Giving Up Gimmicks

This book would be a fantastic addition to the library of anyone in youth ministry. Cosby suggests that youth ministry today is driven by entertainment and trying to give youth exactly what they want, rather than giving them what they need more than anything else, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He suggests that the Gospel should determine how youth ministry is performed, in particular through the means of grace. It is important to understand what the means of grace are, otherwise the book seems to assume a little. Probably the only negative is that it is targeted towards an American culture, so some of the illustrations and examples don't quite translate into Australian culture. All in all, it is more or less a reformed evangelical theology of youth ministry, with strong application. Definitely worth reading.