What Now? by Matt Shannon (Youthworks Media)

Teenagers make all sorts of decisions – some wonderful, some wild, usually on a whim. When I was 15, I vividly remember the day I had a fight with my roll-call teacher and made the big and overly dramatic decision to storm out of class. Picking up my bag and leaving in a huff, I made it halfway down the hallway before I stopped suddenly. What now? 

I’m sure I’m not the only teenager who has ever made a decision, big or small, only to suddenly realise that I have no idea what comes next. 

Matt Shannon, the youth minister at St Michael’s, Wollongong, wants to make sure that no teen who makes the decision to come to faith is stuck wondering, “Where to from here?” That is the premise of his book What Now? – helping teenagers who are new to faith become grounded in the Christian life. 

The book’s first chapter begins with a short list of practical next steps for a young Christian to take. It encourages them to share their decision with another Christian, join a local church or youth group and get stuck into reading God’s word for themselves.

There are plenty of books already written to answer the many burning questions teens have about God and the world. Books that explore tough topics, and books that do their best to answer an array of topics in the one collection. 

This book doesn’t try to do any of those things. The subsequent 15 chapters of What Now? guide teens through the gospel of Mark, providing explanations to help them develop their faith and Bible-reading skills. 

It’s clear from the way the book is crafted that Shannon is drawing from years of youth ministry experience. He’s written in a conversational tone, and has even included a QR code in the first chapter, linking to short videos for teens to watch if reading isn’t their thing. 

He’s designed the book to be interactive. The Bible explanations include a short reflection, questions to ponder, and a helpful prayer to pray at the end – perfect for young people who are potentially reading the Bible and praying independently for the first time. 

Having previously been a youth group leader for 12 years, and now stepping back into running youth Bible studies, I’m praying that I will have the joy of witnessing teens come to Christ. 

This is a resource I’m going to keep in my back pocket for such a moment – a clear guide for young people on the next steps of growing in faith after they’ve decided to follow Jesus.