"This book is filled with wisdom and reminds youth workers, 'faithful ministry is almost never meant to be a do-it-yourself project. It's a do-it-together project.' It also offers practical, step-by-step instructions for building your volunteer team. . . . Because of how practical this book is, I wish I had had it my rookie year in youth ministry. I realized then how important adult leaders are to the success of ministry, but had no idea how to build a quality team. It's also the book I wish I'd had each time I started a new youth ministry position, once again finding myself having to build a team from scratch. Now, as a veteran youth worker with a fairly well-established volunteer team, it's the book I have and will continue to use to remind myself of the importance of strengthening my team―and actually do so. I encourage you to do the same."

"Building Your Volunteer Team can be used by any organization that desires to strengthen its volunteer database. DeVries and Stratman write: 'Faithful ministry is almost never meant to be a do-it-yourself project. It's a do-it-together project.' How true. This is a book worth adding to your collection."

"Many churches are struggling to either begin or keep youth ministries active in their communities. Mark DeVries, founder of Ministry Architects, and Nate Stratman, staff consultant for Ministry Architects, have developed an effective plan to help youth directors outline their goals and find the needed volunteers and project leaders, as well as establish a clear timetable to accomplish specific goals. . . . Recommended for Christian youth ministers."

"Building Your Volunteer Team is a practical 30 day project to help you build and maintain a volunteer team and culture in your ministry. It's a super helpful tool. If you lead a team of volunteers or wish you had a stronger team. This is (a) must read."

Mark DeVries (MDiv, Princeton Theological Seminary) is the founder of Ministry Architects, a consulting team that helps churches and ministry organizations build sustainable ministries for children, youth, young adults, and entire congregations. He served for twenty-eight years as associate pastor for youth and their families at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. He has trained youth workers on five continents and has taught courses or been a guest lecturer at a number of colleges and seminaries. DeVries is the author of Sustainable Youth Ministry and Family-Based Youth Ministry, coauthor of The Most Important Year in a Woman's Life/The Most Important Year in a Man's Life, and he has been a contributing writer for Josh McDowell's Youth Ministry Handbook, Starting Right, and Reaching a Generation for Christ. In addition, his articles and reviews have been published in a variety of journals and magazines. He and his wife, Susan, have four grown children.

Nate Stratman (MDiv, Fuller Seminary) is a full time youth pastor, husband, dad, and consultant based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He has been in full-time youth ministry since 2000, starting with St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian in Wilmington, NC and now serving as Director of Family Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, CO. A staff consultant with Ministry Architects,Nate also started the Restoration Project through Youth Conference Ministries and co-dreamed an intentional community for ministry minded young adults called the Greenhouse. He loves partnering with Young Life and has a great interest in the relationships between churches and para-church ministries. He lives with his wife Kim and two daughters.