LISLE, IL—InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce the recognition of Don’t Despise Our Youth: Renewing Hope for Urban Youth Ministry in the 2025 Rooted Book Awards. The book tied for first place in the Best New Books for Youth Ministers category.
For over a decade, Rooted Ministry has engaged in the spiritual lives of young people. Rooted promotes the discipleship of youth, reaching thousands of students by equipping leaders to witness through gospel-centered youth ministry. The organization is headquartered in Homewood, Alabama.
In Don’t Despise Our Youth, David A. Washington (DMin, North Park) challenges traditional views of youth ministry to see the full potential and worth of youth, urging church leaders and congregations to build ministries that reflect discipleship, community, and the foundation of God’s Word.
Rooted wrote, “For any church leader, parent, or youth worker who is serious about shaping the next generation, Don’t Despise Our Youth stands out as a timely, courageous, and gospel-centered resource. It offers both a strong narrative and a life-giving roadmap, providing readers with a work that seeks to bring change, empower leaders, and foster transformation in the lives of teenagers in the urban context and beyond.”
Washington writes from his own powerful experience, having come to faith through the work of youth ministry in inner-city Chicago. He credits this ministry with rescuing him from a life of gang involvement, crime, prison, and imminent death, providing the guidance he once lacked.
David is the founder and senior pastor of Kingdom Covenant Church, an urban inner-city ministry on the South Side of Chicago.
For a complete list of IVP award-winning titles, visit https://www.ivpress.com/award-winners.
Contact: Eva Pankratz, epankratz@ivpress.com
