 short chapters full of helpful hints, instructions and guidance from pre-planning through surviving to following up afterward. Each chapter is broken down into highlighted sections for quick reading and reference. Also, each chapter contains interviews and reflections from other youth workers. The book is entertaining, as well as informative. I especially enjoyed chapter 9, “Don’t Be This Person,” which starts off with the different kinds of event leaders you don’t want to be (i.e., “killjoy,” “Sir Extreme,” “Matchmaker”) and ends with the kind of leader you should strive to be. The book is excellently written as a complete all around source for everyone. Use this book as a whole to be read as a resource before you head out for the next big event, in pieces as part of your planning meetings leading up to your next big event or use as a fun leader’s training resource as you get ready to start off a new ministry year in the fall to prepare your leaders for year ahead. Overall, the book is well done and perfect for any youth ministry context.
—Dan Istvanik, Jr. High Youth Pastor, Mansfield, Ohio
I loved this book. It’s quick, informative and highly resourceful. I plan to use this for our next youth team training session. I highly suggest you do the same.
—Shawn Harrison, Student and Family Pastor at Wayne Street UMC in Saint Marys, Ohio
This book’s title tells you everything you need to know before you crack the cover. It’s a book for volunteers, whether you are the volunteer or the youth pastor who leads a group of volunteers. If you are the former and a rookie, this book will offer you some great tips and often overlooked big-picture thoughts about youth ministry.
It’s definitely a back-pocket guide. The book is not a treatise on why we do retreats or a theological dissertation about youth and events. Scripture references are peppered thoughout the book to remind us of Jesus’ fondness for traveling with His students, but the book is not preachy. At a light weight of 58 pages, you could read this 30 minutes before the retreat, but I recommend you read it a few weeks before you head out.
Events and retreats are a youth ministry’s best chance of sharing and living out the gospel with students. Too many times, these important retreats and events are sabotaged by well-meaning volunteers who simply do not know the whys behind youth ministry retreats and events. You can sabotage the unknowing saboteurs, and get on with ministering to students (or at least sleeping more easily), by giving them this short but insightful book.
–Paul Turner, Disciple Project Ministries
Johnny Scott has put together some great advice for those volunteering at youth events or retreats. I can’t wait to share this book with my volunteer workers. There are great tips for first time workers, as well as seasoned veterans. Group put out another must-have book.
–Jonathan Tripp
The Volunteer’s Back Pocket Guide to Events & Retreats is a great resource for two big reasons. First, it is exactly what it claims to be — a back-pocket guide. At less than 60 pages, this book is an easy read for volunteers. More importantly, this book is packed with great insight and wisdom. Any lead youth worker can hand this book to a volunteer and know he or she will be a better leader if only a handful of suggestions and ideas are implemented.
–Mike Kupferer
Johnny Scott’s, The Volunteer’s Back Pocket Guide to Events and Retreats is a nice short and sweet read. This is a concise overview for volunteer leaders who are planning their own events and such. I found the chapter on rules to be the most helpful. I definitely would buy numerous copies of this book to give out to my volunteers If the author ever adds to this book, it would be great to see some more how to’s, but overall it’s still a great resource for youth pastors, volunteers and other full-time youth workers.
–Nithin Thompson, Director of Youth Ministries, Stonecrest Community Church
###
