Consuming Youth: Leading Teens through Consumer Culture

In Consuming Youth, youth ministry veterans Rick Bartlett, John Berard, and James Penner examine the pervasive, destructive impact of commercial consumer culture on adolescent identity, mental health, and spiritual formation. Published in collaboration with Youth Specialties, this insightful resource unmasks how marketing giants target teenagers' vulnerabilities to foster materialism and perpetual dissatisfaction. The authors provide youth pastors, educators, and parents with practical strategies to create a countercultural faith environment—guiding teenagers to find their true worth in Christ and engage in missional living rather than hollow consumption.