Woohoo! I am BACK and it feels awesome! Lent is over so I'm back to my regularly scheduled reading program. Sustainable Youth Ministry has been the most helpful book on youth ministry I've read yet. I officially claimed it as my manual. DeVries speaks from long experience in ministry. The three things I loved most about this book are these: 1. It's systems approach. He debunks the myth of the Super Star Youth Minister. Yes, he may appear successful. But it only means the *he* is successful, not the ministry. Once he (or she) goes, so does the success. DeVries emphasizes how we all work on systems of interconnectivity and a healthy ministry builds a healthy system of relationships with teens, adult volunteers, and fellow staff. 2. He avoids quick fixes. There is no such thing. He can help set you on the right direction but real change takes time. He quotes H.L. Mencken. "For every problem, there is a solution which is simple, neat, and wrong" (21) 3. The books intense practicality. If you're interested in youth ministry, or if you are a church trying to get your youth ministry off the ground—this book is actually written for churches, not primarily ministers—I highly recommend this book.