Mark Yaconelli’s book Contemplative Youth Ministry: Practicing the Presence of Jesus is about to be released. I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy. I really like Mark Yaconelli – a lot, so of course my comments will be quite biased. I attended two Sabbaths led by Mark and his team at the San Francisco Theological Seminary. I also attended the forum in which the findings from the Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project were discussed.
At the first Sabbath I attended I experienced a profound encounter with the Holy Spirit during a prayer practice – I have never recovered. I attended Sabbath because I was on a journey to rediscover an intimate walk with Christ. I was disillusioned by how easily I could do youth ministry utilizing the primary tools of personal expertise, talent and the experience I had accumulated. Even though most of the content I delivered to young people was right on target and my theology – orthodox, I was still depressed at the vast amount of young people in the church who were choosing to walk away from faith when they moved into the late adolescent stage of their lives.
Mark and I have become friends although we have not had nearly enough time to dialogue very deeply because our connections usually come in the middle of the chaos of National Youth Worker Conventions. Mark is at his best when he stands up in front of a group of youth workers and facilitates a conversation about spirituality, authenticity, soul care of youth and passion for Jesus. Mark gently moves the conversations toward a deep look at what it means to be real, to love well and to live fully. Mark believes that healthy youth ministry requires youth workers who pursue Jesus and minister out of the wholeness of their soul.
Every youth worker needs to read this book. It is very good. I wish Mark would narrate an audio book version. Those who have not been exposed to Mark’s gentle and gracious manner will miss something. Mark is better in person.
The highlight of the book for me was Mark’s explanation for developing a way to call adults into the lives of young people. Mark reviews the frustration that all youth workers have experienced when trying to motivate adults to become volunteers. He carefully lays out, step by step, a process for inviting people to pray and consider what part God might want them to play in the spiritual formation of youth. This process is not veiled manipulation, it is an invitation to listen to the Holy Spirit and respond appropriately. This process is not a means to an end. The process itself is the THING. When the Holy Spirit calls adults to engage in the spiritual formation of the youth in their church within a contemplative youth ministry environment it is a beautiful thing.
More later…
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