Book Review: Speaking to Teenagers

"Speaking to Teenagers"

by Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins

OK, so like these two guys are like totally my favorite youth ministry guru guys, so like it's gonna be like really hard to be like objective. But I'll like try my best I guess.

I picked up the book about 6 months ago at the Youth Specialties conference in Atlanta. I think it was the only resource Simply Youth Ministry had that I did not own. Honestly, as attractive as the cover was (and the price!) I have read so many books on preaching and communication that I was tempted to pass it up. But when my two favorite youth ministry mentors write a book together I figure I really ought to contribute to the feeding of their wives and children, and in Duffy's case his great-great grandchildren. Plus, there is not a lot of food in Jerry's fridge these days George!

Last week I finally pulled the book off the shelf and read it. I must say that reading it was like listening in on a live conversation with Doug and Duffy. If you have ever heard them talk, both of them love to use a lot of humor, but behind the humor is tremendous, practical substance. There were many times when I would be reading through a list or a chart or a paragraph, just cruising along, when suddenly there was a line or a sentence that caught me off guard and had me rolling in laughter - which hurt because I was reading the book while recovering from back surgery. Their self effacing humor is so funny.

Beyond the humor, however, the subtitle of the book accurately describes what you will find inside: How to think about, create, and deliver effective messages. They rehash some classic, time-tested study and delivery methods, but they also go much further and present some of their own fresh and rejuvenating ideas that will give your message prep and delivery a great boost.

Just last year I read Andy Stanley's book Communicating for a Change, and at one point in this book I was noticing some similarities. Obviously, God is doing something to help us adjust the way we communicate in this generation to be more effective in reaching people with the hope of the gospel. What was cool is that they made mention of the similarities between the two books in the book. On page 178 Doug lets us in on an e-mail dialogue he had with Duffy after reading Andy's book while writing this one. He expressed that he was almost ready to give up because, as I fully agree, Andy's book is an amazing book on speaking. However, Duffy pointed out that Andy's book really only focused on one chapter of their book, so they pressed on.

What is a blessing about this book is that it is written for those who communicate or want to communicate with teenagers specifically. Duffy and Doug understand teenagers, they understand youth leaders, and they put together a book that helps youth leaders cross the bridge to minister to this specific audience. They have a passion for the declaration of God's Word from generation to generation. I would highly recommend reading it, and you would do well to read it in conjunction with Andy Stanley's book. What a 1-2 communication punch!