Mark Oestreicher is a partner in The Youth Cartel, challenging youth ministers through holistic professional coaching, strategic consulting, transformational events and inventive resource development for youth ministry. He has had a broad experience working in churches in roles ranging from junior high pastor to executive pastor. He has served as vice president of ministry resources and later as president of Youth Specialties in San Diego, an organization that trains and equips church youth workers. Oestreicher has authored or contributed to more than sixty books, including extensive youth ministry curricula and books like A Beautiful Mess: What's Right About Youth Ministry, Understanding Your Young Teen: Practical Wisdom for Parents, Middle School Ministry: A Comprehensive Guide to Working with Early Adolescents and Youth Ministry 3.0: A Manifesto of Where We've Been, Where We Are & Where We Need to Go. He actively continues in his calling to middle school ministry by volunteering with young teens at Journey Community Church in La Mesa, California, where he leads a small group of middle school students each week. He is married to Jeannie and has two children in high school and college.