Book Critique

History Paper: Book Critique

Name

Date

Greg Stier is one of the popular personalities among the youth and the church ministries. He is the President and founder of Dare 2 Share ministries. He has been studying ministries for twenty years. He is famous for being able to relate common biblical stories and pages by making the ease to understand for the youth. He is the author of one of the most appealing books of the modern time through which he has changed the youth’s perception of the Gospel. “Gospelize Your Youth Ministry” won millions of heart but different experts and critics have different perceptions regarding this book combining both positive and negative comments. According to some of the critics, the strong and heat that has been depicted in this book is the strength that has held the attention of the readers. Most of the critic appreciate this work as it has made easy for the youth to grasp the word of God as this book carries the ideas and thoughts of a common man (Greg Stier). By reading “Gospelize Your Youth Ministry” one could easily get what the core passion of ministries should be. This book has been accepted widely and appreciated as it shows a lighter tone on how to get close to God by knowing the new ways of running ministries. One of the most important things and positive things that most of the critics have highlighted about this book is that it spreads the gospel of Jesus Christ especially among the teenagers and youngsters who need to know what gospel says and how they could implement its teaching in their daily lives. Another thing that has been praised by the critics is that this book acts as the guiding light for all the young pastors and youth leaders who wanted to practice the Gospel in real sense.

Greg and his book are appreciated by critics and experts for the strategies that are being laid out. One of the positive aspect that could be found common in the research of all the critics who analyzed Gospelize Your Youth Ministry is that this book contains certain elements which are missing in other books of the present time. According to the critics, some of the positive things that have been highlighted in this books which made this book stands out in the list of others includes intercessory prayer, a bold vision about gospel, relational evangelism and biblical outcomes to measure, etc. though these are not the new and unknown things but the ways Greg has presented them is what makes the difference. Some may also say values that the gospel reader’s practices are the standard, but except the way, they are followed by the minority of youth ministry. According to some experts, one of the most appealing this book has brought a revolution in the spread of the youth ministries that were not given much space in the beginning but this book has promoted the concepts given by the young pastors and evangelists. Though being a religious book, there are many good and positive aspects that have been highlighted by the researchers but one of the most grabbing and influential things that are appreciated the most by readers, ministries, and critics is that in the modern time it is the very first book that has become so popular among the youth. Some critics also believe that this book has provided as mean to absorb the gospel in a more efficient way.

There is a group of critics who also believe that young pastors and leaders would find this book challenging and encourage them at the same time. There are unaccountable things that critics have praised about this unique book that encourages and motivates the readers especially to the youth who after regarding this book and hearing about it want to go all-in for Jesus with their youth ministries. In this book, Greg is inspiring the youngsters of his youth ministry to search Jesus and how his gospel works in our lives. One of the most astonishing comments that few of the critics made about this book is that one starts having itching after reading for putting it into practice.

One of the most appreciated and positive comment that has been given by the critics who appreciates the book and Greg's efforts, is that this book offers the practical tools to youth ministries that help them in transforming their ministries into gospel-centered and mainly Jesus-centered youth ministries that are making continuous efforts for drawing the attention of teenagers and youngsters towards Jesus and his gospel. This book is considered to be a source for developing and maintaining a loving relationship between gospel, Jesus and the youth who need to be taught well about gospel along with providing them the ways through which they would understand it easily. Gospelize Your Youth Ministry is most appeared as in this book Greg consistently used the statements of Scriptures and then affirms then with the stories of his personal experience with gives the youth and ministries a glimpse of their own practicing gospel as Jesus wants them to.

As it was already mentioned that there are two groups of critics, one who praised and pointed the positive aspects of Gospelize Your Youth Ministry but at the same time, there could be found the views of those critics who are not much happy with Greg’s work. According to some critics who could be considered more conservative, Greg presented a bold vision of the gospel that is not appropriate. In the view of some of the critics, it is wrong to specify the whole of the gospel and dedicate it to a certain age group. According to some of the critics, Greg’s idea of the youth ministry may have a clash with the orthodox and the catholic teachings who believe in traditional ways of teaching without molding and incorporating experiences of personal life regarding Gospel. Though this fact cannot be denied that there are both positive and negative reviews being given about this literacy work which spots light on gospel and how it works in our daily life. Taking a look at the above mentioned positive and negative reviews given by different critics, researchers, religious scholar, and leaders, it could be said that though majority of the reviews goes in favor of this books but at the same time, there are some elements highlighted by some experts that may give a negative portrayal of the gospel in world. So as a whole, it could be said that like other appeasing books Gospelize Your Youth Ministry also contains both positive and negative reviews. Numbers of critiques and especially more positive comments are some of the most prominent factors of any good book. Considering both positive and negative reviews regarding this book, it won’t be wrong to say that it is one of the most influential books that mainly hold the attention of the youngsters and the youth ministries. Another thing that could not be denied is that Greg through his experience is helping youth ministry and many youngsters who wanted to follow the footsteps of Jesus by practically implementing gospel in their daily lives.

End Notes

Stier, Greg. Gospelize Your Youth Ministry: A Spicy" New" Philosophy of Ministry (That's 2,000 Years Old). BookBaby, 2015.