Based on the ongoing and excellent research that the Fuller Youth Institute has done for over a decade, they have identified three common and big questions that all teens (and honestly everyone) wrestle with.  The identity question: Who Am I?  The belonging question: Where do I fit?  The purpose question: What difference can I make?  Understanding how these questions play out and how we can help our teens navigate them can make a huge difference in connecting with them and nurturing their faith.  This book helps with all of it!

Ever find yourself feeling anxious, angry, or annoyed while having a conversation with your tween, teen, or young adult? You begin the conversation determined to be open to what they have to say, but then they say something you disagree with… from there the conversation descends into a series of debates and disagreements. You can’t understand what they don’t understand and why they think the way they do. In this book, organizational psychologist Adam Grant challenges us to flip this perspective around. With wit and excellent research, he shows us that in our daily lives, too many of us favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt. We listen to opinions that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard. We see disagreement as a threat to our egos, rather than an opportunity to learn. Though this book is not specifically focused on parenting teens, the ability to rethink and unlearn is one of the most valuable skills we can have as we grow with our kids.  

Originally written in 1968 by Paulo Freire, the famed Brazilian educator and advisor to the World Council of Churches, Pedagogy of the Oppressed has remained one of the most foundational texts of modern education and a must read for anyone looking to empower students to be a force of change for the Kingdom. In this book Freire revolutionized the world’s views and approach to education and discipleship by presenting a new relationship between teachers, students, and society, in which students are empowered to become the center and subject of learning, rather than the objects of education. Though this book is traditionally used in education programs across the world, it still remains a must-read for parents, youth leaders, and anyone desiring to help students grow in their understanding and engagement with the world.