Leadership 101

“Leadership 101 is a book I wish had been written when I was starting out. It is packed full of practical wisdom and insight. So, so helpful. A must read for anyone involved in youth and children’s ministry, but also a great resource for anyone who aspires to be an effective leader.”

"Practical, accessible, engaging & packed full of wisdom. This book is an absolute must read for anyone in youth and children’s ministry.”

“Tim Alford has learnt these lessons not in the classroom but in the hurly-burly, heart breaking, inspiring world of Christian leadership. It’s required reading for every leader who wants to leave a legacy of fired up leaders who totally follow Jesus. Is there really anything more important than that?”

“There are books on leadership you know you’re supposed to read, and then there are books on leadership that you must read. This is one such book. It’s loaded with sharp wisdom and enduring encouragement fresh from the trenches of what it actually means to pastor and lead young people . . . Passionate, provocative and profoundly actionable, this book is a gift for everyone who shares God’s heart for the emerging generations to know Life in all its fullness.”

“Tim is the real deal - an outstanding kingdom leader with a huge depth of insight. I’ve learned so much from journeying with him and I’ve no doubt you will too as you read through this book that’s crammed with practical wisdom.”

“This book is like sitting over coffee with a friend and chatting about youth and children’s work. It is funny, gentle, kind, challenging and full of wisdom. I couldn't put it down! It has become a permanent feature on my desk so that I can dip back in for more ideas and inspiration. Tim carefully guides us through understanding youth culture, church, leadership, strategy and most-importantly, the prioritisation of young people. This is an important book for youth and children’s work in our time.”

Tim is an outstanding leader and person. He models what he teaches and carries such an authority in the youth ministry community with humility and grace. This excellent book is packed full of practical, lived out wisdom. . . Like the best books this is not meant to be read alone but in community, so read it with others, apply the wisdom in its pages and let's see our youth ministries fly and flourish!

“This book will not only be a great inspiration to children and youth leaders but it will also be a practical guide for their leadership in the local context. The impact of this book will not only make a difference in the lives of the leaders but also in the lives of the young people – calling on a generation to also be the leaders that God has called them to be.”

"More than a manual and way beyond a ‘how to’ guide, this is a passionate, compelling invitation to the adventure of discovering and developing your life as a leader of children and young people. Hugely practical, Leadership 101 is filled with insight and inspiration, resource and revelation . . . Get this into the hands of every youth and children’s leader you can.”

“Tim is passionate about developing good, Godly leaders who will last the course, and he’s poured that passion into Leadership 101. This accessible, practical and wise book will help you to think and pray through every aspect of your leadership, and shape you into the kind of leader that children and young people deserve.”

“This is a brilliant resource for youth and children’s leaders. This book provides excellent wisdom, advice and practical steps to leading well with space for reflection and application throughout. I’d highly recommend it to anyone involved in ministry to children and young people as an easy to read but challenging and accessible resource.”

This extremely readable and practical book is full of insight, wisdom and leadership gold, developed from years of being on the front line and wrestling with both the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of what we do. The simple and profound nuggets of wisdom throughout this book will help you lead yourself and the youth and children’s ministry in a much more effective and fruitful way. Read it prayerfully, wrestle with the questions and let it really shape how you serve and lead!

“A comprehensive guide to pretty well every facet of leadership written at an accessible level for those keen to tackle the challenge of reaching children and young people with the love of God. Read it prayerfully and I feel sure your work will change for the better.”

“I wish this book existed when I first started leading people! I think people wonder about the authenticity in books like this, ‘is it just some guy with a bunch of nice leadership ideas?’ Well, this book is nothing of the sort. Tim lives this stuff. And when I say ‘live,’ I mean he leads with excellence in local and national contexts and is committed to growing in every area of leadership himself.”

"Tim has done a great job of communicating so clearly with very helpful practical application some the most important principles in effective spiritual leadership. I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone in any sort church/ministry leadership.”

"This book offers timely insight and real practical wisdom for any leader in any context, whether strengthening your own leadership muscles, building an effective team or launching out into a new leadership landscape this book offers you tools and suggestions that will get you off on the right footing.”

“There is no higher priority in our nation right now than to reach the emerging generation with the good news of Jesus. To achieve that we need fresh leaders full of passion who will be committed to that cause. Tim Alford has spent his life in pursuit of that vision and now we have this book full of his experience and wisdom to inspire us all to more. There’s no time to waste, get reading and let’s mobilise leaders to kick start a post-Covid world with the age old call to follow Jesus.”

“Leadership 101 is written straight from the trenches of youth work and is a gift to everyone involved in serving and loving young people in any capacity! Tim lives and breathes this stuff and each chapter will challenge, inspire and resource you to grow and develop as a leader to best serve the next generation. Tim does a brilliant job of humbly offering practical advice gained through many years of experience, as well as leaving space for God to speak to you. This is a MUST read, either on your own or with some friends.”

“Leadership 101 is a fantastic book that speaks into the here-and-now but also to the longevity of youth and children’s ministry. It utilises a wide range of perspectives and influences that help frame a larger understanding of healthy ministry. This book is timely and a great resource for the young or seasoned Children’s or Youth Pastor to constantly be reminded of and given tools to mastering the basics.”

"This book should be an essential part of a youth leaders Toolkit. Work through it or dip into it! Either way, it will help you, inspire you, encourage you, stretch you, and equip you for impactful, influential ministry with young people and your team. Tim writes with honesty and humour, drawing together biblical and leadership wisdom from the ages. Devour it and do it!”

“This book is not only really accessible, relatable and inspiring but also excellent both for those of us starting out on our leadership journey, and those a little further along! I would however offer this warning, don’t read this book too quickly as there is gold in here that you cannot afford to miss.”

“Leadership 101 is a fantastic resource for youth and children’s ministers to reflect and grow in their leadership. Tim has written an incredibly practical book that offers huge amounts of simple but actionable advice that will see your leadership develop and grow. Tim is not afraid to move beyond just established leadership models, tackling current issues like social media and mental health and their impact on leadership. The book is a well thought through and challenging manual of leadership from start to finish and comes thoroughly recommended.”

“We desperately need great leaders to navigate the extraordinary times we are living in. Leadership 101 is the book the youth ministry world has been crying out for to help develop Godly, skilful leaders full of integrity and passion. Tim is the real deal and his punchy style, winsome storytelling and practical advice make this book accessible for leaders at every age and stage. It is a gift to the church and I wholeheartedly commend it.”

“Leadership isn't in your genes, it grows from your inner life. Tim takes us on a journey into how that happens with great insights and practical lessons. You'll want this book in your pocket not on the shelf.”

“Tim writes really well! It is inspiring, encouraging and practical helping those starting out in ministry to the more seasoned unpack and wrestle over the principles of leadership in our current times.”